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Background: This year's conference, "One-Stop: The Future is Now--Building Results," sponsored by the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) and the State of Minnesota, will provide an opportunity for workforce development professionals to hear how States and localities are implementing and/or sustaining the One-Stop Career Center System, using technology and partnerships to establish career centers that achieve positive results for the workforce development customers. Technology critical for system building will be one of the many conference features as well as updates on: services for businesses and job seekers, including welfare recipients; labor market information; and training services. A home page for the conference (www.one-stop98.org) has been created and will have the latest conference information available. ETA's home page (www.doleta.gov) will have a link to that home page. Solicitation of Conference Topics: It is the goal of the one-stop conference planning committee to make the conference agenda as responsive as possible to the needs of all the partners of the workforce development system in the implementation of the One-Stop Career Center System. To achieve this goal, workforce development professionals are encouraged to suggest possible conference topics, speakers and exhibits. The attached "Call for Topics" is provided to gather these suggestions. All suggestions will provide valuable input in the development of the conference agenda. Action: States are asked to distribute this TEIN and attached "Call for Topics" to all appropriate officials in the State interested in workforce development issues, including service delivery areas and substate areas, State and local human services agencies, particularly welfare agencies, community-based organizations, businesses, and labor partners. Suggested topics, workshops, and exhibit resources should be forwarded to Shelley Landgraf (612-282-6923) (fax: 612-282-6927) or e-mail: [slandgra@des.state.mn.us]. Anyone wishing to complete the attached "Call for Topics" should ensure it reaches Ms. Landgraf no later than February 17.

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Reference: Department of Labor News Release USDL: 97-468 Background: On Tuesday, December 30, 1997, Secretary Alexis Herman unveiled a $711.5 million plan for a two-year competitive grant competition Inquiries: Questions should be directed to your Federal Representative at (202) 219-5904. Attachments: Press release

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Average Weekly Benefit Amount (AWBA) Utilization: As required by 20 CFR 625.6, the attached listing sets forth the 50 percent of AWBA computation applicable for major disasters declared during the second quarter of FY 1998, from January 1 through March 31, 1998. Action Required: SESA Administrators are requested to provide this information to appropriate staff and insure that the correct AWBA is utilized in determining the weekly DUA amount.

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Reference: The SCSEP regulations, at 20 CFR Sections 641.309(b) and 641.311(b)(3); section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990; and their implementing regulations. Background: A number of questions have been generated by the May 17, 1995 SCSEP regulation regarding physical examinations and disabilities. Our experience since issuing the regulations indicates that additional information would be helpful. Moreover, it appears that many enrollees are no longer taking advantage of the physical examination program benefit. A common medical recommendation for people over the age of 50 is that they receive an annual physical exam. Physicals can identify serious medical problems. Recently, after physical exams, several enrollees at a project were found to have been exposed to tuberculosis. As a result of these exams, these people were able to get appropriate medical attention. The provision of free physical examinations has been a long-standing SCSEP program benefit that has been utilized by hundreds of thousands of SCSEP participants. Unfortunately, implementation of the 1995 regulations has resulted in fewer enrollees taking advantage of this benefit. Policy: Each SCSEP enrollee must be offered a physical exam upon entrance into the program, and at least annually thereafter. It is the policy of the Employment and Training Administration to actively promote this program benefit for each enrollee. Widespread failure by projects to encourage exams through non-coercive measures may be considered a program deficiency. Documentation of waivers by enrollees of their rights to physical exams are of considerably lesser importance than are records maintained by the project showing that the enrollees have had annual medical exams. Purpose of Physical Examinations: Examinations should not be arranged for the purpose of determining whether an enrollee is "fit to work." Concerns about the expenses of workers' compensation or other liability claims should not be a programmatic matter (although they clearly do constitute a managerial consideration). Physicals should be viewed as a benefit associated with SCSEP program participation; they can be useful in helping participants make informed judgements about their ability to perform certain work assignments, and in providing them with information on their general health. Arranging Physicals: Examinations need not be financed through the SCSEP. If enrollees have health insurance, including Medicare or Medicaid, and a preferred private physician, it is acceptable for annual physicals to be conducted in that manner. Some local projects arrange for physicals in conjunction with the local Public Health Service, which is also used as a host agency worksite. One national sponsor arranges medical examinations as part of the intake process; at the conclusion of the enrollment interview, the individual is told the time, date and place of the appointment. They are asked to keep that appointment unless it is necessary to reschedule. Action: SCSEP sponsors should review the attached Questions and Answers, and share copies with appropriate staff. It may be necessary for some sponsors to remind their staff and sub-projects of the importance of the medical exam. Appropriate staff and sub- projects should be advised of low-cost ways to arrange physical exams, e.g. working with the Public Health Service, free clinics, and other sources of medical examinations. If through their own efforts enrollees obtain medical exams or have just had one, this will meet the regulatory requirement. When monitoring local projects, sponsors are encouraged to review the proportion of enrollees who are receiving physical examinations arranged by the project. The attached information should answer many questions of project sponsors and result in greater enrollee use of the free medical examination program benefit.

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Reference: Section 3304(a)9(B) of the Internal Revenue Code; 20 CFR 616; ET Handbook No. 399; and UIPL No. 28-97, dated April 24, 1997. Background: Automation of the combined wage claim (CWC) activities between States involve the Request for Wage Transfer (IB4), the Report on Determination of CWC (IB5), and the Statement of Benefits Paid to CWC claimants (IB6). Model Code providing for the electronic exchange of TC-IB4 and TC-IB5 data has previously been provided to the States and these applications are operational. The IB-6 is used by the paying State of a CWC to provide the detail quarterly charges to the transferring State for reimbursement and is the final application needed to complete the automation of CWC activities. As explained in UIPL No. 28-97 dated April 24, 1997, Lockheed Martin Integrated Business Solutions (LMIBS) has developed Model Code to process and transmit the IB-6 data. This application has been pilot tested by the States of Maryland, Minnesota, and Oregon. The test results indicate that the application operates efficiently when reviewing the accuracy of the charges, identifying charges that don't reconcile with the pro rata charge distribution requirements of the IB5, and delivering outgoing and incoming IB6 data. The test States reported a major savings in the amount of staff time necessary to process outgoing and incoming IB-6s because only charges that do not pass the electronic edits need staff attention. Although the Code was completed during the summer of 1997, National distribution was delayed in consideration of the year 2000 requirements. However, since 19 States have requested and received the Code from LMIBS, the IB Committee has recommended distribution of the Code to all States with a requirement that all States be able to electronically send and receive IB6 data no later than the billing cycle for the quarter ending March 31, 1999. Distribution and Installation of the TC-IB6 Model Code: The Model Code will be distributed in February, 1998, to those IBM States that have not previously received it. Simultaneously, the programming specifications will be provided to all non-IBM States that have not previously received them. Because the IB6 data is currently electronically created and printed to paper for mailing, the programming requirements to implement the TC-IB6 should not be extensive. It is estimated that installation and testing of the Model Code will take approximately 40 programmer staff hours. The programming hours reported by the pilot States ranged from 24 to 80 hours. The amount of programming hours necessary is impacted by the degree to which the State has interfaced the TC-IB5 application. The TC-IB6 must be able to access the TC-IB5 base file during the edit and reconciliation process. Implementation - Transition From Paper Form IB6 to Electronic TC-IB6: Effective April 1, 1998, the LMIBS HUB will begin to support the implementation of the TC-IB6 by additional States. States with questions concerning technical requirements, testing, etc., should contact Michelle Wohleber at (407) 306-7133. During the transition period between April 1, 1998 and April 1999 (when all States are to be operational on this application), the CWC paying State that is operational on the TC-IB6 must ensure that it sends a quarterly IB6 in the form (electronic data or hard copy) necessary for processing by the transferring State. The paying State must also be able to handle incoming IB6s prepared under the current hard copy procedures. Action Required: SESA Administrators are requested to ensure that: 1) the TC-IB6 Model Code is installed and operational no later than for the 1st quarter of calendar year 1999 billing cycle; 2) if the State becomes operational on the TC-IB6 during the transition period, the State continues to send quarterly IB6 data in the form necessary for processing by the transferring State; and, 3) the State is able to process incoming IB6s prepared under the current procedures through the billing cycle for the quarter ending December 31, 1998.