UIPL-4588.pdf

ETA Advisory File Text

CLASSIFICATION UI QC Clearinghouse CORRESPONDENCE SYMBOL TEUQI U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Employment and Training Administration Washington D. C. 20210 ISSUE DATE June 15 1988 RESCISSIONS None EXPIRATION DATE June 30 1989 DIRECTIVE UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE PROGRAM LETTER NO. 45-88 TO ALL STATE EMPLOYMENT SECURITY AGENCIES FROM DONALD J. KULICK Administrator for Regional Management SUBJECT Establishment of an Unemployment Insurance Quality Control UI QC Program Improvement Clearinghouse for SESA Information Exchange 1. Purpose a. To announce the start up of a National UI QC Clearinghouse for the exchange of information among the State Employment Security Agencies SESAs regarding UI program improvements growing out of the Quality Control program. b. To describe the scope of the Clearinghouse and provide information to the SESAs on how it will operate. 2. References. UIPL 43-87 UIPL 9-88. 3. Background. In the fall of 1987 the UIS National office circulated via UIPL No. 43-87 a draft proposal for the development of a National UI information exchange the UI QC Program Improvement Clearinghouse. The clearinghouse was to be used initially for the exchange of information on UI program improvements initiated in the States as a result of the Quality Control program. Almost half of the SESAs responded with comments most of them endorsing the concept. Based upon the very positive responses of the SESAs UIS will establish a UI QC Clearinghouse and encourage participation by all the SESAs. 4. Participation in the Clearinghouse. The UI QC Clearinghouse is intended to be a resource for SESA managers. Though this information exchange will initially center around the use of QC findings for improving UI benefit payment operations and reducing payment errors its scope can be subsequently broadened. At the outset SESAs are encouraged to submit materials describing measures undertaken for example to modify specific UI procedures improve staff development and utilization practices and improve employer response. SESAs are encouraged to share information not only about efforts that have been successful but also on measures that have been planned and tried but showed little or no positive results since the latter experiences may also be instructive to other State agencies. Participation in the Clearinghouse is voluntary. Even if a SESA does not choose to contribute program improvement examples it will be able to review those submitted by other SESAs. Materials-describing specific UI program improvements or projects will be included only if . submitted officially by SESA management. 5. Clearinghouse Operations. The UI QC Clearinghouse will be coordinated in the UIS National Office. Initially the system will consist of the following elements a. Data Input. This will consist-of relatively short narrative descriptions of UI operational changes undertaken to reduce payment errors and to improve UI benefit payment services. These program improvement summaries will be prepared by SESA staff and mailed to the National office by way of regular Regional office channels. Information on internal UI studies benefits and-other special projects e.g. denials pilots undertaken by SESAs may also be sent to the Clearinghouse. It is hoped too that the findings of QC program studies which have been encouraged more recently UIPL 9-88 dated December 2 1987 to promote analysis and utilization of QC data in undertaking UI program improvement actions will also be submitted to the Clearinghouse. SESAs are asked to prepare program summaries following standard formats provided in attachments to this directive. Attachment-1 provides an outline for UI program improvement summaries. A sample facsimile summary is ink as Attachment 2. Another outline is offered in Attachment 3. It is to be used for describing QC program studies other SESA internal UI studies and for reports on QC pilot projects. Relatively short narrative Clearinghouse entries are recommended to simplify duplication and distribution tasks two to three pages for program improvement summaries and three to five pages for SESA studies and other projects . Whenever editing of submitted materials is thought necessary the revised documents will be returned to the sender via Regional office channels for approval. No edited materials will be distributed without official prior approval from the appropriate source agency. SESAs are encouraged to submit entries as often as they like. They are encouraged to borrow from past experience e.g. Random Audit BPA etc. as well as from more recent program experience with Quality Control. b. Central Data File. Incoming materials will be processed For distribution to the field. These materials will be classified and coded according to the issue problem or error addressed. Some items may be given more than one code depending upon topics covered. The coding used will be based upon the error cause codes now used in QC case investigation and review. A copy of the QC error cause codes is provided in Attachment 4. This system of classifying and coding Clearinghouse materials will serve as the basis both of a printed Clearinghouse directory and a filing system of the emerging UI Clearinghouse library. As the volume of materials in the Clearinghouse grows and the scope of the Clearinghouse is broadened to cover other UI programs e.g. revenue QC denials QC projects etc. the Clearinghouse may be automated to the extent required by volume and demand. c. Distribution of Clearinghouse Materials. All materials compiled in the Clearinghouse will be distributed quarterly to the State agencies and to the Regional offices. The distribution timetable will depend upon the continuing input of materials from the SESAs. Each SESA is invited to inform the National office via the Regional offices to whom Clearinghouse distributions should be sent. d. Clearinghouse Directory. In time it may be desirable to terminate general distribution of all Clearinghouse accessions and switch to distribution by request. At that point a directory of the materials in the Clearinghouse library will be prepared. It would be distributed to key personnel in each SESA to each Regional office and to other interested parties for use in requesting Clearinghouse materials. Clearinghouse entries would be listed and organized in the directory according to the classification scheme established for the central data file section 5b. above . Each directory item will also be annotated with a brief descriptive paragraph to aid Clearinghouse users in selecting materials for review. Once established the directory will be updated at intervals to include more recent accessions to the Clearinghouse library. 6. Action Required. Effective immediately SESA administrators are requested to send program improvement summaries or other materials described in this directive to the UI QC Program Improvement Clearinghouse via the Regional Office. Contributions should be prepared following the attached formats to the extent feasible. 7. Inquiries. Direct questions to your Regional office.