WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today announced awards totaling more than $87 million to improve state unemployment insurance programs. The funding, awarded to 46 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, will allow state agencies to implement program integrity and system improvement activities, as well as implement or expand reemployment and eligibility assessment programs.
“These grants will allow state agencies to upgrade and enhance their unemployment insurance programs by adopting new technologies, ensuring payments are given to those eligible to receive them and incorporating programs to ensure recipients of unemployment insurance are given the resources they need to find a new job quickly,” said U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez.
To qualify for program integrity funding, states must have implemented or committed to implement a set of required integrity activities. These include the implementation and expansion of State Information Data Exchange System; an enhanced National Directory of New Hire cross-match strategy; Unemployment Compensation for Ex-servicemembers automation; SIDES Monetary and Potential Employer Charges Data Exchanges; as well as other optional strategies identified by the department.
Included in these awards are five state consortia grants totaling approximately $15.8 million for projects designed to improve overall program quality, performance, and integrity. State consortia have also committed to implementing the full range of required integrity activities in order to qualify for UI information technology modernization funding.
Finally, approximately $5 million is awarded to states for the reemployment and eligibility assessment program. Six states are receiving grants to expand their use of REAs, and two states will implement new REA programs. The REA program introduces claimants to the reemployment services that are available at the American Job Center , helps them to develop an individual reemployment plan, and includes a complete review of the claimant's eligibility to assist in preventing UI improper payments. In states that have REA programs, participants are referred to reemployment services that are appropriate for their needs.
Editor's note: A complete list of funds awarded follows this release.
Fiscal Year 2014 Awards Summary Funding Category Award Amount Program Integrity — Required and Optional Projects $66,269,811 Consortium Projects $15,801,280 Reemployment and Eligibility Assessment Programs $4,989,704 Total $87,060,795 Program Integrity Projects State Award Amount Alaska $1,750,000 Alabama $1,088,505 Arizona $1,324,064 California $2,096,819 Colorado $1,898,239 Connecticut $1,677,909 District of Columbia $1,505,011 Delaware $492,263 Florida $2,019,511 Georgia $748,576 Hawaii $612,223 Iowa $1,782,898 Idaho $1,792,362 Illinois $2,174,472 Indiana $1,496,767 Kansas $1,368,476 Kentucky $1,891,064 Louisiana $1,648,615 Massachusetts $1,853,428 Maryland $1,141,562 Maine $758,947 Michigan $1,329,325 Mississippi $1,351,684 North Carolina $133,315 North Dakota $701,477 Nebraska $1,861,588 New Hampshire $1,827,417 New Jersey $1,289,166 New Mexico $1,915,144 New York $2,393,121 Ohio $601,182 Oklahoma $962,340 Oregon $1,248,419 Pennsylvania $1,780,785 Puerto Rico $1,527,488 Rhode Island $445,735 South Carolina $1,584,404 South Dakota $1,252,825 Tennessee $1,746,825 Texas $2,108,988 Utah $1,863,620 Virginia $1,356,654 Virgin Islands $1,499,984 Vermont $645,598 Washington $1,831,652 Wisconsin $1,845,655 West Virginia $43,710 Total $66,269,811 Consortium Projects Consortium Award Amount Colorado (lead), Arizona, North Dakota, and Wyoming $2,000,000 Maryland (lead), Vermont, and West Virginia $4,500,000 Mississippi (lead), Rhode Island, and Maine $4,500,000 New York (lead) and New Jersey $4,000,000 South Carolina (lead), Georgia, and North Carolina $801,280 Total $15,801,280 Reemployment and Eligibility Assessment Programs State Award Amount Alaska $314,686 Maryland $229,724 Michigan $1,128,732 Minnesota $241,210 New York $1,656,974 North Carolina $796,872 Oregon $298,542 Utah $322,964 Total $4,989,704
