Background: The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is asking for assistance from Federal, State, and local agencies in informing potentially eligible individuals about the Earned Income Credit (EIC) and the Advanced Earned Income Credit (AEIC). Tax year 1993 The EIC is a tax benefit for working families with at least one child and income of less than $23,050 in tax year 1993. Eligible families can receive an EIC of as much as $2,364. The EIC is claimed by filing a Federal income tax return and a form called Schedule EIC. Even families whose incomes are so low that they do not owe Federal income tax can get the credit. For most persons, such returns must be filed by April 15, 1994. There are three parts to the 1993 EIC. The first part is the basic EIC for families with one child and is worth a maximum of $1,434 in 1993. For families with more than one child, the basic EIC is worth up to $1,511. The amount of the credit varies according to family income level. The second part is that families with a child born in 1993 can receive an extra EIC benefit of up to $388. The third part is that families that pay at least part of the premiums for a health insurance policy that includes coverage for a child may receive an extra benefit of up to $465. Families that qualify for both the basic EIC and extra credits can receive up to $2,364 for 1993. EIC Amendments Significant changes were enacted in August 1993 that will expand and simplify the EIC. These changes, which are effective for tax year 1994, provide most eligible families with a significantly larger benefit while very low-income workers without children will become eligible for the first time. The new law simplifies the EIC by eliminating the extra credits for families paying health insurance premiums for a child and for families with a child under age one. This revision is to be phased in over 3 years. For 1994, families with one child may receive a maximum benefit of $2,038 and with 2 or more children a maximum benefit of $2,528. For 1996 and years after, families with one child may receive a maximum benefit of $2,040 and with 2 or more children a maximum benefit of $3,370. Advance Payment Option There is a provision in the EIC under which workers can obtain "advance payments." A recent survey indicates that only about 10 percent of eligible workers were aware of this option. It is obtained by filing a W-5 form, called the "Earned Income Credit Advance Payment Certificate," with an employer. The employee would then receive EIC payments in each paycheck. Beginning in 1994, eligible families can receive up to 60 percent of the basic EIC to which they are entitled by paycheck. This could mean as much as $100 more a month for those entitled to the maximum credit. At the end of the year, they would file a Federal income tax return and Schedule EIC to claim the remainder. Program Implications: The Earned Income Credit has significant implications for eligible individuals in employment and training programs. It can increase the resources of EIC eligible participants. As discussed above, persons who receive EIC advance payments can receive up to 60 percent of the EIC as part of their regular wage payments. Since the EIC amounts will increase in future years, through 1996, it will be of increasing benefit to persons who continue to be eligible. Please note that funds received under the EIC are not "income" for Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) purposes and are not considered in determining eligibility for JTPA. Providing EIC information to customers: Because the EIC can provide important financial assistance to eligible families, local JTPA service providers, State Employment Service (ES) offices and Unemployment Insurance (UI) offices should encourage individuals to apply for the credit. This is particularly important for individuals who may not otherwise file a Federal income tax return because of low earnings. A person must file to receive EIC even if he or she does not owe tax. Information on the EIC and the AEIC can routinely be provided as part of the JTPA intake and assessment process, ES application or UI initial claims filing so that potentially eligible individuals may be made aware of the benefits of this credit and the process to obtain the credit. The IRS expects to have publicity posters and information pamphlets available for distribution about mid-April. Agencies that wish to obtain posters for display in local offices should contact the IRS office in their State regarding availability. In addition, ETA staff is continuing to work with the IRS National Office to obtain material which employment and training offices can distribute to individuals. It is always important to recognize that detailed responses to questions about eligibility for the credit, the filing process, and other information should be referred to the IRS. Employment and Training offices should not be or appear to be providing tax advice or services. Action: State JTPA Liaisons, Workers Adjustment Liaisons, and SESA Administrators should assure that customers receive the EIC information, as appropriate.

Background: The Department of Labor actively supports programs that encourage older workers' continued participation in the workforce. As a symbol of this support, Secretary Reich has signed a proclamation declaring the week of March 13 through March 19, 1994 to be "National Employ the Older Worker Week". Actions Required: State Job Training Liaisons and Employment Security Agencies are encouraged to: a. distribute the attached proclamation to their local offices and service delivery areas in time so that it is received prior to March 13; b. promote efforts to educate employers on the benefits of hiring and retaining older workers; c. undertake efforts to recognize the contributions made by older workers and to facilitate and promote their continued participation in the workforce; and d. coordinate jointly with Senior Community Service Employment Program sponsors to further foster community efforts to recognize, promote and celebrate older worker efforts in their local communities.

References: None Background: In May of 1993, the Center for Human Resources (CHR) at Brandeis University, under a contract with the Employment and Training Administration (ETA), provided training to States and service delivery areas (SDAs) to improve the quality of their summer programs. This year ETA has obtained assistance from KRA Corporation as well as CHR at Brandeis University to provide training on work-based and classroom-based strategies for summer enrichment that were field tested last summer. Training: Summer Enrichment Training will be provided to the JTPA community to assist SDA's to enrich their summer youth programs with activities that will maintain and increase young people's basic education skill levels, add new job skills to young peoples' repertoires, integrate work and learning, and expose young people to new work experiences that foster job interests. Lessons learned during the summer of 1993 will be incorporated into the training. This training is designed to focus directly on youth program practitioners, rather than as train-the-trainer sessins. The training team will consist of representatives from KRA Corporation and Brandeis University, as well as representatives from SDA's that operated work-based and classroom-based strategies for summer enrichment last year. The training sessions will be conducted for three full days. The schedule and geographical location for each training site are as follows: Regions Covered Location Date I, II, III, IV Washington, DC March 28-31, 1994 VIII, IX, X San Francisco, CA April 12-14, 1994 V, VI, VII Chicago, IL April 26-28, 1994 The Washington, D.C., meeting will begin at noon on Monday, March 28 and end at noon on Thursday, March 31. All other sessions will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday and end at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. Participants: Attached is a listing of State and SDA training slot allocations. The slot distribution was based on the number of SDA's in each State. Due to the limited number of slots, we encourage that State staff be limited to one per State to allow for a larger SDA participation level. Since there are fewer slots available than there are SDA's, we ask that States identify those SDA representatives that they feel could benefit most from this type of academic enrichment training. If the number of slots allotted is insufficient to meet the needs of your SDA's, please indicate on the appropriate space on the registration form. If additional slots become available, KRA will contact you directly. Additional slots will be granted on a first- come, first-serve basis, with priority being given to larger States. In addition to participants from States and SDA's, representatives from the Regional Offices will also attend. Logistics: Training sessions are being provided to the attendees free of charge. However, represented agencies and organizations must bear the cost of travel, lodging, and per diem. See the attached registration form for information on hotel accommodations. Participants should make their hotel reservations directly with the hotel. They should identify themselves as being with the KRA/Department of Labor meeting. Action Required: JTPA State Liaisons are to submit the attached registration form to KRA by the date indicated.

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Reference: None Background: The challenge grants are designed to encourage original and resourceful training ideas to improve the capacity of frontline staff across the employment and training community. Workable ideas will be publicized and replicated throughout the system as part of the larger capacity-building strategy. Further Information: The SGA for Capacity-Building Challenge Grants was sent to Governors on March 18; proposals must be submitted by April 29. The competition for the grants is limited to Governors, i.e., all applications must be submitted through a Governor's office. The Governor has the authority to decide how the grant applications are to be developed within each State and may assign the responsibility for the grant within the State at his or her discretion. While recognizing the Governor's ultimate decisionmaking authority concerning this SGA, we would like to emphasize that, from the Federal standpoint, participation from the entire State-wide employment and training community is allowable and encouraged. Any appropriate State agency--Employment Service, Job Training Partnership Act programs, welfare agency work programs, State Occupational Information Coordinating Committees, State training institutions, education agencies, etc.--could be a potential collaborator in the development of grant proposals. In addition, broadly based national organizations, e.g., International Association of Personnel in Employment Security, Interstate Conference of Employment Security Agencies, National Governors' Association, National Occupational Information Coordinating Committee, or community-based organizations, e.g., National Council of La Raza, Opportunities Industrialization Centers, could assist, if the Governor wishes, in developing proposals in concert with a State. Further, consortia of state organizations as well as multi- State configurations, are not precluded from participation, subject to the discretion of the Governor. Governors may also subcontract portions of the grant to local organizations within the State, e.g., Service Delivery Areas, Substate Grantees, community colleges, etc. The names of organizations cited above should be considered illustrative, not exhaustive. The Federal guidelines pertaining to this SGA do not preclude any potential eligible collaborator. Number of Applications per State: States may submit multiple applications in response to the SGA. However, it should be understood that we do not anticipate funding more than one grant in any State. Matching Funds: The SGA section on the Application Process (PART III, 1.) reads as follows: "Each grant must be matched by an amount equal to thirty percent (30%) of the applied-for amount." It should be noted that higher percentages of matching funds are encouraged. Matching funds that exceed the minimum requirements in terms of percentage of total budget and ratio of cash to in-kind will be given greater weight in the rating process. (PART V - RATING CRITERIA FOR AWARD; 2. Demonstrated Capacity)

Reference: TEIN 18-88 and Attachment. Background: Effective October 1, 1993, financial information for JTPA Title II-B grants is now reported on the JTPA Quarterly Status Report (JQSR) with similar data for Title II-A/C. A Statewide JASPR format has been developed to capture non- financial information for Title II-B activity on an annual basis. NOTE: This report replaces the former JTPA Summer Performance Report (ETA 9010). Also, the JASPR will be used to report separately such annual information for the JTPA Title I, Section 123, State Education Coordination (8%) grant. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Approval and Reporting Burden: The JASPR reporting requirements are pending approval by OMB in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980, as amended. Upon receipt of final OMB approval, States will be notified to implement this report and will be provided with the OMB approval number and expiration date. Reporting Instructions: Governors will submit separate annual JASPRs for the Title II-B grant and for the Title I, Section 123, grant, as specified in the instructions for preparation of the JASPR. The JASPR initially will be used to capture these required data for the report periods ending September 1994 for Title II-B and June 1994 for Title I, Section 123, grants. Action Required: State Liaisons are requested to distribute the attached instructions to all officials within the State who need such information to implement the JASPR reporting requirements.

Reference: TEIN 43-93, Capacity Building Challenge Grants. Background: The need for system-wide capacity building has been discussed for years. Both the Title III Amendments of 1988 and the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) Amendments of 1992 emphasized the need for better staff training. Sixteen States have established statewide JTPA Training Institutes. The International Association of Personnel in Employment Security administers a professional certification program in three major employment and training disciplines that is open to anyone who is interested. Further, the Clinton Administration's new initiatives in the areas of school-to- work transition, one stop centers and dislocated worker program consolidation will require existing staff to take on new responsibilities and learn new skills. The time is right, therefore, for ETA to implement an integrated, long range capacity building strategy which addresses the common needs of managers and professionals involved with JTPA, Job Service, Dislocated Worker, and other related programs. Strategy Document: Capacity building, for the employment and training system as a whole, means the "expansion of the ability of the employment and training system to deliver high quality services to its customers." The initial focus of this project will be to improve the job skills, knowledge and expertise of the "front line" workers who staff the agencies and programs which make up our employment and training system. The attached paper details ETA's Capacity Building Strategy. This strategy contains the following major themes: -- Extensive consultation with ETA customers: This continuing effort will solicit extensive input from State and local program practitioners, front-line staff, public interest groups (PIG's), recognized experts, clients and employers. The goal is to sharpen our understanding of the technical assistance and training (TAT) needs of the nation's employment and training system. We envision using a combination of focus groups, surveys, and expert panels to accomplish this task. -- Solicitation of new ideas: As described in TEIN No. 43-93, ETA has issued a solicitation for grant applications to States for the development and/or improvement of cross-agency training delivery systems as well as innovative and replicable program models and training products that have broad application throughout the system. Approximately ten grants totalling approximately $1.0 million are planned for PY94. -- Improvement and support of existing TAT capacity: ETA will offer support to local and regional associations, State training institutes and other technical assistance providers who are already engaged in capacity building among their members. Public Interest Groups and other national level ETA grantees will redirect their future activities to support this capacity building project among their constituents. -- Use of an electronic network: Use of electronic communication throughout the employment and training system will be emphasized. A central clearinghouse of information on "best practices" will be set up and linked electronically to program practitioners throughout the country. -- Pilot Projects: ETA will immediately fund three capacity building pilot projects which are already in the planning stages. These are (1) a peer- to-peer technical assistance model, (2) a self-evaluation instrument for local programs, (3) a set of computer based training modules for the recently developed subject specific Technical Assistance Guide's. ETA's Regional Offices will be extensively involved in the development of these three projects. Distribution: The widest possible distribution of this strategy to all segments of the employment and training community is encouraged. Please share the attached document with local and state employment and training agencies, Private Industry Councils, elected officials and others who have an interest in employment and training or human services programs.

This study is based on the findings of researchers who traveled to 70 substate areas and 10 special projects in 24 different States to observe the design, organization, and provision of services to dislocated workers from Program Year 89 through Program Year 92. Findings should improve communications among program operators and help them to assess the responsive-ness of their services. The report includes examples of services developed in a variety of environments. This guide is intended for EDWAA practitioners -- including State and substate area policymakers, program planners, and providers serving dislocated workers -- as a vehicle for sharing information about effective strategies to serve dislocated workers. It provides information about early intervention services, assessment and career exploration, supportive services, job search, crisis adjustment, relocation services, classroom and on-the-job training, and specific organizational issues. State Worker Adjustment Liaisons should distribute the reports to appropriate officials within the State. Bulk supplies of the report to State Worker Adjustment Liaisons