To ensure that states are aware that the social security survivors and old age retirement annuities and the Federal civilian pensions annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) increased for calendar year (CY) 2023, and to provide the U.S. Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) COLA information.

To provide information regarding the 2023 UI SIDES Seminar to be hosted by the National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA) on April 18-20, 2023, in Indianapolis, IN.

To transmit the subject computation for State Workforce Agency usage in computing minimum weekly DUA amounts for all major disasters declared from January 1 – March 31, 2023, (second quarter of Fiscal Year (FY) 2023).

To provide updated guidance on the period of performance for grants that promote equitable access to unemployment compensation (UC) programs.

To strongly encourage states to review their policies and practices for reemployment and re-skilling Unemployment Insurance (UI) beneficiaries and other unemployed jobseekers, and to inform jobseekers of their potential eligibility for Federal Pell Grants (Pell Grants) and other student aid to meet educational expenses associated with enrollment in an eligible postsecondary program. Further, to remind states that determinations made regarding UI Approved Training requests may be reported as “countable” non-monetary determinations for workload purposes.

To announce a joint communication from Department of Labor’s (Department) Employment and Training Administration (ETA) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on the workforce development opportunities associated with additional broadband and wireless telecommunications investment.

To announce the Employment and Training Administration’s (ETA) upcoming virtual SMART training conference. This training opportunity is scheduled to be held on February 14 – 16, 2023, and is intended for all ETA grant recipients and stakeholders.

To remind states of the continuing availability of the self-paced, online Federal-State UC Legislative Seminar, in partnership with the National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA).

To update operating instructions, previously issued in Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) No. 24-20 to State Workforce Agencies or agencies designated by Governors as “Cooperating State Agencies” (CSAs or “states”) regarding the allowability for Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) Program funds for employment and case management services under the reversion provisions of the Trade Adjustment Assistance Reauthorization Act of 2015 (TAARA 2015) and the Trade Adjustment Assistance Reform Act of 2002 (TAARA 2002).  This Change 1 revises the operating instructions that apply to the use of funds and on the provision of employment and case management services  to adversely affected workers covered by petitions filed on and after July 1, 2021.  This version of the TAA Program is described herein as “Reversion 2021.”  

To convey the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 initial funding allotments for WOTC and the application requirements for State Workforce Agencies (SWA) based on funding appropriated through a continuing resolution (CR) through December 16, 2022.