References: TEINs 6-93, 12-93 and 14-93. Background: The JQSR, used for JTPA Title II-A/B/C, and the WFFR, for JTPA Title III-Formula, became effective July 1, 1993. The revised DWSPR is now used for Title III-Secretary's National Reserve funded projects, as well as for those funded under the Defense Programs and the Clean Air Act. The above referenced TEIN's provided report formats and instructions. The attached report edit checks used by ETA will assist recipients in reviewing these required reports prior to submittal of the reports to ETA and should reduce the number of errors. Action Required: State JTPA and Worker Adjustment Liaisons are requested to distribute the attached edit check listings to all officials within the State who need such information to assist them in the preparation of these required reports.

Background: "Labor Shortage Case Studies" assesses labor shortages in the U.S., based on case studies of four occupations that currently or previously experienced labor shortages: special education teachers, para-professional home care workers, electrical and electronic engineers, and tool and die makers. This evaluation report presents the findings of a study undertaken to enhance understanding of the factors that contribute to occupational-specific labor shortages. It also identifies steps that employers and government can take to reduce the probability of such shortages occurring, and if they do occur, to alleviate their effects. Action Required: Please distribute the reports to appropriate officials within the State.

Background: The Department of Defense (DOD) informed us that due to recent administrative changes instituted at the United States Air Force Military Personnel Center (AFMPC), Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, many mailing addresses have been changed. Information: The correct mailing address and telephone number for the Airman's Action Branch of AFMPC is as follows: HQ AFMPC/DPMDOA 550 C Street West Suite 20 Randolph AFB, Texas 78150-6001 (210) 652-5747 Additionally, the Air Force has changed item 12a on the DD Form 214 to reflect the date the member originally came on active duty. The purpose of this change is to clarify the start and end of a member's continuous active duty status. Item 12c will now reflect the member's total active service while in the U.S. Air Force. All service reflected in item 12d will be prior reserve/guard or a break in service. Action Required: The above information should be provided to appropriate staff.

Reference: Federal regulations at 20 CFR Part 609 and UIPL No. 32-89 (U.S. Coast Guard NAF), 48-89 (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers), 12-90 (Air Force), and 46-92 (Federal agencies serviced by Frick, Inc.) Background: It has come to our attention that a number of State agencies are experiencing difficulties in handling UCFE claims inquiries due to a lack of accurate Federal agency addresses. Many claim inquiries (Forms ES-931, ES-931A, ES-934, ES-936) and notices of determination and appeal are frequently forwarded to inappropriate addresses because claimants do not present an SF-8, Notice to Federal Employee About Unemployment Insurance, which contains an address for forwarding inquiries or the State agency does not have a proper forwarding address in their records. As a result, when inquiries finally reach the appropriate Federal agency address, it is next to impossible to meet the 4-day timeframe to forward the completed response to the State agency as required by 20 CFR 609.21(b). To date, we have received change of address requests from two Federal agencies that have centralized addresses--the U.S. Postal Service, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. These address changes are included in an alphabetical listing which contains the centralized addresses of other Federal agencies that were previously forwarded to the SESAs via TWX or which were recently provided to the National Office for dissemination. In addition, included as separate attachments are decentralized address listings for the Department of the Air Force (Appropriated Fund Activities--FIC No. 424 and Non-Appropriated Fund Activities- -FIC No. 427), the Department of the Army (Appropriated Fund Activities--FIC No. 422)*, the Department of Health and Human Services (FIC No. 460), and the Department of Justice (FIC No. 430). Subsequent program letters for other Federal agencies will follow as the need dictates and/or when a Federal agency provides this office with an address listing. * Note--Listing for Army Non-Appropriated Fund Activities (FIC No. 425) not available at this time. Action Required: SESA administrators are requested to distribute this listing 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.

References: Training and Employment Information Notice No. 20-92, Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) Amendments Implementation Training Strategy. Background: The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) has provided a series of technical assistance guides and related train-the-trainer sessions to equip State, Service Delivery Area (SDA) and Substate Area (SSA) staff in providing JTPA subject-specific training to other State, SDA and SSA staff. The JTPA Financial Management TAG is being developed to provide clarification and "best practices" associated with the financial and related administrative requirements of the JTPA amendments and the Interim Final Regulations dated December 29, 1992. It is anticipated that the Financial Management TAG will be available for distribution to the States and SDAs/SSAs no later than January 14, 1994. Train-the-Trainer Sessions: Four train-the-trainer sessions on the Financial Management TAG will be conducted nation-wide in January, February and March 1994. The sessions will provide tools for States to conduct financial management training and will also include ample time for: (1) discussion of problem areas, (2) application of the best practices found in the TAG, and (3) questions and answers. Logistical coordination for the sessions will be provided by the Vermont Department of Employment and Training (VDET). a. Schedule for Train-the-Trainer Sessions. Brochures announcing the dates and locations for the training are attached. Trainees may choose the most convenient location and time to attend the training; however, the most geographically logical location is encouraged. b. Participation Criteria. States with 10 or more SDAs/SSAs are invited to select a maximum of four (4) individuals to attend these sessions, at least two (2) of which are encouraged to be from SDAs/SSAs. States with less than 10 SDAs/SSAs are invited to select a maximum of three (3) individuals to attend these sessions, at least two (2) of which are encouraged to be from SDAs/SSAs. Requests for additional slots must be coordinated by the State through the Conference Coordinator, Sally Redpath (refer to attached brochures for address, telephone and fax numbers). Such requests should be submitted as soon as possible and will be accommodated to the extent that room is available. To derive maximum benefit from this training experience, States should select participants who are conversant with the technical issues represented by the subject and who are able and willing to serve in the capacity of trainer. Participants should be advised of their responsibility to provide turn- around training to other State and SDA/SSA staff. Each State is requested to identify three expectations they have for this training. Please list these expectations on the back of one of the registration forms being submitted to the Conference Coordinator. c. Registration Procedures. The attached brochures are to be distributed at your discretion to State and SDA/SSA staff associated with the development and implementation of JTPA within your State. Selection of participants and registration should be coordinated by your office. All completed registration forms for your State are to be submitted in one package directly by your office to the Conference Coordinator, no later than December 3, 1993. (Registration forms individually submitted to the Conference Coordinator will NOT be considered in the final allocation of participants for a given State.) Each registration form should indicate a second choice training location. The Conference Coordinator will contact individuals directly, no later than December 10, if alternative session arrangements need to be coordinated. (This could be necessitated by response for participation at any scheduled session exceeding the maximum number of slots available.) A confirmation packet will be mailed directly to each participant, confirming the train-the-trainer session and dates to be attended. The confirmation packet will contain all of the necessary logistical information. Hotel reservations should be made immediately after receipt of confirmation packet, but no later than December 22, 1993. (December 22 is the absolute cut-off date for the Chicago session, in order to receive the reduced rate. Thereafter, reservations will be accepted on a space and rate availability basis only.) The block of rooms for each session has been reserved under the name "JTPA Financial Management". When making room reservations, individuals should identify themselves as part of this group in order to receive the negotiated reduced rate. Action Required: States are requested to: a. Distribute the attached brochures as well as the additional information contained in this directive to appropriate State and SDA/SSA staff. b. Coordinate selection of participants from your State and SDA(s)/SSA(s), not to exceed the allotted number. c. Contact the Conference Coordinator if additional slots are requested. d. Submit registration forms for all of your State and SDA/SSA participants in one package to the Conference Coordinator, no later than December 3, 1993. (States requesting additional slots should submit registration forms for allotted number of participants by the deadline of December 3. Response to requests for additional slots will be made during the week of December 6, after all registration forms have been received. Upon notification of additional slot availability, corresponding registration forms will be accepted by the Conference Coordinator.) e. Identify three expectations your State has for this training on the back of one of the registration forms being submitted to the Conference Coordinator.

Background: Title III funding for PY 1994 has been increased to $1.118 billion, more than twice the level available in PY 1993. At the same time, and independent from the increase in the appropriation, the Department, in consultation with State and local partners, is refocusing the dislocated worker system in order to expand and improve the quality of services and outcomes to dislocated workers and employers. This refocus has been developed through an extensive consultation process and reflects a legislative proposal to be submitted to Congress in 1994 to legislate a new comprehensive dislocated worker program for implementation in PY 1995 based on the following tenets: -- Establish a strong customer focus and orientation which leads to higher levels of customer satisfaction. -- Focus performance management on the attainment of quality-based outcomes; -- Provide maximum flexibility to those involved in direct delivery of services to customers; -- Increase the availability of quality services by expanding service and training options and giving customers more choice in the selection of options; -- Improve the collection and maintenance of data on program quality and LMI to enable the system and individual dislocated workers to make effective selection of service providers and program activities. -- Improve system operations by developing and implementing MIS systems. Plans developed for PY 1994 and PY 1995 based on the tenets outlined above, should focus on two goals: -- Improving Program Quality, and -- Effectively Increasing Program Capacity Changes in PY 1994 should lead to higher levels of performance in PY 1995. Program Goals for PY 1994/1995: During PY 1994/1995, the focus of the States' and SSAs' efforts should be to: -- Improve Program Quality -- Improve the timeliness and effectiveness of early intervention activities, -- Increase the level of earnings recovery/high wage placements, -- Improve the responsiveness of services to the individual needs of the dislocated worker, -- Expand customer choice by providing more options on available services and sources of training, and -- Facilitate timely return to appropriate employment. -- Increase Program Capacity -- Significantly increase the effectiveness of outreach activities, -- Provide assistance to more dislocated workers, -- Provide an expanding variety of services, as well as longer-term training, as needed, -- Enhance cooperation and participation of other agencies in serving dislocated workers, -- Promote increased involvement of the private sector in the planning and provision of assistance to dislocated workers, and -- Increase the capacity of the State's and substates' systems, including staff skills, to provide quality services. The Employment and Training Administration has established a national goal of increasing the level of customer satisfaction among those served by the dislocated worker program by 10% during PY 1994. The Department is currently undertaking a survey of a sample of terminated program participants in order to establish a current measure of customer satisfaction. Planning Process for PY 1994/PY 1995: Current EDWAA legislation requires the submittal of State plans for PY 1994 and PY 1995 to the Department by May 1, 1994. For this cycle, the Department wants to ensure that the plan document is not viewed as an end in itself but as a part of a productive planning process that develops effective State and substate strategies for accomplishing the goals previously described. The Department has developed a proposed planning strategy which promotes a high level of Federal, State-substate interaction throughout the Winter and Spring, and includes an appropriate level of Federal support and guidance. The major components of this strategy are: -- Transmit draft planning guidelines to States November: -- Issuance of policy guidance on various program topics (training waivers, CCEs, needs-related payments, etc.) January: -- State planning briefings/meetings with all SSAs by January -- Provide information on a nationwide basis on recent program performance to all States February: -- Provide ongoing assistance on plan preparation process in the States January-April: -- Preparation of State Title III plans March-April: -- Submission of State Title III plans May: The Department is revising the planning instructions to include both a description of State policies and systems that relate to currently legislated responsibilities, and a description of improvement actions to be undertaken by the State during PY 1994 to increase program quality and program capacity within the State. An important objective of the planning process is developing State/SSA-specific strategies for establishing the capability to meet the goals and policy emphases that may be legislatively implemented. To support this planning process, the Department will set aside and make TAT funds available to each State, for use during PY 1994. These funds are intended to support capacity building efforts needed to achieve the improvements described in the State plan, and to facilitate the State's transition into PY 1995 in the event that new dislocated worker legislation is enacted by the Congress. States will be required to prepare and submit a technical assistance plan for the use of such funds. Action Required: State Worker Adjustment Liaisons are requested to provide this information to the appropriate staff and to all their SSAs as soon as possible, and to proceed to implement the planning process based on the contents of this TEIN.

Background: In 1988, the Unemployment Insurance Service (UIS) signed a contract with Artecon, Inc., to purchase computer systems for the SESAs and the National Office. These systems replaced the older Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) Pro 380 super-microcomputers running the Benefits Quality Control program. Artecon's replacement computer systems were based on Sun 3/60 CPUs, and were configured as multi-user systems. These computers are currently installed in the SESAs and at the National Office, and currently support various QC applications, the UI Required Reporting (UIRR) system, and the Performance Measurement Review (PMR) pilot. The Artecon systems have already become obsolete in today's rapidly changing computer marketplace. The vendors that provide the commercial software and the operating system have effectively abandoned the Artecon platform, and no longer provide new releases or upgrades for these systems. In recognition of the necessity to strategically plan the next migration of the State UI systems, the National Office, together with representatives from the Regions and States, formed a Vision Group that met in July, 1992, to decide on the best course of action for upgrading the Artecon computers. The Vision Group consensus was to upgrade the old equipment with current technology, continuing to run under a UNIX-based operating system capable of supporting Informix. This strategy would allow the National Office and the States to port existing UIS applications onto the new computers with a minimum amount of time and effort. Changes: After researching the marketplace, and developing a Requirements Analysis and Cost Comparison document, the National Office was able to take advantage of an existing contract available to Federal agencies through the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to order replacement equipment. Sun Microsystems SPARCstation 10 Model 40 computers were ordered to replace the Artecon computers in the SESAs. The new computers will be integrated into the current system and all existing peripherals (modems, tape drives, terminals, printers, and annex boxes) will continue to be used. Both the Sun SPARCstation and the older Sun 3/60 computers will initially be attached to the system, with all UI applications running solely on the SPARCstation machine. The 3/60 connectivity will provide States the opportunity to move their applications over to the new machine. The UI State Support and Data Processing teams were recently combined to form the UIS Operations and Support (UISOPS) group. This group provides technical support to both States and Regions, and is responsible for system administration of the UI data processing network. They are actively working on porting existing programs and applications from the 3/60 platform to the new machines. They will be available to provide technical assistance to any State requesting help in moving their products onto the new computers. To obtain technical assistance, State System Administrators may contact the Hotline at 1-800-473-0188. The SPARCstation computers will be shipped and installed in all SESAs after the National Office has upgraded all of the commercial software products to the latest available version and release numbers running under Solaris (the new Sun operating system), and after porting the UI applications to the new machines. The new computers will be shipped as turn-key systems, already loaded with all UI software applications. Service technicians will install the new computers and assist the State System Administrators in loading user files. The National Office plans to have the new SPARCstation computers in all States in early 1994. A Site Preparation Guide and an Equipment Specification Manual are currently being prepared and will be distributed to the UI State System Administrators upon completion. The National UI QC Training Center will also be offering a training course on the new system, to include any upgraded commercial software packages. Training should roughly coincide with delivery of the new systems. The National Office also purchased Hewlett Packard Laserjet Model 4SI laser printers off the same contract, to be added as an additional system printer to all State UI systems. Disposal Instructions: Maintenance will be carried on the Artecon computers for approximately 60 days after delivery of the new SPARCstations; after that all support for the 3/60s will end. At that time, in accordance with CFR 29, Part 97.32(g), the equipment may be retained, sold or otherwise disposed of with no further obligation to the Federal Government. New Equipment: Following is a description of the new computers and the additional laser printer ordered for the SESAs: a. Sun SPARCstation 10 Model 40 servers 48 MB Memory 2 x 1.05 GB internal disk drives 16" color monitor 1.44 MB 3.5" floppy drive 644 MB compact disk drive Serial/Parallel controller b. HP Laserjet 4SI Laser Printer 2 MBytes RAM 17 pages per minute 600 x 600 dpi print quality Dual-bin paper handling The new computers are projected to be capable of supporting between 20 to 60 concurrent users and will run at a speed of about 105 MIPS (millions of instructions per second). They will provide between 15-20 times the processing power of the older 3/60 models, at about one-third the cost. A schematic of the new system, with the integrated SPARCstation computer, is attached. Action Required: Administrators are to provide the above information to all appropriate State staff (including all State System Administrators for the SESA UI automated systems).

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 1994 (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.

Reference: Training and Employment Information Notice (TEIN) No. 58-85 and Beyond the School Doors: The Literacy Needs of Job Seekers Served by the U.S. Department of Labor, by Kirsch, I.S., Jungeblut, A. & Campbell A. (1992). Background: Recognizing the importance of literacy skills in the workplace, the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) is sponsoring a series of initiatives to address the literacy needs of ETA program clients. These literacy initiatives are built on an earlier effort to report literacy levels of Americans such as the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Under contract with ETA, the Educational Testing Service (ETS) designed and conducted the DOL Workplace Literacy Survey of the JTPA and ES/UI populations. Building on this survey, ETS developed the WLT. Description of Workplace Literacy Test: The WLT is an assessment instrument that measures three dimensions of literacy: prose comprehension, the ability to read and understand prose; document literacy, the ability to use information found in documents; and quantitative literacy, the ability to set up and solve problems using quantitative information. The assessment items are built on tasks that adults frequently encounter in their daily lives. In addition, the test items making up this assessment were developed in a manner that was faithful to a logical cognitive model that attempts to define how adults approach and perform these types of tasks. Pilot Project Objectives and Description: The purposes of the WLT Implementation Pilot Project are to: 1) inform ETA programs about the WLT, 2) determine the validity of WLT procedures, 3) develop procedure manuals, 4) establish a standardized scoring system, and 5) obtain information to determine whether the WLT can be used for the following purposes: -- providing literacy profiles on clients for use in vocational counseling and remedial programs (e.g., JTPA); and -- measuring changes in literacy skills associated with participation in various training programs. Approximately eighty sites will be included in the pilot project. (Sites to be selected will include SESA local offices, State JTPA and EDWAA programs and projects.) As soon as sites are obtained ETS will schedule a one-day training session in each of the ten DOL Regions. ETS will supply sites with test booklets, score the test, and provide score reports at no charge to the sites. Participant responsibilities include: 1) administering the WLT test to 100-300 individuals during the next year, 2) keeping the test instruments secure, 3) returning completed tests for scoring. Each of these responsibilities will be described in more detail by ETS at the training sessions. Use of the WLT: The WLT can be used to meet federal requirements for reporting the literacy levels of JTPA clients. According to the Standardized Program Information Report instructions, DOL will consider either grade level or raw scores from such tests as the WLT to be in compliance with reporting requirements. Limitations of the WLT: The WLT test results cannot be used for hiring or promotional purposes, nor for counseling or training individuals in literacy level requirements for specific occupations. Action: States are requested to provide this information to appropriate JTPA, EDWAA, or SESA entities and request that interested parties contact Jules Goodison, ETS Co-project Director by December 10, 1993, at 1-800-223-0267 or by telefacsimile (609) 734-1878.

Background: Title II, Section 201 of Public Law 102-318 amended the Federal-State Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 1970 by providing for an alternative trigger mechanism for determining a State's eligibility to pay EB: a 3-month average seasonally adjusted TUR. The Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is the official source of this data. The criteria necessary for a State to be eligible to pay 13 weeks of EB based on the TUR trigger are: (a) the average rate of total unemployment (seasonally adjusted) for the most recent 3-month period for which data for all States are published must equal or exceed 6.5 percent; (b) that rate must equal or exceed 110 percent of the rate for the corresponding 3 months in either of the prior two years; and (c) the State must have a provision in its law to utilize the TUR as an alternative EB trigger. If the 3-month average TUR equals or exceeds 8.0 percent and is at least 110 percent of the TUR for the corresponding 3-month period in either of the prior two years, the State enters a "high unemployment period" in which 20 weeks of EB are payable. Revisions to Historical Data: At the end of each calendar year, BLS routinely makes revisions to its historical data. The labor force, employment and unemployment data are revised to incorporate updated population data from the Bureau of the Census and any revisions in other data sources; seasonal adjustment factors are modified and econometric models are re-estimated to include the experience of that year; and the monthly estimates are "benchmarked" to equal the CPS annual averages. Effective immediately, these revised historical data will be incorporated in the computation of TUR percentages of prior years as soon as they are published. However, no State's EB status will change retroactively based on revised data. BLS will be the official source of all data used to make the EB 3-month average TUR computation, and BLS will make all of these computations using their standard methodologies. Action Required: State Administrators are requested to provide the above information to all appropriate staff.