The public workforce system should take proactive steps to help the unemployed and especially the long-term unemployed return to work. As outlined in the accompanying Training and Employment Notice (TEN) 12-14: Promising Practices and Resources for Addressing Long-Term Unemployment,¹ a number of employers, employer organizations, and workforce agencies have implemented or pledged to implement specific actions, policies, and/or services for addressing the unique barriers to employment facing many of the long-term unemployed. One of these barriers, which is the subject of this Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL), is the practice among some employers to exclude unemployed and especially long-term unemployed individuals from hiring consideration. The purpose of this TEGL is to provide information to the public workforce system and other entities (including the "covered entities" listed above) that receive federal financial assistance to operate job banks, about the practice of some employers to exclude unemployed persons from hiring consideration, and to provide tools to educate employers about the practical and legal drawbacks of this practice. This guidance is being issued by the Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration (ETA), in conjunction with the Civil Rights Center (CRC).

The purpose of this Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) is to provide information to the public workforce system and other entities (including the "covered entities" listed above) that receive federal financial assistance to operate job banks, about the use of credit information to exclude, screen, or select applicants for employment and to provide tools to educate employers about the practical and legal drawbacks of this employment practice. This guidance is being issued by the Employment and Training Administration (ETA), in conjunction with the Civil Rights Center (CRC).

This TEGL is accompanied by Training and Employment Notice (TEN) number 12-14: Promising Practices and Resources for Addressing Long-Term Unemployment,¹ which outlines proactive steps that a number of employers, employer organizations, and workforce agencies have implemented or pledged to implement to address the unique barriers to employment facing many of the long-term unemployed. One of these barriers, the practice of using credit information to exclude applicants from employment, is the subject of this TEGL. Long-term unemployed individuals may be more likely than employed or short-term unemployed individuals to fall into debt due to prolonged periods when they lack sufficient income or employer-sponsored benefits such as health insurance to meet basic needs. As a result, these long-term unemployed individuals may be more likely to be negatively impacted by these credit screening practices.

To inform the public workforce system and employers about affirmative efforts by employers, employer organizations, and workforce agencies to increase economic competitiveness by tapping into the talent pool of long-term unemployed individuals, which includes many qualified, experienced, and skilled workers. And to encourage the workforce system, through resources and information, to assist the long-term unemployed in returning to work by: (a) partnering with employers to implement promising human resources practices; (b) targeting and expanding work-based learning models, such as on-the-job training; (c) offering specialized services, such as financial counseling, behavioral health counseling, and enhanced job search assistance; and (d) boosting job seeker outreach and engagement strategies to better reach the long-term unemployed.

To respond to questions from state workforce agencies and clarify states' responsibilities related to the TAAEA amendments and their effect on the CWC program.

To provide information to State Workforce Agencies (SWAs) about sequestration in Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 and how the Department of Labor (Department) would apply sequestration to mandatory Unemployment Insurance (UI) programs for FY 2015.

To provide guidance about permissible drug testing of certain unemployment compensation (UC) applicants.

To provide guidance to the states regarding the content of the WIA Annual Report Narrative, including: strategies for serving veterans, acceptable approaches to fulfilling the customer satisfaction requirements and the procedures for submission of the report to the Employment and Training Administration (ETA). The Annual Report Narrative is due on Friday, November 14, 2014.

To announce the release and availability of the Significant Provisions of State Unemployment Insurance Laws Effective July 2014.

The purpose of this Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) is to provide guidance to Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) grantees for modifying unified, integrated, and stand-alone State Plans that were approved in 2012.

To inform Employment and Training Administration (ETA) staff and the public workforce system of, and encourage workforce system participation in, the military services' Capstone activities and other outreach to provide employment services to Transitioning Service Members (TSMs), including eligible National Guard and Reserve members being separated or discharged from active duty.