To inform and provide procedural guidance to the State Workforce Agencies (SWAs), Participating Agencies, and Federal and State partners on the retroactive legislative reauthorization of all Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) target groups, the Empowerment Zones that expired on December 31, 2014, and the introduction of a new target group and WOTC ETA Forms. Also, to provide procedural guidance to SWAs for processing and issuing determinations for all certification requests.

The Employment and Training Administration (ETA), in collaboration with the Department's Chief Evaluation Office (CEO), is pleased to announce commencement of an exploratory evaluation to help the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL, or Department) learn more about the customer experience in American Job Centers (AJCs). DOL has contracted with IMPAQ International, LLC and ideas42 (the IMPAQ team) to conduct this study.

The Employment and Training Administration (ETA), in collaboration with the Department's Chief Evaluation Office (CEO), is pleased to announce commencement of a study to help the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL, or Department) learn more about the range of institutional features that shape day-to-day American Job Center (AJC) operations and customer experiences. DOL has contracted with Mathematica Policy Research, Social Policy Research Associates, The George Washington University, and Capital Research Corporation (the study team) to conduct this study.

To rescind the Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) 35-14 and replace it with TEGL 35-14, Change 1, which clarifies the Department's policy on providing housing assistance and updates the definition of "emergency assistance." The remainder of the TEGL provides guidance and planning information to NFJP grantees on the activities associated with the implementation of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).

To provide INA grantees with Comprehensive Services (CS) and Supplemental Youth Services (SYS) funding allotments for Program Year (PY) 2016 for the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), Section 166, INA program.

To announce the implementation of a new Web site resource known as the Unemployment Insurance (UI) Data Dashboard.

To remind states of the availability of assistance in building and maintaining profiling models that identify claimants of unemployment insurance (UI) benefits that are most likely to exhaust their benefits.

To announce the publication of the Final Rule Defining and Delimiting the Exemptions for Executive, Administrative, Professional, Outside Sales and Computer Employees under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

To provide the Department of Labor (DOL), Employment and Training Administration's (ETA's) policy and guidance for determining a "high risk" recipient (non-Federal entity) after Federal award and to describe the process that will be used to address situations when a non-Federal entity (hereafter referred to as a "recipient") is deemed to be at high risk of non-compliance with the Federal award.

To remind the workforce investment system of data validation and performance reporting requirements and establish associated timelines for submitting reports for the following programs/activities:

• Quarterly participant records, annual reports, and data validation results for the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) title IB programs and National Emergency Grants (NEGs);
• Quarterly participant records and data validation results for the Wagner-Peyser Act Employment Service;
• Quarterly reports for activities authorized under 38 U.S.C. 4103A and 4104 (Disabled Veterans' Outreach Program (DVOP) and Local Veterans' Employment Representatives (LVER));
• Quarterly reports, participant records, and data validation results for the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program;
• Individual participant records for the National Farmworker Jobs Program (NFJP); and
• Individual participant records for the Indian and Native American program (INA).

Additionally, this guidance serves to provide documentation for accountability purposes regarding the deadlines of the above activities and reports. While some of the associated due dates are now passed, they are still included here to provide proper documentation of statewide reporting and data validation requirements throughout the entire program year.

Finally, this guidance revises the due date for submission of Data Element Validation (DEV) for WIA and TAA results which must be submitted by March 15 for both PY 2014 and PY 2015.

To encourage collaborations between the workforce investment system and public libraries to improve the quality and quantity of employment and training services to job seekers and employers.

To provide the State Workforce Agencies (SWAs) with final funding allotments for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2016 for the administration of the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) program.

To assist State Workforce Agencies or agencies designated by Governors as "Cooperating State Agencies" (CSAs) (also jointly referred to as "states") by identifying the FY 2016 Initial Allocation amounts to states and describing the formula methodology the Department of Labor (Department) used to calculate these amounts; and to describe the process for states to request TAA reserve funds for training, employment and case management services, job search allowances, relocation allowances, and related state administration.

To correct the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number in the TEGL which is required to apply for ApprenticeshipUSA funding at www.grants.gov. The correct CFDA number is 17.285 (not 17.201 as previously cited).

Building on historic bipartisan support from Congress and leadership across a broad range of States, the United States Department of Labor (DOL) is announcing $90 million available this year through the ApprenticeshipUSA initiative. ApprenticeshipUSA is a national campaign bringing together a broad range of stakeholders, including employers, labor, States, education and workforce partners, to expand and diversify Registered Apprenticeship in the United States. Through this TEGL and a forthcoming Funding Opportunity Announcement DOL will invest a total of $61.5 million in State-led strategies to grow and diversify apprenticeship. The remaining funds will be used to invest in national intermediaries and activities to engage employers, expand and diversify Registered Apprenticeship to new sectors and under-served populations, and promote innovation and excellence in this critical earn and learn strategy. For more information on ApprenticeshipUSA investments, please see www.dol.gov/apprenticeship.

To announce the release and availability of the Comparison of State Unemployment Insurance Laws 2016.

To announce the launch of WorkforceGPS.org - the Employment and Training Administration's (ETA) new technical assistance website. WorkforceGPS.org will replace Workforce3One.org immediately.

To provide information to state workforce agencies related to amendments to Federal law by the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2016 that: 1) increase the number of days of active duty required to be performed by reserve component members for such duty to be considered "Federal service" for purposes of Unemployment Compensation for Ex-servicemembers (UCX); 2) modify eligibility for UCX for certain individuals; and, 3) include a technical amendment to the Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA).

To provide an updated directory of Federal agencies that request detailed Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) or Unemployment Compensation for Ex-Servicemembers (UCX) benefit payment data, which support the United States Department of Labor's (Department) quarterly unemployment compensation billings.

To provide SCSEP state and territorial grant applicants with application instructions, procedures, and allotments for Program Year (PY) 2016 funds, with a period of performance beginning July 1, 2016.