U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment and Training Administration
Washington, D. C. 20210

CLASSIFICATION

UI

CORRESPONDENCE SYMBOL

TEUFA

ISSUE DATE

March 6, 2000

RESCISSIONS

None

EXPIRATION DATE

February 27, 2001

DIRECTIVE

:

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE PROGRAM LETTER NO. 17-00
 

TO

:

STATE EMPLOYMENT SECURITY AGENCIES
 

FROM

:

GRACE A. KILBANE
Administrator
Office of Workforce Security
 

SUBJECT

:

Revisions to the Unemployment Trust Fund Accounting System (UTFAS)

  1. Purpose. To notify State Employment Security Agencies (SESAs) of revisions to the UTFAS and of accompanying training.

  2. Background. The Department of Treasury implemented the UTFAS in October 1996, providing States with on-line access for drawdowns (State and Federal funds) and book adjustments between accounts. The system also provides States with on-line access to information on: deposits to the UTF, by date and amount; UTF trial balances; detailed General Ledger information; account balances; Title XII summary; and Reed Act transactions.

  3. New Systems. The Bureau of Public Debt (BPD), managers of the Unemployment Trust Fund (UTF), will soon replace the UTFAS software resulting in changes to the processing and retrieval of UTF transaction information. The most significant of the changes is the implementation of Automated Standard Application for Payments (ASAP) to execute drawdowns from the UTF, book transfers, Combined Wage Claim reimbursements, and transfers of Federal income tax withholdings. The ASAP is operated by the Department of Treasury, Financial Management Service (FMS), and is used by FMS to process funding requests for numerous Federal programs. In addition to replacing the UTFAS information capabilities, ASAP will also replace the current FEDWIRE funding of drawdowns.

    To enroll in ASAP, States will be required to have their banks maintaining clearing and/or benefit payment accounts complete an information form which the FMS will send each State (see "Action Required" in section 6 below). Another revision is the processing of deposits to the UTF through the CASHLINK system.

    States will also be requested to have their banks place the State's two digit identifier in the CASHLINK record. See "Action Required" in section 6 below.

    The revised system will also provide States more timely (daily) information on earnings in their UTF account. That capability will then give States more timely total balance information.

    States have been notified of these documentation requirements by BPD and/or FMS.

  4. Training. The FMS and the BPD plan comprehensive training for States on the revised system. States will be given instructional material, documentation, and hands-on instruction.

    States are strongly encouraged to send staff responsible for the UTF transactions, accounting, and reporting to the training. States are responsible for selecting a session and making their travel arrangements. Scheduled dates and sites of training sessions are listed below. States have already been notified of these sessions by the BPD.

    March 16 - 17, 2000.

    Philadelphia PA

      FMS Philadelphia Financial Center
      13000 Townsend Road
      Philadelphia PA 19154

      Contact: Gina Giandomenica (215) 516-8020

     

    March 20 - 21

      Kansas City Financial Center
      4241 NE 34th Street
      Kansas City MO 64117

      Contact: Dianne Keith (816)414-2103

     

    March 23 - 24, 2000

      San Francisco Financial Center
      390 Main Street
      San Francisco CA 94105

      Contact: Elvie Ramabiles (415)817-7307

    Because of the short time remaining until the training, questions should be addressed to the appropriate FMS contact.

    Instructional material and assistance from the BPD will be provided States unable to attend one of the sessions.

  5. Action Required. SESA Administrators are requested to:

    1. Complete and return the FMS information card (copy attached for information purposes only);

    2. Request banks processing deposits to the UTF through CASHLINK to place the State's two digit identifier in the CASHLINK record. Banks should be instructed to put the State two - letter abbreviation in the "originator to beneficiary info:" field on the standard Fedline screen;

    3. Send appropriate staff to one of the FMS/BPD training sessions. In the event a State cannot attend, arrangements should be made with the BPD for material and assistance.

  6. Questions. Questions should be addressed to the appropriate Regional Office. Questions may also be directed to Adam Tucci ((304) 480-5149) or Mark Ross((304) 480-5154) of the BPD.

  7. Attachments.

    1. FMS information form

    2. Training and accommodations information.