To invite states to apply for grant funds for Short-Time Compensation (STC) programs and issue guidance on the process to apply for these grants provided for under Section 2164 of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (Act), which supports the Secretary of Labor’s (Secretary) commitment to help employers and workers avert layoffs.

To notify State Workforce Agencies of the opportunity to apply for Fiscal Year (FY) 2012 funds as the lead state to establish, via a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Labor’s (Department) Employment and Training Administration (ETA), a national UI Integrity Center of Excellence (Center). The Center will develop and promote innovative UI program integrity strategies to reduce improper payments and prevent and detect fraud.

To provide guidance to states about their ongoing responsibilities for preventing, detecting and recovering improper payments of EUC, EB and FAC, and inform states of a new management information measure to capture states’ progress in conducting and improving their program integrity activities related to these Federally funded programs

To advise state workforce agencies of the new provisions under the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 governing work search requirements for EUC recipients and state responsibilities for conducting random audits of recipients’ work search activities.

To transmit the sixth edition of ET Handbook No. 301, BTQ Nonmonetary Determinations Quality Review.

To transmit the subject computation for State Workforce Agency usage in computing minimum weekly DUA amounts for all major disasters declared during the first quarter of Fiscal Year (FY) 2013.

To transmit a revised version of the State UI DV Operations Guide (ET Operations Guide 411)

To invite states to enter into an Agreement with the Secretary of Labor (Secretary) to administer a temporary Federal Short-Time Compensation (STC) program under the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (Act) and provide states with instructions for implementing and operating the program, including fiscal and reporting instructions.

To provide model legislation for states to use in implementing the provisions in Subtitle D of Title II of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 on short-time compensation or “worksharing” programs, and to provide additional guidance to the state agencies about the new definition of short-time compensation in Federal unemployment compensation law.

To transmit the subject computation for State Workforce Agency usage in computing minimum weekly DUA amounts for all major disasters declared during the second quarter of Fiscal Year (FY) 2013.