DIRECTIVE	:	UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE PROGRAM LETTER NO. 36-98
TO	:	ALL STATE EMPLOYMENT SECURITY AGENCIES
FROM	:	GRACE A. KILBANE Director Unemployment Insurance Service
SUBJECT	:	Interstate Benefit (IB) Program - Changes in the Responsibilities of the Agent and Liable States and the Elimination of Certain Standard IB Forms

1. Purpose. To advise State Employment Security Agencies (SESAs) of procedural changes in the handling of interstate claims and of the elimination of certain IB forms.

2. References. ET Handbook 392, 2^nd Edition; ET Handbook 399; ICON User Guide; Interstate Benefit Payment Plan; UIPL No. 23-98, and UIPL No. 28-98.

3. Background. ET Handbook No. 392, 2nd Edition, Change 1, dated June 1998, published the recently revised Interstate Conference of Employment Security Agencies' "Suggested Regulation for Interstate Benefits to be Adopted by Each State." These revised suggested regulations embody the changes being made to the roles of agent and liable States in handling claims filed under the Interstate Benefit Payment Plan. These role changes eliminate the need for several IB forms. Additionally, other forms are being eliminated as part of the IB Committee's effort to streamline operation of the IB program. The forms being eliminated by this issuance are: Forms IB-7, IB-11, IB-11S and IB-16.

   Forms IB-3, IB-11 and IB-11S are forms used by the agent State for separation and other fact-finding purposes. The Forms IB-11 and 11S are being eliminated because fact-finding is no longer the responsibility of the agent State. However, because some liable States use the Form IB-3 as its notice to the employer of the claim filed, the Form IB-3 will continue to be completed by the agent State until further notice. Establishing a date for the elimination of the IB-3 will be discussed at the national meeting in October 1998.

   The Form IB-7 was used to provide information to claimants about the implementation of by-pass weeks claimed filing and to provide completion instructions for the Form IB-2. The Form IB-7 is being eliminated because weeks claimed filing instructions are issued by the liable State and the Form IB-2 has been eliminated.

   The Form IB-16 was designed to be used by the agent State for claimant change of address when no initial claim or week claimed was being filed. This form is being eliminated because the level of usage is insufficient to justify maintenance of the form nationally. A claimant wishing to change his/her address should be directed to contact the liable State.

4. New Procedures/Effective Date. The elimination of the Forms IB-7 and IB-16 is effective immediately. The elimination of the Forms IB-11 and 11S is effective with initial claims filed on and after September 3, 1998. Effective on that date, the agent State will no longer conduct separation fact-finding interviews with respect to interstate claimants. However, because some liable States use the Form IB-3 as notice to the employer of the claim filed and will need to do computer programming to generate the State's regular notice, the Form IB-3 will continue to be completed by the agent State until further notice. The agent State is to continue to complete Items 1 - 14 on the form, but does not need to obtain full details of the separation. Liable States will continue to be notified of the existence of an issue by the "yes" or "no" entry in Field 28 of the TC-IB1 and must have procedures in place to follow-up with the claimant for separation fact-finding purposes. Each State will continue to identify its status as Option I, II or III in the Handbook until notified of the final elimination of the Form IB-3 as a notice to employers.

5. Action Required. SESA Administrators are requested to make this directive available to all appropriate management and agent and liable State operations staff.

6. Inquiries. Any questions should be addressed to the appropriate Regional Office.