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News Release

More than $87 million in grants awarded to improve performance, integrity of state unemployment insurance programs

46 states, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands receive funding

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today announced awards totaling more than $87 million to improve state unemployment insurance programs. The funding, awarded to 46 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, will allow state agencies to implement program integrity and system improvement activities, as well as implement or expand reemployment and eligibility assessment programs.

“These grants will allow state agencies to upgrade and enhance their unemployment insurance programs by adopting new technologies, ensuring payments are given to those eligible to receive them and incorporating programs to ensure recipients of unemployment insurance are given the resources they need to find a new job quickly,” said U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez.

To qualify for program integrity funding, states must have implemented or committed to implement a set of required integrity activities. These include the implementation and expansion of State Information Data Exchange System; an enhanced National Directory of New Hire cross-match strategy; Unemployment Compensation for Ex-servicemembers automation; SIDES Monetary and Potential Employer Charges Data Exchanges; as well as other optional strategies identified by the department.

Included in these awards are five state consortia grants totaling approximately $15.8 million for projects designed to improve overall program quality, performance, and integrity. State consortia have also committed to implementing the full range of required integrity activities in order to qualify for UI information technology modernization funding.

Finally, approximately $5 million is awarded to states for the reemployment and eligibility assessment program. Six states are receiving grants to expand their use of REAs, and two states will implement new REA programs. The REA program introduces claimants to the reemployment services that are available at the American Job Center, helps them to develop an individual reemployment plan, and includes a complete review of the claimant's eligibility to assist in preventing UI improper payments. In states that have REA programs, participants are referred to reemployment services that are appropriate for their needs.

Editor's note: A complete list of funds awarded follows this release.

Fiscal Year 2014 Awards

Summary

Funding Category

Award Amount

Program Integrity — Required and Optional Projects

$66,269,811

Consortium Projects

$15,801,280

Reemployment and Eligibility Assessment Programs

$4,989,704

Total

$87,060,795

 

Program Integrity Projects

State

Award Amount

Alaska

$1,750,000

Alabama

$1,088,505

Arizona

$1,324,064

California

$2,096,819

Colorado

$1,898,239

Connecticut

$1,677,909

District of Columbia

$1,505,011

Delaware

$492,263

Florida

$2,019,511

Georgia

$748,576

Hawaii

$612,223

Iowa

$1,782,898

Idaho

$1,792,362

Illinois

$2,174,472

Indiana

$1,496,767

Kansas

$1,368,476

Kentucky

$1,891,064

Louisiana

$1,648,615

Massachusetts

$1,853,428

Maryland

$1,141,562

Maine

$758,947

Michigan

$1,329,325

Mississippi

$1,351,684

North Carolina

$133,315

North Dakota

$701,477

Nebraska

$1,861,588

New Hampshire

$1,827,417

New Jersey

$1,289,166

New Mexico

$1,915,144

New York

$2,393,121

Ohio

$601,182

Oklahoma

$962,340

Oregon

$1,248,419

Pennsylvania

$1,780,785

Puerto Rico

$1,527,488

Rhode Island

$445,735

South Carolina

$1,584,404

South Dakota

$1,252,825

Tennessee

$1,746,825

Texas

$2,108,988

Utah

$1,863,620

Virginia

$1,356,654

Virgin Islands

$1,499,984

Vermont

$645,598

Washington

$1,831,652

Wisconsin

$1,845,655

West Virginia

$43,710

Total

$66,269,811

 

Consortium Projects

Consortium

Award Amount

Colorado (lead), Arizona, North Dakota, and Wyoming

$2,000,000

Maryland (lead), Vermont, and West Virginia

$4,500,000

Mississippi (lead), Rhode Island, and Maine

$4,500,000

New York (lead) and New Jersey

$4,000,000

South Carolina (lead), Georgia, and North Carolina

$801,280

Total

$15,801,280

 

Reemployment and Eligibility Assessment Programs

State

Award Amount

Alaska

$314,686

Maryland

$229,724

Michigan

$1,128,732

Minnesota

$241,210

New York

$1,656,974

North Carolina

$796,872

Oregon

$298,542

Utah

$322,964

Total

$4,989,704

 

Agency
Employment and Training Administration
Date
September 15, 2014
Release Number
14-1706-NAT