Reference. ET Handbook No. 401, 2nd Edition, Change No. 18.

Background. The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) of 1996, otherwise known as "Welfare Reform," set requirements for States to establish New Hire Directories for the purpose of locating parents behind in payment of child support. PRWORA permits SESAs access to the information in the State Directory of New Hires. (However, at this time, Federal law does not permit access by the SESAs to the National Directory to which State Directory information is forwarded.)

Many SESAs are utilizing new hire information for Benefit Payment Control (BPC) purposes to prevent and detect benefit overpayments. Some SESAs have found this system to be much more efficient than the wage/benefit crossmatch system that, in the past, has been the primary method of detecting overpayments. This is possible because under the wage/benefit crossmatch system, the average length of time to detect overpayments is five to six months after the occurrence, frequently after claimants have exhausted benefits; while under the new hire system, overpayments can be detected early in the claims series, often intercepting payments before many weeks have been erroneously paid.

The ETA 227 Report, Overpayment Detection and Recovery Activity, collects data in Section C on the methods used to detect overpayments. Separate lines are designated for all the primary methods, including the wage/benefit crossmatch

system. However, because the new hire system is new, it is not included as a primary method of detection. Although, some SESAs may be recording data on new hire activity, currently it is not separately identifiable on the ETA 227 Report.

In order to promote the new hire system, and work toward further enhancements, the National Office plans to obtain data from all SESAs on overpayment detections resulting from this system.

Temporary Procedures. Section C, Line 308 of the ETA 227 Report is used to record "Other Controllable Activities" to detect overpayments. Change 18 to ET Handbook No. 401, 2nd Edition, issued on September 22, 1999, instructs SESAs to include new hire activity on Line 308. Since this line also captures overpayments detected through other methods, it will not be possible to sort the new hire data from the other data reported on that line. In order to accomplish this end, Change 18 of the Handbook recommends that SESAs identify the new hire data separately in the "Comments" section at the end of the report.

It is anticipated that separate reporting of new hire data will be required on a future revision to the ETA 227 Report.

Action Required. SESA Administrators are requested to provide this information to appropriate staff in the Benefit Payment Control unit. Additionally, SESAs are encouraged to use the Comments section of the ETA 227 Report to separately identify new hire data reported on Line 308.

Inquiries. Please direct inquiries to the Regional Office.

Click on the link below to view, save, or print out the document.

Click on the link below to view, save, or print out the document.

Click on the link below to view, save, or print out the document.

Click on the link below to view, save, or print out the document.

Click on the link below to view, save, or print out the document.

Click on the link below to view, save, or print out the document.

Click on the link below to view, save, or print out the document.

Background. Over the past several months there have been several inquiries made by the States and Regional Offices concerning the Y2K readiness of the ICON contractor, LMIBS, and the LCCC. Consequently, the Department of Labor has requested and received from LMIBS documentation regarding the Y2K readiness of their computer systems and infrastructure. Information has also been received from the LCCC regarding their Y2K readiness.

LMIBS Statement on Y2K Readiness . The following statements regarding the Y2K readiness of ICON applications and the LMIBS Orlando Data Center Hub have been extracted from information provided to the Department of Labor from LMIBS and fairly summarizes their Y2K readiness status:

ICON Data Records and Model Code

The model [ICON] code changes were distributed in January, 1998, and since June 1998, Year 2000 versions of the model code have been operational (outputting and inputting dates with the century).

Actual Hub Processing Environment for ICON

The hub processing of ICON data is not dependent on any non-standard or customized software. The hub function, as it relates to data handling, is a store-and-forward operation. This does not require any manipulation of the data as it passes through the hub.

The hub-processing environment supporting ICON is as follows:

BE Y2K COMPLIANT?

OS/390 Model 9672

MVS OPS (390) 1.3

JES (390) 1.3

CICS 4.1

7206 (Hub)

2610 (Remotes)

Lockheed Martin represents and warrants that system level software utilized in providing services to the ICON customer is Year 2000 ready in that it accurately processes date/time (including, but not limited to calculating, comparing, and sequencing) from, into, and between the twentieth and twenty-first centuries and the years 1999 and 2000 and leap year calculations. All hardware and system level software have been implemented and tested in accordance with vendor documentation and instructions and are confirmed to have tested successfully.

LMIBS retains backup generator support in the Orlando Data Center. In the event of a power outage this support could be utilized until power was effectively restored. During four consecutive weekends of April 1999 and May 1999, and prior to migrating the ICON production to the OS390 environment, ICON-specific testing was done. This included stand-alone hub processing, actual batch data transmission and execution with selected SESAs, and real-time data exchange¿Interstate Benefits Inquiry (IBIQ).

Please be assured that IBS is committed to monitoring all ICON activity relative to Year 2000 and responding, as may be necessary, in order that our processing transition into the next century is a non-event for ICON.

LCCC Y2K Readiness Response. LCCC has stated that all systems are Y2K compliant and operate on the Louisiana Department of Labor mainframe computer system which is Year 2000 compliant and which has successfully passed two independent verification and validation (IV&V) processes. However, the required LCCC SESA inquiry form's record layout continues to use a 2-digit year format for separation dates. New record layouts are being developed for the LCCC that will utilize a 4-digit date format. The estimated date of implementation is mid-to-late FY 2000. So that SESAs will not have to reformat their systems twice in less than a year, the problem is being temporarily resolved by LCCC staff using a bridging program to insert the proper century date until the new record format is implemented. SESAs may continue to transmit inquiry forms using the old format until instructions are issued to change to the new format.

LMIBS Zero Day Activities. Preparations are continuing to be made by LMIBS for the millennium turnover. These include establishment of an Emergency Operations Center, establishment of Rapid Response Teams, backup of critical systems/customer files, and the final examinations of office and data center facilities. During and immediately after the millennium turnover, an initial check out of equipment and services and confirmation of the basic computing environment platforms will take place. Following the successful test of the basic environment, individual ICON programs will be cleared to be brought on line. At this point the ICON support group will run a series of ICON related jobs, both batch and ICS, internally. In addition, arrangements will be made with selected SESAs to test with the hub by transmitting batch data and establishing the IBIQ and WIC connections. Results will be relayed to agencies and/or individuals as requested.

Acceptance. After careful review of documentation furnished by LMIBS, the Department believes that the ICON contractor (LMIBS) is Y2K compliant and the infrastructure is in place to continue the ICON functions during the critical phases of the century and millennium turnover and into the next century. In addition, the Department agrees that the temporary fix being used by the LCCC on the inquiry form's record layout will allow processing of inquiries without interruption in the new century and that no further action by SESAs is required until the new format instructions are issued.

Action Required. SESA Administrators are requested to provide this information to appropriate staff. SESAs desiring to test ICON processing with LMIBS during the "Zero Day" period may coordinate directly with LMIBS (contact Martha Hazelrigg at 407-306-7228)

Inquiries. Direct inquiries to the appropriate Regional Office.

Click on the link below to view, save, or print out the document.