Background. Title II, Section 201 of Public Law 102-318 amended the Federal-State Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 1970 by providing for the use of a 3-month average seasonally adjusted TUR as an alternative trigger mechanism for determining a State's eligibility to pay EB. Prior to the alternative TUR trigger, any determination of whether a State was triggered "on" or "off" EB was based on the State's 13-week insured unemployment rate (IUR) as reported by the State agency. Within 10 calendar days after the end of any week with respect to which the head of a State agency had determined that there was an "on" or "off" indicator change, the State was required to notify the Secretary of the change (see 20 CFR 615.12). This requirement still applies to EB periods based on the IUR trigger. The DOL's Bureau of Labor Statistics is the official source of the alternative TUR trigger, which makes it the DOL's responsibility to determine the rates of total unemployment for "on" or "off" EB indicators with respect to this trigger (see 203(f)(2) of Federal-State Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 1970). This necessitates that DOL implement a notification process to advise affected States of a status change based on the alternative TUR trigger. DOL's Notification Process of an EB Status Change. Effective immediately, the Department of Labor will issue a notice to the appropriate State official when it has been determined that a State's EB status will change due to the alternative TUR trigger. This notice will include the circumstances which resulted in the status change. Except for the requirement in Section 615.12(e), States still must follow all procedural requirements of 20 CFR 615 related to notification of the Department. Action Required. State Administrators are requested to provide the above information to all appropriate staff.

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The Department of Labor is issuing updated non-financial reporting requirements for programs funded under Titles II and III of the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA). These instructions update those transmitted via TEIN 5-93 on July 30, 1993. Also, as appropriate, SPIR coding instructions have been updated and edits have been modified. The updated coding instructions and edits have been provided under separate cover. OMB Approval and Reporting Burden: The SPIR reporting requirements have been approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) according to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980, as amended, under OMB Approval No. 1205-0321 (expiration date June 30, 1995). Reporting Instructions: The Governor will submit a separate report for each participant who terminates from a JTPA program, as specified in the attached instructions for preparation of the SPIR. a. Highlights of Clarifications/Language Changes to the SPIR Reporting Instructions. While additional codes have been provided in several items, no new data elements have been introduced. These are the highlights of the changes: 1) Language pertaining to the time when reading and math skills may be recorded is included in the General Instructions. 2) Language pertaining to the non-termination of partici- pants in Title II-C/B is included in the General Instruc- tions. 3) Language has been added to Item 3 emphasizing the requirement that a Social Security Number is required on every record submitted. 4) Codes for Title II-B and for Title I, Section 123, (8%) have been added to Item 10. 5) Specific language regarding age eligibility is provided in Item 12. 6) Codes for the JTPA Title IV and for the Trade Adjust- ment Act (TAA) programs have been added to Item 12a. 7) Language about recording the economic disadvantaged status of referrals from other programs to JTPA Title II-C and Section 204(d) programs is provided in Item 13. 8) A statement regarding use of subsidized training wages has been added to Item 22. 9) Language indicating that only occupational skills codes are to be recorded is included in Item 31. 10) A statement that an incentive payment to a partici- pant for excellent attendance in program activities is not reportable on the SPIR has been added to Item 32. 11) Language has been updated in Item 32f. re Needs- related payments for Title III. 12) Additional language has been added to Item 34 covering entry from JTPA into the Peace Corps, VISTA, and other National Service programs. 13) Language has been updated in Item 34b. re Relocated out of area for Title III. 14) Language addressing participant refusals of employer- assisted fringe benefits is provided in Item 35c. Also, explicit reference to a probationary period is now included. 15) Additional language re the number of YECs required for the Adult/Youth Employability Enhancement outcome has been added to Item 36. 16) Clarified language specifying the required period of retention for the Returned to/Remained in School outcomes is provided in Items 36b/c. The definition for Satisfac- tory progress in school has been added to the note for Items 36b/c. 17) Language covering entry from JTPA into the Older Americans Act, Title V, program has been added to Item 36g. 18) Language specifying when the reporting of information in items 35a-f is required has been added to Item 38. 19) Additional clarifying language has been added to Item 38. 20) Language has been added to the instruction for Item 39, code 6, re transfers within a given SDA under Title II. 21) Additional language has been added to the paragraph just prior to Item 40 regarding the treatment of partici- pants coded in Item 12 as 7, Title II-A 5% exempt from performance standards. 22) Guidance on the single 90/30-day period of inactive status, originally appearing in TEIN 3-92, Attachment C, has been provided as Appendix C of this document. Action Required: State Liaisons are requested to distribute the attached instructions to all officials within the State who need such information to administer the SPIR reporting require- ments.

Background: The compliance supplement was updated by OMB to provide better coverage for all Federal funding. Within the U.S. Department of Labor, the Office of Inspector General worked with each program agency to identify important compliance features. OIG provided this information to OMB and it has been included in the supplement. This supplement incorporates the improved features of the Supplement for State and local government audits (loose-leaf format, expanded general requirements section, improved indirect costs coverage and guidance for review of the financial reports). Its format is the same as that of the "Compliance Supplement for Single Audits of State and Local Governments," and it is designed to be used in conjunction with that document. The Questions and Answers document was prepared to provide clarifications and additional practical working guidance to those participating in A-133 audits. Action Required: These documents are provided for your information. You may wish to provide copies to your SDAs and other appropriate entities.

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References: UIPL No. 16-94, (3/15/94) UIPL No. 18-93, (3/18/93), UIPL No.20-93 (3/8/93). Background: The RQC staff compiles questions and issues that arise during RQC training classes, Regional and National Office monitoring trips, and from other sources in order to develop a generic set of answers to those questions believed to be of universal interest to the State staff implementing RQC. Questions and Answers: The attached Q&As (dated May 1994) are an addition to the compilation of questions and answers dated February 1994. The Q&As are arranged by tax function and in the same sequence as the RQC Operations Handbook. This format provides the necessary flexibility to allow periodic Q&A updates to be inserted in the appropriate section. (For example, the May Status Acceptance Sampling pages can be inserted at the end of the February Status Acceptance Sampling section.) Numbering of the questions is continuous. Action Required: SESA Administrators are requested to provide the attached Q&As to RQC Reviewers and appropriate ADP staff. Three copies are attached for your convenience.

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Reference: UIPL NO. 16-94 (March 15, 1994), UIPL NO. 3-93 (November 9, 1992) The RQC is a continuation of the quality control system initiated under a Federal regulation published in 20 CFR Part 602, effective October 5, 1987. Under the Regulation, the Federal-State UI system is required to have a quality control program to assess the timeliness and accuracy of the States' administration of their UI programs. As a result, the Benefit Quality Control program was started in 1988 to assess the quality of paying UI benefits. To evaluate the quality of UI tax operations, the RQC program was added. The RQC was designed and developed with extensive input of State UI tax experts working in the National Office on temporary Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) assignments, a panel of State experts on tax policy and administration, and State and Regional staff involved in the RQC pre-test and pilot test. Following training provided to State RQC program reviewers and ADP staff, 52 States began voluntary implementation of RQC in mid and late 1993. The voluntary implementation phase was an effective test of RQC applications under varying State rules and procedures, generating a number of improvements and modifications in RQC operating procedures. A series of clarifications, questions and answers has been released to States and Regions via UI Program Letter 16-94. To avoid duplicating QA tax performance measures, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) conditioned approval for mandatory Federal collection of RQC data on the elimination of QA-RQC overlap. The following implementation plan is designed to address OMB stipulations. Phased Implementation of RQC: The RQC workgroup is preparing for a phased-in implementation of RQC in 1995 and 1996, under existing statutory authority. Mandatory implementation of RQC Computed Measures will coincide with distribution to the States of a revised form ETA 581 and instructions. The revised instructions contain clarifications to definitions and previous instructions, and the addition of new reporting items in the areas of Report Delinquency, Status Determination, Total Wages Audited and Accounts Receivable. These changes are in the OMB clearance process, and are expected to be approved in the fall of 1994. Immediately afterward, the revised form and instructions will be released to all State Employment Security Agencies (SESAs) via a change to ET Handbook No. 401, 2nd Edition. The following steps are designed to coordinate RQC, QA, and ETA 581 reporting for full implementation of RQC. The phased implementa- tion plan has three main components: Step 1. Initiate RQC's Computed Measures with the revised form ETA 581 reporting requirements. Reporting on the revised form is expected to become effective at the start of Calendar Year 1995 (CY 95), with data for the quarter ending March 31, 1995 due in the National Office on May 20, 1995. Step 2. Suspend Quality Appraisal tax reviews after the November 1994 - January 1995 reviews are completed. Data from final QA tax reviews will be published in the 1995 QA Report. Step 3. The balance of RQC (Systems Reviews, Acceptance Sampling and Methods Surveys) will be mandatory effective January 1, 1996, under the Secretary's existing statutory authority to require reports and operations data fromthe States. Transition of QA Measures to RQC: The following is a brief summary of current QA requirements and the measurements RQC will perform in their place. a. Promptness: QA produces promptness measures for cashiering, status determinations, collections and reports delinquency. The first three are from samples, the fourth from ETA 581 (universe) data. The RQC promptness measures will use ETA 581 data for three of the same measures. The RQC's cashiering measure--timeliness of deposit into the clearing account and the accuracy of posting the employer account--uses an expanded version of the current QA sampling approach. The RQC program has more detailed status timeliness measures, and two new report delinquency measures. b. Performance/Accuracy: QA measures audit performance through a small sample, and uses ETA 581 data to measure audit penetration. The RQC includes a comprehensive systems review of the audit function to ensure compliance with all Employment Security Manual requirements (performance). Also encompassed are measures for audit penetration, wage change, and wages audited. In addition to evaluating field audit operations, RQC will measure accuracy and completeness in: status determinations, cashiering, report delinquency, collections, and accounts maintenance (contri- bution processing, debits and billings, credits and refunds, benefit charging, and experience rating). The full transition from QA to RQC (and the rest of the UIS oversight system) will be influenced by the State-Federal Perfor- mance Enhancement group's final recommendation on the most effective way to improve UIS performance. The group's final recommendations are due late in CY 94. Action Required: The SESA Administrators are requested to prepare for the phased-in implementation of mandatory RQC, as follows: (1.) Notify appropriate staff that the phase-in implementation of RQC will begin with Computed Measures in January 1995. a. The SESA data definitions should be compared with RQC defini- tions, and the various data elements should be tested to ensure that the required Computed Measures data can be collected and reported properly for the first quarter of CY 95. b. Notify staff associated with ETA 581 activity, including ADP staff, of the need to implement the revised ETA 581 reporting requirements for the report quarter ending March 31, 1995. The first revised report will be due on May 20, 1995. (2). Advise appropriate staff that the remainder of the RQC program (Systems Reviews, Method Surveys and Acceptance Sampling) will be implemented effective January 1, 1996. Staff will need to ensure that sampling universes are created, tested and operable so that a complete RQC review can begin in January 1996. Results and findings of the 1996 RQC tax reviews are scheduled for compilation in early CY 97.

Background: During the months of May and June, U.S. Department of Labor staff conducted training on Rapid Response policies and strategies. A section of each session briefly focused on the formation and guidance of LMCs, and discussed some of the advantages of these committees. A representative from the Bureau of Labor-Management Relations and Cooperative Programs (BLMRCP) was the key presenter during this section of the workshops. In the weeks following the Rapid Response training, numerous session participants have expressed an interest in receiving in depth instruction on techniques for creating LMCs in response to closings and layoffs and assisting in and facilitating their effective operation. In response to these requests, the Employment and Training Administration has made arrangements to underwrite the costs of multi-Regional LMC "train the trainer" workshops to be conducted by BLMRCP. This TEIN announces the opportunity for States to submit TAT Requests to their Regional Offices in order to attend these workshops. Discussion: A. Training Content The training program has been developed by BLMRCP to equip employment and training professionals with the skills and capabilities required to promote employee involvement in worker dislocation events and empower the workers to help themselves obtain alternative employment and/or training. Specifically, the first part of the program introduces the basics of LMCs and provides participants with the information and skills needed to promote, market, and establish these committees. The second portion imparts the abilities and knowledge required to train workers and other committee members in the basic skills and techniques they need to operate an effective and efficient LMC. Attendees will also come away from the sessions with the ability to instruct others in the content of the workshop. The training is designed for individuals who assist in the formation of LMCs, work directly with these committees, and can instruct other current and potential practitioners in the workshop's content. B. Workshop Logistics The following are the scheduled dates and the locations of the workshops: Regions Workshop Covered Location Dates I II & IV Atlanta 8/25 - 8/26 II V & VI Chicago Noon, 9/1-Noon, 9/3 III VII, VIII, Denver 9/9 - 9/10 IX & X IV I & III Boston 9/16 - 9/17 Attendees are expected to arrange their schedules so participation in the entire workshop is possible. Workshops I, III, and IV will entail 2 full days of training. Hotel accommodations for State and local staff attending the training will be provided without charge. Details regarding the training will be provided when the State's TAT Request has been approved. Workshop participants will be responsible for their own travel and other per diem expenses. C. The TAT Request To attend the training, a State must submit a TAT Request to its respective ETA Regional Office which contains the following information: (1) State Participant Information. Due to the "hands on" nature of the workshop, the number of participants at each session will be limited. As a result, each State will initially be limited to 6 representatives at their scheduled workshop. With this restriction in mind, please provide the number of individuals from your State that will attend . States desiring the participation of extra representatives should provide the number of additional individuals they would like to attend. These additional requests will be reviewed and approved on a case-by-case basis. The training is for individuals who assist in the formation of LMCs, work directly with these committees, and can instruct other current and potential practitioners in the content of the workshop. (2) State Contact. Provide the name of an individual from the State whom the Regional Office may contact for or with additional information. D. Regional Contacts Any questions concerning a State's workshop and/or TAT Request should be addressed to: REGION CONTACT PHONE NUMBER I Holly O'Brian-Rachlin (617) 565-2268 II Maria Remboulis (212) 337-2176 III Kathy Riordan (215) 596-6410 IV Jackie Roberts (404) 347-3495 V Michael Batts (312) 353-5062 VI Robert Larrea (214) 767-6917 VII Fred Ho man (816) 426-3796 VIII Niall Rogers (303) 844-4143 IX Jeff Salzman (415) 744-7648 X Gary DeRosa (206) 553-4543 Action: Each interested State must submit its TAT Request (as outlined above) to its Regional Office by c.o.b. August 14. After evaluating the Requests, the Regional Offices will contact their States to provide additional information concerning the workshop arrangements.