ETA Advisory File
ETA Advisory
ETA Advisory File Text
TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT NOTICE NO. 01-23 DATE July 24 2023 EM PLOY MENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR WASHINGTON D.C. 20210 TO STATE WORKFORCE AGENCIES FROM BRENT PARTON s Acting Assistant Secretary SUBJECT 2023 National Association of State Workforce Agencies NASWA Unemployment Insurance Integrity Symposium 1.Purpose. To provide information regarding the 2023 Unemployment Insurance UI Integrity Symposium to be hosted by NASWA on December 6 8 2023 in Oklahoma City lklahoma. 2.Action Requested. The U.S. Department of Labor s the Department Employment and Training Administration ETA encourages State Workforce Agency Administrators to share this information with appropriate staff and support staff for participation in the 2023 UI Integrity Symposium. 3.Summary and Background. a.Summary This Training and Employment Notice TEN announces the 2023 Uf Integrity Symposium in Oklahoma City Oklahoma and provides reimbursement instructions. b.Background Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic the UI program has been an attractive target for international and domestic criminal organizations perpetrating frequent and complex fraud attacks. States worked tirelessly to combat these sophisticated attacks while simultaneously responding to the highest claims workload in the history of the UI program and working through pandemic-related backlogs. States must remain committed to continuously strengthening fraud operations and evolving integrity strategies to address emerging fraud threats and UI program risks. It is imperative that state UI agencies across the country share best practices and discuss program challenges with each other while continuing to learn about and explore innovative processes tools systems and solutions to prevent and detect fraud improve overpayment recovery efforts and address vulnerabilities in state UI systems more effectively. The Department works in partnership with and provides funding to NASWA to support the development and enhancement of UI integrity-related resources trainings and data exchanges and strongly encourages states to engage in NASWA discussions activities and technical assistance offerings to strengthen UI program integrity. NASWA a national organization of state administrators of the publicly funded state workforce 2 system operates the UI Integrity Center UI Information Technology Support Center UI ITSC UI State Information Data Exchange System UI SIDES and UI Interstate Connection Network UI ICON . The Department provides NASWA funding to support these operations and resources for states. The UI Integrity Center assists states in their efforts to prevent detect and recover improper and fraudulent payments and improve program integrity by developing and promoting innovative program strategies and providing critical tools and technical assistance to strengthen integrity in UI program operations. UI ITSC provides information software tools products and services to states in support of the modernization of information technology IT systems used to administer the UI program. UI SIDES enables the electronic communication of separation and other UI information between state UI agencies and employers which improves the timeliness and quality of separation information from employers thus reducing the number of improper payments. UI ICON allows the exchange of data between state UI agencies as well as federal partners for use in the filing and processing of combined wage claims military and federal claims. It also aids in the collection of overpayments. Overall NASWA provides critical expertise services tools datasets and technology solutions to support states in improving UI program integrity. 4. UI Integrity Symposium Details. The 2023 UI Integrity Symposium begins at 8 30 a.m. Central Time on December 6 2023 and ends at 12 00 p.m. Central Time on December 8 2023. The purpose of the UI Integrity Symposium is to provide an opportunity for states to learn from each other by sharing best practices discussing program challenges and identifying successful solutions to strengthen UI program integrity. Additionally the UI Integrity Symposium will allow states an opportunity to gather more information about the many UI integrity resources available to assist in improving UI operations. The Symposium agenda will have two tracks one for UI Benefits Integrity and one for UI Tax Integrity. The tracks will focus on UI integrity challenges and highlight successful strategies states have employed to combat fraud reduce improper payments improve collections strengthen UI systems and update operational processes and procedures. For both tracks the event also will serve as a forum for exchange of information and networking among peers provide an opportunity to ask questions and to present the position of one s own state on program-integrity related issues and topics during discussion sessions and to listen to others. a. Intended Audience The UI Integrity Symposium is intended for UI benefits and tax managers and staff with a role in UI integrity operations including but not limited to fraud prevention and detection improper payment reduction collection activities fraud investigations employer verification prosecution appeals and other appropriate staff. b. Call for Speakers On May 17 2023 NASWA issued its Call for Speakers for state agency staff who are interested in sharing their agencies integrity stories successful strategies and lessons learned as one of the Symposium s breakout sessions. States may submit their response separately or as part of a collaboration with other states in developing their breakout session idea and format. Draft speaker proposals are due by 3 August 1 2023. Submission information is available on NASWA s website at https www.naswa.org conferences call-for-presenters-2023-ui-integrity-symposium. c. Seminar Location and Hotel Information NASWA will host the 2023 UI Integrity Symposium on December 6-8 2024 at the Omni Oklahoma City Hotel 100 West Oklahoma City Boulevard Oklahoma City OK 73109. A draft schedule and detailed information about hotel reservations and seminar registration will be available on NASWA s website at https www.naswa.org conferences 2023-ui-integrity-symposium. Registration for the 2023 UI Integrity Symposium will close on Monday November 20 2023. The registration fee will be 300 per person. A block of rooms has been reserved at the Omni Oklahoma City Hotel at a government per diem rate of 104.00 per night plus tax . The deadline to reserve a room is 5 00 p.m. Eastern Time on Monday November 13 2023. Attendees should make reservations online for the Omni Oklahoma City Hotel at https www.omnihotels.com hotels oklahoma-city. d. Travel Costs Reimbursement Each state will be eligible for up to 10 000 to help cover travel and attendance costs. Allowable travel costs include transportation hotel lodging per diem costs consistent with the General Services Administration schedule or the state s out-of-state per diem policy whichever is less and other incidental costs like parking. NASWA will reimburse states only for accommodations on the nights of December 5 7 2023. After the seminar and upon receipt and approval of a single invoice summarizing travel and attendance costs incurred NASWA will issue one reimbursement check per state for all participants from that state. The invoice to NASWA should include the name of the attendees total travel expenses paid per attendee the total requested reimbursement amount and copies of all corresponding receipts to support the reimbursement as required by the state s travel policy. The invoice and documentation including mailing instructions for the check attention of individual or department and address must be scanned and emailed to accounting naswa.org. Each attending state should submit its invoice no later than March 31 2024. NASWA will not honor invoices submitted after March 31 2024. 5. Inquiries. Direct any inquiries regarding the UI Integrity Symposium s content or participation to Jenn Hawki ns at jhawkins naswa.org. Direct any inquiries regarding registration information to naswa-meetings naswa.org. 6. References. Not Applicable. 7. Attachment s . Not Applicable.