The U.S. Department of Labor (Department) is making an immediate call to action to all state administrators to ensure that UI integrity is a top priority and to develop state specific strategies to bring down the UI improper payment rate. This Unemployment Insurance Program Letter (UIPL) provides information to state workforce agencies about a national strategic plan to aggressively target UI overpayment prevention and to request that all states participate in a federal-state collaboration to significantly reduce each state’s and the national UI improper payment rates.

As states have gained experience administering programs under the CARES Act, states have identified questions about program operations. The purpose of this Unemployment Insurance Program Letter (UIPL) is to address those questions.

To provide states with Unemployment Insurance (UI)-related technical assistance for administering LWA provided under Section 408(e)(2) in the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance (Stafford) Act (42 U.S.C. 5174(e)(2)), as authorized by the Presidential Memorandum, Authorizing the Other Needs Assistance Program for Major Disaster Declarations Related to Coronavirus Disease 2019, issued on August 8, 2020.

The purpose of this Unemployment Insurance Program Letter (UIPL) is to address questions raised by states and provide further guidance about the LWA program authorized by the Presidential Memorandum, Authorizing the Other Needs Assistance Program for Major Disaster Declarations Related to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Presidential Memo), issued on August 8, 2020, and administered through a grant agreement with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

To describe and solicit comments on a proposed UI Performs Core Measure for UI Integrity.

States have gained experience administering the PUA program under the CARES Act, Public Law (Pub. L. 116-136), and have identified additional questions about the PUA eligibility of individuals who are caregivers and affected by school systems reopening. The purpose of this Unemployment Insurance Program Letter (UIPL) is to address those questions concerning the PUA program.

To remind states of their roles and responsibilities in addressing fraud in the UI system and the techniques and strategies available to assist states with their fraud management operations; and to provide states with funding to assist with efforts to prevent and detect fraud and identity theft and recover fraud overpayments in the PUA and PEUC programs using many of the tools and resources already available to states as discussed below.

To initiate the SQSP process, provide supplemental instructions, and define additional requirements for the FY 2021 SQSP.

To transmit the third edition of ET Handbook No, 382, Handbook for Measuring Unemployment Insurance (UI) Lower Authority Appeals Quality.

To provide an updated consolidated list of "acceptable" narrative reasons for separation from military service for UCX qualifying purposes; and to provide states with procedures to follow when unable to clarify narrative reasons for separation with the military.