Attachment III (Accessible PDF).pdf

ETA Advisory File Text

Attachment III III-1 National Priority 3 Strengthening Reemployment Services The UI program supports reemployment through a variety of targeted strategies including through administration of the RESEA providing for robust work search activities and the Short- Time Compensation STC program. RESEA as an Individualized Reemployment Program. The RESEA program is a dedicated funding stream for states to provide evidence-based individualized reemployment services and referrals to other workforce partners. RESEA a voluntary program for states is codified in Section 306 of the SSA. Recognizing RESEA as a permanent workforce partner states with RESEA programs have been directed to prioritize strategies that support the expansion and sustainability of the program such as permanent staffing expanded eligibility and increased service-delivery. ETA publishes operating guidance each year for the administration of their RESEA program. UIPL No. 12-25 and Training and Employment Guidance Letter TEGL No. 14-24 provide the FY 2025 RESEA operating guidance. The RESEA program requires states to submit an annual RESEA state plan as a precondition to receiving their formula allocated grant. States are permitted to reference their RESEA and WIOA state plans in the SQSP rather than replicate these strategies and approaches. States should also discuss in their SQSPs how their RESEA strategies support reducing improper payments including the review of claimant eligibility and providing services that help participants comply with work search requirements. Robust Work Search Requirements that Actively Support Reemployment. Another targeted strategy to support reemployment is through the work search requirements set forth in Section 303 a 12 of the SSA. Each state defines acceptable work search activities through its laws and policies which vary across the states. In TEN No. 17-19 ETA provides states with model work search legislation. ETA reiterates this TEN and its focus on proactively referring claimants to suitable work establishing a comprehensive definition of acceptable work search activities that focuses on rapid reemployment and providing fair notice and documentation of requirements. It is a promising practice for states to have a fully integrated workforce system that focuses its collective efforts on assisting claimants to return to suitable work as quickly as possible. The following items reflect work search strategies that states should consider o Requiring work search activities that embrace a wide array of activities that support reemployment in today s labor market and include receiving services through American Job Centers o Supporting claimant compliance with required work search activities through a reemployment service delivery design that includes developing clear plain language work Attachment III III-2 search requirements and behavioral insights that 1 ensure claimants understand work search requirements both acceptable activities and documentation requirements 2 ensure claimants understand the consequences of failing to comply with these requirements and 3 provide assistance in developing a reemployment plan that meets the requirements including through customer-friendly technology applications that facilitate claimants carrying out tasks that meet the work search requirements o Leveraging the design of the state s RESEA program o to support the development of an individual reemployment plan that can help each claimant effectively plan work search activities and make such services available virtually to support a broader reach and o to encourage RESEA and other career and reemployment service providers to take advantage of the My Reemployment Plan to support development of individualized reemployment plans and connect claimants to effective reemployment resources see Pathways to Reemployment o Encouraging states to proactively identify and refer claimants to suitable job openings from public and private job banks and ensure that claimants accept employment in suitable work when offered o Developing and facilitating continuous review of completed work search activities to verify claimant compliance o Documenting these activities through the state s case management system or other information technology IT systems that support documentation requirements and o Providing case management services through American Job Center career counselors which include following up with claimants and employers on the results of job referrals to inform future job referrals and or the need for additional reemployment services for the claimant. Short-Time Compensation STC as a Lay-Off Aversion Program. The STC program known also as work-sharing or shared work is a lay-off aversion program in which an employer under a state-approved plan reduces the work hours for a group of workers and these workers in turn receive reduced UC payments for the weeks in which they worked reduced hours. ETA also encourages the use of STC to support workers and employers.