Background: For over a year, the Unemployment Insurance (UI) Service, with the assistance of a committee appointed by the Interstate Conference of State Employment Security Agencies (ICESA), has been addressing the question of improved UI operational performance, and how its conduct of the Secretary of Labor's legally-mandated oversight of the UI system is related to performance of the UI system. This committee began working in October, 1993. It comprises senior UI national office staff, three senior ETA regional officials, and State officials from Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Dakota, Oklahoma and Oregon, and ICESA representatives. The UIS had been planning a review of the UI oversight or performance enhancement system for some time; two recent events gave it impetus and shaped the agenda. First, the new ETA administration emphasized the need for the Department to be customer-oriented and thus appreciate fully what its customers expect of it in its various roles. In the UI context, that applies at two levels: the relationship between the Department and the States, and the joint relationship of DOL and the SESAs to the UI system's ultimate customers, the claimants and employers. Second, Vice President Gore's National Performance Review (NPR) completed a searching inquiry into various Departmental operations. The NPR recommended a thorough review of the UI oversight system, with a particular emphasis on how the Benefits Quality Control program might be refocused to make it a more effective vehicle for improving UI benefit payment operations. Consequently, the work group has three goals related to the general question of enhancing the performance of the UI system, i.e., to providing better services to UI claimants and employers. These are (1) to develop the broad framework for SESA-DOL working relationships and the roles for the partners; (2) to develop an outline of a system through which the Unemployment Insurance system can enhance performance; and (3) to apply the framework and performance enhancement principles to a reconsideration of the nature and focus of the Benefits QC program. To date, the work group has met eight times. It has completed work on the agenda related to its first broad goal and is now engaged in the much more detailed discussions concerning a system for enhancing performance. It has circulated its guiding framework paper, "Toward A New System for Enhancing Unemployment Insurance Performance," for comment to both States and UI stakeholders. Its broad overview of the proposed system for enhancing performance was presented at the Gateways ES-UI Conference in St. Louis in June 1994. As a prelude to that meeting, workgroup member Nils Nordberg of Massachusetts asked all SESAs to assist the workgroup's efforts by identifying key performance measures, to which nationally standard criteria should be attached. As background, he attached copies of the Performance Enhancement group's workpaper and draft system for enhancing UI performance. At its next meeting, in September 1994, the committee will continue to refine aspects of the system for enhancing UI performance presented in St. Louis. In preparation for the committee's review of the Benefits QC (BQC) program, a team of Federal and State staff is conducting a policy review of BQC, which will include a survey of all States' experience with BQC. Partnership Principles and State-Federal Roles Papers: In addition to the outline of its proposed plan, the workgroup has developed two products on which it desires comment. These are (1) the "Partnership Principles," a statement of the principles which should characterize the Department of Labor's and States' joint conduct of UI operations; and (2) five "roles papers" which attempt to illustrate how the Partnership Principles would be applied in various operational areas. The outline of the proposed performance enhancement plan, on which work continues, is attached for your information. Action Required: SESA administrators are requested to (a) share these proposed principles with appropriate staff; and (b) offer comments on them. Comments are requested by November 4, 1994, so that the committee may have the advantage of them in its continuing deliberations.

References: UIPL Nos. 32-89 (Coast Guard NAF), 48-89 (Army Corps of Engineers), 46-92 (Federal agencies serviced by Frick, Inc.) and 3-94 (List of Federal agency addresses). Background: As noted at the National UCFE/UCX Training Conference on May 17- 19, a request was made to all Federal agencies to provide this office with current addresses to assist State agency personnel in processing UCFE claims when a claimant does not present an SF-8. These addresses are now available and have been consolidated into a directory. As a result, the above referenced UIPL is now superceded by the new directory of Federal agency addresses. This direc-tory incorporates addresses for Federal agencies that were previously provided to the SESAs in the above referenced program letters and addresses obtained due to our recent request. This directory will be part of the revised UCFE Instructions for State Agencies (ET Handbook No. 391) when it is issued and will be identified as Appendix F. UCFE Directory of Federal Agency Addresses: For simplicity, this directory has been organized into two parts. Part I contains the Federal agencies that use one or two addresses and are somewhat centralized. Part II con-tains separate listings for the Defense agencies and those Federal agencies that are decentralized. The decentalized Federal agency listings are labeled individually, e.g., Section 1, 2, 3, etc. For your information and use, each Federal agency has provided the name of a liaison/contact person and telephone number. A table of contents is provided for ease in locating a particular Federal agency's listing. This directory will be updated on a semi-annual basis or when the need dictates. In addition, this directory is to be used only for claims processing and not for providing Federal agencies with the quarterly claimant detailed data. Action Required: a. SESA administrators are requested to distribute this directory immediately to the appropriate State agency personnel for their use in sending forms and notices or making inquiries pertaining to UCFE claims for former Federal employees when the Federal agency address cannot be obtained from an SF-8; and b. Insert this directory at the end of the UCFE Instructions for State Agencies, ET Handbook No. 391.

Background: Program Letters, or the five letter series, are considered temporary directives containing instructions or information of a short-term nature which complement one of the five parts of the ES MANUAL. Rather than rewrite and reissue expiring program letters which still contain relevant information or instructions, the expiration date is extended. Attached is a listing of program letters with extended expiration dates for the above period.

Background: Earlier this year a new training information resource was distributed to every Slat Occupational Information Coordinating Committee (SOICC). The State Training Inventory (STI) is a computerized database system that allows states and local users to identify training programs and providers at the secondary and post secondary levels, by selected geographic area. The system is developed and maintained by the National Occupational Information Coordinating Committee (NOICC) and SOICCs in 52 states and territories. The Job Training Partnership Act, as recently amended, and the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act Amendments, provide the authorization and funding for NOICC and the SOICCs. The Employment and Training Administration is one of NOICC's statutory member agencies. At the State level, required members of the SOICC include representatives of the State Job Training Coordinating Council and the State Employment Security Agency. Description: The 1992 STI database is compiled at the State level by SOICCs, in cooperation with State departments Or education and other agencies. The national database includes more than 17,000 training providers and more than 200,000 education and training programs offered by these institutions. The STI menus allow users to identify training providers and programs according to: -- Geographic area, including service delivery area (SDA), county, labor market area, metropolitan statistical area, State or multi-State area -- Type of institution, including secondary and adult vocational technical school, community technical college, four-year college, proprietary school, and hospital. -- Occupational title or training program title or code. STI contains several features designed specifically for JTPA use. These include the SDA geographic coding of all schools in the database. This allows JTPA users to specify their SDA area and obtain a comprehensive listing of the existing training resources for that area. Users may also specify an occupational title and obtain a listing of local providers offering related training. STI also lists the address and telephone number of all providers. Action Required: State JTPA Liaisons are encouraged to work with their SOICC to alert SDA's and other JTPA entities to the availability of this new training resource database. Each SOICC office can provide a demonstration of STI and copies of the software and support materials, including a handbook with sample materials describing how STI can answer common JTPA planning questions. A SOICC contact list is attached.

References: UIPL's 25-83 and 18-89. Background: The U.S. Army has informed us that some State Employment Security Agencies (SESAs) may be experiencing difficulty in making accurate UCX eligibility determinations on former Army members who have completed their first term of enlistment because the SESAs have concluded that all Army terms of enlistment are for 3 years. The U.S. Army has informed us that it has 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 year terms of enlistment. The U.S. Army also informed us that it has advised all transition centers to provide information on DD Forms 2l4 concerning if the servicemember completed his/her first term of enlistment. The U.S. Air Force informed us earlier of its terms of enlistment and its advice to all of of its transition centers to provide information on DD Forms 214 concerning if the servicemember completed his/her first term of enlistment. That information was transmitted to all SESAs in UIPL 18-89. Instructions: Guidance in UIPL 25-83 provides that any subsequent period of military service, after a period of active service, may be considered credible Federal service (if honorably separated). The periods together may be considered as construc-tive completion of a first full term of active service. Since the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force have provided information to this Department on how to accurately determine if former Army or Air Force members have completed their first term of enlistment, the guidance provided in UIPL 25-83 no longer applies to Army and Air Force separatees. However, that guidance still applies to U.S. Navy and U.S Marine Corps separatees until further notice. It is possible that a U.S. Army or U.S. Air Force separatee's DD Form 214 will not indicate completion of the first term of enlistment. In such case, the SESA should follow the instruc- tions contained below. SESAs should advise all appropriate staff members engaged in UCX claims activities, that if they have difficulty determining whether a claimant completed his/her first term of enlistment, to contact Ms. Pat Hasler of the U.S. Army Defense Finance and Accounting Center, Indianapolis, Indiana at 317-543-7529 or Ms. Mary Stigers of the U.S. Air Force Finance Center, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas at 210-652-5747. Action Required: State Administators should provide the above information to appropriate staff.

AWBA Utilization: The attached listing identifies the AWBA which is to be used when computing the weekly amount of disaster unemployment assistance (DUA) for major disasters where the date of the disaster for the individual occurs during the first quarter of FY 1993 (refer to 20 CFR 625.6). The AWBA for each State is based on the total amount of unemployment insurance paid in that State in the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters immediately preceding the quarter in which the major disaster began. States shall use the AWBA, rounded to the next higher dollar amount, in the computation of the DUA weekly benefit amount. An updated listing will be provided for each subsequent calendar quarter. Action Required: State Employment Security Agency Administrators are requested to provide this information to appropriate staff.

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Reference: Training and Employment Information Notice (TEIN) No. 27-93, dated January 11, 1994; TEIN No. 43-93, dated March 25, 1994; TEIN No. 49-93, dated April 25, 1994; and Federal/State/local partnership "Next Steps" conferences held around the country during March, April and May, 1994. Background: The increased funding for Title III in Program Year (PY) 1994 presents a unique opportunity to improve the dislocated worker program, and the overall employment and training system. As mentioned in TEIN No. 27-93, a portion of PY 1994 Title III discretionary funds has been earmarked for special TAT projects designed by and for the States to encourage and support program improvement projects as part of State efforts to improve program quality and capacity. There are two related efforts to improve program quality and capacity. Many States and substate areas, called Pioneers, have volunteered to undertake customer service improvements and measure customer satisfaction, which has been identified as a priority objective by the Department of Labor. Also, as part of the effort to build a partnership among the Federal, State and local levels of the employment and training system, an Enterprise Council has been formed. It consists of representatives from each of the three partners. The council will coordinate review of critical issues for EDWAA reinvention and customer service improvement. Discussion: The Program Improvement Initiative is to include a comprehensive review of the status of the State's Title III system in several critical areas. The process includes 1) an assessment of the current capabilities of the State's Title III delivery system, 2) the goals/standards to be used to assess effectiveness of current and future capability, and 3) priority program improvement actions to be completed in PY 1994. This initiative is an effort to encourage and support on-going program improvement efforts by the States, and should be coordinated with other fund sources and program improvement plans. These funds are to implement improvements to the delivery of services to dislocated workers in the Title III program. States should ensure that Title III program improvement projects take into account the need for coordination and integration of the entire JTPA/ES/UI training and employment system, including UI profiling and related reemployment services, capacity-building efforts under JTPA (TEIN Nos. 43-93 and 49-93), and one-stop career centers. Any State desiring to access funds set aside for this initiative must prepare a "Program Improvement Project Plan." Attachment I includes a description of the program dimensions which program improvement projects may address, and a set of tables which describe the information to be provided. The tables are for illustrative purposes, and it is up to the States to decide if they will use them for their submission. This plan should supplement, not supplant, ongoing State TAT activities. Some examples of types of projects that could be undertaken as part of this initiative are State and substate staff training related to customer satisfaction measurement and feedback systems, the preparation of individualized service plans, and the development of customer-focused information on program services and capabilities. Pioneer States and substate areas should consider how projects funded under this initiative can assist in their customer satisfaction efforts. The assessment of current capability and standards/goals to be used to assess effectiveness must be completed for all the program dimensions identified in Attachment I, plus any others identified by the States. The State can choose which program dimensions it wishes to address with program improvement actions in PY 1994. For the selected program dimensions, the State should describe the planned actions, indicate whether any existing State resources will be used, and whether additional funding will be required under the Program Improvement Initiative. ETA anticipates that the assessment of current capabilities and the preparation of the Program Improvement Plan will be undertaken jointly by State and Substate partners. All projects must be completed by the end of PY 1994 to the extent possible, but in any event, no later than six months from the receipt of the funds by the Regional Office. Note that the program dimensions identified may apply to many or all parts of the State's training and employment system, and that systems in place to address these dimensions may serve more than just the Title III dislocated worker program. Regional Office staff will be available to assist States in assessing current capabilities and in identifying potential areas for TAT investments. Regional Offices will convene meetings of the States within each Region in order to have States share their draft plans and determine if there are areas where coordination or collaboration would be feasible, and to inform the States of the procedures that the Regional Offices will use to review the final Program Improvement Project Plans. In addition, Regional Title III coordinators will exchange information on the plans of their States in order to ascertain if there are opportunities for coordination or collaboration across Regions. In their final plans, States should indicate whether a project will be undertaken in collaboration with one or more other States, and the level and types of resources being provided. Attachment II is a chart which lists the funds apportioned to each State against which States can draw to the extent they wish to fund projects in an approved Program Improvement Project Plan. The amounts for each State were determined by providing a base amount for each State, with an additional amount related to the number of SSAs in the State. Submission of Program Improvement Project Plans: The final Program Improvement Project Plan should be submitted as soon as possible but not later than January 13, 1995 to the Regional Office. A copy should be sent to the following address: James D. Van Erden, Administrator Office of Work-Based Learning Attention: Program Improvement Project Employment and Training Administration U.S. Department of Labor, Room N4649 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20210 Regional Office staff will review the plans for relevance to the program dimensions and the identified needs, and will forward their comments to the National Office. A State which does not intend to request these TAT funds is not required to submit a Program Improvement Project plan. Any funds not awarded will be used for other TAT purposes. Funds will be made available through a vehicle designated by the Regional Offices, such as a state cooperative agreement or 8A contract. Other Activities Under the Initiative: Each Regional Office will also receive additional TAT funds that can be used for program improvement projects in States in their Region, for multi-regional program improvement efforts, and for costs associated with the meetings discussed in Section 4. In addition, some funds will be set aside for the National Office to address any topics which seem of wide interest based on the program improvement projects underway in the States and possibly for a national meeting to review program improvement efforts. Action: Regional Offices will contact States about scheduling the meetings on the Program Improvement Initiative as soon as possible. States should continue preparation of their program improvement project plans, and plan to attend regional meetings to share their draft plans.

References. Pub. L. 97-300, section 401(k) (JTPA, as amended); Federal Register notice, Volume 59, No. 184 (59 FR 48914), September 23, 1994; Pub. L. 92-463, section 10 (Federal Advisory Committee Act). Background. In response to grantee requests, the Department made a committment at the last Council meeting in Albuquerque to issue a DINAP Bulletin announcing the next meeting of the NAETC, in addition to the mandatory publication of the meeting time(s) and place(s) in the Federal Register. This bulletin fulfills that committment. Information. Pursuant to the attached Federal Register notice, the next meeting of the NAETC will be held in Washington at the Department of Labor on Tuesday and Wednesday, October 25 and 26, 1994. Both day's sessions will be held in rooms N-4437 B, C, and D, from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, or until adjournment. The meeting will be open to the public, with public comment permitted between 3:00 pm and 5:00 pm on October 25. Agenda items are covered in the Federal Register notice, but will include several topics including proposed program regulations and the proposed automated reporting system. Questions. Contact your DINAP Federal Representative.

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