FY 2003 Performance Goals, Strategies and Cross-Cutting Programs

4.      FY 2003 Performance Goals, Strategies and Cross-Cutting Programs

This FY 2003 Annual Performance Plan establishes performance goals that will lead to the accomplishment of DOL’s strategic goals and describes the means and strategies DOL will use to reach those goals.  The plan consolidates or aggregates the Department’s activities into logical clusters within each strategic goal.  For example, the third strategic goal, Quality Workplaces, integrates the outcomes of OSHA’s and MSHA’s performance goals into one outcome goal --  to reduce workplace injuries and illnesses.  In other cases, only one agency within the Department may contribute to a specific outcome goal.

This chapter is divided into three sections, one for each strategic goal.  The introduction to each strategic goal lists the outcome goals associated with the strategic goal and also provides the budget authority and outlays figures for that goal for FY 1999 to FY 2003.  These figures are aggregations of outcome goal budget authority and outlays figures, which are described below.  The strategic goal introductions highlight the Secretary’s areas of emphasis and the role of key performance goals and strategies in achieving these priorities.

For each outcome goal, we provide budget authority and outlays figures for FY 1999 to FY 2003.  The method for assigning full costs in terms of budget authority and outlays to the outcome goals mirrors that used by the Office of the Chief Financial Officer in the allocation of costs to outcome goals in the Department’s financial statement.  While the financial statement ascribes costs at the Agency level, this plan uses the budget activity level as the unit of analysis for analyzing the deployment of resources.  Agencies estimated the proportion of their spending that contributed directly to the accomplishment of outcome goals for each of the five years covered by this plan.  These factors were applied to the net budget authority and outlay figures contained in the budget request.  Indirect costs for program support activities were added to agency budget authority and outlay figures based on usage estimates.  As such, spending for the Departmental Management Program Direction and Support activity, the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management and the Office of the Chief Financial Officer are scored against the accomplishment of the outcome goals.  Charges for centrally administered administrative services billed through the Working Capital Fund are included in the agency budget activity figures and are likewise scored against the outcome goals.

Following the budget figures are the performance goals and their associated means, strategies, and cross-cutting programs.  Appendix A displays individual matrices for each performance goal that include the following information:

Results: The most recent results available for the performance goal.

Indicator: The measures that will be used to assess progress towards performance goal accomplishment.

Data Source: The measurement system(s) that will be used to collect performance indicator data.

Baseline: The baseline year and baseline level against which progress will be evaluated.

Comment: Issues related to goal accomplishment, measurement systems, and strategies that provide a context or description of the performance goal or indicator.

4.1       DOL Strategic Goal 1—A Prepared Workforce

Total Funds for This Goal (in Billions):

The Department of Labor’s programs and agencies with the primary operational responsibility for achieving this strategic goal include the Employment and Training Administration’s Workforce Investment Act (WIA) and Wagner-Peyser Act programs, the Office of Disability Employment Policy, the Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS), and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In addition, the Women’s Bureau (WB), the Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives (OFBCI), the Office of the 21^st Century Workforce, the Office of the Solicitor, the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management, and the Office of Inspector General provide indirect support to this strategic goal.

Under the Workforce Investment Act, the performance indicators stipulated in the Act are developed through a process of negotiation between the States and the Department of Labor. The new Workforce Investment System has led to a retooling of the Employment and Training Administration’s (ETA) performance goals. ETA consulted with stakeholders concerning performance and accountability issues and worked in partnership to develop revised performance goals for Program Year 2002 (PY 2002), which serve as the basis for the PY 2003 goals. The national performance goals for the WIA performance indicators represent an amalgamation of the goals negotiated with the States.

Similarly, both ETA and the Veterans’ Employment and Training Service have established performance measures for the public labor exchange administered as part of the One-Stop delivery systems of the states.  Modeling the process for establishing State performance goals for WIA, ETA and VETS are partnering with states to develop a process for negotiating expected levels of performance for State public labor exchange systems.

Grants to the States under WIA provide employment and training activities for adults that increase the employment, retention, and earnings of participants and increase their occupational skill attainment to enhance life-long career opportunities. Activities include occupational skill training, job placement and support services through the One-Stop Career system.

Performance goals for State grants for adult services directly relate to the Secretary’s emphasis on ensuring effective, results-oriented job training through DOL and other programs. The FY 2003 goals set benchmarks for the economic results (i.e., employment, earnings and retention) achieved through job training and other employment-related assistance.

DOL policies that guide the implementation of State grant services to adults underscore the importance of directing training efforts to meet the skill needs of the 21^st Century, especially with respect to countering skill shortages in information technology and other high-tech fields. This focus on training to meet emerging skill demands supports the Secretary’s emphasis on re-orienting the Department’s programs to meet the needs of the 21^st Century workforce. Also, the mechanisms by which economic results for adult program customers are achieved (e.g., Individual Training Accounts (ITAs), Eligible Training Provider (ETP) lists, and consumer reports) support the Secretary’s emphasis on fostering competition, accountability, and transparency in relevant Department grant programs.

The Department’s “youth portfolio” under WIA includes State formula-funded grants, Youth Opportunity Grants, and Job Corps, all designed to help low income youth acquire the education, skills, work experience, and support they need to transition to careers and a productive adulthood.  These programs prepare young people for the 21^st Century Workforce by providing a comprehensive array of services that include preparing youth with the skills they need for successful employment; improving educational attainment; providing supportive services; and helping develop the potential of youth as citizens and leaders.  The Youth Opportunity grants are dedicated to increasing the long-term employment of youth who live in high-poverty urban and rural areas and Native American Reservations.  Job Corps’ full-time, residential education and training program will be even further enhanced under the new agreement between the Departments of Labor and Education which will offer a number of strategies to increase the number of Job Corps graduates who obtain their high school diplomas. This joint project will include developing a Job Corps distance learning/national high school system while maintaining strong content standards.

Through the New Freedom Initiative, the Department will assist the 70 percent of people with disabilities who are unemployed or underemployed to achieve a productive, meaningful work life. The Work Incentive Grant program is designed to meet the needs of the 21^st Century workforce by addressing skill shortages and special employment support services. These grants are also directed to effective and results-oriented job training through expanded access to One-Stop programs, as well as mandated and non-mandated resources that impact successful employment. The Office of Disability Employment Policy will develop, evaluate and replicate best practice models through demonstration projects designed to generate effective employment practices, thereby ultimately enhancing the workforce development system by assisting adults and youth with significant disabilities to move successfully into meaningful, long-term career opportunities. Dissemination of best practices developed throughout the job training and vocational rehabilitation community will further promote an integrated approach to adopt the most effective practices and expand the employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

The Women's Bureau supports the outcome goal of increasing employment, earnings and assistance by advocating the employment, training and retention of women to address identified worker shortages, especially in the areas of nursing and the placement of military spouses, older workers and workers with disabilities. Through the Women in Apprenticeship and Non Traditional Occupations (WANTO) grants program, the DOL Women’s Bureau will continue to promote and support women, their employers and labor unions that are seeking to increase the participation of women in apprenticeship and other better paying nontraditional occupations.

The FY 2003 outcome and performance goals for this strategic goal follow.  Detailed information on every performance goal, including indicator, data source, baseline and explanatory comments, can be found in Appendix A.

Means and Strategies

Operating Agencies:  ETA, ODEP, VETS

Sustained Efforts in FY 2003:

Context for Goal 1.1A: In PY 2003, the WIA Adult program will be starting its fourth year of operation. The strategic goals and means of the previous years provide a context for 2003. In PY 2003, DOL will monitor the states' performance and operations, determine which states are not achieving their performance goals, and provide customized technical assistance. DOL will also prepare recommendations and reports regarding the re-authorization of WIA.

• The PY 2002 WIA adult program objectives are: 1) ensuring timely, accurate, consistent and meaningful financial and performance data at the program level to facilitate informed management of adult program operations at all levels; 2) improving system response to customer needs; 3) improving the system of accountability for performance; and 4) strengthening the One-Stop Centers system and partnerships formed to improve services for jobseekers and employers.  It is expected that the tasks required to implement these strategies will continue during PY 2003, and these areas are described below (see Significant New or Enhanced Strategies section) to the extent they are known.  To support the last strategy, DOL will continue to enhance access to all adults to services available through One-Stop Career Centers by: 1) supporting outreach to low-income groups in schools and neighborhoods through community- and faith-based organizations, enlisting their assistance in assessment and referral of individuals to local One-Stop Career Centers; and 2) expanding access to services through enhanced use of Internet, telephone and other technologies to provide a broad spectrum of access points not dependent on a single method or medium.  (1.1A)

• DOL will continue efforts begun in PY 2002 to identify reasons why adult jobseekers do not achieve a successful labor market transition as defined by WIA’s core measures (jobs, retention, earnings, credential) and take steps to address the findings.  (1.1A)

• DOL will continue to engage private-sector employers both as customers and partners in the workforce development system by communications through employer organizations and business liaisons within the State Workforce Investment Boards.  The Department will strive to improve adult program services for the business customer by:
  • Seeking to ensure that training for adults available in local areas is directly linked to employer-identified skill shortages, in part by improving employer participation in the development and use of Eligible Training Provider Lists in local areas and States;
  • Through community audits, sectoral analyses, and other means, promoting training of adult workers in occupational areas identified by the business community as most in demand;
  • Improving services provided to employed adults by identifying and eliminating barriers to such assistance, and providing technical assistance to States and local areas on how such services can be integrated into the One-Stop service delivery system. (1.1A)

• DOL will also work across One-Stop partner programs to identify and eliminate disincentives for co-enrolling individuals in multiple programs, in order to improve program integration and outcomes for jobseekers.  (1.1A)

• DOL will provide a broad range of technical assistance and training to facilitate effective delivery of Wagner-Peyser employment and workforce information services within One-Stop systems including brokering of best practices, development of models and tools for State and local use, increased use of on-line information and training for the system, release of program guidance in key areas, and on-site technical assistance where feasible and needed.  Areas of focus will continue to be program/system performance and effective service delivery strategies that meet customer needs. (1.1B)

• DOL will increase usage of the America’s Career Kit Tools by both employers and job seekers by: 1) continually improving the products’ value to customers based on customer input and feedback; 2) working with states to develop strategies to more effectively integrate the tools with service delivery in physical One-Stop systems; and 3) ongoing marketing of America’s Job Bank to employers and job seekers. (1.1B)

• With employer input and feedback, DOL will continue to work with the states to identify and develop strategies to better serve employers through One-Stop systems in order to increase the number of jobs listed with One-Stops and job seekers that enter employment. (1.1B)

• DOL will continue to support and improve the comprehensive Labor Exchange Performance Measurement System to provide performance information in support of optimizing the delivery of labor exchange services to employers and job seekers.  Program Year 2003 will be a critical milestone year for the performance measures in that baseline data from the new 9002 reporting system and the results of the new outcome measures will be fully available to help guide the system in continuous improvement. DOL will expect states to include expected levels of performance for the Labor Exchange Performance Measures, reached in agreement with ETA Regional Offices, in their five-year strategic plans.  (1.1B)

• DOL will work with states to use re-employment services funds to provide intensive services to UI claimants in need of reemployment assistance so they can return more quickly to work.  States will provide early intervention, immediate referrals to suitable job openings, and staff-assisted, intensive services as needed.  Additional funds will enable services to more Unemployment Insurance claimants and will enable increased positive employment outcomes. (1.1B)

• With the strategic direction of the Workforce Information Council, DOL and states will make investments in State and local workforce information (labor market information) tools and service delivery strategies.  This information is integral to helping employers more accurately articulate their skill needs and job seekers make career decisions and articulate the skills they have to offer employers.  As part of this effort, DOL will continue to promote and support O*NET as the common occupation language for the workforce investment system which supports integrated service delivery and provides critical information on the skills and abilities associated with different occupations, which is an underlying component of almost every workforce development activity. (1.1B)

• DOL will continue to engage the Workforce Development system to expand apprenticeship.  (1.1C)

• DOL will continue to review existing research from the registered apprenticeship system, engage current stakeholders and gather input from new potential customers to participate in the registered apprenticeship system.  (1.1C)

• DOL will continue to identify and develop partnerships involving apprenticeship training in a minimum of 3 targeted industries. (1.1C)

• DOL will continue to develop four campaigns to convene four forums with business and industry organizations to expand registered apprenticeship. (1.1C)

• DOL will ensure that ETA continues to collaborate with the Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives to promote and expand the registered apprenticeship system. (1.1C)

• DOL will continue to seek input from faith-based and community-based organizations on effective means to address their issues.  (1.1C)

• DOL will continue to identify promising practices with State Workforce Investment Boards and registered apprenticeship to develop examples of how apprenticeship can participate with all States. (1.1C)

• DOL will continue to develop customized training programs with One-Stop Centers for apprenticeship referrals for businesses and job seekers.  (1.1C)

• DOL will improve the integration and effectiveness of services provided to veterans within the workforce development system through an emphasis on program evaluation, pilot testing, and system improvements that address priority service to veterans  (1.1F)

• DOL will continue to coordinate and encourage the efforts of VETS’ State Directors  as they interact with State Workforce Investment Boards.  This coordination by VETS’ State Directors, delineating the nature and scope of  the Disabled Veterans’ Outreach Program (DVOP) and Local Veterans’ Employment Representative (LVER) activities and the role of the Public Labor Exchange, will help insure the provision of priority and maximum services to veterans in the One-Stop Centers.  (1.1F)

• DOL will continue to promote the use of Veterans’ employment representatives in matching qualified separating military personnel with employer needs for specific industries within a single geographic area (a program known as “PROVET”—promoting reemployment opportunities for veterans).   (1.1F-G)

Significant New or Enhanced Efforts in FY 2003:

• PY 2003 will be the final year of WIA prior to consideration of its reauthorization.  Objectives for the adult program in PY 2003 will include improving data quality, improving services to working adults, and strengthening the One-Stop Center system.  Program reviews will focus on financial and performance accountability and be undertaken in part to identify promising practices.  DOL will encourage States and local areas to explore means for improving outcomes for a range of customer groups – including employed workers, former welfare recipients, and individuals with Limited English Proficiency.  (1.1A)

• Based upon the input from GAO, the WIA Readiness Teams, partners, and contractor studies, DOL will complete plans to improve how the adult program and the One-Stop system respond to customers’ needs and to improve the quality and timeliness of data in performance management systems.  This will assure that the program can be managed in a more effective, efficient manner, that more adults will receive appropriate employment and training services, and that the GPRA employment goals will be met or exceeded.

1. Strategies to improve the Adult program components of participant assessment, case management, eligibility determination, informed customer choice, and customized and responsive services involve using several means to assess current practices, identify promising examples, and develop methods for bridging gaps between current and exemplary practice. Through collaborative assessments, DOL and State and local partners will determine appropriate means of improving the aforementioned components, identify key risk areas, and work intensively with those areas with specific needs.  Demonstration projects will be supported to implement more effective practices in some States and areas.  By the end of PY 2003, a large majority of States and local areas will be providing sophisticated customized employment and training services at One-Stop Centers, through internet web centers, and with business, community-based, and faith-based partners’ support.
   
   
2. The strategy to improve the performance accountability system will parallel the process to improve the program components.  DOL staff in national and regional offices will monitor the reports’ timeliness and validity to determine which States meet the standard level of confidence; for those States which do not meet the standard, DOL will develop and provide customized technical assistance to assure they meet the standards.  These efforts will provide a more reliable, valid, and accurate reporting system and assure more credible reporting to Congress and the public.  During PY 2002, a joint workgroup is to review the performance accountability system for adults.  The group’s reports will serve as the basis for DOL consideration of improvements to the reporting and accountability systems.  Improvements in the timeliness of data are expected to be implemented late in 2002, for applications in 2003. This menu will include measures on impact of customers served, broader customer satisfaction, comparisons benchmarked with related One-Stop Centers and competition.  Potential improvements will be considered for inclusion in the recommendations for WIA reauthorization to the Congress.  If approved and implemented, these changes will enable the Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training to better measure and justify the program’s impact, value, and benefits to Congress and the public.  (1.1A)

• DOL will increase the registered apprenticeship system’s participation in the Department’s various education and training strategies and initiatives.  DOL will leverage its major employment and training initiatives to include apprenticeship as a mechanism to develop a skilled workforce and develop a process to engage more businesses to participate in the workforce development system.  As part of this increased participation, the registered apprenticeship system will be involved in customer surveys and other instruments developed to improve the workforce development system.  (1.1C)

• DOL will implement, through the Office of Disability Employment Policy, grant projects to initialize and develop best practice models, to support and further enhance the capacity of the workforce development system to provide specialized services to people with significant disabilities.  In addition to training and employment services, these projects will provide increased access to assistive technology and expertise in obtaining such technology through federal loan programs to persons with significant disabilities who are moving from institutions to the community.  Another area of emphasis will be a new grants program that extends the High School/High Tech concept for youth with significant disabilities, to not only provide orientation to high tech occupations but also high tech skills training integrated with their high school learning opportunities.   Increased access to the workforce development system and rewarding employment opportunities for people with significant disabilities within their communities will be developed through these grant programs and replication of the best practices that result. (1.1D)

• DOL will survey WIA Workforce Investment Areas to determine the mix of service provider applicants including the percentage that are faith- and community-based organizations to establish a baseline for performance. (1.1E)

• DOL will develop informational strategies to promote the application by faith- and community-based organizations for WIA Adult funds(1.1E)

• DOL will implement a performance measurement system for assessing services to veterans by the public labor exchange.  This system will provide performance information in support of optimizing the delivery of labor exchange services to veteran job seekers and will include performance measures, procedures for establishing expected levels of performance, and revised data collection and reporting procedures, relying on UI wage records as a data source.   DOL will also assess instituting a program of incentives and sanctions program for labor exchange grantees. (1.1F)

• DOL will study the impact of staff assisted services on improving the entered employment and retention rates of veterans subgroups that are experiencing significantly higher levels of unemployment, such as women veterans (1.1F-G)

Cross-Cutting Programs and Issues

In regard to WIA implementation, DOL continues to work in close cooperation with its State and local partners in monitoring and overseeing the workforce development system and with its Federal partners in promoting unified planning at the State and local levels.  The Department continues to improve comprehensive planning for services to adults and implementation of such programs by:  1) supporting community audit projects that develop, collect and analyze information on economic and labor market trends in specific geographic areas, industries, or sectors, with a view toward improving real-time workforce investment information and services; and 2) assisting communities in developing comprehensive economic adjustment strategies to deal with dislocations with community-wide impact by continuing to work with other federal agencies to support such strategies.

DOL will continue to engage the Departments of Education (ED), Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Transportation (DOT) and Justice (DOJ) to leverage support for apprenticeship and thereby maximize resources to provide businesses and workers with skill development appropriate for the 21^st Century.

DOL will continue to participate in the OMB-convened inter-agency group including HHS, HUD, and ED, as well as their State and local partners, to develop and refine common performance measures.  DOL also will address cross-cutting policy and related issues pertaining to systemic performance accountability.

Means and Strategies

Operating Agencies: ETA

Sustained Efforts in FY 2003:

• In order to increase the attainment of a high school diploma or its equivalent, placement in advanced training, and employment opportunities with career paths, DOL will continue to provide guidance for programs serving youth to focus on the provision of strong academic and skills training and enhanced placement and transitional services for program graduates.  Such placement and transitional services will include child care, transportation, and housing support, as well as counseling from career transition services providers and other workforce development partners.  (1.2A, B and C)

• DOL federal and State staff will jointly determine the effectiveness of local youth programs.  These staff will complete 50 site visits by June 30, 2004, to local areas, providing technical assistance, guidance and identifying best practices.  Success will be achieved once the 50 site visits are completed and local area directors and youth council chairs receive a report of findings and recommendations.  (1.2A)

• DOL will issue its annual program guidance to States and local areas implementing comprehensive youth services under WIA.  The 2003 program emphasis will focus on strong academic and skills training components, leading to a high school diploma or its equivalent; advanced training and employment opportunities that lead to career paths; and follow-up services that lead to retention in employment.  The guidance letter will be issued by April of 2003.  (1.2A)

• DOL’s regions will conduct at least one youth conference or other technical assistance event that focuses on providing local communities and youth councils with strategies to build strong youth investment systems that promote attainment of diplomas/General Education Diplomas or advanced training leading to career opportunities.  Seventy-five percent of conferees will rate the quality of the information exchange at the conference as good to excellent.  (1.2A and C)

• DOL will continue the national best practices strategy to promote educational and skills training achievement for younger youth.  The National Office, assisted by the regions, will maintain a web-base database of best practices and strategies.  Success will be achieved when 90 percent of the users rate this service as effective.  (1.2A and C)

• DOL will convene a second National Youth Summit of a representative group of WIA participants.  Attendees will act as focus groups to develop “what works” practices from a youth perspective.  Success will be measured when 100 percent of states are provided with the results of the focus groups to incorporate into their customer satisfaction programs.  (1.2A and C)

• DOL will continue to place emphasis on performance in Job Corps’ competitive procurement process, including the initiation of performance-based contracts and coordination throughout the agency to maintain compatibility and compliance with DOL and the Employment and Training Administration standards.  (1.2B)

• DOL will continue to establish and refine clear, measurable benchmarks of program success through input from State and local officials and by monitoring participant outcomes in such areas as academic achievement, placement and retention in employment and further education after program completion.  (1.2A, B and C)

• DOL will continue to provide technical assistance to Job Corps staff nationwide by updating training modules, monitoring regional staff training plans, and analyzing results of satisfaction surveys to further address customer needs.  (1.2B)

• Several agencies in the Department of Labor will continue to develop a model safety and health program to maintain safe and healthy environments at all Job Corps centers, critical to the long-term labor market success of program graduates. (1.2B)

• To foster accountability and to ensure effective, results-oriented education and job training, DOL will continue to incorporate findings from the long-term evaluation study of Job Corps, as well as any new recommendations from other external bodies, such as the Office of Inspector General and General Accounting Office. (1.2B)

• DOL will ensure the Youth Opportunity Grant program effectiveness through monitoring and providing oversight via quarterly reports.  (1.2C)

Significant New or Enhanced Efforts in FY 2003:

•  While in this last year of authorization under the Workforce Investment Act, DOL will place continued emphasis on improving the quality of services in order to equip our youth with the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to effectively meet the changing needs of business and the new economy as well as a focus on the reauthorization of The Workforce Investment Act.  Because Program Year 2003 is the last year of authorization, DOL plans to analyze the experiences of State and local areas in the effective delivery of high quality, comprehensive youth services and assess how well these services met the challenge of preparing our most at-risk youth for post-secondary education and careers.  Our goal is to determine the potential areas for improvement and issues that could be addressed through the reauthorization of the Workforce Investment Act.  (1.2A and C)

•  DOL will enhance Job Corps career offerings that meet local labor market demands through modernization of training programs, using labor market information and input from Industry Councils and employers.  (1.2B)

• During the last year of direct federal funding, a continued focus will be on developing and implementing viable sustainability strategies.  DOL will provide technical assistance to Youth Opportunity Grantees in the areas of resource mapping, developing ties to State, local, and private funding, and strengthening linkages to local youth formula-funded programs.  DOL will work with local Youth Councils in this effort.  (1.2C)

•  DOL will increase the number of high school diplomas attained as a means to enhance educational credentials and career opportunities for youth. (1.2A, B, and C)

• DOL will survey WIA Workforce Investment Areas to determine the mix of service provider applicants including the percentage that are faith- and community-based organizations to establish a baseline for performance. (1.2D)

• DOL will develop informational strategies to promote the application by faith and community-based organizations for WIA Youth funds. (1.2D)

Cross-Cutting Programs and Issues

DOL will facilitate the involvement of faith-based organizations, as partners, to expand educational, cultural, recreational and career opportunities for youth. 

DOL will work with the Department of Education and the Department of Defense’s Education Activity to assist with the development of local partnerships to expand high school diploma attainment opportunities for Job Corps program participants.

Means and Strategies

Operating Agency:  BLS

Sustained Efforts in FY 2003:

• DOL will continue to carry out its mandate as the principal fact-finding agency for the Federal government in the field of labor economics.  This includes producing impartial and objective essential economic data for the Nation in the areas of employment and unemployment, price change, compensation, safety and health, productivity, and economic growth.  Business, labor, governments, the media, and the public rely on these measures to develop economic policy and make well-informed decisions.  (1.3A–B)

• By utilizing technological advances, DOL will improve the operational processes used to develop economic data, specifically through the use of the BLS Statistical Program Model.  (1.3A–B)

• The Department’s BLS is a knowledge-based organization composed of information workers: individuals who must have the knowledge, skills, and abilities to gather, analyze, and disseminate statistical information relevant to policy makers and American citizens.  The rapid development of information technology and new approaches and methods for data collection and analysis has changed and continues to change the nature of the work at BLS.  As a result, BLS needs to insure that it remains competitive with other organizations in terms of the salaries, benefits, training, challenging work, and other incentives it offers to its highly skilled workers.  BLS will continue to focus its efforts in several key human capital activities, specifically in recruitment and retention. (1.3A–B)

Significant New or Enhanced Efforts in FY 2003:      

• DOL will publish Current Employment Statistics, Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, and Current Population Survey data series using the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS).  NAICS replaces the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system and offers a new and more consistent approach to industrial classification that better reflects the modern economy.  (1.3B)

• DOL will put in place a new, more rapid process for updating the items in a significant proportion of Consumer Price Index categories.  Item samples for these categories will be reselected within existing stores and establishments midway between each four-year outlet sample rotation. This effort will further improve the timeliness and accuracy of the index.  (1.3B) 

• DOL will complete implementation of a new process to electronically collect prices for Consumer Price Index items other than rent.  The process offers numerous benefits, including the reduction in time required to transmit and process data; increased accuracy and efficiency in data entry and review due to field staff directly entering data instead of completing handwritten survey forms for later input by clerical staff; and data editing during data collection.  (1.3B)

• DOL will produce measures of labor productivity and unit labor costs for two additional service-producing industries and a measure of multifactor productivity for one additional industry. Users of the productivity statistics have stated the critical need for more coverage in the service sector and specifically more measures of multifactor productivity. Multifactor productivity measures take into account labor, capital, and intermediate inputs. New multifactor productivity measures for service-producing industries will provide information on the substitution of capital for labor and the substitution of intermediate inputs, such as materials and energy, for labor.  They also will supply insight on technological progress in the service sector.  (1.3B) 

• DOL will modernize the computing systems for monthly processing of the Producer Price Index (PPI) and the U.S. Import and Export Price Indexes, both OMB-designated Principal Federal Economic Indicators.  These efforts will allow for improvements to both programs, such as annual weight updates to the U.S. Import and Export Price Indexes.  Historically, these indexes have been reweighted every five years and the change will produce a significant improvement in index reliability. (1.3B) 

• The Department’s BLS Internet Data Collection Facility (IDCF) will be fully operational for at least two of its Principal Federal Economic Indicators.  IDCF can provide a single, manageable, and secure architecture for Bureau surveys to use in collecting information over the Internet. This data collection method is intended to reduce the cost of conducting surveys as well as increase the accuracy and efficiency of collection.  (1.3B)

Cross-Cutting Programs and Issues

DOL, as a producer of economic statistics on the U.S. economy, must work in partnership with other Federal, State, and international statistical agencies.  These organizations encounter common and sometimes overlapping issues that must be addressed in a coordinated manner for the benefit of the users of these data.  Such coordination not only maximizes DOL performance, but also helps to improve the accuracy, efficiency, and relevancy of economic measures produced by the Department.

As a Federal statistical agency, the Department’s BLS is a member of the Interagency Council on Statistical Policy, a committee of representatives from 15 agencies, which works to identify areas for collaboration.  During FY 2003, the Council will enhance FedStats, a portal or "one-stop shopping" website for Federal statistics, and continue research and development efforts with its academic Digital Government partners in moving towards a National Statistical Knowledge Network.

As a member of the international statistical community, DOL also works with foreign statistical agencies and international organizations in efforts to enhance comparability of concepts and definitions.  During FY 2003, DOL will participate in statistical working parties sponsored by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development to address issues dealing with improving and standardizing the data on productivity and employment/unemployment used around the world.

4.2       DOL Strategic Goal 2—A Secure Workforce

Total Funds for This Goal (in Billions):

DOL is committed to protecting workers’ hours, wages, and other working conditions; providing unemployment compensation and other benefits when workers are unable to work; and expanding, enhancing, and protecting workers’ retirement plans, health care plans, and other benefits.

Department of Labor programs and agencies with the primary operational responsibility for achieving this strategic goal include the Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration (PWBA); the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC); the Employment and Training Administration’s Unemployment Compensation programs, Trade Adjustment Assistance and North American Free Trade Agreement-Transitional Adjustment Assistance (TAA/NAFTA-TAA) programs, Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Dislocated Worker Assistance; and the Employment Standards Administration (ESA)'s Wage and Hour Division, Office of Labor-Management Standards and Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs.  In addition, the Office of Small Business Programs (OSBP), the Office of the Solicitor, the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management, the Office of Inspector General, and the Appellate Boards provide indirect support to this strategic goal.

The performance goals in this section support the Department's commitment to the protection of the American workforce in the 21st Century.  The goal of promoting compliance in typically low-wage industries, for example, reflects the Department's commitment to guaranteeing an honest day's pay for an honest day's work, which is especially critical for the most economically disadvantaged American workers.  The Department has also established a goal to protect the economic safety and security of American workers and their workplaces by promoting the responsible stewardship of union funds. 

A key objective of the Department’s role in the administration and oversight of benefit programs for unemployed workers and for those who have suffered work-related injuries and illnesses is the responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars.  Additionally, DOL’s goals to improve payment timeliness and assistance to unemployed and injured workers to return to the workplace represent the practical implementation of the Department's pledge to give hope to all individuals that they will not be left behind in the quest for the American dream.

The retraining assistance offered to workers who lost their jobs in mass layoffs or plant closings or who have been laid off and are unlikely to return to their jobs illustrates the Secretary’s emphasis on effective, results-oriented job training.   The FY 2003 performance goals for these dislocated workers set ambitious benchmarks for the economic results, including employment, earnings and job retention, to be achieved through job training and other employment assistance services.

DOL policies that guide the implementation of dislocated worker programs underscore the importance of directing training efforts to meet the skill needs of the 21st Century, especially with respect to countering skill shortages in information technology and other high-tech fields.  This focus on training to meet emerging skill demands supports the Secretary’s emphasis on re-orienting the Department’s programs to meet the needs of the 21st Century workforce.

The FY 2003 outcome and performance goals for this strategic goal follow.  Detailed information on every performance goal, including indicator, data source, baseline and explanatory comments, can be found in Appendix A.

Means and Strategies

Operating Agencies:  ESA, PWBA

Sustained Efforts in FY 2003:

• DOL will establish complaint intake procedures to ensure the adequate screening of complaints. (2.1A1)

• DOL offices will conduct regular reviews of complaint inventories using established accountability measures and management reports to ensure that timeliness measures are being met. (2.1A1)

• DOL will establish streamlined procedures where necessary to ensure early:
  • contact with complainants;
  • development of case facts;
  • identification of appropriate investigative tool; and,
  • identification of potential litigation cases. (2.1A1)

• DOL will:
  • provide compliance assistance on all applicable statutes administered by DOL during the conduct of an investigation; secure agreements for future compliance and specific commitments for future compliance following a DOL intervention; and, obtain commitments for corporate-wide compliance by multi-establishment employers through formal and informal agreements following a history of DOL interventions.
  • assess penalties, pursue litigation and prosecution, and publicize the consequences of non-compliant behavior as may be appropriate for willful and repeat violators.
  • provide ongoing training to its investigative staff and conduct reviews according to established accountability measures to ensure that proper policies and procedures are followed during initial DOL interventions. (2.1A2)

• DOL will establish liaisons on the State and Federal level to coordinate and facilitate joint homework investigations; will conduct joint training with the State of California to facilitate communication and jointly working on homework cases; and will conduct a garment enforcement sweep with the State of California with emphasis on homeworkers.  (2.1A3)

• DOL will work to identify potential sources of non-compliance in the garment industry by:
  • meeting with organizations and businesses to discuss practices of paying workers “off the payroll” and the impact on minimum wage and overtime compliance;
  • asking employers at all final conferences whether they have knowledge of competitors paying less than minimum wage;
  • asking all homeworkers who they have worked for before as a homeworker; and,
  • reading classified ads and listening to radio ads seeking homeworkers.
    DOL will follow-up on the above information by conducting a directed program based on leads from these sources.  (2.1A3)

• DOL will conduct face-to-face contacts with contractors and manufacturers in southern California, providing them with compliance assistance.  (2.1A3)

• DOL will work with manufacturers who monitor their contractors to identify and correct off the payroll situations, and will meet with known monitoring companies in southern California to discuss and train staff in ways to detect and correct situations where workers are off the payroll.  (2.1A3)

• DOL will work with members of the Korean Manufacturers Associations to implement monitoring; will conduct monitoring training sessions for manufacturers, including some in Korean and have those attending submit their first monitoring report to DOL for review and suggested corrective action; and will emphasize in contacts with manufacturers the value and importance of monitoring and effective monitoring.  (2.1A3)

• DOL will conduct “diamond” approach investigations of manufacturers with repeat violations.  (2.1A3)

• DOL will use the southern California survey information in monitoring classes, training sessions, face to face and telephone contacts with manufacturers, and meetings with monitoring companies, emphasizing effective monitoring and these components specifically as potential predictors of better compliance.  (2.1A3)

• DOL will provide compliance assistance to new contractors, including partnering with the New York State Apparel Industry Task Force, and will conduct payroll audits of newly registered contractors.  (2.1A3)

• DOL will encourage/ensure that contractors producing for manufacturers that are members of New York City’s Apparel Industry Compliance Partnership (AICP) will participate in the AICP’s training program. (2.1A3)

• DOL will target manufacturers with a history of “hot goods” violations for investigation, and will provide training to manufacturers and their contractors when “hot goods” violations are found.  (2.1A3)

• DOL will request manufacturers to institute a compliance monitoring program of their contractors.  (2.1A3)

• DOL will target enforcement on repeat violators, and will consider litigation for repeat violators.  (2.1A3)

• DOL will partner with DOL’s Office of the Inspector General, the Assistant U.S. Attorney’s Office,  and the New York State Attorney General to explore areas of common interest for potential criminal investigations.  (2.1A3)

• DOL will work more closely with RSOL to identify potential litigation cases early in the investigative process.  (2.1A3)

• DOL will develop a compliance assistance program geared to problems common in nursing homes with staffing shortages and implement the program in district offices where violations continue to be prevalent. (2.1A3)

• Where compliance rates continue to be low and identified violations are those with a high correlation to staffing shortages, DOL will pilot an employer consultation program with the assistance of local and national health care associations.  (2.1A3)

• Fact sheets on meal breaks, child labor requirements, hours worked, and bonuses will be developed and distributed through industry trade magazines, the Internet and association seminars.  DOL will work with industry representatives to ensure that the fact sheets are clear, concise and geared towards the health care industry.  (2.1A3)

• DOL will complete the employee rights card for employees that provides basic information on employee rights.  The card will be distributed to employees through employee advocacy organizations, community groups, community colleges that offer courses and training to certified nurses assistants, and State licensing agencies.  The card will also be made available to employees during the course of investigations.  (2.1A3)

• DOL will provide compliance assistance on all common compliance problems in nursing homes during the conduct of an investigation.  (2.1A3)

• DOL will secure agreements for future compliance and specific commitments for future compliance following a DOL intervention.  (2.1A3)

• DOL will obtain commitments for corporate-wide compliance by multi-establishment employers through formal and informal agreements following a history of DOL interventions.  (2.1A3)

• DOL will maintain an enforcement presence among prior violators, and will assess penalties, pursue litigation and prosecution, and publicize the consequences of non-compliant behavior as may be appropriate for willful and repeat violators.  (2.1A3)

• DOL will conduct full investigations of alleged overtime, minimum wage and child labor violations.  (This excludes last paycheck conciliations.)  (2.1A3)

• DOL will re-emphasize its compliance assistance program to highlight problems common in residential care and in geographic areas where residential care violations appear more common.  (2.1A3)

• DOL will work with State licensing agencies to pilot the dissemination of compliance materials to newly licensed residential care facilities.  (2.1A3)

• DOL will work with local and national health care associations to develop and pilot a consultation program for small and new residential group homes.  (2.1A3)

• DOL will continue the operational development of the Technology for Excellent Customer Service (TECS) systems that will provide nationwide toll-free access to:  1) promptly identify and refer calls unrelated to DOL activities to the appropriate agency; 2) answer commonly asked questions quickly and accurately; and, 3) eventually accept employee complaints alleging violations and refer them electronically to the proper field office. (2.1A1, 2, and 3)

• DOL will investigate complaints concerning union officer elections, supervise remedial union officer elections, and conduct audits and civil and criminal investigations to enforce LMRDA standards for union democracy and financial integrity.  DOL will secure reports required from unions and others under the LMRDA and make them available for public disclosure, including public disclosure via the Internet using a searchable data base of information from union financial reports.  DOL will administer an electronic reporting process initiated in FY 2002.  DOL will continue to perform all statutory responsibilities to ensure union democracy and to strive for quality and efficiency in these mission-critical endeavors. (2.1B)

• DOL will continue to offer and conduct compliance assistance seminars throughout the country to explain the requirements of the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act (LMRDA).  These seminars cover topics such as union reporting and recordkeeping, financial safeguards for union funds, elections of union officers, and training for union trustees on conducting audits in small unions.  These seminars may be sponsored by labor unions, labor education programs, or other groups to provide training for their representatives or may be DOL-sponsored and attended by any interested union officers and members.  DOL will continue to advertise upcoming compliance assistance seminars on its website, and to extend to interested organizations the opportunity to sponsor seminars in the future.  (2.1B)

• DOL will foster partnerships with international unions to promote voluntary compliance with LMRDA standards by affiliates and will provide compliance assistance to union officials.  A program of compliance assistance contacts will be continued that targets unions scheduled to elect officers in FY 2003 whose previous election was investigated by the agency.  A program of contacts at the field office level to obtain timely reports by unions with receipts of more than $200,000 that were delinquent in the prior year will be continued.  A program of seminars for trustees of small unions will be continued to provide assistance and training in use of the agency-developed guide for trustees in conducting audits in small unions.  DOL will provide outreach to union members to promote the objectives of the LMRDA.  DOL will also continue distribution of a publication and program to advise new unions and new officers about their responsibilities under the LMRDA.  (2.1B)

• DOL will promote the formal voluntary compliance program through which fiduciaries who have found problems with their plans can seek assistance and/or approval in taking corrective action.  This will particularly benefit small employers who otherwise might not take the corrective actions necessary to come into compliance.  (2.1C)

• DOL will continue to support cross cutting activities pertaining to coordinated compliance assistance for small businesses and One-Stop Centers for education and outreach.  (2.1C–D)

• DOL will continue to target and investigate pension, health care and other plan violations where participants are most susceptible to actual loss of benefits, or “populations” of plan participants who are potentially exposed to the greatest risk of falling victim to unlawful conduct.  The solicitor will continue to support PWBA’s enforcement efforts by pursuing  litigation to remove bad actors and to make financial recoveries on behalf of plan participants.  (2.1C–D)

Significant New or Enhanced Efforts in FY 2003:

• DOL will focus case targeting and management to promote effective use of investigative resources.  DOL will allocate criminal investigative time to cases with the most prosecutive potential and, where appropriate, redirect criminal investigative resources to union compliance audits.  DOL will increase the number of compliance audits that are conducted to discover and correct violations of LMRDA fiduciary safeguards.  Beginning in FY 2003, at least 1 percent of labor organizations subject to the LMRDA will be audited each fiscal year. (2.1B)

• DOL will further efforts to incorporate in the Internet-based public disclosure system, union trusteeship reports and reports filed by employers, consultants, union officers and employees, and surety companies under the LMRDA.  (2.1B)

• DOL will explore means to enhance union transparency, increase information available to union members, and better inform union members of their rights. (2.1B)

• DOL will expand its “orphan plan” project as a means for safeguarding employee benefits where fiduciaries have abdicated their responsibilities through neglect, death, bankruptcy, or incarceration (2.1C).

• Publish and/or update compliance assistance materials for employers, plan sponsors, and practitioners to inform them about requirements related to, among other things, the new health laws (2.1D).

• Continue educating employees and employers via the Department’s national health education campaign in conjunction with the many private and public partners about health benefit issues. (2.1D)

• Via the Department’s Benefit Advisors, conduct grassroots outreach to plan sponsors by proactively seeking out local organizations and events to distribute printed compliance assistance material and provide technical assistance (2.1D)

• DOL continues to expand upon its enforcement efforts of the new health care provisions in Employee Retirement and Income Security Act (ERISA) to ensure there is compliance with the new health care laws.  The Department continues to refine extensive compliance guides to assist investigators in review of health plans and a nationwide enforcement project to conduct investigations of health plans to ensure that workers and their families are not unjustly denied any protections provided under the new health care provisions.  (2.1D)

Cross-Cutting Programs and Issues

The Office of Small Business Programs (OSBP) serves a cross-cutting function by coordinating with ESA and other DOL enforcement agencies on customer/stakeholder feedback to resolve problems and improve agency operations.

In addition, PWBA and SOL coordinate enforcement, policy, regulatory, and public information programs with numerous Federal, State, and local entities in carrying out the Department’s ERISA and Federal Employee Retirement Security Act responsibilities.  Under ERISA, DOL/PWBA shares enforcement responsibilities with the Treasury Department, the IRS, and DOL’s Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC).  Cooperation with these agencies promotes increased benefit coverage by minimizing regulatory and administrative burdens, to the extent appropriate, with respect to ERISA’s statutory and regulatory requirements.

Additionally, DOL/PWBA often coordinates enforcement actions with financial institution regulatory agencies, such as the Comptroller of the Currency, the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the National Credit Union Administration, the Securities and Exchange Commission, State insurance and financial regulatory entities, DOL’s Office of Inspector General, as well as with the enforcement agencies such as the FBI, US Postal Service, and State and local law enforcement agencies.

Means and Strategies

Operating Agencies:  ETA, ESA, PWBA, PBGC

Sustained Efforts in FY 2003:

• To help raise overall first payment timeliness and new status determination timeliness, DOL will initially ensure that the State Quality Service Plans of States with performance below the established minimum criteria have the mandatory corrective action plans to raise performance.  DOL will also urge all other States that are below the 91 percent target to develop plans leading to quicker claims handling without compromising payment accuracy.  States just meeting the minimum performance criterion (60 percent) for determining new status liability will be encouraged to develop plans designed to increase timeliness, without compromising the accuracy of determinations. (2.2A)

• DOL will continue to urge States to use data in the State Directory of New Hires to limit overpayments due to working while claiming benefits and detect earlier those which have occurred.  (2.2A)

• DOL will provide the system with quarterly reports on State payment timeliness and State employer tax liability determination timeliness so that progress can be monitored and problems can be addressed immediately.  (2.2A)

• DOL will monitor functioning of the labor certification application process, both the web-based and faxed-based, for the H-1B professional/specialty temporary program on a continuing basis. (2.2B)

• DOL will continue pension and health education campaigns to: 1) raise public awareness about where to seek assistance about their rights; 2) educate workers and their employers about health and pension plans; 3) provide individual technical assistance to workers who have questions about their health and pension benefits or need assistance in obtaining those benefits; and 4) provide information to employers and plan sponsors about their responsibilities under the various laws.  An informed and knowledgeable customer (worker or business) is an asset to ensuring compliance with the laws and will positively impact our efforts at recovering benefits for participants.  (2.2C)

• DOL will develop and refine compliance guides for the public and the Department's customer service staff to assist them in handling inquiries and ensure that American workers and their families receive the important protections afforded under the numerous enacted health care laws.  (2.2C)

• DOL's Quality Case Management strategy employs creative methods and services to assist recovery and return to work, including early case management by nurses who coordinate medical treatment and reemployment.  Further, the non-adversarial nature of the FECA program allows DOL to work with Federal agencies and employee unions to facilitate the return to work process.  (2.2D1, 2.2D7)

• DOL will facilitate returns to work through better oversight of medical treatment:
  • Continue the Quality Case Management Program, in which new injury cases receive early intervention from nurses allowing case management to begin at a point when it can be much more effective.
  • Actively manage disability cases in the early Continuation of Pay (COP) period.
  • Improve access to expert medical evaluation.
  • Communicate more effectively with medical providers, through better technology and interaction between treating physicians and nurse case managers.
  • Screen cases for appropriateness of medical and pharmacological treatment, identifying outliers for directed review.  (2.2D1, 2.2D7)

• DOL will assess implementing recommendations stemming from the FY 2002 evaluation study of FECA's Early Nurse Intervention program.  The study’s objective is to evaluate the Nurse program’s support of FECA’s Quality Case Management and  return-to-work goals.  (2.2D1)

• Through ESA/OWCP's work with OSHA, DOL will assist Federal agencies to reduce injuries, improve timely filing of injury reports, and assist injured workers to obtain benefits and return to work.  Specific actions include conducting periodic conferences, technical assistance or informational meetings with the agencies, expanding electronic filing of claims documents, and widening access to OWCP case data and other program information through the Internet and other automated applications.  (2.2D1)

• DOL will continue to provide public recognition of Federal agency performance to reduce Lost Production Days and improve the timeliness of filing Notices of Injury.  (2.2D1)

• Using the FECA future benefit liability model developed in FY 1999, DOL will share forecasting information in conjunction with its work with Federal employing agencies to reduce lost production days.  (2.2D1)

• DOL will continue to improve mail intake and document imaging processes and increasing paperless operations. (2.2D1, 2.2D6, 2.2D7)

• DOL will reach the implementation phases of its automated system redesign project;  redesign features will improve system administration and management, integrate to a common platform, centralize databases, improve communications and information access for program customers, modernize medical bill processing, improve security, and simplify claims work processes. (2.2D1, 2.2D6, 2.2D7)

• DOL will continue multiple broad-based strategies to improve customer services, gauge customer needs, and measure customer satisfaction in the FECA program.  These include:
  • A multi-faceted Communications Redesign initiative, including upgrade of telecommunications hardware and operation of a central call center, and improvement of national and district automated call intake systems;
  • Focus groups held with Federal agency representatives to assess agency assistance requirements and improve agency assistance programs;
  • A call-back survey of claimant callers to our district offices, and development of other surveys for various customer groups;
  • Measurement of district office performance against nation-wide standards to ensure a high level of caller access to telephone services, prompt and accurate responses, professional handling, and high quality. (2.2D1, 2.2D6, 2.2D7)

• DOL will continue to use mediation skills, outreach, telephonic intervention, and other communication tools to work closely with parties to contested cases under the Longshore program as a means for reaching quicker resolution of disputed issues in those cases.  (2.2D2)

• DOL will continue to use outreach and technical assistance activities with all Black Lung program stakeholder communities to promote an atmosphere of understanding and constructive cooperation in support of fewer challenges to program adjudication decisions.  DOL will also work with Black Lung's authorized diagnostic provider community to emphasize the need for complete and accurate medical reports that satisfy program requirements and further support fewer challenges to program adjudication decisions.  (2.2D3)

• DOL will continue building new and improved automated data processing tools to support the timeliness and quality of Federal employee compensation case handling, case management, and return to work. (2.2D1, 2.2D6, 2.2D7)

• DOL will continue to improve overall management of the Federal Employees' Compensation Fund by expanding quality review of medical servicing and pursuing the redesign and modernization of medical bill payment processes.  Quality review will include centralized prior authorization of requests for medical treatment, focus reviews to ensure that proper treatment regimens are followed, bill review to identify duplication or other improper practices, and reevaluation and development of new treatment guidelines.  (2.2D7)

• DOL will continue to improve fiscal integrity by using fee schedules to reduce medical, pharmacy and hospital service costs under FECA.  (2.2D7)

• The Periodic Roll Management system will continue to review long-term cases on the disability roll and reevaluate case status for change in medical condition and potential for return to work.  (2.2D6, 2.2D7)

• DOL will assume responsibility for under-funded defined benefit pension plans where necessary to ensure that participants’ pension benefits are continuously provided. About 3,200 trusteed plans (with over 700,000 participants) will be under PBGC’s management in FY 2003. To manage this workload, PBGC will continue to improve in the delivery of customer service by listening to customers and assessing ways to better meet their expectations.  (2.2E)

Significant New or Enhanced Efforts in FY 2003:

• DOL will work with States to improve benefit payment accuracy and reemployment by working against targets for payment accuracy and entered employment target established in FY 2002.  States will implement additional data collection to obtain entered employment data on a continuing basis and use it to guide their reemployment assistance to Unemployment Insurance claimants.  States will have guidance on the extent and nature of erroneous denials from denied claim accuracy data (a part of the Benefit Accuracy Measurement – BAM – system.)  DOL will also provide States with additional analytical data from BAM on the nature and cause of overpayments to assist them in crafting better front-end procedures for preventing overpayments.  (2.2A)

• DOL will develop enhancements to existing systems for the early detection of multi-claimant fraud schemes in cooperation with the states.  (2.2A)

• DOL will initiate a more streamlined system for processing foreign labor certifications.  The process should reduce the time an employer waits for a Labor Department response on its application from an estimated 24 months to six months (the Immigration and Naturalization Service review takes additional time).  In the new system, DOL regional staff will review applications; in their review they will rely on employers’ previous recruitment efforts to establish the lack of available qualified workers for the positions to be filled by foreign labor.  In the previous procedure, the State workforce agency first conducted time-consuming advertisements to confirm that the employer was paying a prevailing wage and that there were no domestic applicants for the opening, then DOL regional staff completed the review.  (2.2B)

• DOL will implement a data system that will enable tracking and reporting the time required to complete each application for alien foreign labor certification.  Under the old “two-tier” system, only the number of cases on hand was available.  The new data system will enable the process to be managed, not only by the number of cases on hand, but also by the speed of the service being provided, permitting monitoring of overall timeliness and the identification of types of applications which require additional attention.  (2.2B)

• DOL will continue to develop new and improved ADP tools to support the timeliness and quality of Energy Employees Illness Compensation Program Act (EEOICPA) decisions, benefit delivery, and case management.  (2.2D5, 2.2D6)

• DOL will seek to improve financial performance and ensure proper medical care for injured workers by developing improved processing of Prior Authorizations before surgery and other medical procedures and development of Medical Utilization Review (UR).  Through UR, FECA will monitor the level and appropriateness of medical services as related to medical condition.  (2.2D7)

• DOL will inaugurate a new program aimed at timely issuance of estimated lump sum benefits to eligible participants within one year of PBGC’s trusteeship of the plan.  This is in contrast to the three years now required, and will affect the 40 percent of participants who are eligible to take their pension benefit in a lump sum.  The program will be developed in FY 2002 and implemented in FY 2003. (2.2E)

• Based on a measure defined, baseline values established, and annual targets set during FY 2002, DOL will begin to report on the accuracy of benefits it pays.  (2.2E)

• As DOL achieves the performance goal of 95 percent of first benefit payments within ninety days of completed application, it will also begin to measure the percentage paid wi