TEN_14-19_acc.pdf

ETA Advisory File Text

TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT NOTICE NO. 14-19DATE January 13 2020 EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR WASHINGTON D.C. 20210 TO STATE WORKFORCE AGENCY ADMINISTRATORS STATE UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DIRECTORS STATE LABOR MARKET INFORMATION DIRECTORS FROM JOHN PALLASCH s Assistant Secretary SUBJECT Importance of Including Labor Market Information Stakeholders in Planning and Implementation for Unemployment Insurance UI Information Technology Modernization Projects 1.Purpose. The Employment and Training Administration ETA and the Bureau of Labor Statistics BLS jointly remind State Workforce Agencies SWAs responsible for the administration of the UI program that state Labor Market Information LMI offices are important stakeholders and partners when states are modernizing their UI information technology IT benefits and tax systems and need to be included throughout the lifecycle of a modernization project. Concurrent with the publication of this Training and Employment Notice TEN BLS is issuing a LMI Administrative Memorandum with the same content as this TEN. 2.Action Requested. State Administrators are requested to provide this information to appropriate UI and LMI staff for their consideration and to support LMI staff engagement in UI IT modernization projects. 3.Summary and Background. a.Summary ETA and BLS jointly remind SWAs responsible for the administration of the UI program that state LMI offices are important stakeholders and partners when states are modernizing their UI IT benefits and tax systems and need to be included throughout the lifecycle of a UI IT modernization project. Concurrent with the publication of this Training and Employment Notice TEN BLS is issuing a LMI Administrative Memorandum that duplicates this TEN. b.Background The UI data files are key inputs for several federal statistical programs. These data files are the source of one of the most important administrative databases the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages QCEW . They are also a vital input for Local Area Unemployment Statistics LAUS estimation. The QCEW and iAUp programs are administered by BLS and rely on close coordination between each state s UI office and LMI office to ensure timeliness and accuracy. When engaging in UI IT modernization activities it is important to consider the downstream impact of changes to data files because they can significantly impact files interfaces and processes that are critical for the reporting of accurate data to BLS. 2 ETA in partnership with the UI Informa tion Technology Support Center ITSC operated by the National Assoc iation of State Workforce Agencies Center for Employment Security Education and Research CESER developed a Pre - Implementation Checklist to help states contractors and IT professionals in modernizing their UI IT systems. The most recent version of th e c hecklist was transmitted in TEN No. 29 -18 and can be found at https wdr.doleta.gov directives corr doc.cfm docn 5427 . It stipulates the variety of ways in which UI systems impac t federal and state operations and provides items to consider when engaging in UI IT modernization efforts including the importance of collaborating with state LMI offices . 4. The Vital Importance of the UI QCEW and LAUS . ETA and BLS have partnered to dev elop the a ttached information in Appendix A on the importance of the QCEW and LAUS programs to SWAs and nationally. It also discusses issues associated with the Employer Quarterly Contributions Report QCR that need to be considered. ETA and BLS once aga in strongly encourage state UI agencies and LMI offices to actively collaborate in the context of UI IT modernization projects to ensure that valuable LMI resources are maintained. In addition to ETA s TEN No. 29 -18 Enhanced Pre -Implementation Planning Checklist for Stat e UI IT Modernization Projects referenced above t his guidance joins other previously released guidance from ETA and BLS on these issues including A j oint letter from ETA and BLS to SWA Administrators and State UI Directors https www.bls.gov cew additional -resources unemployment -insurance - modernization joint -eta -and -bls -letter -to-states.pdf A BLS website of UI Modernization Information https www.bls.gov cew unemployment -insurance -modernization home.htm In addition to these types of guidance the UI ITSC also has resources available for states undergoin g UI modernization at http itsc.org . UI ITSC funded by ETA provides additional tools and resources for states to support their UI IT modernization projects. 5. Inquiries . Please direct inquiries to the appropriate Regiona l Office. 6. References . ETA s TEN No. 29 -18 Enhanced Pre -Implementation Planning Checklist for State UI IT Modernization Projects May 31 2019 . BLS s LMI Administrative Memorandum 7. Attachment . Appendix A The Vital Importance of the Unemployment In surance UI Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages QCEW and Local Area Unemployment Statistics LAUS .