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Reference: Benefits Quality Control State Operations Handbook, ET Handbook No. 395 (2nd edition) Background: With the increasing use of interactive voice response (IVR) and automated telephone data entry systems to file continued claims, the Department has received inquiries concerning whether such claims should be coded in item f11, key week filing method, as telephone (code "4") or other (electronic) claims (code "5"). A review of the BAM data for the July-December 1996 period shows that States are not using the codes uniformly. In order to insure consistent coding of continued claims filing method in the BAM database, the Department has developed the following guidelines. These coding guidelines take effect immediately. Coding Instructions: The codes used in the BAM DCI are documented in chapter IV of ET Handbook 395. Item f11, key week filing method, includes code "4" (telephone) and code "5" (other, i.e. electronic) to record the method the claimant used to file the continued week claim for which the UI benefit payment subject to the BAM investigation was issued. Code "4" (telephone) will be used for all continued week UI claims filed by claimants who initiate contact with the SESA by telephone. These claims include: Voice contacts between the claimant and State agency staff in a local office or service center; Interactive voice response systems in which the claimant enters required UI claim data through a voice recording system and/or by entering data from the telephone keypad; and Any other automated telephone voice mail system which the SESA has established to accept continued claims for UI benefits. Code "5" (other, electronic) will be used for continued week UI claims filed using the following methods: Direct dial-up (modem) connection between a claimant logged on to a personal computer and the State agency; Claimant access to the State agency via the internet, State agency intranet, or other computer network; State agency kiosks with automated data processing capability which enables claimants to file continued UI claims; Benefit cards that allow claimants to file continued claims and/or receive UI benefits from ATM terminals; Electronic facsimile (fax); and Any claim initiated or generated by the State's ADP system. Database Conversion: The Department will contact any State that has used code "5" (other) to verify whether this code was used for IVR telephone claims. The Department will then convert the codes for all such records from "5" to "4" on both the State and Department versions of the database. States which have used code "4", telephone, should verify that this code has been used only for those UI continued claims filed using a method defined for code "4" in section 4 of this UIPL. States should notify the Department (Attention: Andrew Spisak, at (202) 219-5608 ext. 135) if any record has been incorrectly coded and needs to be recoded by the Department. Action Required: State Administrators are requested to: a. provide copies of these guidelines to the appropriate staff; and b. ensure that any records in the BAM database that need to be recoded are identified and that this information is conveyed to Andrew Spisak within 30 days after the issuance of this directive.

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References: 20 CFR 614.2(j) and 614.21-614.23; and ET Handbook No. 384, Second Edition. Background: The Department of Labor was recently advised by the U.S. Army that when information contained on a DD Form 214 is incorrect it sends an official letter to ARPERCEN requesting that a DD Form 215 (change to the DD Form 214) be issued. The Department was also advised that due to the severe understaffing at ARPERCEN, it is taking 6-8 months for ARPERCEN to issue a DD Form 215. Consequently, the U.S. Army has been sending a copy of the letter that is sent to ARPERCEN to the SESAs to use as an official military document in lieu of a DD Form 215 to enable the SESAs to make timely and accurate UCX eligibility determinations. The Department understands that several SESAs have accepted this letter as an official military document and have made UCX eligibility determinations based on this letter. The Department was unaware of this procedure that was initiated by the U.S. Army until a SESA informed the U.S. Army that this procedure was in conflict with procedures contained in ET Handbook No. 384, Second Edition and had not been sanctioned by the Department. Consequently, the U.S. Army wrote the Department and asked permission to use this new procedure. The Department has reviewed this matter and contacted the U.S. Army to ascertain the reasons for the problem and remedial actions the U.S. Army will take to rectify the delays in issuing new DD Form 214's or DD Form 215's. In light of this situation, the Department is implementing the temporary procedure contained in this UIPL. Temporary Procedure: The Department has agreed to allow the U.S. Army to continue to use this new procedure on a temporary basis for 6 months, effective July 21, 1997. In the meantime, the U.S. Army has agreed to resolve its workload problem during this 6-month period at ARPERCEN to enable it to respond to the backlog of DD Form 215 requests in a timely manner. In order to comply with the requirements at 20 CFR 614.21(a) and 614.2(j), the U.S. Army will send a copy of "Request for Issuance of DD Form 215" letter on official letterhead to the ex-servicemember. Instruction: SESAs should accept the U.S. Army's "Request for Issuance of DD Form 215" letter on official letterhead, as final and conclusive and in compliance with 20 CFR 614.23. SESAs should make this new temporary procedure effective for 6 months beginning on July 21, 1997. The Department will review this temporary procedure, and the U.S. Army's actions to remedy the delay in issuing DD Form 215's, and will issue further instructions on this matter before the expiration of this 6-month period. This temporary procedure is only applicable to the U.S. Army. Action Required: SESA Administrators should provide the above information to appropriate staff members.

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Average Weekly Benefit Amount (AWBA) Utilization: As required by 20 CFR 625.6, the attached listing sets forth the 50 percent of AWBA computation applicable for major disasters declared during the fourth quarter of FY 1997, from July 1 through September 30, 1997. Action Required: SESA Administrators are requested to provide this information to appropriate staff and insure that the correct AWBA is utilized in determining the weekly DUA amount.

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