FY 2002 Annual Performance Plan

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

The 1913 Act that created the Department of Labor (DOL) stated that its purpose "... shall be to foster, promote and develop the welfare of the wage earners of the United States, to improve their working conditions, and to advance their opportunities for profitable employment." While this statement is as true today as it was 88 years ago, our vision has matured as the Department has addressed changing economies and a diversified workforce. Today, the Department must ensure that the 21^st century workforce is prepared to face the 21^st century economy with hope--by equipping all workers with the skills to reach their aspirations.

As we respond to the challenges of the changing economy, the Department's first responsibility will continue to be the protection of workers by enforcing the Nation's labor laws:

• to ensure the safety of every workplace,
• to guarantee an honest day's pay for an honest day's work,
• to stop discrimination,
• to protect workers from coercion and intimidation, and
• to safeguard the pension of every American worker and retiree.

The Department will emphasize prevention and compliance assistance--to protect workers before they are harmed physically or economically. Consistent with the Department's commitment to enforcement, we will work together with employers on better prevention strategies, avoiding whenever possible the loss of life, health or economic well-being that fines and penalties can never fully redress.

This FY 2002 Annual Performance Plan is built upon the three strategic goals the Department established in 1997, goals which have supported the Department's efforts to unify around core mission responsibilities.

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The Department will soon create a new Office of the 21^st Century Workforce to bring focus to our initiatives to find solutions for our workers and for the economy as a whole to the challenges that lie ahead. The first responsibility of this new Office will be to hold a Summit on the 21^st Century Workforce, where the Department will call on leaders from business, labor unions, government and elsewhere to address the structural changes that are affecting our workforce and our economy. The results of the Summit will shape the Department's vision for the future and the role of DOL in ensuring that the new century will bring opportunity and hope for all of America's workers. The Department will revise the FY 2002 Annual Performance Plan during the fall to include the results of the Summit on the 21^st Century Workforce and the objectives of the new executive team in the planning process for FY 2002.

2. Overview of the DOL Strategic Plan

The Department of Labor's Strategic Plan for FY 1999-2004 outlines the mission, vision, departmental structure, three strategic goals, and attendant outcome and performance goals. The Plan facilitates increased coordination, and fosters greater cohesion within the Department. Through these strategic goals, DOL staff and the American public can see a direct link between the Department's purpose, its activities, and its vision for the future.

The Department began its formal strategic and performance planning process in 1997. A Strategic and Performance Plan Workgroup was established to develop the FY 1999 Performance Plan and revise the original FY 1997-2002 Strategic Plan to reflect the consolidation of strategic goals and to make a number of other enhancements. To shepherd and synchronize implementation activities and documents to comply with the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA), DOL then created a departmental GPRA staff, housed in the Office of Budget. Semi-annual Program Reviews with Agency executives were held to evaluate mid- and end-of-year progress towards current annual performance goals. In the summer of 1999, the DOL Strategic Plan was again revised, primarily to reflect the programs and objectives of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), and this plan was finalized in September 2000, following the negotiation of WIA performance goals with the States. The current DOL Strategic Plan covering FY 1999-2004 provides a framework for the Department's FY 2002 Annual Performance Plan and a blueprint for the Department's major program initiatives through FY 2004.

A summary of the major elements addressed in the Strategic Plan are provided below. These elements provide the foundation for Departmental activities in the years ahead and a context for the FY 2002 Annual Performance Plan.

2.1 Mission

The Department of Labor fosters and promotes the welfare of the job seekers, wage earners, and retirees of the United States by improving their working conditions, advancing their opportunities for profitable employment, protecting their retirement and health care benefits, helping employers find workers, strengthening free collective bargaining, and tracking changes in employment, prices, and other national economic measurements. In carrying out this mission, the Department administers a variety of Federal labor laws including those that guarantee workers' rights to safe and healthful working conditions; a minimum hourly wage and overtime pay; freedom from employment discrimination; unemployment insurance; and other income support.

2.2 Vision

We will promote the economic well-being of workers and their families, help them share in the American dream through rising wages, pensions, health benefits and expanded economic opportunities, and foster safe and healthful workplaces that are free from discrimination.

2.3 DOL Strategic Goals

Through these strategic goals, DOL staff and the American public can see a direct link between the Department's mission and its activities:

A Prepared Workforce--Enhance opportunities for America's workforce
A Secure Workforce--Promote the economic security of workers and families
Quality Workplaces--Foster quality workplaces that are safe, healthy, and fair.

Associated with each of these goals are specific programs designed to implement the Department of Labor's core responsibilities. These programs are highlighted under the appropriate Strategic Goal in Section 4, FY 2002 Performance Goals, Strategies and Cross-Cutting Programs.

2.4 DOL Organization

The Department of Labor is organized into major program areas, each headed by an Assistant Secretary or Commissioner who administers the various statutes and programs for which the Department is responsible. These programs are carried out through a network of regional offices and a series of field, district, and area offices, as well as, in some cases, through local-level grantees and contractors. The agencies included in the Department's FY 2002 Performance Plan are as follows:

Employment and Training Administration (ETA)
Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration (PWBA)
Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC)
Employment Standards Administration (ESA)
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA)
Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
Office of the Solicitor (SOL)
Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB)
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management (OASAM)
Women's Bureau (WB)
Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO)
Veterans' Employment and Training Service (VETS)
Office of the Inspector General (OIG)
Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP)

3. Strategic Goals and The FY 2002 Budget--A 21^st Century Department of Labor

3.1 Introduction

The President and the new administration are determined to see that no worker is left behind in today's rapidly changing high-technology environment. In carrying this theme forward, the Department of Labor is committed to offering hope by giving all Americans the training and skills needed to succeed now and into the future. The Department of Labor's Fiscal Year (FY) 2002 budget request was developed with those outcomes in mind.

The FY 2002 budget reflects the amounts necessary for continued efforts to meet the difficult challenges posed by a changing economy and American workforce. This budget maintains the Department's commitment that all workers have the opportunity to find and hold jobs under reasonable working conditions, with good wages, reliable pensions, health benefits, and opportunity to improve their skills in the 21^st Century Workplace.

In response to this commitment, the total request for the Department in FY 2002 is $44.4 billion in budget authority and 17,483 full-time equivalent (FTE). The request for discretionary programs is $11.3 billion in budget authority, which is $564 million below the FY 2001 level.

In this Annual Performance Plan, the Department has for the first time linked budget authority and outlays to both the strategic and outcome goals. The budget resources are displayed in tables in the introduction to each strategic and outcome goal discussion in Chapter 4 of the plan. Appendix B displays an overview of the linkage between the budget activities that support the Department's outcome goals, and Appendix C presents a cross-walk of Congressional Committees to strategic goals. The method for assigning full costs in terms of budget authority and outlays to 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 their resources. Agencies estimated the proportion of their spending that contributed directly to the accomplishment of outcome goals for each of the four years covered by this plan. These factors were applied to the net budget authority and outlay figures contained in the President's Budget. 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 major 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.

3.2 Budget Highlights

21^st Century Workforce

With an eye toward the 21^st Century Workforce, the Department's FY 2002 budget provides over $5 billion to support youth and adult training activities. To succeed in the 21^st century, we must be prepared to adapt to changes in our economy--in how we work, where we work, and how we balance our professional and family lives. The Department of Labor cannot and must not simply react to changes. We must anticipate--thus equipping every worker to have as fulfilling and financially-rewarding a career as they aspire to have.

The Department will continue to use the Workforce Investment Act as the primary vehicle to guide our investment in America's Workforce--but new ideas are needed, along with fresh approaches and new partnerships. Many jobs go unfilled because employers can't find workers with the necessary skills and training. Another challenge will be to make sure that an adequate workforce is available to meet the demands of a continually growing economy. To face these challenges, the Department will create a new Office of the 21^st Century Workforce to bring focus and solutions to the challenges that face America's workers. Later this Spring, the Department will convene a group of leaders from business, labor unions, and government to address the structural changes that are affecting the workforce and economy. The Office of the 21^st Century Workforce will assist those Americans who have been left behind--particularly those who have been laid-off from jobs due to technological changes or foreign competition.

Office of Disability Employment Policy

The Administration is also committed to assisting those individuals who have been denied the opportunity and right to have a productive, meaningful work life because of a disability. The new Office of Disability Employment Policy will carry out the President's New Freedom Initiative, providing technology and other tools to Americans with disabilities, so that they can enter the economic mainstream. An additional $20.3 million and 10 FTE have been added in FY 2002 for this purpose. The 2002 budget also continues to fund work incentive grants--$20 million annually--to help make One-Stop Centers fully accessible to people with disabilities. It is not only important to give people with disabilities training and assistive technology-- but also the hope and the ability to become more active citizens in their communities.

Worker Protection

Labor laws will be enforced--and workers will be protected--to ensure the safety of every workplace, to guarantee an honest day's pay for an honest day's work, to stop discrimination, to protect workers from coercion and intimidation, and to protect every worker's pension. The laws will be enforced using common sense--not just a reflexive, one-size-fits-all approach. The Department's 2002 budget maintains labor law enforcement agencies at FY 2001 levels and the Department will put more emphasis than ever before on prevention and compliance assistance--not just after-the-fact enforcement. The Department will continue to explore new ways to use technology and related interventions to improve and expand the reach of its compliance assistance.

Redirected Resources

The Department's FY 2002 budget reallocates resources from lower-priority activities to areas where there are demonstrated needs. The Department's budget supports a sustained effort in core job training programs. Where training resources are redirected, State and local governments and communities will be able to continue to serve participants based upon the availability of funding already in the system.

In the area of international labor activities, funding was provided at FY 2000 levels and the Department remains committed to the fundamentals of removing children from abusive and dangerous working environments. The FY 2002 budget also continues both multi-lateral assistance through the International Labor Organization (ILO) and bilateral assistance with the Department's agencies to assist developing countries as they implement and administer labor standards and social safety net programs. The budget also continues the new Global HIV/AIDS Workplace initiative to provide multi-cultural assistance through the ILO to support health education and HIV prevention in the workplace.

Labor Statistics

An increase of $8.1 million and 40 FTE is requested for the Bureau of Labor Statistics to fundamentally change the manner in which the Consumer Price Index (CPI) is revised and updated. Historically, major revisions of the CPI have been made every ten years. Beginning in FY 2002, expenditure weights in the CPI will be updated every two years--the first step toward revising and updating the CPI on a continuous basis to improve the accuracy and timeliness of the index.

Information Technology

A total of $80 million--an increase of $43 million over FY 2001--is requested for the centralized Information Technology (IT) account to fund the Department's IT investments within the following four crosscutting areas: $40.5 million for Enterprise Architecture; $10.6 million for a Common Office Automation Suite; $19.7 million for Security and Privacy; and $9.1 million for Common Administrative Systems.

With the establishment of the centralized IT investment fund, the Chief Information Officer (CIO) will ensure, through the IT Capital Investment Management process, accountability for the management of the Department's IT resources. The existence of the centralized IT fund has increased the level of awareness throughout the Department of the important role information technology plays to provide vital services to its customers. The IT Capital Investment Management process and centralized IT investment fund provides the management tools necessary to implement the requirements outlined in the Clinger-Cohen Act, the Paperwork Reduction Act, the Government Paperwork Elimination Act, the Computer Security Act, the Government Performance and Results Act, and the President's policy on the management of information resources and technology within the Department. These investments will continue to enable the Department to implement sound IT investment strategies to eliminate interoperability and incompatibility issues and to improve overall mission-critical program effectiveness.

Federal Employees' Compensation Act--Administrative Surcharge

The FY 2002 Budget proposes the establishment of an administrative surcharge on the amount billed to other Federal agencies for workers' compensation benefits. The Secretary of Labor will use this surcharge to finance the Department's administrative expenses for the Federal Workers' Compensation program including the cost related to management, operations, and legal support. The program surcharge provides $80 million in offsetting collections for budget authority for this program. Most importantly, the surcharge will ensure that each Federal agency contributes an equitable share of the administrative cost of managing the program and boost the incentive of Federal agencies to improve the safety of their workplaces.

Program Accountability of Grants

The Department is requesting a total of $1.8 million in FY 2002 to accelerate efforts to modernize grants management and accountability systems to improve overall administration of funds. The Employment and Training Administration will require $1.5 million to improve grants monitoring and technical assistance by providing a specialized unit of staff to oversee and assist "at risk" grantees. Also, emphasis will be placed on developing analytical tools and specified reports and linkages with the Department's centralized accounting system. The Office of the Chief Financial Officer will use the balance of these funds to oversee developmental efforts and to ensure overall compliance with the Federal Financial Management Improvement Act.

3.3 Summary

The Department of Labor is prepared for the 21^st Century. Not only will it meet its first responsibility to protect workers by enforcing the Nation's labor laws, but it will increase its focus on common-sense approaches to prevention and compliance assistance. The Department will seek out new solutions to the challenges that face American workers, assist those who have been left behind, and provide hope to all who yearn for a better life.

4. FY 2002 Performance Goals, Strategies and Cross-Cutting Programs

This FY 2002 Annual Performance Plan establishes performance goals that will lead to the accomplishment of DOL's strategic goals. It also describes the means and strategies DOL will use to reach its goals. Consistent with guidance from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the General Accounting Office (GAO), DOL has consolidated or aggregated many of its activities into logical clusters focused around the accomplishment of its strategic goals. For example, the third strategic goal, Quality Workplaces, integrates the outcomes of OSHA's and MSHA's performance goals to reduce workplace injuries and illnesses. In other cases, only one agency within the Department may contribute to a specific outcome goal.

Under the Workforce Investment Act, the performance indicators stipulated in the Act have been and continue to be 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 has consulted with stakeholders concerning performance and accountability issues and worked in partnership to develop revised performance goals for Program Year 2002. The national performance goals for the WIA performance indicators represent an amalgamation of the goals negotiated with the States.

This section presents DOL's FY 2002 performance goals under each strategic and outcome goal. Following the listing of performance goals is a summary of the means and strategies that will be used by DOL to achieve the outcome and performance goals. Related cross-cutting programs and issues follow the strategies. Appendix A displays individual matrices for each performance goal that include the following information:

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

Source of data--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

DOL STRATEGIC GOAL 1 A PREPARED WORKFORCE Enhance opportunities for America's Workforce OUTCOME GOALS: Increase employment, earnings, and assistance Increase the number of youth making a successful transition to work Improve the effectiveness of information and analysis on the U.S. economy Total Funds for This Goal (in Billions):
Fiscal Years		Budget	Outlays
FY 2002		$7.1	$6.7
FY 2001		$7.1	$7.8
FY 2000		$5.2	$6.4
FY 1999		$7.5	$5.8

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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 Veterans' Employment and Training Service, the Women's Bureau, the new Office of Disability Employment Policy, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In addition, 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.

The FY 2002 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.

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Means and Strategies

Operating Agencies: ETA, VETS, WB

Sustained Efforts in FY 2002:

• With State and other partners, DOL will review WIA implementation experiences to identify key issues, options, and solutions, as they pertain to the following strategies:

• Enhance the resource base of services available for adults in the evolving workforce development system by: 1) assuring better program integration with major partners by educating Workforce Boards, program partners and staff on opportunities, barriers and solutions; 2) refining Internet resources such as America's Labor Market Information System (ALMIS) within the One-Stop delivery system; and 3) identifying additional methods of accessing other programs and delivering their services to adults across the country. (1.1A-E)

• Continue to work in close cooperation with state and local partners in monitoring and overseeing the workforce development system and with federal partners in promoting unified planning at the state and local levels. (1.1A)
• Continue to support WIA implementation by: 1) analyzing use of existing program resources, identifying shortcomings and their causes, and initiating and promoting corrective actions; 2) providing ongoing technical assistance to States and local areas as they continue to implement the WIA provisions dealing with Individual Training Accounts and Eligible Training Providers; 3) providing technical assistance to system partners in the areas of service strategies, case management, sequencing of services, priorities of service, services to employed adults, and other issues relevant to service delivery under WIA, and 4) investing in capacity building, pilots and demonstrations, research, and technical assistance. (1.1A-E)
• Continue to invest in engaging private-sector employers both as customers and partners in the workforce development system. (1.1A-E)

• DOL will continue to implement the performance-based accountability provisions of the WIA by specifically undertaking, in collaboration with the Department of Education, the incentive and sanction process as it applies to the States for their performance against the agreed upon WIA core indicators of performance. These indicators constitute the basis for DOL's WIA performance goals. (1.1A)

• DOL will build on the launch of the Workforce Excellence Network, the purpose of which is to find ways for State and local workforce organizations to work together to improve their performance. Under the Network, training, tools and assistance will be provided to Workforce Investment Areas and One-Stop partner programs using the Malcolm Baldrige criteria for performance excellence, quality and continuous improvement techniques, and employer and participant customer satisfaction. DOL will provide recognition to workforce entities that achieve identified levels of performance excellence. (1.1A-E)

• DOL will expand and improve the integration of Welfare-to-Work (WtW) and welfare reform efforts with the nation's Workforce Investment System, established by the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998. (1.1B)

• DOL will produce targeted outreach and technical assistance products and activities to meet the specific needs of faith- and community-based programs and programs serving non-custodial parents, individuals with disabilities, ex-offenders, and individuals with substance abuse barriers. (1.1B)

• DOL will enlist the support of employers to hire WtW participants into unsubsidized jobs and increase job opportunities for welfare recipients through projects such as the One-Stop Low-Wage Worker Advancement/Backfill Pilot Project, which will utilize Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds to subsidize employers to upgrade and advance current entry-level low-wage working TANF "alumni," and then utilize WIA and WtW funds to train and backfill WtW participants and WtW-eligible individuals in the vacancies created. (1.1B)

• DOL will work closely with Federal partners, State and local government agencies, faith- and community-based organizations, and public interest groups to coordinate and increase the availability of tools and resources to assist WtW grantees and their participants. (1.1B)

• DOL will identify and implement comprehensive "Whole Family" WtW approaches which will improve the job placement, retention, advancement, and self-sufficiency potential for low-income custodial and noncustodial parents and their children. (1.1B)

• DOL will continue to emphasize Worker Profiling and Re-employment Services (WPRS), whereby UI claimants likely to exhaust their benefits are quickly identified and provided the services necessary to assist them in quickly returning to work. (1.1C)

• DOL will continue to develop partnerships with large multi-state employers to provide recruitment and special technical services to assist them in meeting their labor force needs. (1.1C)

• DOL will conduct seminars, meetings, workshops, and other forums with employers; human resource professionals; women, disability, community and Faith-Based organizations; and government entities that will educate and influence policies geared to women workers. The goal is to increase pay and benefits, career advancement opportunities, more family friendly workplaces, economic security, healthy and safe workplaces, and equal opportunity for women in nontraditional occupations, particularly in high-technology industry. (1.1F)

• Program and service integration in the workforce development system has been a significant challenge for DOL funded programs. Such integration will continue to develop as partnerships are forged and strengthened between DOL and other Federal programs and State and local organizations. The effectiveness of the workforce development system is expected to continuously improve through capacity building, pilots and demonstrations, research, and technical assistance. An emphasis on investment for pilots, technical assistance, and veterans' advocacy provided, within the workforce development system, will enhance the integration and effectiveness of services provided to veterans. (1.1G)

• DOL will continue to coordinate and encourage the efforts of 52 VETS' State Directors (50 States, District of Columbia and Puerto Rico) as they interact with State Workforce Investment Boards. This coordination by VETS' State Directors, delineating the nature and scope of DVOP and LVER activities and the role of the Public Labor Exchange, will enhance the provision of priority and maximum services to veterans in the One-Stop Centers. (1.1G)

• DOL will continue to pilot test the use of Veterans employment representatives in matching qualified separating military personnel with employer needs for specific skills within a single geographic area (a program known as "ProVet"--promoting reemployment opportunities for veterans). (1.1G-H)

Significant New or Enhanced Efforts in FY 2002:

• DOL will improve program performance and performance management activities by: 1) increased use of technology to support effective management of program operations and performance, including the expanded use of real-time data for program management purposes; 2) refining and enhancing the Federal/State accountability system specified in the Act, including the possible addition of measures related to timeliness, efficiency, and market penetration, and the fine-tuning of measures related to quality; 3) developing and funding innovative demonstration projects for adults that support improved outcomes for individuals with diverse barriers to success in the workforce, including projects operated in partnership with community- and Faith-Based organizations, and 4) connecting agency quality initiatives and program operations. (1.1A)

• DOL will enhance universal access of all adults to services available through America's Workforce Network by: 1) promoting the information and services available through America's Workforce Network, including the Toll-Free Help Line and America's Service Locator; 2) 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 Centers, and 3) 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-E)

• DOL will utilize a comprehensive Labor Exchange Performance Measurement System to provide performance information and incentives in support of optimizing the delivery of labor exchange services to employers and job seekers. This system 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. (1.1C)

• States will be required to include expected levels of performance, reached in agreement with ETA regional offices, for the Wagner-Peyser Act labor exchange in their five-year strategic plans. (1.1C)

• DOL will use the common language of the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) to improve the quality and quantity of employer job orders and job seeker resumes. The O*NET common language will be integrated into America's Career Kit, the One-Stop Operating System (OSOS), and the broader labor exchange system. (1.1C)

• DOL-provided training in job order taking and writing and in entering orders into America's Job Bank (AJB) will enhance the skills of front-line staff to assist employers in writing job orders and entering them into AJB. (1.1C)

• DOL will help customers with disabilities receive the appropriate level of service by financially assisting States and local areas to continue developing infrastructure, increasing system capacity, and improving access to information and services that directly address their local customers' needs. (1.1D)

• DOL is funding an Information Technology (IT) pilot project through the Computing Technologies Industry Association, an alliance of over 7,500 companies involved in IT. The pilot project will recruit and assess recently separated veterans, provide occupational skills training and certification, and place them in IT jobs with member companies. The curriculum features training in A plus, the industry recognized entry-level certification for IT service and support professionals. (1.1G)

• DOL has initiated a Military to Work Project with the Communication Workers of America that is Internet based. This program allows transitioning military members and veterans to self-register, take an assessment test and receive an evaluation of their technical abilities. Fully qualified registrants are referred to high profile employers (i.e., Lucent Technologies, AT&T, U.S. West, etc.) within the telecommunications field. Those requiring additional training or course work are directed to apprenticeship and skill certification programs that will enable them to qualify for career building jobs. (1.1G)

• DOL and VETS will conduct a needs assessment to identify the underlying causes of sustained unemployment for targeted veteran subgroups, such as women veterans. (1.1G-H)

• The workforce development system has the mandate, but not the experience or knowledge needed, to serve customers with significant disabilities. Service to this segment of the disabled population represents the next step in the process of their full inclusion in the workforce development system. DOL will pursue a multifaceted program that provides guidance to, and develops internal expertise for, all components of the workforce development system that results in full, effective and integrated services to individuals with significant disabilities. (1.1I)

Cross-Cutting Programs and Issues

FY 2002 is the third year of implementation for the Workforce Investment Act of 1998. This landmark job training legislation is built on the principles of partnership and shared accountability. DOL continues to work in close cooperation with its State and local partners in monitoring and overseeing the workforce development system and its Federal partners in promoting unified planning at the State and local levels. The Act enhances the effectiveness of the One-Stop delivery system to address employers' growing difficulty in locating, attracting, and retraining qualified workers for high-skilled jobs, as well as workers' and job seekers' needs for training and re-employment services.

In FY 2002, DOL will continue implementation of WIA, emphasizing universal access to services available to the Nation's job seekers, workers, and employers through the One-Stop Centers. Program and service integration in the workforce development system will continue to develop as partnerships are forged and strengthened among DOL, other Federal programs and State and local organizations. The effectiveness of the workforce development system will continuously improve through capacity building, pilots and demonstrations, research, and technical assistance. The increase in investment for pilots, demonstrations, research, evaluation and technical assistance will support this enhancement in the integration and effectiveness of the One-Stop delivery system.

DOL will improve comprehensive planning for services to adults, incumbent workers and dislocated workers, 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.

In addition to its cross-cutting efforts targeted on the State and local levels of the workforce development system, DOL continues to invest in engaging private-sector employers both as customers and partners in the system. DOL's Workforce Excellence strategy continues to focus on promoting and supporting continuous improvement, high performance and customer satisfaction throughout the One-Stop delivery system, with a primary goal being to enhance the credibility of the system in the eyes of the business community.

As the Congressionally-delegated lead Federal agency for the Welfare-to-Work legislation, DOL provides leadership for implementation of new programs and activities designed to move people from welfare to employment. DOL works closely with State and local government agency programs, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Department of Transportation (DOT), the Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Department of Interior (DOI), and the Department of Justice (DOJ) to assist individuals as they move from welfare to work and to boost employment rates. DOL also works closely with public interest groups, such as the National Association of Workforce Boards, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, and the National Governors Association.

DOL will continue the promotion of the Work Opportunity and Welfare-to-Work (WOTC/WtW) Tax Credits by engaging employers and streamlining certification procedures to encourage employers to hire disadvantaged job seekers.

DOL will build upon the earlier work of the Performance Measurement Group by working with its partners at HHS, HUD, and the Department of Education (ED), as well as their State and local partners, to establish the new system performance measures as part of the new Workforce Investment System. DOL also will address cross-cutting policy and related issues pertaining to systemic performance accountability.

The Department's employment and training programs for veterans and soon-to-be-separated service members and their families are coordinated closely with VA and DOD. This Transition Assistance Program (TAP) operates across the country and has been shown to be effective in reducing the time of unemployment. When TAP is implemented at the local military bases, specific areas of coordination and cooperation are designated. For instance, DOL may provide the instructors for the typical three-day training, DOD the meeting space and logistical arrangements, and VA the assistance to service members who have service-incurred disabilities.

DOL, through VETS, will continue to lead a Federal Interagency Task Force on Certification and Licensing of Transitioning Military Personnel that will recommend a course of action to allow qualified military personnel to obtain both Federal and non-Federal certifications and/or licenses necessary for civilian employment. In FY 2002, DOL will continue the effort of updating and adding to its public website on licenses, credentials, and other occupational requirements. VETS has contributed to the Department's overall effort by developing and instituting the website Using (your) Military Experience and Training, which is tailored to provide assistance to transitioning military personnel who need assistance and veterans who may need a credential for civilian employment.

Cross-cutting Federal efforts on the homeless make the Homeless Veterans' Reintegration Project (HVRP) an outstanding example of how different Federal programs working together can effectively serve a population in need. In implementing HVRP, the Department works closely with HUD and VA to refer homeless veterans in need of shelter, substance abuse assistance or mental health counseling, to the appropriate programs. Once stabilized, these veterans are referred back to DOL HVRP programs for job-finding assistance.

DOL has developed a partnership with the New Mexico Department of Labor and the National Guard Bureau to assist unemployed and underemployed veterans by providing a one-day seminar on resume writing and interviewing. These one-day classes will be provided using a distance learning modality in two locations (Albuquerque and Santa Fe). The objective of this project is to improve the opportunities for the unemployed and underemployed veterans in their search for suitable employment in the civilian workforce.

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Means and Strategies

Operating Agencies: ETA

Significant New or Enhanced Efforts in FY 2002:

• DOL will continue to improve the capacity of the workforce development system to provide youth with skills, and offer them a comprehensive array of services so that they are able to successfully transition to the workforce as they continue their education and training. In collaboration with local youth providers, our partners, and stakeholders, these areas will be emphasized:

• Establishing strong local youth councils that bring together local workforce training providers, schools, community organizations, and others in an effort to strategically align and leverage resources to create community youth assistance strategies linked to local youth and labor market needs to improve the efficiency and quality of youth services;

• Promoting the provision of a systematic offering of comprehensive youth services based upon individual assessment and tailored to the age and maturity level of each individual youth;

• Encouraging and promoting youth connections to the One-Stop delivery system;

• Visiting and providing operational and technical assistance to grantees for the Responsible Reintegration for Young Offender program to ensure that they become fully operational in the shortest time period and to avoid potentially harmful issues in program start-up; and

• Investing in a performance accountability system where data from performance measurement is built into a process for continuously improving the provision of services and activities and which promotes customer satisfaction. (1.2A, C-D)

• DOL will enhance career development support, including expanded placement services, for Job Corps graduates and former enrollees. The Department will continue to aggressively implement school-to-work strategies and build mutually beneficial relationships with WIA partners--especially employer involvement in the development of occupational training programs. DOL will accomplish this by:

• Placing continued emphasis on performance in the competitive procurement process;

• Incorporating findings from reports to-date from the long-term evaluation study of Job Corps and other external bodies, such as the Office of Inspector General and General Accounting Office, to enhance program design;

• Accelerating student learning through innovative instructional methodology and the incorporation of technology both as a training tool and to facilitate accessing information about jobs or further education;

• Creating partnerships with employers to customize training, provide work-based learning sites, and to expand Job Corps' job placement network; and

• Integrating Job Corps into the broader workforce development system. (1.2B)

• DOL will continue to reflect performance/results-based criteria in its contract procurements. Job Corps' center operations and outreach, admissions/career transition services contracts will be procured specifying the outcomes and quality indicators the government seeks in contract performance. Performance results will be published and used with quality assessment results to form the contractor's Past Effectiveness rating, which is a determining factor in the Department's decision to award option years or subsequent contracts. (1.2B)

Cross-Cutting Programs and Issues

Opportunities for youth to make a successful transition to a career path will include development of Business and Community Visions for creating relationships and networks with employers, One-Stops, and Workforce Investment Boards. DOL will also implement a youth development professional apprenticeship and certification to improve the skill of front-line staff delivery of services to youth.

Linkage with HHS programs will be established to provide shelter for runaway youth, drug prevention for youth in at-risk circumstances, educational or workforce activities for youth living in high poverty areas, and access to child-care services. Support will be given to coordinated activities with HUD's Youth Build and Jobs Plus programs, as well as outreach programs to youth in public housing.

The involvement of Faith-Based organizations as partners to expand educational, cultural, recreational and career opportunities for youth will be facilitated.

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Means and Strategies

Operating Agency: BLS

Sustained Efforts in FY 2002:

• 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. The model includes the following steps: conceptualization, planning, design, development, implementation, and validation. (1.3A-B)

Significant New or Enhanced Efforts in FY 2002

• DOL will fundamentally change the way the Consumer Price Index is revised and updated beginning in 2002. As part of this effort, DOL will provide for continuous outlet and item sample improvements and ongoing computer system enhancements. (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 coordinated 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 2002, the Council will work on enhancements to FedStats, a "one-stop shopping" web site for Federal statistics, including the development of a national statistical information infrastructure.

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 2002, a statistical working party led by DOL and sponsored by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, will 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

DOL STRATEGIC GOAL 2 A SECURE WORKFORCE Promote the Economic Security of Workers and Families OUTCOME GOALS: Increase compliance with worker protection laws Protect worker benefits Increase employment and earnings for retrained workers Total Funds for This Goal (in Billions): Fiscal Years Budget Outlays FY 2002 $36.3 $34.3 FY 2001 $31.0 $29.4 FY 2000 $24.8 $24.3 FY 1999 $27.0 $26.0

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DOL is committed to protecting workers' hours, wages, and other conditions when on the job, providing unemployment and compensation benefits when workers are unable to work, and expanding, enhancing, and protecting workers' pension, health care, 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's Wage and Hour Division, Office of Labor-Management Standards and Office of Workers' Compensation Programs. In addition, 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 FY 2002 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.

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Means and Strategies

Operating Agencies: ESA, PWBA

Sustained Efforts in FY 2002:

• DOL will continue voluntary compliance activities, such as education, technical assistance, and partnerships. (2.1A-D)

• DOL will continue initiatives to increase compliance with labor standards by: targeting certain low-wage industries for focused education/outreach and enforcement interventions; targeting child labor compliance; building partnerships with other governmental, non-governmental, and business organizations to promote compliance; and, enhancing the scope and effectiveness of ESA's education and enforcement interventions to obtain lasting future compliance. (2.1A.1-2.1A.2)

• DOL will continue to measure compliance results achieved by establishing baselines of compliance in targeted industries through ESA's investigation-based compliance surveys, and conducting subsequent compliance surveys in those industries in which baselines have already been established. (2.1A.1-2.1A.2)

• DOL will continue its initiative to review the Child Labor Hazardous Orders to reflect current workplace technologies and hazards. (2.1A.2)

• DOL will continue to make more effective and sustained interventions, including better detection of violations, more timely litigation, developing appropriate cases for criminal prosecution, and enhancing education and outreach efforts. While the Department has been vigorously pursuing and elaborating its compliance strategy in these sectors, progress is slow, worker exploitation is still very common, and it has become increasingly clear that sustained efforts are required. (2.1A.1-2.1A.2)

• DOL will increase compliance with child labor safety standards. DOL will increase its compliance activities, enhance its cooperative efforts with the States, and forge additional partnerships with national, multi-establishment firms that employ large numbers of young workers and with employer and employee organizations to improve youth safety in the workplace. (2.1A.2)

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

• DOL will secure reports required from unions and others under the LMRDA and make them available for public disclosure, including public disclosure access via the Internet to a searchable data base of information from union financial reports. (2.1B)

• DOL's 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. (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 2002:

• 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

To carry out its several enforcement responsibilities, ESA cooperates with the Department of Justice's (DOJ) Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), Department of Defense (DOD), General Services Administration (GSA), Health and Human Services (HHS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and others, as well as coordinates with other internal DOL agencies such as the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) and the Solicitor of Labor. Cooperative efforts include partnership between the ESA/Wage and Hour Division and ETA relating to migrant and seasonal labor issues, and programs designed to increase compliance in the "Salad Bowl" and poultry processing industries. ESA works with DOD and the GSA with respect to applicable wage determinations for government contracts. ESA/WHD works closely with ETA, USDA, and the States to explore the interaction of workplace laws and welfare reform. ESA/WHD is a key member of DOJ's Worker Exploitation Task Force.

In accordance with the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act (SBREFA), the Office of Small Business Programs (OSBP) provides one-stop service as a clearinghouse for ESA WHD/OFCCP compliance assistance information, inquiries and comments on enforcement activity. 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.

ESA's enforcement programs maintain close ties and share information with other law enforcement agencies. In Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act (LMRDA) criminal enforcement matters, cooperation may extend, as appropriate, to participation in joint investigations with other Federal agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as well as other DOL agencies. Each initiative to coordinate with other agencies is designed to increase compliance with worker protection laws leveraging resources, reducing overlapping activity, and utilizing the strengths of each entity.

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.

The Worker Exploitation Task Force facilitates criminal investigations and prosecutions involving undocumented foreign nationals who are lured to this country and then exploited. The task force consists of representatives from DOJ's Civil Rights Division, Violence Against Women Office, and Office of Victims of Crime, as well as the FBI, INS, DOL, and the State Department.

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Means and Strategies

Operating Agencies: ETA, ESA, PWBA, PBGC

Sustained Efforts in FY 2002:

• Develop and implement improvements to UI PERFORMS, the Unemployment Insurance performance management system, to enhance performance planning, facilitate performance achievement, and assess the effectiveness of program improvement efforts through capacity building, technical assistance, best practices, and other key initiatives. Initially focus on raising performance of States below performance criteria, while continuing to develop and implement processes and systems which support continuous improvement at all levels. (2.2A)
• Engage in ongoing discussions with States, employers, and UI claimants to improve communication, identify issues and needs, and promote input in the design of programs. (2.2A)
• 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 will promote greater overall levels of retirement savings by encouraging individuals to begin saving at a younger age; improving individuals' understanding of their savings options and the consequences of their choices and encouraging businesses, especially smaller companies, to provide greater educational services to their employees. As part of this effort, PWBA will increase the number of targeted educational materials disseminated by the Internet and other means which promote pensions for women, minorities, and small businesses. (2.2D)
• DOL will promote increased benefit coverage by PWBA's continued work with other Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) agencies (Treasury and IRS) to minimize regulatory and administrative burdens with respect to the requirements of the ERISA. For example, this is accomplished by exploring alternative means of compliance such as the electronic filing of plan documents. DOL and the other ERISA agencies have simplified the Form 5500 annual report filed by pension and other benefit plans. (2.2D)
• •DOL will continue to emphasize early return to work as a winning outcome for both workers and employers. The non-adversarial nature of DOL's Federal Employees' Compensation Program allows DOL to work with Federal agencies and with employee unions to facilitate the return to work process. (2.2E)
• 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. (2.2E)
• 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. (2.2E)
• Through ESA's Office of Workers' Compensation Programs' (OWCP) 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. DOL will also conduct periodic "focus group" meetings and surveys to identify agency assistance requirements and improve its assistance program. (2.2E)

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

• DOL will improve the medical authorization process, so that injured employees get appropriate and needed medical treatment as soon as practicable. (2.2E)
• DOL will complete installation of district office imaging hardware, convert older paper files to electronic form, continue automated data processing training, and reconfigure district offices for "paperless" operations. Greater automation will lower administrative costs, speed claims filing and adjudication, support earlier delivery of services, and support earlier resolution of disability and return to work, while at the same time contributing to stable or declining FECA benefit costs by improving error rates and the accuracy of information. Electronic access to claims information will enable employing agencies to better assist their injured employees and manage their workers' compensation programs. Additionally, the electronic file system will be more secure than a paper-based system. (2.2E, F, G)
• The Periodic Roll Management system, expanded in FY 1999 and incorporated into FECA's overall case management process, will continue to review long-term cases on the disability roll and reevaluate case status for changes in medical condition and potential for return to work. (2.2F)
• DOL will improve overall management of its Federal Employees' Compensation Fund through its ADP System Redesign project, further automation of document exchanges and medical billing, and through new information technology upgrades which will improve linkages to the DOLAR$ system, develop a cost accounting capability, and improve debt management tracking and reporting. (2.2F, G)
• DOL will continue to improve overall management of the Federal Employees' Compensation Fund by expanding quality review of medical servicing and medical bill payment processes. This will include central automated-assisted processing of requests for medical treatment authorization, focus reviews to ensure that proper treatment regimens are followed, bill review to identify duplication or other improper practices, and development of treatment guidelines for use by the provider community. (2.2G)
• DOL will continue to apply fee schedules to medical, pharmacy and hospital services under FECA. (2.2G)
• DOL will examine utilization of services through Focus Reviews of medical conditions requiring physical therapy to ensure that billed services are reasonable and related to the condition. (2.2G)
• DOL will continue to use a Medical Quality Index baseline to measure FECA medical bill processing and payment quality. (2.2G)
• DOL will assume responsibility for under-funded defined benefit pension plans where necessary to ensure that participants' pension benefits are continuously provided. About 3,000 trusteed plans (with over 500,000 participants) will be under PBGC's management in FY 2002. To manage this workload and reduce the 3-4 year processing achieved in FY 2001, PBGC will continue to improve in the delivery of customer service by listening to customers and assessing ways to better meet their needs. (2.2H)

Significant New or Enhanced Efforts in FY 2002:

• Continue to work with State partners and stakeholders to improve the system for budget formulation and resource allocation. (2.2A)
• Continue to employ proven strategies to reduce the backlog of foreign labor certifications. These strategies include improved, streamlined processes, quality assurance checks to assess the accuracy of determinations and the use of a measurement system to enable tracking and reporting the time required to complete each application. (2.2B)
• PBGC will improve its ability to provide estimated benefits, and will send more frequent information to participants. This will be accomplished through acquisition of actuarial software, providing interactive estimating applications on the web site, and emphasizing organizational commitment to improved customer service. Ultimately, faster case processing leads to increased accuracy of benefit payments. (2.2H)

Cross-Cutting Programs and Issues

DOL will work closely with the Congress, States, Treasury, OMB, the Council of Economic Advisors and National Economic Council, and stakeholders to ensure the integrity of the Unemployment Insurance Fund, to improve Unemployment Insurance budget formulation and resource allocation. In addition, States will be urged to link with the New Hire database managed by the Social Security Administration (SSA) to obtain new hire data quickly in order to limit benefit overpayments. States will also be urged to provide SSA access to UI wage records. Through the Simplified Tax and Wage Reporting system, DOL/ETA will continue to work with Treasury, SSA, and BLS to develop harmonized wage definitions, simplify tax reporting, and enhance electronic reporting in order to reduce employers' costs of submitting tax forms and provide ETA and other agencies with more timely information for ensuring program integrity. ETA will continue to work with States and BLS to improve accuracy and accessibility of UI data, particularly the accuracy of claim data used for economic indicators, and the accessibility to State wage records for program outcome data on post-program earnings for a variety of workforce development programs.

DOL will work across agencies to provide more effective job-finding services to support both better income replacement to the involuntary unemployed by lowering benefit exhaustion, while keeping the aggregate UI tax burden low and promoting high employment levels.

To fulfill the Department's employee benefit plan responsibilities, PWBA works with HHS, Treasury, the National Economic Council, the Bureau of Census, BLS, the Thrift Savings Board, the Solicitor's Office, and the Small Business Administration (SBA). PWBA has established a Federal-State-local partnership to help employee benefit plan participants who are at risk, (e.g., dislocated workers) understand not only their rights, but also how their employment status may affect their pension and health benefits.

The Federal Employees' Compensation Act (FECA) program involves every Federal agency in the filing and management of injury compensation claims. The FECA program coordinates with the Office of Personnel Management on matters of benefit elections, and in some specialized claims, with State and local police agencies on matters of entitlement and benefits. Federal agencies that undertake special initiatives work closely with FECA program offices at the national and regional levels to evaluate best practices. Other efforts improve communication and cooperation to reduce lost productivity due to workplace injuries. Through the Agency Query System, the Department provides secure, on-line information to enable agencies to provide better service to their injured employees and assist in FECA claims processing and case management. In new injury cases, the Department assigns nurses to coordinate among injured workers, agencies, and medical providers to resolve issues and facilitate recovery and return to work. ESA's OWCP is working with all Federal agencies to improve timeliness of injury claims submissions--in part through expansion of electronic claims submission--and to increase re-employment opportunities, and has established ongoing measures of agency performance, which are posted on the Internet.

ESA/OWCP and OSHA are working with Federal agencies to reduce new workplace accident/illness rates, speed the timeliness of reporting new injuries to the Department of Labor, and reduce lost production days rates. ESA/OWCP will work with Federal agencies by intervening in lost time cases, providing case management, and tracking disability time lost during the Continuation of Pay period immediately following an injury. ESA/OWCP will measure agencies' performance on its website, http://www.dol.gov/esa/regs/compliance/owcp/fecaca.htm. ESA/OWCP will continue to track and post detailed agency (sub-agency) performance in terms of timely injury notice submission. ESA/OWCP will work in tandem with OSHA and the Office on Disability Employment Policy to help agencies reduce accidents/illnesses and speed return to work.

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Means and Strategies

Operating Agency: ETA

Sustained Efforts in FY 2002:

With State and other partners, DOL will review WIA implementation experiences to identify key issues, options, and solutions, as they pertain to all means and strategies identified below.

• DOL will enhance the resource base of services available for dislocated workers in the evolving workforce development system by: 1) assuring better program integration with major partners by educating Workforce Boards, program partners and staff on opportunities, barriers and solutions; 2) refining Internet resources such as America's Labor Market Information System (ALMIS) within the One-Stop delivery system; and 3) identifying additional methods of accessing other programs and delivering their services to dislocated workers across the country. (2.3 A, B)
• DOL will continue to work in close cooperation with state and local partners in monitoring and overseeing the workforce development system and with federal partners in promoting unified planning at the state and local levels. (2.3 A, B)

• DOL will continue to support WIA implementation by: 1) analyzing use of existing program resources, identifying shortcomings and their causes, and initiating and promoting corrective actions; 2) providing ongoing technical assistance to States and local areas as they continue to implement the WIA provisions dealing with Individual Training Accounts and Eligible Training Providers; 3) providing technical assistance to system partners in the areas of service strategies, case management, sequencing of services, priorities of service, services to employed dislocated workers, and other issues relevant to service delivery under WIA; 4) supporting strategies to develop and improve programs of incumbent worker training; 5) sharing lessons learned with the workforce investment system and others through conferences, ETA's web site, and other means of dissemination, and 6) investing in capacity building, pilots and demonstrations, research, and technical assistance. (2.3 A, B)
• DOL will continue to invest in engaging private-sector employers both as customers and partners in the workforce development system.

  (2.3 A, B)

• DOL will improve services to dislocated workers who are likely to exhaust Unemployment Insurance benefits under ETA's Worker Profiling and Re-employment Services component of the workforce system by providing Wagner-Peyser Act and WIA Title I re-employment services (e.g., job search workshops, counseling, referrals to suitable openings) and other needed assistance. (2.3A)

• DOL will prevent dislocations and help upgrade workers' skills by investing in technical assistance and demonstrations that include: 1) Skill Shortage projects--identifying industries struggling to fill jobs, identifying workers needing training, and providing training and job placement services; 2) "High-road partnerships"--promoting public-private ventures to effectively develop human resources and provide high-skill workers to responsive employers; and 3) Innovative incumbent worker training strategies, using limited amounts of public funds to promote training of low-skill, at-risk, and other employed individuals to enhance their economic security. (2.3A)
• DOL will improve early intervention techniques to speed the delivery of readjustment services and shorten the period of unemployment due to mass layoffs by funding technical assistance projects on Rapid Response assistance--providing information through training forums, where best practices can be shared among practitioners, policy makers, partners and others. (2.3A)

• DOL will continue to conduct region-based training sessions for all TAA/NAFTA-TAA State staff. These sessions provide State staff with all of the information they need to operate the Trade Act programs effectively, efficiently, and in accord with the law and the regulations. In addition, training programs at the State level will be conducted as needed to compensate for staff turnover and other changes in a particular State. (2.3B)

• DOL will continue to promote the co-enrollment policy in the context of One-Stop service delivery methods under the Workforce Investment Act. The Trade Act programs and the Dislocated Worker program under the Joint Training Partnership Act (JTPA) developed a policy of co-enrolling eligible dislocated workers in both programs. This policy aimed at providing benefits and services to workers in a way that neither program could do alone. (2.3B)

Significant New or Enhanced Efforts in FY 2002:

• DOL will improve program performance and performance management activities by: 1) increased use of technology to support effective management of program operations and performance, including the expanded use of real-time data for program management purposes; 2) refining and enhancing the Federal/State accountability system specified in the Workforce Investment Act, including the possible addition of measures related to timeliness, efficiency, and the fine-tuning of measures related to quality; 3) development and funding of innovative demonstration projects for dislocated workers that support improved outcomes for individuals with diverse barriers to success in the workforce, including projects operated in partnership with community- and Faith-Based organizations; 4) supporting Workforce Excellence Network activities to address issues related to dislocated worker performance; and 5) connecting agency quality initiatives and program operations. (2.3 A, B)

• DOL will enhance universal access of all dislocated workers to services available through America's Workforce Network by: 1) promoting the information and services available through America's Workforce Network, including the Toll-Free Help Line and America's Service Locator; 2) supporting outreach to groups of dislocated workers through community-based organizations, Faith-Based organizations, organized labor, and other entities, enlisting their assistance in assessment and referral of individuals to local One-Stop Centers; and 3) 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. (2.3 A, B)

Cross-Cutting Programs and Issues

The Department will improve local areas' abilities to understand business and labor market trends, undertake comprehensive planning for services to dislocated workers, incumbent workers and other adults, and implement 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, preventing dislocations, more effectively targeting training resources, and supporting business growth and worker welfare; and 2) continuing to work with the Departments of Commerce, Treasury, and others to support strategies to assist communities in developing comprehensive economic adjustment strategies to deal with dislocations with community-wide impact.

The Department will continue to collaborate with other Federal agencies, including Commerce, Agriculture, HUD, Treasury and SBA, as well as State and local governments, in programs for economic development and community adjustment assistance in areas affected by worker dislocations, including trade-impacted areas. These government entities work with the Community Adjustment and Investment Program and the North American Development Bank, created by the implementing legislation for the North American Free Trade Agreement, to increase business investment opportunities and employment opportunities for dislocated workers.

4.3 DOL Strategic Goal 3--Quality Workplaces

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This strategic goal is aimed at guaranteeing every working American a safe and healthful workplace with equal opportunity for all. Also, the Department is committed to raising core international labor standards and improving the working conditions of children throughout the world.

Department of Labor programs and agencies with the primary operational responsibility for achieving this strategic goal include the Employment Standards Administration's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, the Employment and Training Administration, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Mine Safety and Health Administration, the Bureau of International Labor Affairs, and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management. In addition, the Office of the Solicitor, the Women's Bureau, the new Office on Disability Employment Policy, and the Office of the Inspector General provide indirect support to this strategic goal.

The FY 2002 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.

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Means and Strategies

Operating Agencies: OSHA, MSHA

Sustained Efforts in FY 2002:

• DOL will expand existing outreach efforts in the mining community to identify and communicate with historically non-participating audiences where intervention could have a significant impact--specifically new operators, new miners, non-participatory operators, and contractors. Special emphasis and educational outreach initiatives will focus attention on root causes of persistent safety and health pr