This guidance letter updates the procedures states should follow to apply for WIA section 503 Incentive Grants.

To provide state workforce agencies (SWAs) information about the training and career development opportunity for Unemployment Insurance (UI) appeals staff scheduled for June 19 - 22, 2006, in San Diego, California; and to encourage staff participation in the conference.

To inform grantees of the circumstances affecting requirements for the PY 2006 State Senior Employment Services Coordination Plan (State Plan).

To inform states that May 26, 2006 is the revised deadline for submittal of designations of ASUs, as defined in the WIA, for PY 2006 Youth and Adult program allotments.

To provide states and outlying areas with FY 2006 Congressional Recissions for the WIA Adult and Dislocated Worker programs; WIA Title I Adult and Youth Activities Programs Planning Estimates for PY 2006; WIA Title I Dislocated Worker Program Activities allotments for PY 2006; final allotments for PY 2006 public Employment Service (ES) activities, as required by Section 6(b)(5) of the Wagner-Peyser Act, as amended; Workforce Information Grants for PY 2006; and Work Opportunity Tax Credit and Welfare-to-Work (WtW) Tax Credit allotments for FY 2006.

To summarize the UI program’s GPRA performance for FY 2005 and announce the FY 2006 GPRA goals and targets.

To provide a summary of selected ETA 581 data with associated charts and tables for the QE March 31, 2005.

To request Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Section 166 grantees to submit nominations for consideration by the Secretary of Labor for appointment to fill expiring terms of membership on the Native American Employment and Training Council (Council).

To provide adjusted funding levels for Program Year (PY) 2005 allotments for the dislocated worker program under WIA Title I Section 132(c) on recapture and reallotment.

To provide State Workforce Agencies (SWAs) with both additional information on the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) Information Technology (IT) security guidelines and the software tool to conduct a security self-assessment of unemployment insurance (UI) computer systems.

To provide State Workforce Agencies with guidelines and key dates for the completion of CY 2005 UI BAM paid and denied claims sample cases and the publication of CY 2005 BAM program data.

To transmit the subject computation for State Workforce Agency usage in computing minimum weekly DUA amounts for all major disasters declared during the third quarter of fiscal year (FY) 2006.

UIPL 17-06 -- Not Issued

UIPL 18-06 -- Not Issued

To provide guidance for the funding and management of FY 2006 annual grant allocations for the Alien Labor Certification (ALC) program.

To inform states of the immediate action required to address data quality issues affecting the designation of ASUs, as defined in the WIA, in each state in order to allot funds under the Act for Youth and Adult programs for PY 2006.

To announce the new streamlined reporting requirements and burden; transmit the revised Reporting User’s Guide and the May 2005, Addendum to the November 2002, Third Edition, of ETA Handbook 408; and announce receipt of Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval for the continued collection and submission of WOTC and WtWTC program reports, administrative forms, and use of other program related materials.

To announce Workforce Innovations 2006 to be held at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California, July 11 – 13, 2006.

The Workforce Investment Act (WIA) statute and regulations provide guidance on the use of WIA funds for incumbent and employed worker training. The statute also provides waiver authority that can be useful for this purpose. The goal of this guidance is to identify where the flexibility exists under the statute and regulations for states and local areas to use WIA funds for incumbent worker training.

To ensure state workforce agencies are aware of the Federal military retired pay annual cost of living adjustments (COLAs) and to provide the Department of Defense Web site where the COLA information is located.