Authorities and References: Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) of 1996 (Pub. L. 104-193) and Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (Pub. L. 105-33) amending Title IV-A of the Social Security Act; Transportation Equity Act for the 21st century (TEA-21) (Pub. L. 105-178); Child Support Performance and Incentive Act of 1998 (Pub. L. 105-200); TEA-21 Restoration Act (Pub. L. 105-206); Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Proposed Rule (62 Fed. Reg. 62124 (proposed Nov. 20, 1997)); Welfare-to-Work Grants Interim Final Rule, 20 CFR Part 645 (62 Fed. Reg. 61588 (Nov. 18, 1997)); TANF Policy Announcement No. TANF-ACF-PA-97-1, dated January 31, 1997; Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) 9-97. Recissions: The attached guidance paper was originally issued on May 8, 1998. Since then two major pieces of legislation have passed that significantly altered the programs described in the original guidance document. In order for this revised guidance to be most useful, it is being reissued in its entirety as a new TEGL, rescinding TEGL 9-97. Background: The guidance, intended to augment the current statutory and regulatory provisions, has been revised to incorporate legislative changes since the initial issuance. In particular, the Job Access and Reverse Commute (Job Access) program was created by Congress to provide new resources to address transportation issues for low-income people. The revised guidance paper also clarifies policy issues that have come to light in the areas of: the definition of assistance under the TANF program, data reporting under TANF and the Welfare-to- Work (WtW) program, and appropriate cost principles for federally-funded projects. Information: The new Job Access program creates opportunities at the local level for communities to leverage existing resources to help solve transportation issues for low income neighborhoods. The revised guidance describes, in detail, a number of limitations on how these funds may be appropriately used in cost sharing arrangements. State and local employment and training providers should review the example set forth on page 13 regarding how a jointly funded transportation project could operate. Action: Please share the joint guidance paper, as well as the joint Secretarial memorandum, with State and local staff who are involved in providing transportation services, to welfare recipients. This guidance is being issued simultaneously through the policy guidance systems of the three agencies involved.

References: The Trade Act of 1974, as amended, TAA program regulations at 20 CFR Part 617, and GAL 5-98. Background: The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) has implemented a new reporting system that will track program performance and participant outcomes for the TAA and NAFTA-TAA programs. States have been requested to prepare and submit implementation plans. This directive provides detailed instructions to the States on preparing and submitting quarterly reports under the new system to Social Policy Research Associates (SPR), the contractor that will operate the data system. OMB Approval: On June 19, 1998, the new reporting system was approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The OMB control number is 1205-0392. OMB approval expires on June 30, 2001. Technical Support: The Office of Trade Adjustment Assistance (OTAA) has provided technical training on the new reporting system to all Regional and State staff who administer the TAA and NAFTA-TAA programs. OTAA, the Regional Offices, and SPR will continue to provide any necessary technical support to the States. Action Required: State Trade Act Coordinators (or the individuals assigned responsibility for submitting the reports in the State implementation plans) are requested to prepare and submit quarterly reports according to the instructions attached to this directive. The first quarterly report is to cover the period from October 1, 1998 through December 31, 1998, and must be submitted to SPR no later that February 15, 1999. Reports are required for each quarter thereafter; all reports are due no later than 45 days after the end of the reporting quarter.

OMB Approval: These reporting instructions have been approved under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, under OMB numbers 1205-0187, 1205-0268, 1205-0359, 1205-0172, and 1205- 0029, respectively. OMB numbers 1205-0187, 1205-0268, and 1205-0359 have been approved through October 31, 2001, OMB 1205-0172 through September 2001, and OMB 1205-0029 through November 30, 2001. NOTE: Persons are not required to respond to this collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. Burden Disclosure: Public reporting burden for these collections of information is estimated to average three hours per response for the ETA 9000, Internal Fraud Activities (OMB #1205-0187), one hour per response for ETA 9016, Alien Claims Activity Report (OMB #1205-0268), four and one half hours per response for the Benefits, Timeliness, and Quality (BTQ) Review System (OMB #1205- 0359), two and one half hours per response for ETA- 5130, Benefit Appeals Report (OMB #1205-0172), and four hours per response for ETA 586, Interstate Arrangement for Combining Employment and Wages (OMB #1205-0029). These hours include the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Respondent=s obligation to reply is mandatory (SSA, Sec. 303(a)(6)). Send comments regarding these burden estimates or any other aspect of these collections of information, including suggestions for reducing these burdens, to the U.S. Department of Labor, Unemployment Insurance Service, Room S-4231, Washington, D.C. 20210.

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References: 1. Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) 29 USC 1501 et seq, as amended 2. JTPA Regulations, 20 CFR 626-629 and 631, published in the Federal Register on September 2, 1994 3. Training and Employment Information Notice (TEIN) 5-93 (July 30, 1993) 4. TEIN 5-93, Change 1 (June 24, 1994) 5. TEIN 5-93, Change 2 (January 24, 1997) 6. TEIN 9-98 (September 14, 1998) 7. TEIN 11-98 (September 28, 1998) Background. The Department of Labor is issuing updated non- financial reporting instructions for programs funded under Titles II and III and Section 204(d) of the JTPA. These instructions update those transmitted via TEIN 5-93, Change 1, on June 23, 1994, and TEIN 5-93, Change 2, on January 24, 1997. Also, as appropriate, SPIR coding instructions have been updated and edits have been modified. The updated coding instructions and edits will be provided under separate cover. A new Guide to JTPA Performance Standards for Program Years 1998 and 1999 that incorporates tables cross-referencing the revised SPIR will be issued soon. SPIR data submitted by the States are edited, analyzed, and compiled each year into a number of public-use products that are disseminated to the States. National and State SPIR Data Books are printed and distributed, and a CD-ROM is produced containing the entire national public-use data set plus all State Data Books and the National Data Book. For more information on the availability of SPIR products, see Training and Employment Information Notice No. 9-98 (September 14, 1998), or the Web site given in Section 8 below. 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, 2000). Highlights of Changes: The Department conducted extensive consultations with Federal, State, local, and other partners while developing the revised SPIR. A ¿Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) Standardized Program Information Reporting (SPIR) System Comment Request¿ was published in the Federal Register on April 23, 1998. More than 30 commenters responded, and their issues were reconciled and incorporated as much as possible into the final guidance. Another Federal Register notice was published October 7, 1998, to provide notification of submission to OMB. In April 1998, the Department also convened a technical work group of representatives of Federal, State and local JTPA programs, partner programs, and public interest groups. These reporting revisions are mainly in response to the recommendations of that group and the commenters in the field. The revisions are believed to be the minimum necessary to accomplish several objectives in the two program years before JTPA expires a. Minimize changes requiring system reprogramming. b. Begin laying the groundwork for anticipated transition to the new legislation¿s expected reporting requirements. c. Establish new optional reporting items and definitions for States that have chosen to adopt wage record-based measures for JTPA performance standards (and for States that received waivers). d. Clarify definitions of terms, such as entered unsubsidized employment. e. Align JTPA terms more closely with partner programs, such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Welfare-to-Work, Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA), and North American Free Trade Act - Transition Adjustment Assistance (NAFTA-TAA). f. Expand date fields to accommodate Year 2000 (Y2K) requirements. g. Add several data items needed for assessment of the effectiveness of Title III programs. Attached is a more detailed matrix of the changes and the SPIR line items affected. 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. States have the option of reporting according to these revised instructions for both PY 1998 and 1999; States may also choose to continue reporting fully or partially by the previous instructions. The Department and its statistical support/database maintenance entities will continue to accept reports by either version so long as the State identifies in its reporting submission which version of SPIR is being followed, where appropriate. 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 requirements.

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References: Chapter V, Section 5, and Chapter XI, Section 1, ET Handbook No. 391. Background: The locality-based comparability payments (known as locality pay) is authorized for GS employees in certain areas of the country. The Office of Personnel Management recently increased the number of areas to 32. The new pay localities are Hartford, CT and Orlando, FL. The locality rates of pay were computed based on the annual rates shown on the 1998 General Schedule and reflect the locality pay percentages authorized by the President on August 29, 1997. The locality rates of pay are considered basic pay for retirement, life insurance, premium pay, and severance pay purposes and for advances in pay. They are also used to compute worker's compensation payments and lump-sum payments for accrued and accumulated annual leave. They are NOT considered basic pay for other pay administration purposes. The locality pay increases became effective January 1998. Instruction: SESAs should provide copies of the attached 32 Federal Locality Salary Tables to appropriate staff members engaged in UCFE claims activities. Action Required: SESAs should follow the above instructions and provide the attached revised 32 Federal Locality Pay Tables to appropriate staff.

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Background: In February of 1998, the Employment and Training Administration's Office of Worker Retraining and Adjustment Programs (OWRAP) launched an initiative to improve the delivery of rapid response assistance and early intervention services provided under Title III. As a result, a national rapid response technical workgroup was formed. The workgroup is comprised of representatives from 20 State and substate Title III programs who were identified by the Regions as experienced practitioners of effective rapid response, as well as ETA staff from the Unemployment Insurance Service, Office of Trade Adjustment Assistance, One-Stop Office, Office of Regional Management and a representative from the AFL-CIO Working For America, formerly HRDI. At the first workgroup meeting in February 1998, subgroups were formed to address specific issues relating to rapid response including labor management adjustment committees, public outreach and marketing, and staff development and training. In August, the workgroup conducted a survey of State rapid response practices through the Westat Corporation. The survey found that there is a significant need for technical assistance and training for rapid response staff in a variety of areas including: layoff aversion and early intervention strategies, working with the media, dealing with difficult employees and employers, effective use of labor management committees, and others. Of those surveyed, 87 percent responded that the most appropriate method for improving skills of rapid response staff is through seminars or conferences. Seventy percent indicated that peer-to-peer training or technical assistance is a preferred method. As a result of the survey, the U.S. Department of Labor is exploring various means of disseminating effective approaches to dislocation events requiring rapid response activity. One such activity is the development of a Rapid Response Peer Expert Directory. Among other approaches, the Department is considering a meeting in late June or early July 1999, to provide an opportunity for rapid response practitioners to exchange ideas on program operations and address issues of concern. Rapid Response Peer Expert Directory: A Rapid Response Peer Expert Directory will be a tool that can be used by State and local level agencies to identify peers who have successfully addressed the challenges faced in major worker dislocation events and who are willing to share their expertise. The peer experts who are included in the directory, will be professionals within the Title III/Rapid Response, or broader employment and training, network who have hands-on experience, and can assist others in becoming more proficient in performing specific job duties. The peer experts may provide training or technical assistance using a variety of methods including small group instruction, roundtable discussions, workshop/classroom instruction, or one- to-one assistance provided either on-site, by telephone, written correspondence or electronic media. Peer expert assistance, if needed on-site, may be funded with Title III or One Stop technical assistance funds. ETA is soliciting nominations of individuals at the State and local level who can provide technical assistance, training or other assistance in areas specifically related to rapid response and early intervention services to be included in the Rapid Response Peer Expert Directory. ETA, in consultation with the Regional Offices and the State Dislocated Worker Units, will review the nominations. Those nominees selected for inclusion in the Directory will be notified. Self nominations will be accepted. A nomination form is attached. Tentatively, plans call for publication and dissemination, including posting on the ETA web page, of the Directory in mid-March 1999. Action Required: Liaisons are requested to share this TEIN with all State Dislocated Worker Units, and all appropriate substate areas, Title III and rapid response staff, as well as one-stop centers, trade adjustment assistance programs and other potential agencies involved in coordination efforts related to provision of rapid response and early intervention services. Anyone who has had a professional association or experience with an individual in the employment and training system whom they believe has been effective in delivering rapid response services in a particularly challenging situation may submit a nomination. If they are unable to provide all the information, an incomplete nomination can be submitted and OWRAP will try to follow up with the nominee for additional information. In addition, individuals who feel they have had experience that would be valuable to other professional staff facing a challenging layoff situation may nominate themselves. States may establish a nomination procedure if they chose to do so. Nominations for the Directory must be submitted (by mail, fax or e-mail) to ETA no later than February 19, 1999, to the following address: U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration Office of Worker Retraining and Adjustment Programs Attn.: Kimberly Wilcox Room N5426 200 Constitution Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. 20210 Fax: (202)219-5938 E-mail: kwilcox@doleta.gov

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