To provide State Employment Security Agencies (SESAs) a guide for using RiskWatch software to conduct a UI Risk Analysis.

To remind States that Canada is a signatory to the Interstate Benefit Payment Plan via an executive agree-ment with the United States, and that all interstate program procedures and policies apply to claims filed from and against Canada under traditional and remote claimstaking procedures.

To transmit a revised Directory of Benefit Payment Control (BPC) Staff.

To transmit the directory of Federal and military agencies that have requested detailed UCFE or UCX benefit payment data which support the Department of Labor quarterly unemployment compensation billings.

To transmit estimated employer contribution rates for 1999.

To alert State Employment Security Agencies (SESAs) of Y2K preparedness concerns expressed by the Bureau of Public Debt (BPD) in the U.S. Treasury Department, the manager of the UTFAS.

To transmit information regarding the release of National and State PY 1997 SPIR (Standardized Program Information Reporting) Data Books.

To provide instructions and policy guidance on the closeout of the formula-funded PY 1998 and 1999 JTPA programs. All program years through 1997 will be closed in accordance with the requirements of 20 CFR 627.485.

To provide revised guidance to State Employment Security Agencies (SESAs) regarding the UCFE program coverage of individuals paid by Federal agencies on a contract or fee basis.

To disseminate the performance measures that will be used to assess program operations and plans for program improvement, establish the minimum performance criteria for Tier I measures and their effective dates, and discuss the relationship of the Tier I and Tier II measures to the State Quality Service Plan (SQSP) process.