References. The DOT Fourth Edition (1977) and DOT Supplement (1986). Background. The United States Employment Service (USES) has published a Revised Fourth Edition DOT containing new, revised and updated occupational definitions from the Fourth Edition DOT in format similar to the 1968 DOT Supplement. The DOT is also being made available to users through a variety of electronic formats. Publication Availability. Copies of this document may be ordered from the United States Government Printing office. The Revised DOT stock number is 029-013-000-94-2, and the price is $40.00. Orders can also be made directly by calling (202) 275-2091, or by sending a check or money order to Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402. Information regarding data arrangement and technical support for various electronic formats is available from the USES North Carolina Occupational Analysis Field Center by contacting Mr. Stan Rose at (919) 733-7917. User Training Availability. The publication of the revised DOT renews the United States Employment Service's commitment to collect and disseminate occupational data that is comprehensive, up-to-date, and economically useful. The revised Fourth Edition now provides a wider range of occupational information, research, career guidance, labor market information, curriculum development and long-range job planning. It is essential that job interviewers, counselors and other appropriate grantee staff specialists be brought up to date on the changes implemented in the new DOT. In order to provide basic training in the use and application of DOT data, USES will establish an ongoing program of DOT user training. Attached is a list of contacts at the ETA regional office level who can provide additional information about the date(s) and location of user training. Grant administrative funds may be used for training costs. Questions. See attached list of Regional Office contacts. You may also contact your DINAP Federal Representative.

References. a. JTPA Regulations at 20 CFR 632. b. DINAP Bulletin 85-15, Administrative Cost Limit. c. DINAP Bulletin No. 86-9, Administrative Cost Pool. d. DINAP Bulletin No. 86-10, Linkages and Program Coordination. e. DINAP Bulletin No. 87-27, Technical Assistance Guide on Linkages and Program Coordination. f. DINAP Bulletin No. 87-46, Nonprocurement Debarment and Suspension Procedures. g. DINAP Bulletin No. 88-20, Administrative Requirements for DOL Grantees. h. DINAP Bulletin No. 88-22, Attachment 13. Information. a. General. The documentation to be submitted for PY 1991 is essentially the same as that submitted for PY 1990. The grant for the four-year period beginning with PY 1987 (July 1, 1987) and ending with PY 1990 (June 30, 1991) will be closed out. Close out instructions will be issued during the summer of 1991. A new four-year grant period will begin with PY 1991 (July 1, 1991). For those grantees awarded Title II-B Summer Youth Program funds, the new grant numbers will apply to the Summer Plan (SP) which will begin before July 1, 1991. New grant numbers will be issued with your approved PY 1991 CAP or SP. b. Special Instructions. The documents referenced in Section 21, above, are to be used as appropriate in the preparation of the PY 1991 MP and CAP and CY 1991 SP. Follow the Budget Information Summary (BIS) and Program Planning Summary (PPS) instructions in Attachment G. Follow the reporting instructions in Attachment G. Quarterly reports are to be post-marked no later than 45 days after the end of each quarter. Summer Program reports are to be post-marked no later than 45 days after the end of the Summer Program. The Annual Status Report is to be post-marked no later than 90 days after the end of the fourth quarter. All reports are to be sent to the following address: Ms. Rosabelle Pettross Employment and Training Administration 200 Constitution Ave., NW, Room S-5314 Washington, D.C. 20210 ATTENTION: TSVR. c. Common Errors to Avoid. Over the years, certain errors in the CAP and SP have appeared repeatedly. Grantees should be especially careful to avoid these errors. This will enable DINAP to facilitate the processing of CAPs and SPs and thereby prevent delays in funding. They are listed below: -- The required number of copies of forms are not submitted. -- Required original signatures are missing. -- On the Budget Information Summary and Program Planning Summary, the arithmetic has errors, the dates are wrong, and the numbers do not agree with the narrative. -- Forms are signed by unauthorized person(s). -- The signature is in the wrong block of the signature sheet. -- Irrelevant and unrequited material is submitted, e.g., job descriptions and personal histories of administrative staff, descriptions of accounting systems, etc. -- The signature sheet is used to convey information that should properly be sent in a letter. -- The numbers used in calculating performance standards are inconsistent with the numbers used in the Budget Information Summary and Program Planning Summary. -- Instructions for completing the narrative are not followed. d. Carry-in Policy. The carry-in policy is as follows: (1) Twenty percent of total available Title IV-A funds can be carried in from PY 1990 to PY 1991. * (2) There is a 20 percent limit on carry-in from the 1991 Summer Title II-B program to the 1992 Summer Title II-B program. (3) There is a 25 percent limit on carry-in from the 1990 Summer Title II-B program to the 1991 Summer Title II-B program. (4) In July and August of 1991, designated grantees will be in the process of reconciling their PY 1990 grant financial records and determining the exact expenditures and balances as part of the exercise of completing their closeout packages. In July of 1991, DINAP will issue a bulletin with instructions on how to transfer any unexpended PY 1990 funds into the PY 1991 grant and how to return any PY 1990 funds, which had been carried in to the PY 1991 grant, back into the PY 1990 grant if necessary. (5) The vast majority of grantees have managed their Section 401 grants in a manner that has kept their carry-in at 15 percent or less of the total available Section 401 funds. Grantees are aware of the fact that there are thousands of Native Americans who need help immediately and to carry-in funds is to neglect the immediate needs of these people. Carry-in policy is established annually. Every effort should be made to keep carry-in down to an absolute minimum amount. Total available funds for PY 1990 are defined as new money for PY 1991 plus allowable carry-in from prior funding periods. This is the figure reflected online II of the BIS from which the 20 percent carry-in limit is calculated. e. Modification Policy for Program Year 1991. Attachment E contains minor changes in the procedures for submitting modifications. f. Policy on the Use of Employability Development Plans. The current Section 401 Performance Standards System has been revised to include an Employability Enhancement Measure (EEN) to give grantees credit for improvements in the levels of skills, knowledge and abilities of Section 401 participants brought about by the grantees' efforts. (See Attachment C.) To reflect this measure, the Annual Status Report (ASR) has been revised to capture data on various types of employability enhancement. This will require Section 401 grantees to collect and maintain, at a minimum, reading level information on all participants at time of entry into the Title IV-A program. In addition, for some outcomes, grantees will need to assess a participant's employability at the time of program entry. To measure and validate these levels of employability, including reading levels, grantees will be required to adopt a recognized testing device and administer it according to an approved plan. To record increases in employability and to track participant progress, all Section 401 grantees are encouraged to adopt some form of an employability development plan which will capture the data required to support these new employability enhancement outcomes. g. Performance Management - Goals for PY 1991-1992. The effects of performance standards on program design, service delivery and participants served have drawn increased public attention within the JTPA system, and particularly within the grantee community. For this reason, current performance measures were reviewed for their contribution to advancing current Departmental policy as part of a lengthy process of consultation with the Native American Advisory Committee and the Performance Standards Technical Work Group. Program objectives developed jointly with the Native American Advisory Committee support Departmental goals set for the JTPA employment and training programs and, in addition, include goals relevant to the JTPA Section 401 program. As a result of this consultative process, performance standard revisions were proposed to support the following ETA and JTPA Section 401 program goals: -- Targeting services to a more at-risk population. -- Improving the quality and intensity of services that lead to long-term employability and increased earnings. -- Placing greater emphasis on basic skills acquisition to qualify for employment or advanced education and training. -- Promoting comprehensive coordinated human resource programs to address the multiple needs of at-risk populations. -- Advancing the economic and social development of Indian and Native American communities in ways that promote each community's goals and lifestyles. -- Designing and implementing a system that is objective, equitable and understandable to the Indian and Native American JTPA grantee and one which provides a standard of accountability for program performance. Action. Grantees must follow the instructions in this bulletin in preparing and submitting their PY 1991 MPs and CAPs and, where applicable, CY 1991 SPs. They should be mailed to the following address: Herbert Fellman Chief Division of Indian and Native American Programs 200 Constitution Ave., NW, Room N-4641 Washington, D.C. 20210 ATTENTION: MP/CAP/SP/ Desk PLAN DUE IN DINAP DOL APPROVAL BY MP April 12, 1991 June 20, 1991 SP April 12, 1991 May 15, 1991 CAP April 12, 1991 June 20, 1991 Grantees who need an early approval of their SP, should submit their MP and SP well in advance of submitting their CAP. Questions. Contact your DINAP Federal Representative.

References. Section 6(a)(1) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, as amended. Section 6 of the Fair Labor Standards Amendments of 1989. Job Training Partnership Act, as amended, Section 142(a)(2) and (3). DINAP Bulletin 89-31. Background. Section 142(a)(2) and (3) of the JTPA requires, in part, that compensation to participants under all activities financed under the Act be at the same rates as similarly situated employees or trainees. In no case may compensation be less than the rate specified in Section 6(a)(1) of the FLSA of 1938, as amended. The minimum wage will be increased in steps under provisions of the FLSA amendments enacted into law on November 17, 1989. The first increase took effect on April 1, 1990. The FLSA Amendments also include a "training wage" which may be used instead of the minimum to pay teenagers, aged 16-19, for their first 90 days (and in some cases, 180 days) of employment. This "training wage" was set at $3.35 an hour or 85% of the federal minimum wage, whichever was higher. Clarification. The Employment and Training Administration has reviewed the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Amendments as they pertain to the JTPA and has determined the following: (1) the JTPA statute applies the minimum wage rate specified at Section 6(a)(1) of the FLSA to all the JTPA programs; (2) Section 6 of the Amendments, which contains the "training wage" provisions, does not amend Section 6 of the FLSA. As such, rather than establishing a new minimum wage rate at Section 6(a), the amendments provide for an exception to the minimum wage rates set forth at Section 6(a) of the FLSA; and (3) exceptions to the FLSA minimum wage do not apply to the JTPA training and employment programs. Based on the above and given the JTPA statutory requirements at Section 142(a)(2) and (3), there is no current authority to allow the use of the new "training wage" in the JTPA program. Therefore, the JTPA grantees will not use this FISA minimum wage exception. This will be the case for all JTPA programs including the Summer Youth programs under Title II-B. The JTPA statutory wage requirements will remain unchanged. Wages for those participants who receive the federal minimum wage was increased from $3.35 an hour to $3.80 an hour on April 1, 1990. The second increase, to $4.25 an hour, is scheduled for April 1, 1991. The Department of Labor is developing a technical amendment which it may submit to Congress to apply the "training wage" to JTPA programs in the future. Grantees will be notified if there are further developments. Action. Grantees are advised regarding the application of the new minimum wage provisions to the JTPA programs. Questions. Contact your DINAP Federal Representative.

References. OMB Circulars A-87, A-102, A-110 and A-122, and 29 CFR 97.51. Background. The Department of Labor (DOL) regulations for grants to States and local governments at 29 CFR 97.51 (b) indicates that "the closeout of a grant does not affect...the grantee's obligation to return any funds due as a result of later refunds, corrections, or other transactions." OMB Circular A-102, "Uniform Requirements for Assistance to State and Local Governments, 11 (applies to tribal organizations) Attachment L, paragraph 3.b. stipulates that closeout procedures require that "the grantee shall immediately refund to the grantor agency any balance of unobligated (unencumbered) cash advanced to the grantee that is not authorized to be retained by the grantee for use on other grants."OMB Circular A-110, "Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and other Nonprofit Organizations," Attachment K, paragraph 3.b. stipulates the same thing. Refunds, rebates, and other credits may occur when grant funds are expended, disbursed and subsequently returned to the grantee (e.g., differences between grantee-approved provisional indirect cost rates and negotiated final indirect cost rates, the result of subgrantee audit disallowances, unemployment insurance overpayments, insurance rebates, etc.). Policy. Based on the requirements of 29 CFR 97.51 (b) and OMB Circulars A-102 and A-110, it is the Employment and Training Administration's (ETA) policy that all refunds, rebates and other credits are to be returned to DOL immediately upon receipt if the grant is no longer open. If the refund, rebate or other credit is related to an open grant, it may be treated as an applicable credit in accordance with OMB Circular A-87, Attachment A, paragraph C.3.a. and OMB Circular A-122, Attachment A, paragraph A.5. and used to reduce or offset expense items.

References. Farmworker Bulletin 91-6, "Status Report on the Phase-Out of the TFCS-LOC Network," January 29, 1991; Farmworker Bulletin 90-27, "Phase-Out of the TFCS-LOC Network," August 8, 1990. Background. In March and April 1991, the electronic fund transfer system for all Section 402 grantees was transferred to the Department of Health and Human Service Payment Management System (PMS). Accounts were established for each grantee and communica-tions software and instructions for using the Smartlink procedure were provided. Currently, grantees are drawing PY 1990 funds under this system. Information. In order to facilitate the accounting for funds from different program years, the PMS has established a separate subaccount for PY 1991 funds. Grantees must continue to draw down funds using the current subaccount number for funds to be applied to grant activities in PY 1990. Action. For grant activities in PY 1991, grantees are instructed to draw down PY 1991 funds using a different subaccount number. The subaccount number for PY 1991 funds is: Cxxxx178 where "xxxx" represents the four digit segment of the grant number. A grantee with the grant number 99-1-1234-56-000-02 would draw down PY 1991 funds using the subaccount number C1234178. Note: The four digit segment is underscored here for emphasis only. Grantees should not underscore the subaccount number when using the Smartlink procedure. Effective Date. The new subaccount number will become effective when PY 1991 funds are awarded on or after July 1, 1991. Inquiries. Contact the Federal Representative assigned to your grant.

References. 41 CFR Part 301-4; Federal Register/Vol. 56, No. 122/Tuesday, June 25, 1991, page 28824, attached. Background. The General Services Administration is required by law to periodically investigate the cost of operating privately owned vehicles to employees while on official travel and report the results of these investigations to Congress. Action. Effective July 1, 1991, grantees are authorized to increase the mileage reimbursement rate from 24 cents to 25 cents per mile for use of privately owned automobiles for approved JTPA grant purposes. Questions. Consult your DINAP Federal Representative.

Reference. DINAP Bulletin 90-24, dated March 1-3, 1991. Background. DINAP Bulletin 90-24 introduced the new Employability Enhancement performance measure which is designed to give grantees credit for improving participants' knowledge, abilities and skills. Paragraph 3.f. of the Bulletin advised grantees that the Annual Status Report has been revised to capture data on various types of enhancements. It also imposed a requirement that all grantees assess the reading level of all participants at time of entry into the Section 401 program. It further stated that, for some outcomes, some grantees would need a broader approach and would have to assess a participant's employability at the time of program entry. Also, all grantees were encouraged to adopt an employability development plan to record increases in employability, to measure progress and to capture data to support reported outcomes. This policy caused some concern at the recent DINAP sponsored TAT seminars in January-February 1991 and generated considerable discussion at the recent Advisory Committee meeting in Spokane. Written comments were received subsequently from grantees. ETA of met to discuss and resolve these issues and concerns. In the meantime, it was determined that about forty percent of the grantees are already testing participants. In addition, OMB suggested the following language receding testing: ... "all grantees must offer to administer a reading test to all participants prior to service delivery. However, grantees shall permit individual participants to refuse the test..." The attached Q&A paper on assessment addresses the most frequently raised issues and concerns. In addition, there will be more training on this requirement at seminars during August-September 1991. Details will be provided in a forthcoming DINAP bulletin. Information. The reading assessment policy is in effect beginning July 1, 1991. However, grantees need to note the following clarifications and special instructions: a. Clarification of DINAP Bulletin 90-24 In reference to paragraph 3.f., grantees will obtain reading scores at intake whenever possible. Grantees are encouraged to assess for reading levels once it has been established that the eligible applicant has no existing score from a school or GED program within the last 12 months, or has acquired a four-year college degree, or is in a special circumstance where he or she is unable to be assessed at the intake site. See attached Q and A, Question number 6 for more details. Furthermore, grantees should be advised that the phrase "to assess a participant's employability" refers to other terminee characteristics which are listed as "multiple barriers to employment" such as teen parents, lacks significant work history, poor math skills, or substance abuse, etc. This phrase means that grantees should determine if a participant has multiple barriers to employment; it does not mandate grantees to conduct aptitude testing. b. Special Instructions for PY 1991 PY 1991 is considered a transition year for INA grantees to phase in a reading assessment capability for all applicants. Grantees are expected to develop this capacity during the second quarter of PY 91 and then implement an assessment procedure for all applicants during the third quarter. Summer youth participants are exempt from the reading assessment during the Summer of 1991. Grantees will not be penalized for failure to implement a total assessment procedure for PY 1991. Expenses to conduct reading assessments may be charged as a training cost (see CFR 632.38(e)). Action. Grantees are requested to review the attached Q and A paper, distributing copies as necessary to staff who will be involved in these activities. Questions. Contact your DINAP Federal Representative.

Background. As part of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, Congress mandated that DOL and the Department of Agriculture determine annually whether there is a shortage of Seasonal Agricultural Services workers. In order to fulfill this assignment, DOL began the National Agricultural Workers Survey (NAWS). NAWS. The survey collected information about the demographics, migration and employment patterns of farmworkers. NAWS is the only survey collecting information for the Federal government on this diverse population. The enclosed copy is the first in a series, although it reports on the second year of NAWS. The volume covering the first year's interviews is forthcoming. A similar report will be produced annually, contingent on continued funding for NAWS. Data collection is now underway for the 1991 survey. Additional Copies. Contact the Federal Representative assigned to your grant.

Background. There appears to be a misunderstanding among some Federal staff, contractors and grantees about who is eligible for Federal travel discounts. The employment and Training Administration's Division of Acquisition and Assistance has researched this matter and has consulted with travel policy experts in the General Services Administration. Policy. Only Federal contractors that have cost-reimbursement contracts are eligible for travel discounts through participating vendors. Federal grantees are not eligible. Furthermore, grantees are not eligible to use General Services Administration sources of supply and services for travel purposes. Finally, grantees are not eligible for Diner's Club credit cards issued to Federal employees. Grantee/staff are expected to obtain the most economical rates possible when travelling, however. Questions. Contact your DINAP Federal Representative.

Background. The U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Office of Strategic Planning and Policy Development (OSPPD) has contracted with Berkeley Planning Associates (BPA), and SRI International to conduct an evaluation of the JTPA, Title IV MSFW program. The purpose of the study is to examine the effectiveness of training, employment and supportive services provided by grantees, funded under Section 402, in meeting the goals of the program. The project officer for this evaluation is Mr. Tom NaSell of OSPPD. Ms. Marlene Strong, of BPA, and Mr. Ron D'Amico of SRI serve as Co-principal Investigators of the study, which began July 1, 1991 and continues through June 30, 1993. Evaluation Objectives. The evaluation has the following objectives: -- to describe variations in the provision of services to farmworkers, including differences by type of worker served (seasonal or migrant; in-state or interstate; those with or without non-agricultural work experience; youth or adult), as well as differences by type of grantee (administrative; size); -- to assess the quality of services being provided to program participants; -- to describe the influence of Federal policies and regulations on grantee operations; -- to describe the influence of local economic conditions on grantee operations and program design; -- to describe the coordination practices of grantees; -- to describe the outcomes for different types of clients, and to analyze the effects of local economic conditions and services provided on those outcomes. Research Design. Both qualitative and quantitative methods will be used to assess program effectiveness. Two site visits will be conducted to 18 randomly selected grantees, one during each of the study years. Four days will be spent on site in the first year - two days in discussions with staff at the central administrative office, and two days in discussions with staff and program participants at one of the grantee's field offices. Quantitative analyses will be performed using databases contain- ing information about the client population (from the Annual Status Reports) and databases on the eligible farmworker population. In addition, analyses will be performed on existing client-level data from grantees at ten of the sites visited. Action. Initial site visits to selected grantees will occur from October 1991 through February 1992. Grantees will be notified of their selection by the Department, and contacted by a BPA or SRI study team member to arrange the site visit. Grantees may be asked to provide copies of grant plans and quarterly or annual reports to the study team before the visits. Questions. For further information, please contact your Federal Representative.