The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) is pleased to announce the opening of the Recognition of Excellence (ROE) application process for 2008. This initiative was established in 2004 to recognize high performance employment and training-related programs and superior or improved system performance by entities administering and partnering with ETA-funded programs. The ROE is an important opportunity to honor programs that have achieved commendable outcomes as well as facilitate the exponential replication of innovative practices throughout the workforce investment system.

To advise State Workforce Agencies (SWAs) of their Alien Labor Certification (ALC) grant allocations under the FY 2008 Continuing Resolution (CR) in effect December 22, 2007, through December 31, 2007.

To inform states of the availability of online information about basic Federal law requirements for the federal-state unemployment compensation (UC) program.

To encourage the use of technology-based learning (TBL) in order to increase access to learning opportunities for workforce investment system customers within existing statutory and regulatory flexibility of various Employment and Training Administration (ETA) programs. This guidance addresses real and perceived issues limiting greater use of TBL methods for training in the workforce investment system, including concerns about: training content, physical class attendance, time-in-training requirements, technological access issues, and accessibility and accommodations for individuals with disabilities.

To ensure that State Workforce Agencies are aware of the increases in social security survivors and old age retirement annuities and Federal civilian pensions due to the annual cost of living adjustment (COLA).

To inform all state and national grantees about the new requirements for the State Plan (formerly known as the State Senior Employment Services Coordination Plan) occasioned by the enactment of the 2006 Older Americans Act (OAA) Amendments.

To share the Department of Labor’s vision for the public workforce system’s role in developing the talent needed for high growth industries requiring science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) skills.

To provide guidance to state workforce agencies (SWAs) on reporting of postage, TRA, and SAVE administrative expenditures on the RJM.

To ensure State Workforce Agencies are aware of the locality-based salary rates for certain Federal civilian employees.

To transmit the subject computation for State Workforce Agency usage in computing minimum weekly DUA amounts for all major disasters declared during the second quarter of fiscal year (FY) 2008