Last updated on January 17th, 2025 at 01:56 pm
Title 20—Employees’ Benefits–Volume 3
CHAPTER IV—EMPLOYEES’ COMPENSATION APPEALS BOARD, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
PART 500 [RESERVED]
PART 501—RULES OF PROCEDURE
§ 501.1 Definitions.
(a) FECA means the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act, 5 U.S.C. 8101 et seq. and any statutory extension or application thereof.
(b) The Board means the Employees’ Compensation Appeals Board.
(c) Chief Judge and Chairman of the Board means the Chairman of the Employees’ Compensation Appeals Board.
(d) Judge or Alternate Judge means a member designated and appointed by the Secretary of Labor with authority to hear and make final decisions on appeals taken from determinations and awards by the OWCP in claims arising under the FECA.
(e) OWCP means the Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs, Employment Standards Administration, U.S. Department of Labor.
(f) Director means the Director of the Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs or a person delegated authority to perform the functions of the Director. The Director of OWCP is represented before the Board by an attorney designated by the Solicitor of Labor.
(g) Appellant means any person adversely affected by a final decision or order of the OWCP who files an appeal to the Board.
(h) Representative means an individual properly authorized by an Appellant in writing to act for the Appellant in connection with an appeal before the Board. The Representative may be any individual or an attorney who has been admitted to practice and who is in good standing with any court of competent jurisdiction.
(i) Decision, as prescribed by 5 U.S.C. 8149 of the FECA, means the final determinative action made by the Board on appeal of a claim.
(j) Clerk or Office of the Clerk means the Clerk of the Office of the Appellate Boards.
§ 501.2 Scope and applicability of rules; composition and jurisdiction of the Board.
(a) The regulations in this part establish the Rules of Practice and Procedure governing the operation of the Employees’ Compensation Appeals Board.
(b) The Board consists of three permanent judges, one of whom is designated as Chief Judge and Chairman of the Board, and such alternate judges as are appointed by the Secretary of Labor. The Chief Judge is the administrative officer of the Board. The functions of the Board are quasi-judicial. For organizational purposes, the Board is placed in the Office of the Secretary of Labor and sits in Washington, DC.
(c) The Board has jurisdiction to consider and decide appeals from final decisions of OWCP in any case arising under the FECA. The Board may review all relevant questions of law, fact and exercises of discretion (or failure to exercise discretion) in such cases.
(1) The Board’s review of a case is limited to the evidence in the case record that was before OWCP at the time of its final decision. Evidence not before OWCP will not be considered by the Board for the first time on appeal.
(2) There will be no appeal with respect to any interlocutory matter decided (or not decided) by OWCP during the pendency of a case.
(3) The Board and OWCP may not exercise simultaneous jurisdiction over the same issue in a case on appeal. Following the docketing of an appeal before the Board, OWCP does not retain jurisdiction to render a further decision regarding the issue on appeal until after the Board relinquishes jurisdiction.
§ 501.3 Notice of Appeal.
(a) Who may file. Any person adversely affected by a final decision of the Director, or his or her authorized Representative, may file an appeal of such decision to the Board.
(b) How to file. (1) Beginning on April 12, 2021, attorneys and lay representatives must file appeals with the Board electronically through the Board’s case management system, along with all post-appeal pleadings and motions as set forth in paragraphs (d) and (h) of this section and §§ 501.4(b) through (d), 501.5(b) and (g); 501.7 (a), (e), and (f), and 501.9(b), (c), and (e).
(2) Attorneys and lay representatives may request an exemption (pursuant to § 501.4(d)) for good cause shown. Such a request must include a detailed explanation why e-filing or acceptance of e-service should not be required.
(3) Self-represented parties may either file appeals electronically through the Board’s case management system or file appeals by mail or other method of delivery to the Clerk of the Appellate Boards at 200 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20210.
(c) Content of notice of appeal. A notice of appeal shall contain the following information:
(1) Date of Appeal.
(2) Full name, address, email address, and telephone number of the Appellant and the full name of any deceased employee on whose behalf an appeal is taken. In addition, the Appellant must provide a signed authorization identifying the full name, address, email address, and telephone number of his or her representative, if applicable.
(3) Employing establishment, and the date, description and place of injury.
(4) Date and Case File Number assigned by OWCP concerning the decision being appealed to the Board.
(5) A statement explaining Appellant’s disagreement with OWCP’s decision and stating the factual and/or legal argument in favor of the appeal.
(6) Signature: An Appellant must sign the notice of appeal. A filing made electronically through the Board’s case management system by a registered user containing the Appellant’s name in an appropriate signature block constitutes the Appellant’s signature.
(d) Substitution of appellant: Should the Appellant die after having filed an appeal with the Board, the appeal may proceed to decision provided there is the substitution of a proper Appellant who requests that the appeal proceed to decision by the Board.
(e) Time limitations for filing. Any notice of appeal must be filed within 180 days from the date of issuance of a decision of the OWCP. The Board maintains discretion to extend the time period for filing an appeal if an applicant demonstrates compelling circumstances. Compelling circumstances means circumstances beyond the Appellant’s control that prevent the timely filing of an appeal and does not include any delay caused by the failure of an individual to exercise due diligence in submitting a notice of appeal.
(f) Date of filing. A notice of appeal complying with this paragraph (c) is considered to have been filed only if received by the Clerk of the Appellate Boards within the period specified under paragraph (e) of this section, except as otherwise provided in this subsection:
(1) If the notice of appeal is sent via the U.S. Postal Service or commercial carrier and use of the date of delivery as the date of filing would result in a loss of appeal rights, the appeal will be considered to have been filed as of the date of the postmark or other carriers’ date markings. The date appearing on the U.S. Postal Service postmark or other carriers’ date markings (when available and legible) shall be prima facie evidence of the date of mailing. If there is no such postmark or date marking, or it is illegible, then other evidence including, but not limited to, certified mail receipts, certificate of service, and affidavits, may be used to establish the mailing date. If a notice of appeal is delivered or sent by means other than the U.S. Postal Service or commercial carrier, including e-filing, personal delivery, or fax, the notice is deemed to be filed when received by the Clerk of the Appellate Boards.
(2) For electronic filings made through the Board’s case management system, a document is deemed filed as of the date and time the Board’s electronic case management system records its receipt, even if transmitted after the close of business. To be considered timely, an e-filed document or pleading must be filed by 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the due date.
(3) In computing the date of filing, the 180-day time period for filing an appeal begins to run on the day following the date of the OWCP decision. The last day of the period so computed shall be included, unless it is a Saturday, Sunday or Federal holiday, in which event the period runs to the close of the next business day.
(g) Failure to timely file a notice of appeal. The failure of an Appellant or Representative to file an appeal with the Board within the period specified under paragraph (e) of this section, including any extensions granted by the Board in its discretion based upon compelling circumstances, will foreclose all right to review. The Board will dismiss any untimely appeal for lack of jurisdiction.
(h) Incomplete notice of appeal. Any timely notice of appeal that does not contain the information specified in paragraph (c) of this section will be considered incomplete. On receipt by the Board, the Clerk of the Appellate Boards will inform Appellant of the deficiencies in the notice of appeal and specify a reasonable time to submit the requisite information. Such appeal will be dismissed unless Appellant provides the requisite information in the specified time.
§ 501.4 Case record; inspection; submission of pleadings and motions.
(a) Service on OWCP and transmission of OWCP case record. The Board shall serve upon the Director a copy of each notice of appeal and accompanying documents. Within 60 days from the date of such service, the Director shall provide to the Board the record of the OWCP proceeding to which the notice refers. On application of the Director, the Board may, in its discretion, extend the time period for submittal of the OWCP case record.
(b) Inspection of record. The case record on appeal is an official record of the OWCP.
(1) Upon written application to the Clerk, an Appellant may request inspection of the OWCP case record. At the discretion of the Board, the OWCP case record may either be made available in the Office of the Clerk of the Appellate Boards for inspection by the Appellant, or the request may be forwarded to the Director so that OWCP may make a copy of the OWCP case record and forward this copy to the Appellant. Inspection of the papers and documents included in the OWCP case record of any appeal pending before the Board will be permitted or denied in accordance with 5 CFR 10.10 to 10.13. The Chief Judge (or his or her designee) shall serve as the disclosure officer for purposes of Appendix A to 29 CFR Parts 70 and 71.
(2) Copies of the documents generated in the course of the appeal before the Board will be provided to the Appellant and Appellant’s Representative by the Clerk. If the Appellant needs additional copies of such documents while the appeal is pending, the Appellant may obtain this information by contacting the Clerk. Pleadings and motions filed during the appeal in proceedings before the Board will be made part of the official case record of the OWCP.
(c) Pleadings. The Appellant, the Appellant’s Representative and the Director may file pleadings supporting their position and presenting information, including but not limited to briefs, memoranda of law, memoranda of justification, and optional form AB-1. All pleadings filed must contain the docket number and be filed with the Clerk. The Clerk will issue directions specifying the time allowed for any responses and replies.
(1) The Clerk will distribute copies of any pleading received by the Clerk to ensure that the Appellant, his or her Representative and the Director receive all pleadings. Any pleading should be submitted within 60 days of the filing of an appeal. The Board may, in its discretion, extend the time period for the submittal of any pleading.
(2) Proceedings before the Board are informal and there is no requirement that any pleading be filed. Failure to submit a pleading or to timely submit a pleading does not prejudice the rights of either the Appellant or the Director.
(3) Upon receipt of a pleading, the Appellant and the Director will have the opportunity to submit a response to the Board.
(d) Motions. Motions are requests for the Board to take specific action in a pending appeal. Motions include, but are not limited to, motions to dismiss, affirm the decision below, remand, request a substitution, request an extension of time, or other such matter as may be brought before the Board. Motions may be filed by the Appellant, the Appellant’s Representative and the Director. The motion must be in writing, contain the docket number, state the relief requested and the basis for the relief requested, and be filed with the Clerk. Any motion received will be sent by the Clerk to ensure that the Appellant, his or her Representative and the Director receive all motions. The Clerk will issue directions specifying the timing of any responses and replies. The Board also may act on its own to issue direction in pending appeals, stating the basis for its determination.
§ 501.5 Oral argument.
(a) Oral argument. Oral argument may be held in the discretion of the Board, on its own determination or on application by Appellant or the Director.
(b) Request. A request for oral argument must be submitted in writing to the Clerk. The application must specify the issue(s) to be argued and provide a statement supporting the need for oral argument. The request must be made no later than 60 days after the filing of an appeal. Any appeal in which a request for oral argument is not granted by the Board will proceed to a decision based on the case record and any pleadings submitted.
(c) Notice of argument. If a request for oral argument is granted, the Clerk will notify the Appellant and the Director at least 30 days prior to the date set for argument. The notice of oral argument will state the issues that the Board has determined will be heard and whether the oral argument will take place in person in Washington, DC or by videoconference.
(d) Time allowed. Appellant and any Representative for the Director shall be allowed no more than 30 minutes to present oral argument. The Board may, in its discretion, extend the time allowed.
(e) Appearances. An Appellant may appear at oral argument before the Board or designate a Representative. Argument shall be presented by the Appellant or a Representative, not both. The Director may be represented by an attorney with the Solicitor of Labor. Argument is limited to the evidence of record on appeal.
(f) Location. Oral argument in person is heard before the Board only in Washington, DC. The Board may, in its discretion, hear oral argument by videoconference. The Board does not reimburse costs associated with an oral argument.
(g) Continuance. Once oral argument has been scheduled by the Board, a continuance will not be granted except on a showing of good cause. Good cause may include extreme hardship or where attendance by an Appellant or Representative is mandated at a previously scheduled judicial proceeding. Any request for continuance must be received by the Board at least 15 days before the date scheduled for oral argument and be served by the requester upon Appellant and the Director. No request for a second continuance will be entertained by the Board. In such case, the appeal will proceed to a decision based on the case record. The Board may reschedule or cancel oral argument on its own motion at any time.
(h) Nonappearance. The absence of an Appellant, his or her Representative, or the Director at the time and place set for oral argument will not delay the Board’s resolution of an appeal. In such event, the Board may, in its discretion, reschedule oral argument, or cancel oral argument and treat the case as submitted on the case record.
§ 501.6 Decisions and orders.
(a) Decisions. A decision of the Board will contain a written opinion setting forth the reasons for the action taken and an appropriate order. The decision is based on the case record, all pleadings and any oral argument. The decision may consist of an affirmance, reversal or remand for further development of the evidence, or other appropriate action.
(b) Panels. A decision of not less than two judges will be the decision of the Board.
(c) Issuance. The date of the Board’s decision is the date of issuance or such date as determined by the Board. Issuance is not determined by the postmark on any letter containing the decision or the date of actual receipt by Appellant or the Director.
(d) Finality. The decisions and orders of the Board are final as to the subject matter appealed, and such decisions and orders are not subject to review, except by the Board. The decisions and orders of the Board will be final upon the expiration of 30 days from the date of issuance unless the Board has fixed a different period of time therein. Following the expiration of that time, the Board no longer retains jurisdiction over the appeal unless a timely petition for reconsideration is submitted and granted.
(e) Dispositive orders. The Board may dispose of an appeal on a procedural basis by issuing an appropriate order disposing of part or all of a case prior to reaching the merits of the appeal. The Board may proceed to an order on its own or on the written motion of Appellant or the Director.
(f) Service. The Board will send its decisions and orders to the Appellant, his or her Representative and the Director at the time of issuance.
§ 501.7 Petition for reconsideration.
(a) Time for filing. The Appellant or the Director may file a petition for reconsideration of a decision or order issued by the Board within 30 days of the date of issuance, unless another time period is specified in the Board’s order.
(b) Where to File. The petition must be filed with the Clerk. Copies will be sent by the Clerk to the Director, the Appellant and his or her Representative in the time period specified by the Board.
(c) Content of petition. The petition must be in writing. The petition must contain the docket number, specify the matters claimed to have been erroneously decided, provide a statement of the facts upon which the petitioner relies, and a discussion of applicable law. New evidence will not be considered by the Board in a petition for reconsideration.
(d) Panel. The panel of judges who heard and decided the appeal will rule on the petition for reconsideration. If any member of the original panel is unavailable, the Chief Judge may designate a new panel member. The decision or order of the Board will stand as final unless vacated or modified by the vote of at least two members of the reconsideration panel.
(e) Answer. Upon the filing of a petition for reconsideration, Appellant or the Director may file an answer to the petition within such time as fixed by the Board.
(f) Oral argument and decision on reconsideration. An oral argument may be allowed at the discretion of the Board upon application of the Appellant or Director or the Board may proceed to address the matter upon the papers filed. The Board shall grant or deny the petition for reconsideration and issue such orders as it deems appropriate.
§ 501.8 Clerk of the Office of the Appellate Boards; docket of proceedings; records.
(a) Location and business hours. The Office of the Clerk of the Appellate Boards is located at 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210. The Office of the Clerk is open during business hours on all days except Saturdays, Sundays and Federal holidays, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
(b) Docket. The Clerk will maintain a docket containing a record of all proceedings before the Board. Each docketed appeal will be assigned a number in chronological order based upon the date on which the notice of appeal is received. While the Board generally hears appeals in the order docketed, the Board retains discretion to change the order in which a particular appeal will be considered. The Clerk will prepare a calendar of cases submitted or awaiting oral argument and such other records as may be required by the Board.
(c) Publication of decisions. Final decisions of the Board will be published in such form as to be readily available for inspection by the general public.
§ 501.9 Representation; appearances and fees.
(a) Representation. In any proceeding before the Board, an Appellant may appear in person or by appointing a duly authorized individual as his or her Representative.
(1) Counsel. The designated Representative may be an attorney who has been admitted to practice and who is in good standing with any court of competent jurisdiction.
(2) Lay representative. A non-attorney Representative may represent an Appellant before the Board. He or she may be an accredited Representative of an employee organization.
(3) Former members of the Board and other employees of the Department of Labor. A former judge of the Board is not allowed to participate as counsel or other Representative before the Board in any proceeding until two years from the termination of his or her status as a judge of the Board. The practice of a former judge or other former employee of the Department of Labor is governed by 29 CFR Part 0, Subpart B.
(b) Appearance. No individual may appear as a Representative in a proceeding before the Board without first filing with the Clerk a written authorization signed by the Appellant to be represented. When accepted by the Board, such Representative will continue to be recognized unless the Representative withdraws or abandons such capacity or the Appellant directs otherwise.
(c) Change of address. Each Appellant and Representative authorized to appear before the Board must give the Clerk written notice of any change to the address or telephone number of the Appellant or Representative. Such notice must identify the docket number and name of each pending appeal for that Appellant, or, in the case of a Representative, in which he or she is a Representative before the Board. Absent such notice, the mailing of documents to the address most recently provided to the Board will be fully effective.
(d) Debarment of Counsel or Representative. In any proceeding, whenever the Board finds that a person acting as counsel or other Representative for the Appellant or the Director, is guilty of unethical or unprofessional conduct, the Board may order that such person be excluded from further acting as counsel or Representative in such proceeding. Such order may be appealed to the Secretary of Labor or his or her designee, but proceedings before the Board will not be delayed or suspended pending disposition of such appeal. However, the Board may suspend the proceeding of an appeal for a reasonable time for the purpose of enabling Appellant or the Director to obtain different counsel or other Representative. Whenever the Board has issued an order precluding a person from further acting as counsel or Representative in a proceeding, the Board will, within a reasonable time, submit to the Secretary of Labor or his or her designee a report of the facts and circumstances surrounding the issuance of such order. The Board will recommend what action the Secretary of Labor should take in regard to the appearance of such person as counsel or Representative in other proceedings before the Board. Before any action is taken debarring a person as counsel or Representative from other proceedings, he or she will be furnished notice and the opportunity to be heard on the matter.
(e) Fees for attorney, Representative, or other services. No claim for a fee for legal or other service performed on appeal before the Board is valid unless approved by the Board. Under 18 U.S.C. 292, collecting a fee without the approval of the Board may constitute a misdemeanor, subject to fine or imprisonment for up to a year or both. No contract for a stipulated fee or on a contingent fee basis will be approved by the Board. No fee for service will be approved except upon written application to the Clerk, supported by a statement of the extent and nature of the necessary work performed before the Board on behalf of the Appellant. The fee application will be served by the Clerk on the Appellant and a time set in which a response may be filed. Except where such fee is de minimis, the fee request will be evaluated with consideration of the following factors:
(1) Usefulness of the Representative’s services;
(2) The nature and complexity of the appeal;
(3) The capacity in which the Representative has appeared;
(4) The actual time spent in connection with the Board appeal; and
(5) Customary local charges for similar services.
PARTS 502-599 [RESERVED]
CHAPTER V—EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
PART 600 [RESERVED]
PART 601—ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE
Subpart A—Approval, Certification and Findings With Respect to State Laws and Plans of Operation for Normal and Additional Tax Credit and Grant Purposes
§ 601.1 General.
(a) State unemployment compensation laws are approved and certified as provided in section 3304 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986; findings are made regarding reduced rates permitted by a State law (section 3303(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986) and such laws are certified as provided in section 3303(b) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986; findings are made regarding the inclusion of specified provisions (section 303(a) of the Social Security Act) in State laws approved under section 3304(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986; findings are made whether the States have accepted the provisions of the Wagner-Peyser Act and whether their plans of operation for public employment offices comply with the provisions of said Act.
(b) Normal and additional tax credit is given to taxpayers against taxes imposed by section 3301 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
(c) Grants of funds are made to States for administration of their employment security laws if their unemployment compensation laws and their plans of operation for public employment offices meet required conditions of Federal law. (Section 303(a) of the Social Security Act; section 3304(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986; sections 6, 7, and 8 of the Wagner-Peyser Act.)
(d) As used throughout this Part, the terms “Secretary” or “Secretary of Labor” shall refer to the Secretary of Labor, U.S. Department of Labor, or his or her designee.
§ 601.2 Approval of State unemployment compensation laws.
States may at their option submit their unemployment compensation laws for approval (section 3304(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986).
(a) Submission. The States submit to the Employment and Training Administration (ETA), one copy of the State unemployment compensation law properly certified by an authorized State official to be true and complete, together with a written request for approval.
(b) [Reserved]
(c) Approval. The Secretary of Labor determines whether the State law contains the provisions required by section 3304(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. If the State law is approved, the Secretary notifies the Governor of the State within 30 days of the submission of such law.
(d) Certification. On October 31 of each taxable year the Secretary of Labor certifies, for the purposes of normal tax credit (section 3302(a)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986), to the Secretary of the Treasury each State the law of which the Secretary has previously approved. (See also § 601.5.)
§ 601.3 Findings with respect to State laws and plans of operation.
For purposes of grants, findings are made regarding the inclusion in State unemployment compensation laws, approved under section 3304(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, of provisions required by section 303(a) of the Social Security Act (see § 601.2); findings are also made whether a State has accepted the provisions of the Wagner-Peyser Act and whether its plan of operation for public employment offices complies with the provisions of said act. For purposes of additional tax credit, findings are made regarding reduced rates of contributions permitted by the State law (section 3303(a) (1) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986).
(a) Submission. The States submit currently to the ETA one copy of relevant State material, properly certified by an authorized State official to be true and complete.
(b) [Reserved]
(c) Findings. The Secretary makes findings as provided in the cited sections of the Federal law. In the event that the Secretary is unable to make the findings required for certification for payment or for certification of the law for purposes of additional tax credit, further discussions with State officials are undertaken.
§ 601.4 Certification for tax credit.
(a) Within 30 days after submittal of a State unemployment compensation law for such purpose, the Secretary certifies to the State agency, in accordance with the provisions of section 3303(b)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, the Secretary’s findings regarding reduced rates of contributions allowable under such law. On October 31 of each taxable year the Secretary certifies to the Secretary of the Treasury the law of each State, certified with respect to such year under section 3304 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (see § 601.2), which the Secretary finds allows reduced rates with respect to such taxable year only in accordance with the provisions of section 3303(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
(b) With regard to certification for payment, see § 601.6.
§ 601.5 Withholding payments and certifications.
(a) When withheld. Payment of funds to States or yearend certification of State laws, or both, are withheld when the Secretary finds, after reasonable notice and opportunity for hearing:
(1) That any provision required by section 303(a) of the Social Security Act is no longer included in the State unemployment compensation law; or
(2) That the State unemployment compensation law has been so changed as no longer to meet the conditions required by section 3303(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (section 3303(b)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code); or
(3) That the State unemployment compensation law has been so amended as no longer to contain the provisions specified in section 3304(a) or has failed to comply substantially with any such provision and such finding has become effective (section 3304(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986); or
(4) That in the administration of the State unemployment compensation law there has been a failure to comply substantially with required provisions of such law (section 303(b)(2) of the Social Security Act and section 3303(b)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986); or
(5) That in the administration of the State unemployment compensation law there has been a denial, in a substantial number of cases, of benefits due under such law, except that there may be no such finding until the question of entitlement has been decided by the highest judicial authority given jurisdiction under such State law (section 303(b)(1) of the Social Security Act); or
(6) That a State fails to make its unemployment compensation records available to the Railroad Retirement Board or fails to cooperate with Federal agencies charged with the administration of unemployment compensation laws (section 303(c) of the Social Security Act); or
(7) That a State no longer has a plan of operation for public employment offices complying with the provisions of the Wagner-Peyser Act; or
(8) That a State agency has not properly expended, in accordance with an approved plan of operation, the Federal monies paid it for administration of its public employment service.
(b) Informal discussion. Such hearings are generally not called, however, until after every reasonable effort has been made by ETA representatives to resolve the question involved by conference and discussion with State officials. Formal notification of the date and place of a hearing does not foreclose further negotiations with State officials.
(c) Notice of noncertification. If, at any time during the taxable year, the Secretary of Labor has reason to believe that a State whose unemployment compensation law he/she has previously approved may not be certified, the Secretary promptly notifies the Governor of the State to that effect (section 3304(d) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986).
(d) Notice of hearing. Notice of hearing is sent by the Secretary of Labor to the State unemployment compensation agency. The notice sets forth the purpose of the hearing, the time, date, and place at which the hearing will be held, and the rules of procedure which will be followed. At a hearing the State is given an opportunity to present arguments and all relevant evidence, written or oral. The Secretary makes the necessary determination or findings, on the basis of the record of such hearings. A notice of the Secretary’s determination or finding is sent to the State unemployment compensation agency.
(e) Civil Rights Act issues. To the extent that any proposed withholding of funds involves circumstances within the scope of title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the regulations promulgated thereunder, the procedure set forth in 29 CFR part 31 shall be applicable.
Subpart B—Grants, Advances and Audits
§ 601.6 Grants for administration of unemployment compensation laws and employment service.
Grants of funds for administration of State unemployment compensation laws and public employment service programs are made to States under section 302(a) of the Social Security Act, the Wagner-Peyser Act, and the Appropriation Acts.
(a) Requests for funds. The forms and instructions used by State agencies in requesting funds are available on the ETA Web site (http://www.ows.doleta.gov/rjm). The forms and instructions call for detailed information for each budgetary period concerning the specific amounts requested for personal services and other current expenses of State agencies, supported by workload and unit-cost estimates. Supplementary budget requests are processed in the same manner as regular requests. The Administration’s representatives in the regional offices furnish assistance to the State agencies in preparing requests for funds.
(b) Processing of requests. (1) State agencies send their requests for funds to the Regional Administrator who reviews the requests and forwards them to the ETA National Office with his/her recommendation as to the amounts necessary for proper and efficient administration of the State unemployment compensation law and employment service program.
(2) The ETA National Office appraises the requests and the recommendations of the regional representatives from a nationwide point of view, examining each State’s request in the light of the experience of other States to insure equitable treatment among the States in the allocation of funds made available by Congress for the administration of State unemployment compensation laws and public employment service programs.
(c) Action by ETA National Office. If the ETA National Office approves the State’s budget request, the State agency is notified; and, provided the conditions precedent to grants continue during the budgetary period, certifications for payment, under the approved budget, stating the amounts, are made by the ETA National Office to the Secretary of the Treasury quarterly. Upon denial of a request, in whole or in part, the State agency is notified and the Regional Administrator is instructed to negotiate with the State with a view to removing the basis for denial.
§ 601.7 [Reserved]
§ 601.8 Agreement with Postmaster General.
The Secretary of Labor and the Postmaster General have been directed by the Congress (title II of the Labor-Federal Security Agency Appropriation Act, 1950) to prescribe a mutually satisfactory procedure whereby official State employment security postal matter will be handled without the prepayment of postage. In lieu of such prepayments, the Secretary periodically certifies to the Secretary of the Treasury for payment to the U.S. Postal Service the amount necessary to cover the cost of State agency mailings. The amount of payment is based on a formula agreed upon by the Secretary of Labor and the U.S. Postal Service.
§ 601.9 Audits.
The Department of Labor’s audit regulations at 29 CFR Part 96 and 29 CFR Part 99 shall apply with respect to employment service and unemployment compensation programs.
PART 602—QUALITY CONTROL IN THE FEDERAL-STATE UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE SYSTEM
Subpart A—General Provisions
§ 602.1 Purpose.
The purpose of this part is to prescribe a Quality Control (QC) program for the Federal-State unemployment compensation (UC) system, which is applicable to the State UC programs and the Federal unemployment benefit and allowance programs administered by the State unemployment compensation agencies under agreements between the States and the Secretary of Labor (Secretary). QC will be a major tool to assess the timeliness and accuracy of State administration of the UC program. It is designed to identify errors in claims processes and revenue collections (including payments in lieu of contributions and Extended Unemployment Compensation Account collections), analyze causes, and support the initiation of corrective action.
§ 602.2 Scope.
This part applies to all State laws approved by the Secretary under the Federal Unemployment Tax Act (section 3304 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 26 U.S.C. section 3304), to the administration of the State laws, and to any Federal unemployment benefit and allowance program administered by the State unemployment compensation agencies under agreements between the States and the Secretary. QC is a requirement for all States, initially being applicable to the largest permanently authorized programs (regular UC including Combined-Wage-Claims) and federally-funded programs (Unemployment Compensation for Ex-Servicemembers and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees). Other elements of the QC program (e.g., interstate, extended benefit programs, benefit denials, and revenue collections) will be phased in under a schedule determined by the Department in consultation with State agencies.
Subpart B—Federal Requirements
§ 602.10 Federal law requirements.
(a) Section 303(a)(1) of the Social Security Act (SSA), 42 U.S.C. 503(a)(1), requires that a State law include provision for:
Such methods of administration . . . as are found by the Secretary of Labor to be reasonably calculated to insure full payment of unemployment compensation when due.
(b) Section 303(a)(6), SSA, 42 U.S.C. 505(a)(6), requires that a State law include provision for:
The making of such reports, in such form and containing such information, as the Secretary of Labor may from time to time require, and compliance with such provisions as the Secretary of Labor may from time to time find necessary to assure the correctness and verification of such reports.
(c) Section 303(b), SSA, 42 U.S.C. 503(b), provides in part that:
Whenever the Secretary of Labor, after reasonable notice and opportunity for hearing to the State agency charged with the administration of the State law, finds that in the administration of the law there is—
(2) a failure to comply substantially with any provision specified in subsection (a);
(d) Certification of payment of granted funds to a State is withheld only when the Secretary finds, after reasonable notice and opportunity for hearing to the State agency—
(1) That any provision required by section 303(a) of the Social Security Act is no longer included in the State UC law, or
(2) That in the administration of the State UC law there has been a failure to comply substantially with any required provision of such law.
§ 602.11 Secretary’s interpretation.
(a) The Secretary interprets section 303(a)(1), SSA, to require that a State law provide for such methods of administration as will reasonably ensure the prompt and full payment of unemployment benefits to eligible claimants, and collection and handling of income for the State unemployment fund (particularly taxes and reimbursements), with the greatest accuracy feasible.
(b) The Secretary interprets sections 303(a)(1) and 303(a)(6), SSA, to authorize the Department of Labor to prescribe standard definitions, methods and procedures, and reporting requirements for the QC program and to ensure accuracy and verification of QC findings.
(c) The Secretary interprets section 303(b)(2), SSA to require that, in the administration of a State law, there shall be substantial compliance with the provisions required by sections 303(a) (1) and (6). Further, conformity of the State law with those requirements is required by section 303(a) and § 601.5(a) of this chapter.
(d) To satisfy the requirements of sections 303(a) (1) and (6), a State law must contain a provision requiring, or which is construed to require, the establishment and maintenance of a QC program in accordance with the requirements of this part. The establishment and maintenance of such a QC program in accordance with this part shall not require any change in State law concerning authority to undertake redeterminations of claims or liabilities or the finality of any determination, redetermination or decision.
Subpart C—State Responsibilities
§ 602.20 Organization.
Each State shall establish a QC unit independent of, and not accountable to, any unit performing functions subject to evaluation by the QC unit. The organizational location of this unit shall be positioned to maximize its objectivity, to facilitate its access to information necessary to carry out its responsibilities, and to minimize organizational conflict of interest.
§ 602.21 Standard methods and procedures.
Each State shall:
(a) Perform the requirements of this section in accordance with instructions issued by the Department, pursuant to § 602.30(a) of this part, to ensure standardization of methods and procedures in a manner consistent with this part;
(b) Select representative samples for QC study of at least a minimum size specified by the Department to ensure statistical validity (for benefit payments, a minimum of 400 cases of weeks paid per State per year);
(c) Complete prompt and in-depth case investigations to determine the degree of accuracy and timeliness in the administration of the State UC law and Federal programs with respect to benefit determinations, benefit payments, and revenue collections; and conduct other measurements and studies necessary or appropriate for carrying out the purposes of this part; and in conducting investigations each State shall:
(1) Inform claimants in writing that the information obtained from a QC investigation may affect their eligibility for benefits and inform employers in writing that the information obtained from a QC investigation of revenue may affect their tax liability,
(2) Use a questionnaire, prescribed by the Department, which is designed to obtain such data as the Department deems necessary for the operation of the QC program; require completion of the questionnaire by claimants in accordance with the eligibility and reporting authority under State law,
(3) Collect data identified by the Department as necessary for the operation of the QC program; however, the collection of demographic data will be limited to those data which relate to an individual’s eligibility for UC benefits and necessary to conduct proportions tests to validate the selection of representative samples (the demographic data elements necessary to conduct proportions tests are claimants’ date of birth, sex, and ethnic classification); and
(4) Conclude all findings of inaccuracy as detected through QC investigations with appropriate official actions, in accordance with the applicable State and Federal laws; make any determinations with respect to individual benefit claims in accordance with the Secretary’s “Standard for Claim Determinations—Separation Information” in the Employment Security Manual, part V, sections 6010-6015 (appendix A of this part);
(d) Classify benefit case findings resulting from QC investigations as:
(1) Proper payments, underpayments, or overpayments in benefit payment cases, or
(2) Proper denials or underpayments in benefit denial cases;
(e) Make and maintain records pertaining to the QC program, and make all such records available in a timely manner for inspection, examination, and audit by such Federal officials as the Secretary may designate or as may be required or authorized by law;
(f) Furnish information and reports to the Department, including weekly transmissions of case data entered into the automated QC system and annual reports, without, in any manner, identifying individuals to whom such data pertain; and
(g) Release the results of the QC program at the same time each year, providing calendar year results using a standardized format to present the data as prescribed by the Department; States will have the opportunity to release this information prior to any release by the Department.
§ 602.22 Exceptions.
If the Department determines that the QC program, or any constituent part of the QC program, is not necessary for the proper and efficient administration of a State law or in the Department’s view is not cost effective, the Department shall use established procedures to advise the State that it is partially or totally excepted from the specified requirements of this part. Any determination under this section shall be made only after consultations with the State agency.
Subpart D—Federal Responsibilities
§ 602.30 Management.
(a) The Department shall establish required methods and procedures (as specified in § 602.21 of this part); and provide technical assistance as needed on the QC process.
(b) The Department shall consider and explore alternatives to the prescribed sampling, study, recordkeeping, and reporting methodologies. This shall include, but not be limited to, testing the obtaining of information needed for QC by telephone and mail rather than in face-to-face interviews.
(c) The Department shall maintain a computerized data base of QC case data which is transmitted to the Department under § 602.21, which will be combined with other data for statistical and other analysis such as assessing the impact of economic cycles, funding levels, and workload levels on program accuracy and timeliness.
§ 602.31 Oversight.
The Department shall review QC operational procedures and samples, and validate QC methodology to ensure uniformity in the administration of the QC program and to ensure compliance with the requirements of this part. The Department shall, for purposes of determining eligibility for grants described in § 602.40, annually review the adequacy of the administration of a State’s QC program.
Subpart E—Quality Control Grants to States
§ 602.40 Funding.
(a) The Department shall use established procedures to notify States of the availability of funds for the operation of QC programs in accordance with this part.
(b) The Department may allocate additional resources, if available, to States for analysis of data generated by the QC program, to increase the number of claims sampled in areas where more information is needed, for pilot studies for the purpose of expanding the QC program, and for corrective action.
§ 602.41 Proper expenditure of Quality Control granted funds.
The Secretary may, after reasonable notice and opportunity for hearing to the State agency, take exception to and require repayment of an expenditure for the operation of a QC program if it is found by the Secretary that such expenditure is not necessary for the proper and efficient administration of the QC program in the State. See sections 303(a)(8), 303(a)(9) and 303(b)(2), SSA, and 20 CFR 601.5. For purposes of this section, an expenditure will be found not necessary for proper and efficient administration if such expenditure fails to comply with the requirements of subpart C of this part.
§ 602.42 Effect of failure to implement Quality Control program.
Any State which the Secretary finds, after reasonable notice and opportunity for hearing, has not implemented or maintained a QC program in accordance with this part will not be eligible for any grants under title III of the Social Security Act until such time as the Secretary is satisfied that there is no longer any failure to conform or to comply substantially with any provision specified in this part. See sections 303(a)(1), 303(a)(6), and 303(b)(2), SSA, and 20 CFR 601.5.
§ 602.43 No incentives or sanctions based on specific error rates.
Neither sanctions nor funding incentives shall be used by the Department to influence the achievement of specified error rates in State UC programs.
Appendix A to Part 602—Standard for Claim Determinations—Separation Information
6010 Federal Law Requirements. Section 303(a)(1) of the Social Security Act requires that a State law include provision for:
“Such methods of administration . . . as are found by the Secretary to be reasonably calculated to insure full payment of unemployment compensation when due.”
Section 303(a)(3) of the Social Security Act requires that a State law include provision for:
“Opportunity for a fair hearing before an impartial tribunal, for all individuals whose claims for unemployment compensation are denied.”
Section 3304(a)(4) of the Federal Unemployment Tax Act and section 303(a)(5) of the Social Security Act require that a State law include provision for:
“Expenditure of all money withdrawn from an unemployment fund of such State, in the payment of unemployment compensation. . . .”
Section 3306(h) of the Federal Unemployment Tax Act defines “compensation” as “cash benefits payable to individuals with respect to their unemployment.”
6011 Secretary’s Interpretation of Federal Law Requirements. The Secretary interprets the above sections to require that a State law include provisions which will insure that:
A. Individuals who may be entitled to unemployment compensation are furnished such information as will reasonably afford them an opportunity to know, establish, and protect their rights under the unemployment compensation law of such State, and
B. The State agency obtains and records in time for the prompt determination and review of benefit claims such information as will reasonably insure the payment of benefits to individuals to whom benefits are due.
6012 Criteria for Review of State Law Conformity with Federal Requirements:
In determining the conformity of a State law with the above requirements of the Federal Unemployment Tax Act and the Social Security Act as interpreted by the Secretary, the following criteria will be applied:
A. Is it required that individuals who may be entitled to unemployment compensation be furnished such information of their potential rights to benefits, including the manner and places of filing claims, the reasons for determinations, and their rights of appeal, as will insure them a reasonable opportunity to know, establish, and protect their rights under the law of the State?
B. Is the State agency required to obtain, in time for prompt determination of rights to benefits such information as will reasonably insure the payment of benefits to individuals to whom benefits are due?
C. Is the State agency required to keep records of the facts considered in reaching determinations of rights to benefits?
6013 Claim Determinations Requirements Designed To Meet Department of Labor Criteria:
A. Investigation of claims. The State agency is required to obtain promptly and prior to a determination of an individual’s right to benefits, such facts pertaining thereto as will be sufficient reasonably to insure the payment of benefits when due.
This requirement embraces five separate elements:
1. It is the responsibility of the agency to take the initiative in the discovery of information. This responsibility may not be passed on to the claimant or the employer. In addition to the agency’s own records, this information may be obtained from the worker, the employer, or other sources. If the information obtained in the first instance discloses no essential disagreement and provides a sufficient basis for a fair determination, no further investigation is necessary. If the information obtained from other sources differs essentially from that furnished by the claimant, the agency, in order to meet its responsibility, is required to inform the claimant of such information from other sources and to afford the claimant an opportunity to furnish any further facts he may have.
2. Evidentiary facts must be obtained as distinguished from ultimate facts or conclusions. That a worker was discharged for misconduct is an ultimate fact or conclusion; that he destroyed a machine upon which he was working is a primary or evidentiary fact, and the sort of fact that the requirement refers to.
3. The information obtained must be sufficient reasonably to insure the payment of benefits when due. In general, the investigation made by the agency must be complete enough to provide information upon which the agency may act with reasonable assurance that its decision is consistent with the unemployment compensation law. On the other hand, the investigation should not be so exhaustive and time-consuming as unduly to delay the payment of benefits and to result in excessive costs.
4. Information must be obtained promptly so that the payment of benefits is not unduly delayed.
5. If the State agency requires any particular evidence from the worker, it must give him a reasonable opportunity to obtain such evidence.
B. Recording of facts. The agency must keep a written record of the facts considered in reaching its determinations.
C. Determination notices.
1. The agency must give each claimant a written notice of:
a. Any monetary determination with respect to his benefit year;
b. Any determination with respect to purging a disqualification if, under the State law, a condition or qualification must be satisfied with respect to each week of disqualification; but in lieu of giving written notice of each determination for each week in which it is determined that the claimant has met the requirements for purging, the agency may inform the claimant that he has purged the disqualification for a week by notation of his applicant identification card or otherwise in writing.
c. Any other determination which adversely affects
(1) A week in a benefit year for which the claimant’s weekly benefit amount is reduced in whole or in part by earnings if, the first time in the benefit year that there is such a reduction, he is required to be furnished a booklet or leaflet containing the information set forth below in paragraph 2f(1). However, a written notice of determination is required if: (a) there is a dispute concerning the reduction with respect to any week (e.g., as to the amount computed as the appropriate reduction, etc.); or (b) there is a change in the State law (or in the application thereof) affecting the reduction; or
(2) Any week in a benefit year subsequent to the first week in such benefit year in which benefits were denied, or reduced in whole or in part for reasons other than earnings, if denial or reduction for such subsequent week is based on the same reason and the same facts as for the first week, and if written notice of determination is required to be given to the claimant with respect to such first week, and with such notice of determination, he is required to be given a booklet or pamphlet containing the information set forth below in paragraphs 2f(2) and 2h. However, a written notice of determination is required if: (a) there is a dispute concerning the denial or reduction of benefits with respect to such week; or (b) there is a change in the State law (or in the application thereof) affecting the denial or reduction; or (c) there is a change in the amount of the reduction except as to the balance covered by the last reduction in a series of reductions.
This procedure may be applied to determinations made with respect to any subsequent weeks for the same reason and on the basis of the same facts: (a) that claimant is unable to work, unavailable for work, or is disqualified under the labor dispute provision; and (b) reducing claimant’s weekly benefit amount because of income other than earnings or offset by reason of overpayment.
2. The agency must include in written notices of determinations furnished to claimants sufficient information to enable them to understand the determinations, the reasons therefor, and their rights to protest, request reconsideration, or appeal.
The written notice of monetary determination must contain the information specified in the following items (except h) unless an item is specifically not applicable. A written notice of any other determination must contain the information specified in as many of the following items as are necessary to enable the claimant to understand the determination and to inform him of his appeal rights. Information specifically applicable to the individual claimant must be contained in the written notice of determination. Information of general application such as (but not limited to) the explanation of benefits for partial unemployment, information as to deductions, seasonality factors, and information as to the manner and place of taking an appeal, extension of the appeal period, and where to obtain information and assistance may be contained in a booklet or leaflet which is given the claimant with his monetary determination.
a. Base period wages. The statement concerning base-period wages must be in sufficient detail to show the basis of computation of eligibility and weekly and maximum benefit amounts. (If maximum benefits are allowed, it may not be necessary to show details of earnings.)
b. Employer name. The name of the employer who reported the wages is necessary so that the worker may check the wage transcript and know whether it is correct. If the worker is given only the employer number, he may not be able to check the accuracy of the wage transcript.
c. Explanation of benefit formula—weekly and maximum benefit amounts. Sufficient information must be given the worker so that he will understand how his weekly benefit amount, including allowances for dependents, and his maximum benefit amount were figured. If benefits are computed by means of a table contained in the law, the table must be furnished with the notice of determination whether benefits are granted or denied.
The written notice of determination must show clearly the weekly benefit amount and the maximum potential benefits to which the claimant is entitled.
The notice to a claimant found ineligible by reason of insufficient earnings in the base period must inform him clearly of the reason for ineligibility. An explanation of the benefit formula contained in a booklet or pamphlet should be given to each claimant at or prior to the time he receives written notice of a monetary determination.
d. Benefit year. An explanation of what is meant by the benefit year and identification of the claimant’s benefit year must be included in the notice of determination.
e. Information as to benefits for partial unemployment. There must be included either in the written notice of determination or in a booklet or pamphlet accompanying the notice an explanation of the claimant’s rights to partial benefits for any week with respect to which he is working less than his normal customary full-time workweek because of lack of work and for which he earns less than his weekly benefit amount or weekly benefit amount plus earnings, whichever is provided by the State law. If the explanation is contained in the notice of determination, reference to the item in the notice in which his weekly benefit amount is entered should be made.
f. Deductions from weekly benefits.
(1) Earnings. Although written notice of determinations deducting earnings from a claimant’s weekly benefit amount is generally not required (see paragraph 1 c (1) above), where written notice of determination is required (or given) it shall set forth the amount of earnings, the method of computing the deduction in sufficient detail to enable the claimant to verify the accuracy of the deduction, and his right to protest, request redetermination, and appeal. Where a written notice of determination is given to the claimant because there has been a change in the State law or in the application of the law, an explanation of the change shall be included.
Where claimant is not required to receive a written notice of determination, he must be given a booklet or pamphlet the first time in his benefit year that there is a deduction for earnings which shall include the following information:
(a) The method of computing deductions for earnings in sufficient detail to enable the claimant to verify the accuracy of the deduction;
(b) That he will not automatically be given a written notice of determination for a week with respect to which there is a deduction for earnings (unless there is a dispute concerning the reduction with respect to a week or there has been a change in the State law or in the application of the law affecting the deduction) but that he may obtain such a written notice upon request; and
(c) A clear statement of his right to protest, request a redetermination, and appeal from any determination deducting earnings from his weekly benefit amount even though he does not automatically receive a written notice of determination; and if the State law requires written notice of determination in order to effectuate a protest, redetermination, or appeal, he must be so advised and advised also that he must request a written notice of determination before he takes any such action.
(2) Other deductions.
(a) A written notice of determination is required with respect to the first week in claimant’s benefit year in which there is a reduction from his benefits for a reason other than earnings. This notice must describe the deduction made from claimant’s weekly benefit amount, the reason for the deduction, the method of computing it in sufficient detail to enable him to verify the accuracy of such deduction, and his right to protest, request redetermination, or appeal.
(b) A written notice of determination is not required for subsequent weeks that a deduction is made for the same reason and on the basis of the same facts, if the notice of determination pursuant to (2)(a), or a booklet or pamphlet given him with such notice explains (i) the several kinds of deductions which may be made under the State law (e.g., retirement pensions, vacation pay, and overpayments); (ii) the method of computing each kind of deduction in sufficient detail that claimant will be able to verify the accuracy of deductions made from his weekly benefit payments; (iii) any limitation on the amount of any deduction or the time in which any deduction may be made; (iv) that he will not automatically be given a written notice of determination for subsequent weeks with respect to which there is a deduction for the same reason and on the basis of the same facts, but that he may obtain a written notice of determination upon request; (v) his right to protest, request redetermination, or appeal with respect to subsequent weeks for which there is a reduction from his benefits for the same reason, and on the basis of the same facts even though he does not automatically receive a written notice of determination; and (vi) that if the State law requires written notice of determination in order to effectuate a protest, redetermination, or appeal, he must be so advised and advised also that he must request a written notice of determination before he takes any such action.
g. Seasonality factors. If the individual’s determination is affected by seasonality factors under the State law, an adequate explanation must be made. General explanation of seasonality factors which may affect determinations for subsequent weeks may be included in a booklet or pamphlet given claimant with his notice of monetary determination.
h. Disqualification or ineligibility. If a disqualification is imposed, or if the claimant is declared ineligible for one or more weeks, he must be given not only a statement of the period of disqualification or ineligibility and the amount of wage-credit reductions, if any, but also an explanation of the reason for the ineligibility or disqualification. This explanation must be sufficiently detailed so that he will understand why he is ineligible or why he has been disqualified, and what he must do in order to requalify for benefits or purge the disqualification. The statement must be individualized to indicate the facts upon which the determination was based, e.g., state, “It is found that you left your work with Blank Company because you were tired of working; the separation was voluntary, and the reason does not constitute good cause,” rather than merely the phrase “voluntary quit.” Checking a box as to the reason for the disqualification is not a sufficiently detailed explanation. However, this statement of the reason for the disqualification need not be a restatement of all facts considered in arriving at the determination.
i. Appeal rights. The claimant must be given information with respect to his appeal rights.
(1) The following information shall be included in the notice of determination:
(a) A statement that he may appeal or, if the State law requires or permits a protest or redetermination before an appeal, that he may protest or request a redetermination.
(b) The period within which an appeal, protest, or request for redetermination must be filed. The number of days provided by statute must be shown as well as either the beginning date or ending date of the period. (It is recommended that the ending date of the appeal period be shown, as this is the more understandable of the alternatives.)
(2) The following information must be included either in the notice of determination or in separate informational material referred to in the notice:
(a) The manner in which the appeal, protest, or request for redetermination must be filed, e.g., by signed letter, written statement, or on a prescribed form, and the place or places to which the appeal, protest, or request for redetermination may be mailed or hand-delivered.
(b) An explanation of any circumstances (such as nonworkdays, good cause, etc.) which will extend the period for the appeal, protest, or request for redetermination beyond the date stated or identified in the notice of determination.
(c) That any further information claimant may need or desire can be obtained together with assistance in filing his appeal, protest, or request for redetermination from the local office.
If the information is given in separate material, the notice of determination would adequately refer to such material if it said, for example, “For other information about your (appeal), (protest), (redetermination) rights, see pages __ to __ of the ____ (name of pamphlet or booklet) heretofore furnished to you.”
6014 Separation Information Requirements Designed To Meet Department of Labor Criteria:
A. Information to agency. Where workers are separated, employers are required to furnish the agency promptly, either upon agency request or upon such separation, a notice describing the reasons for and the circumstances of the separation and any additional information which might affect a claimant’s right to benefits. Where workers are working less than full time, employers are required to furnish the agency promptly, upon agency request, information concerning a claimant’s hours of work and his wages during the claim periods involved, and other facts which might affect a claimant’s eligibility for benefits during such periods.
When workers are separated and the notices are obtained on a request basis, or when workers are working less than full time and the agency requests information, it is essential to the prompt processing of claims that the request be sent out promptly after the claim is filed and the employer be given a specific period within which to return the notice, preferably within 2 working days.
When workers are separated and notices are obtained upon separation, it is essential that the employer be required to send the notice to the agency with sufficient promptness to insure that, if a claim is filed, it may be processed promptly. Normally, it is desirable that such a notice be sent to the central office of the agency, since the employer may not know in which local office the workers will file his claim. The usual procedure is for the employer to give the worker a copy of the notice sent by the employer to the agency.
B. Information to worker.
1. Information required to be given. Employers are required to give their employees information and instructions concerning the employees’ potential rights to benefits and concerning registration for work and filing claims for benefits.
The information furnished to employees under such a requirement need not be elaborate; it need only be adequate to insure that the worker who is separated or who is working less than full time knows he is potentially eligible for benefits and is informed as to what he is to do or where he is to go to file his claim and register for work. When he files his claim, he can obtain more detailed information.
In States that do not require employers to furnish periodically to the State agency detailed reports of the wages paid to their employees, each employer is required to furnish to his employees information as to (a) the name under which he is registered by the State agency, (b) the address where he maintains his payroll records, and (c) the workers’ need for this information if and when they file claims for benefits.
2. Methods for giving information. The information and instructions required above may be given in any of the following ways:
a. Posters prominently displayed in the employer’s establishment. The State agency should supply employers with a sufficient number of posters for distribution throughout their places of business and should see that the posters are conspicuously displayed at all times.
b. Leaflets. Leaflets distributed either periodically or at the time of separation or reduction of hours. The State agency should supply employers with a sufficient number of leaflets.
c. Individual notices. Individual notices given to each employee at the time of separation or reduction in hours.
It is recommended that the State agency’s publicity program be used to supplement the employer-information requirements. Such a program should stress the availability and location of claim-filing offices and the importance of visiting those offices whenever the worker is unemployed, wishes to apply for benefits, and to seek a job.
6015 Evaluation of Alternative State Provisions with Respect to Claim Determinations and Separation Information. If the State law provisions do not conform to the suggested requirements set forth in sections 6013 and 6014, but the State law contains alternative provisions, the Bureau of Employment Security, in collaboration with the State agency, will study the actual or anticipated effects of the alternative provisions. If the Administrator of the Bureau concludes that the alternative provisions satisfy the criteria in section 6012, he will so notify the State agency. If the Administrator of the Bureau does not so conclude, he will submit the matter to the Secretary. If the Secretary concludes that the alternative provisions satisfy the criteria in section 6012, the State agency will be so notified. If the Secretary concludes that there is a question as to whether the alternative provisions satisfy the criteria, the State agency will be advised that unless the State law provisions are appropriately revised, a notice of hearing will be issued as required by the Code of Federal Regulations, title 20, section 601.5.
PART 603—FEDERAL-STATE UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION (UC) PROGRAM; CONFIDENTIALITY AND DISCLOSURE OF STATE UC INFORMATION
Subpart A—In General
§ 603.1 What are the purpose and scope of this part?
The purpose of this part is to implement the requirements of Federal UC law concerning confidentiality and disclosure of UC information. This part applies to States and State UC agencies, as defined in § 603.2(f) and (g).
§ 603.2 What definitions apply to this part?
For the purposes of this part:
(a)(1) Claim information means information about:
(i) Whether an individual is receiving, has received, or has applied for UC;
(ii) The amount of compensation the individual is receiving or is entitled to receive; and
(iii) The individual’s current (or most recent) home address.
(2) For purposes of subpart C (IEVS), claim information also includes:
(i) Whether the individual has refused an offer of work and, if so, a description of the job offered including the terms, conditions, and rate of pay; and
(ii) Any other information contained in the records of the State UC agency that is needed by the requesting agency to verify eligibility for, and the amount of, benefits.
(b) Confidential UC information and confidential information mean any UC information, as defined in paragraph (j) of this section, required to be kept confidential under § 603.4.
(c) Public domain information means—
(1) Information about the organization of the State and the State UC agency and appellate authorities, including the names and positions of officials and employees thereof;
(2) Information about the State UC law (and applicable Federal law) provisions, rules, regulations, and interpretations thereof, including statements of general policy and interpretations of general applicability; and
(3) Any agreement of whatever kind or nature, including interstate arrangements and reciprocal agreements and any agreement with the Department of Labor or the Secretary, relating to the administration of the State UC law.
(d) Public official means:
(1) An official, agency, or public entity within the executive branch of Federal, State, or local government who (or which) has responsibility for administering or enforcing a law, or an elected official in the Federal, State, or local government.
(2) Public postsecondary educational institutions established and governed under the laws of the State. These include the following:
(i) Institutions that are part of the State’s executive branch. This means the head of the institution must derive his or her authority from the Governor, either directly or through a State WDB, commission, or similar entity established in the executive branch under the laws of the State.
(ii) Institutions which are independent of the executive branch. This means the head of the institution derives his or her authority from the State’s chief executive officer for the State education authority or agency when such officer is elected or appointed independently of the Governor.
(iii) Publicly governed, publicly funded community and technical colleges.
(3) Performance accountability and customer information agencies designated by the Governor of a State to be responsible for coordinating the assessment of State and local education or workforce training program performance and/or evaluating education or workforce training provider performance.
(4) The chief elected official of a local area as defined in WIOA sec. 3(9).
(5) A State educational authority, agency, or institution as those terms are used in the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, to the extent they are public entities.
(e) Secretary and Secretary of Labor mean the cabinet officer heading the United States Department of Labor, or his or her designee.
(f) State means a State of the United States of America, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the United States Virgin Islands.
(g) State UC agency means an agency charged with the administration of the State UC law.
(h) State UC law means the law of a State approved under Section 3304(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. 3304(a)).
(i) Unemployment compensation (UC) means cash benefits payable to individuals with respect to their unemployment.
(j) UC information and State UC information means information in the records of a State or State UC agency that pertains to the administration of the State UC law. This term includes those State wage reports collected under the IEVS (Section 1137 of the Social Security Act (SSA)) that are obtained by the State UC agency for determining UC monetary eligibility or are downloaded to the State UC agency’s files as a result of a crossmatch but does not otherwise include those wage reports. It does not include information in a State’s Directory of New Hires, but does include any such information that has been disclosed to the State UC agency for use in the UC program. It also does not include the personnel or fiscal information of a State UC agency.
(k) Wage information means information in the records of a State UC agency (and, for purposes of § 603.23 (IEVS)), information reported under provisions of State law which fulfill the requirements of Section 1137, SSA) about the—
(1) Wages paid to an individual,
(2) Social security account number (or numbers, if more than one) of such individual, and
(3) Name, address, State, and the Federal employer identification number of the employer who paid such wages to such individual.
Subpart B—Confidentiality and Disclosure Requirements
§ 603.3 What is the purpose and scope of this subpart?
This subpart implements the basic confidentiality requirement derived from Section 303(a)(1), SSA, and the disclosure requirements of Sections 303(a)(7), (c)(1), (d), (e), (h), and (i), SSA, and Section 3304(a)(16), Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA). This subpart also establishes uniform minimum requirements for the payment of costs, safeguards, and data-sharing agreements when UC information is disclosed, and for conformity and substantial compliance with this proposed rule. This subpart applies to States and State UC agencies, as defined in § 603.2(f) and (g), respectively.
§ 603.4 What is the confidentiality requirement of Federal UC law?
(a) Statute. Section 303(a)(1) of the SSA (42 U.S.C. 503(a)(1)) provides that, for the purposes of certification of payment of granted funds to a State under Section 302(a) (42 U.S.C. 502(a)), State law must include provision for such methods of administration as are found by the Secretary of Labor to be reasonably calculated to insure full payment of unemployment compensation when due.
(b) Interpretation. The Department of Labor interprets Section 303(a)(1), SSA, to mean that “methods of administration” that are reasonably calculated to insure the full payment of UC when due must include provision for maintaining the confidentiality of any UC information which reveals the name or any identifying particular about any individual or any past or present employer or employing unit, or which could foreseeably be combined with other publicly available information to reveal any such particulars, and must include provision for barring the disclosure of any such information, except as provided in this part.
(c) Application. Each State law must contain provisions that are interpreted and applied consistently with the interpretation in paragraph (b) of this section and with this subpart, and must provide penalties for any disclosure of confidential UC information that is inconsistent with any provision of this subpart.
§ 603.5 What are the exceptions to the confidentiality requirement?
The following are exceptions to the confidentiality requirement. Disclosure of confidential UC information is permissible under the exceptions in paragraphs (a) through (g) of this section only if authorized by State law and if such disclosure does not interfere with the efficient administration of the State UC law. Disclosure of confidential UC information is permissible under the exceptions in paragraphs (h) and (i) of this section without such restrictions.
(a) Public domain information. The confidentiality requirement of § 603.4 does not apply to public domain information, as defined at § 603.2(c).
(b) UC appeals records. Disclosure of appeals records and decisions, and precedential determinations on coverage of employers, employment, and wages, is permissible provided all social security account numbers have been removed and such disclosure is otherwise consistent with Federal and State law.
(c) Individual or employer. Disclosure for non-UC purposes, of confidential UC information about an individual to that individual, or of confidential UC information about an employer to that employer, is permissible.
(d) Informed consent. Disclosure of confidential UC information on the basis of informed consent is permissible in the following circumstances—
(1) Agent—to one who acts for or in the place of an individual or an employer by the authority of that individual or employer if—
(i) In general—
(A) The agent presents a written release (which may include an electronically submitted release that the State determines is authentic) from the individual or employer being represented;
(B) When a written release is impossible or impracticable to obtain, the agent presents such other form of consent as is permitted by the State UC agency in accordance with State law;
(ii) In the case of an elected official performing constituent services, the official presents reasonable evidence (such as a letter from the individual or employer requesting assistance or a written record of a telephone request from the individual or employer) that the individual or employer has authorized such disclosure; or
(iii) In the case of an attorney retained for purposes related to the State’s UC law, the attorney asserts that he or she is representing the individual or employer.
(2) Third party (other than an agent) or disclosure made on an ongoing basis—to a third party that is not acting as an agent or that receives confidential information following an informed consent disclosure on an ongoing basis (even if such entity is an agent), but only if that entity obtains a written release from the individual or employer to whom the information pertains.
(i) The release must be signed and must include a statement—
(A) Specifically identifying the information that is to be disclosed;
(B) That State government files will be accessed to obtain that information;
(C) Of the specific purpose or purposes for which the information is sought and a statement that information obtained under the release will only be used for that purpose or purposes; and
(D) Indicating all the parties who may receive the information disclosed.
(ii) The purpose specified in the release must be limited to—
(A) Providing a service or benefit to the individual signing the release that such individual expects to receive as a result of signing the release; or
(B) Carrying out administration or evaluation of a public program to which the release pertains.
The Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act of 2000 (E-Sign), Pub. L. 106-229, may apply where a party wishes to effectuate electronically an informed consent release (§ 603.5(d)(2)) or a disclosure agreement (§ 603.10(a)) with an entity that uses informed consent releases. E-Sign, among other things, sets forth the circumstances under which electronic signatures, contracts, and other records relating to such transactions (in lieu of paper documents) are legally binding. Thus, an electronic communication may suffice under E-Sign to establish a legally binding contract. The States will need to consider E-Sign’s application to these informed consent releases and disclosure agreements. In particular, a State must, to conform and substantially comply with this regulation, assure that these informed consent releases and disclosure agreements are legally enforceable. If an informed consent release or disclosure agreement is to be effectuated electronically, the State must determine whether E-Sign applies to that transaction, and, if so, make certain that the transaction satisfies the conditions imposed by E-Sign. The State must also make certain that the electronic transaction complies with every other condition necessary to make it legally enforceable.
(e) Public official. Disclosure of confidential UC information to a public official for use in the performance of his or her official duties is permissible.
(1) “Performance of official duties” means administration or enforcement of law or the execution of the official responsibilities of a Federal, State, or local elected official. Administration of law includes research related to the law administered by the public official. Execution of official responsibilities does not include solicitation of contributions or expenditures to or on behalf of a candidate for public or political office or a political party.
(2) For purposes of § 603.2(d)(2) through (5), “performance of official duties” includes, in addition to the activities set out in paragraph (e)(1) of this section, use of the confidential UC information for the following limited purposes:
(i) State and local performance accountability under WIOA sec. 116, including eligible training provider performance accountability under WIOA secs. 116(d) and 122;
(ii) The requirements of discretionary Federal grants awarded under WIOA; or
(iii) As otherwise required for education or workforce training program performance accountability and reporting under Federal or State law.
(f) Agent or contractor of public official. Disclosure of confidential UC information to an agent or contractor of a public official to whom disclosure is permissible under paragraph (e) of this section.
(g) Bureau of Labor Statistics. The confidentiality requirement does not apply to information collected exclusively for statistical purposes under a cooperative agreement with the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Further, this part does not restrict or impose any condition on the transfer of any other information to the BLS under an agreement, or the BLS’s disclosure or use of such information.
(h) Court order; official with subpoena authority. Disclosure of confidential UC information in response to a court order or to an official with subpoena authority is permissible as specified in § 603.7(b).
(i) UC Program Oversight and Audits. The confidentiality requirement does not apply to any disclosure to a Federal official for purposes of UC program oversight and audits, including disclosures under 20 CFR part 601 and 29 CFR parts 96 and 97.
§ 603.6 What disclosures are required by this subpart?
(a) The confidentiality requirement of 303(a)(1), SSA, and § 603.4 are not applicable to this paragraph (a) and the Department of Labor interprets Section 303(a)(1), SSA, as requiring disclosure of all information necessary for the proper administration of the UC program. This includes disclosures to claimants, employers, the Internal Revenue Service (for purposes of UC tax administration), and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (for purposes of verifying a claimant’s immigration status).
(b) In addition to Section 303(f), SSA (concerning an IEVS), which is addressed in subpart C, the following provisions of Federal UC law also specifically require disclosure of State UC information and State-held information pertaining to the Federal UC and benefit programs of Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE), Unemployment Compensation for Ex-Servicemembers (UCX), Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) (except for confidential business information collected by States), Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA), and any Federal UC benefit extension program:
(1) Section 303(a)(7), SSA, requires State law to provide for making available, upon request, to any agency of the United States charged with the administration of public works or assistance through public employment, disclosure of the following information with respect to each recipient of UC—
(i) Name;
(ii) Address;
(iii) Ordinary occupation;
(iv) Employment status; and
(v) A statement of such recipient’s rights to further compensation under the State law.
(2) Section 303(c)(1), SSA, requires each State to make its UC records available to the Railroad Retirement Board, and to furnish such copies of its UC records to the Railroad Retirement Board as the Board deems necessary for its purposes.
(3) Section 303(d)(1), SSA, requires each State UC agency, for purposes of determining an individual’s eligibility benefits, or the amount of benefits, under a food stamp program established under the Food Stamp Act of 1977, to disclose, upon request, to officers and employees of the Department of Agriculture, and to officers or employees of any State food stamp agency, any of the following information contained in the records of the State UC agency—
(i) Wage information,
(ii) Whether an individual is receiving, has received, or has made application for, UC, and the amount of any such compensation being received, or to be received, by such individual,
(iii) The current (or most recent) home address of such individual, and
(iv) Whether an individual has refused an offer of employment and, if so, a description of the employment so offered and the terms, conditions, and rate of pay therefore.
(4) Section 303(e)(1), SSA, requires each State UC agency to disclose, upon request, directly to officers or employees of any State or local child support enforcement agency, any wage information contained in the records of the State UC agency for purposes of establishing and collecting child support obligations (not to include custodial parent support obligations) from, and locating, individuals owing such obligations.
(5) Section 303(h), SSA, requires each State UC agency to disclose quarterly, to the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), wage information and claim information as required under Section 453(i)(1) of the SSA (establishing the National Directory of New Hires), contained in the records of such agency, for purposes of Subsections (i)(1), (i)(3), and (j) of Section 453, SSA (establishing the National Directory of New Hires and its uses for purposes of child support enforcement, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), TANF research, administration of the earned income tax credit, and use by the Social Security Administration).
(6) Section 303(i), SSA, requires each State UC agency to disclose, upon request, to officers or employees of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and to representatives of a public housing agency, for purposes of determining an individual’s eligibility for benefits, or the amount of benefits, under a housing assistance program of HUD, any of the following information contained in the records of such State agency about any individual applying for or participating in any housing assistance program administered by HUD who has signed a consent form approved by the Secretary of HUD—
(i) Wage information, and
(ii) Whether the individual is receiving, has received, or has made application for, UC, and the amount of any such compensation being received (or to be received) by such individual.
(7) Section 3304(a)(16), FUTA requires each State UC agency—
(i) To disclose, upon request, to any State or political subdivision thereof administering a Temporary Assistance to Needy Families Agency (TANF) program funded under part A of Title IV of the SSA, wage information contained in the records of the State UC agency which is necessary (as determined by the Secretary of HHS in regulations) for purposes of determining an individual’s eligibility for TANF assistance or the amount of TANF assistance; and
(ii) To furnish to the Secretary of HHS, in accordance with that Secretary’s regulations at 45 CFR 303.108, wage information (as defined at 45 CFR 303.108(a)(2)) and UC information (as defined at 45 CFR 303.108(a)(3)) contained in the records of such agency for the purposes of the National Directory of New Hires established under Section 453(i) of the SSA.
(8) To comply with WIOA sec. 116(e)(4), States must, to the extent practicable, cooperate in the conduct of evaluations (including related research projects) provided for by the Secretary of Labor or the Secretary of Education under the provisions of Federal law identified in WIOA sec. 116(e)(1); WIOA secs. 169 and 242(c)(2)(D); sec. 12(a)(5), 14, and 107 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 709(a)(5), 711, 727) (applied with respect to programs carried out under title I of that Act (29 U.S.C. 720 et seq.)); and the investigations provided for by the Secretary of Labor under sec. 10(b) of the Wagner-Peyser Act (29 U.S.C. 49i(b)). For purposes of this part, States must disclose confidential UC information to a Federal official (or an agent or contractor of a Federal official) requesting such information in the course of such evaluations. This disclosure must be done in accordance with appropriate privacy and confidentiality protections established in this part. This disclosure must be made to the “extent practicable”, which means that the disclosure would not interfere with the efficient administration of the State UC law, as required by § 603.5.
(c) Each State law must contain provisions that are interpreted and applied consistently with the requirements listed in this section.
(a) In general. Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, when a subpoena or other compulsory process is served upon a State UC agency or the State, any official or employee thereof, or any recipient of confidential UC information, which requires the production of confidential UC information or appearance for testimony upon any matter concerning such information, the State or State UC agency or recipient must file and diligently pursue a motion to quash the subpoena or other compulsory process if other means of avoiding the disclosure of confidential UC information are not successful or if the court has not already ruled on the disclosure. Only if such motion is denied by the court or other forum may the requested confidential UC information be disclosed, and only upon such terms as the court or forum may order, such as that the recipient protect the disclosed information and pay the State’s or State UC agency’s costs of disclosure.
(b) Exceptions. The requirement of paragraph (a) of this section to move to quash subpoenas shall not be applicable, so that disclosure is permissible, where—
(1) Court Decision—a subpoena or other compulsory legal process has been served and a court has previously issued a binding precedential decision that requires disclosures of this type, or a well-established pattern of prior court decisions have required disclosures of this type, or
(2) Official with subpoena authority—Confidential UC information has been subpoenaed, by a local, State or Federal governmental official, other than a clerk of court on behalf of a litigant, with authority to obtain such information by subpoena under State or Federal law. The State or State UC agency may choose to disclose such confidential UC information to these officials without the actual issuance of a subpoena.
§ 603.8 What are the requirements for payment of costs and program income?
(a) In general. Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, grant funds must not be used to pay any of the costs of making any disclosure of UC information. Grant funds may not be used to pay any of the costs of making any disclosures under § 603.5(d)(2) (third party (other than an agent) or disclosure made on an ongoing basis), § 603.5(e) (optional disclosure to a public official), § 603.5(f) (optional disclosure to an agent or contractor of a public official), and § 603.5(g) (optional disclosure to BLS), § 603.6(b) (mandatory disclosures for non-UC purposes), or § 603.22 (mandatory disclosure for purposes of an IEVS).
(b) Use of grant funds permitted. Grant funds paid to a State under Section 302(a), SSA, may be used to pay the costs of only those disclosures necessary for proper administration of the UC program. (This may include some disclosures under § 603.5(a) (concerning public domain information), § 603.5(c) (to an individual or employer), and § 603.5(d)(1) (to an agent).) In addition, grant funds may be used to pay costs of disclosures under § 603.5(i) (for UC Program Oversight and Audits) and § 603.6(a) (for the proper administration of the UC program). Grant funds may also be used to pay costs associated with disclosures under § 603.7(b)(1) (concerning court-ordered compliance with subpoenas) if a court has denied recovery of costs, or to pay costs associated with disclosures under § 603.7(b)(2) (to officials with subpoena authority) if the State UC agency has attempted but not been successful in obtaining reimbursement of costs. Finally, grant funds may be used to pay costs associated with any disclosure of UC information if not more than an incidental amount of staff time and no more than nominal processing costs are involved in making the disclosure.
(c) Calculation of costs. The costs to a State or State UC agency of processing and handling a request for disclosure of information must be calculated in accordance with the cost principles and administrative requirements of 29 CFR part 97 and Office of Management and Budget Circular No. A-87 (Revised). For the purpose of calculating such costs, any initial start-up costs incurred by the State UC agency in preparation for making the requested disclosure(s), such as computer reprogramming necessary to respond to the request, and the costs of implementing safeguards and agreements required by §§ 603.9 and 603.10, must be charged to and paid by the recipient. (Start-up costs do not include the costs to the State UC agency of obtaining, compiling, or maintaining information for its own purposes.) Postage or other delivery costs incurred in making any disclosure are part of the costs of making the disclosure. Penalty mail, as defined in 39 U.S.C. 3201(1), must not be used to transmit information being disclosed, except information disclosed for purposes of administration of State UC law. As provided in Sections 453(e)(2) and 453(g) of the SSA, the Secretary of HHS has the authority to determine what constitutes a reasonable amount for the reimbursement for disclosures under Section 303(h), SSA, and Section 3304(a)(16)(B), FUTA.
(d) Payment of costs. The costs to a State or State UC agency of making a disclosure of UC information, calculated in accordance with paragraph (c) of this section, must be paid by the recipient of the information or another source paying on behalf of the recipient, either in advance or by way of reimbursement. If the recipient is not a public official, such costs, except for good reason must be paid in advance. For the purposes of this paragraph (d), payment in advance means full payment of all costs before or at the time the disclosed information is given in hand or sent to the recipient. The requirement of payment of costs in this paragraph is met when a State UC agency has in place a reciprocal cost agreement or arrangement with the recipient. As used in this section, reciprocal means that the relative benefits received by each are approximately equal. Payment or reimbursement of costs must include any initial start-up costs associated with making the disclosure.
(e) Program income. Costs paid as required by this section, and any funds generated by the disclosure of UC information under this part, are program income and may be used only as permitted by 29 CFR 97.25(g) (on program income). Such income may not be used to benefit a State’s general fund or other program.
§ 603.9 What safeguards and security requirements apply to disclosed information?
(a) In general. For disclosures of confidential UC information under § 603.5(d)(2) (to a third party (other than an agent) or disclosures made on an ongoing basis); § 603.5(e) (to a public official), except as provided in paragraph (d) of this section; § 603.5(f) (to an agent or contractor of a public official); § 603.6(b)(1) through (4), (6), and (7)(i) (as required by Federal UC law); and § 603.22 (to a requesting agency for purposes of an IEVS), a State or State UC agency must require the recipient to safeguard the information disclosed against unauthorized access or redisclosure, as provided in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section, and must subject the recipient to penalties provided by the State law for unauthorized disclosure of confidential UC information.
(b) Safeguards to be required of recipients. (1) The State or State UC agency must:
(i) Require the recipient to use the disclosed information only for purposes authorized by law and consistent with an agreement that meets the requirements of § 603.10;
(ii) Require the recipient to store the disclosed information in a place physically secure from access by unauthorized persons;
(iii) Require the recipient to store and process disclosed information maintained in electronic format, such as magnetic tapes or discs, in such a way that unauthorized persons cannot obtain the information by any means;
(iv) Require the recipient to undertake precautions to ensure that only authorized personnel are given access to disclosed information stored in computer systems;
(v) Require each recipient agency or entity to:
(A) Instruct all personnel having access to the disclosed information about confidentiality requirements, the requirements of this subpart B, and the sanctions specified in the State law for unauthorized disclosure of information, and
(B) Sign an acknowledgment that all personnel having access to the disclosed information have been instructed in accordance with paragraph (b)(1)(v)(A) of this section and will adhere to the State’s or State UC agency’s confidentiality requirements and procedures which are consistent with this subpart B and the agreement required by § 603.10, and agreeing to report any infraction of these rules to the State UC agency fully and promptly,
(vi) Require the recipient to dispose of information disclosed or obtained, and any copies thereof made by the recipient agency, entity, or contractor, after the purpose for which the information is disclosed is served, except for disclosed information possessed by any court. Disposal means return of the information to the disclosing State or State UC agency or destruction of the information, as directed by the State or State UC agency. Disposal includes deletion of personal identifiers by the State or State UC agency in lieu of destruction. In any case, the information disclosed must not be retained with personal identifiers for longer than such period of time as the State or State UC agency deems appropriate on a case-by-case basis; and
(vii) Maintain a system sufficient to allow an audit of compliance with the requirements of this part.
(2) In the case of disclosures made under § 603.5(d)(2) (to a third party (other than an agent) or disclosures made on an ongoing basis), the State or State UC agency must also—
(i) Periodically audit a sample of transactions accessing information disclosed under that section to assure that the entity receiving disclosed information has on file a written release authorizing each access. The audit must ensure that the information is not being used for any unauthorized purpose;
(ii) Ensure that all employees of entities receiving access to information disclosed under § 603.5(d)(2) are subject to the same confidentiality requirements, and State criminal penalties for violation of those requirements, as are employees of the State UC agency.
(c) Redisclosure of confidential UC information. (1) A State or State UC agency may authorize any recipient of confidential UC information under paragraph (a) of this section to redisclose information only as follows:
(i) To the individual or employer who is the subject of the information;
(ii) To an attorney or other duly authorized agent representing the individual or employer;
(iii) In any civil or criminal proceedings for or on behalf of a recipient agency or entity;
(iv) In response to a subpoena only as provided in § 603.7;
(v) To an agent or contractor of a public official only if the person redisclosing is a public official, if the redisclosure is authorized by the State law, and if the public official retains responsibility for the uses of the confidential UC information by the agent or contractor;
(vi) From one public official to another if the redisclosure is authorized by the State law;
(vii) When so authorized by Section 303(e)(5), SSA, (redisclosure of wage information by a State or local child support enforcement agency to an agent under contract with such agency for purposes of carrying out child support enforcement) and by State law; or
(viii) When specifically authorized by a written release that meets the requirements of § 603.5(d) (to a third party with informed consent).
(2) Information redisclosed under paragraphs (c)(1)(v) and (vi) of this section must be subject to the safeguards in paragraph (b) of this section.
(d) The requirements of this section do not apply to disclosures of UC information to a Federal agency which the Department has determined, by notice published in the
§ 603.10 What are the requirements for agreements?
(a) Requirements. (1) For disclosures of confidential UC information under § 603.5(d)(2) (to a third party (other than an agent) or disclosures made on an ongoing basis); § 603.5(e) (to a public official), except as provided in paragraph (d) of this section; § 603.5(f) (to an agent or contractor of a public official); § 603.6(b)(1) through (4), (6), and (7)(i) (as required by Federal UC law); and § 603.22 (to a requesting agency for purposes of an IEVS), a State or State UC agency must enter into a written, enforceable agreement with any agency or entity requesting disclosure(s) of such information. The agreement must be terminable if the State or State UC agency determines that the safeguards in the agreement are not adhered to.
(2) For disclosures referred to in § 603.5(f) (to an agent or contractor of a public official), the State or State UC agency must enter into a written, enforceable agreement with the public official on whose behalf the agent or contractor will obtain information. The agreement must hold the public official responsible for ensuring that the agent or contractor complies with the safeguards of § 603.9. The agreement must be terminable if the State or State UC agency determines that the safeguards in the agreement are not adhered to.
(b) Contents of agreement—(1) In general. Any agreement required by paragraph (a) of this section must include, but need not be limited to, the following terms and conditions:
(i) A description of the specific information to be furnished and the purposes for which the information is sought;
(ii) A statement that those who request or receive information under the agreement will be limited to those with a need to access it for purposes listed in the agreement;
(iii) The methods and timing of requests for information and responses to those requests, including the format to be used;
(iv) Provision for paying the State or State UC agency for any costs of furnishing information, as required by § 603.8 (on costs);
(v) Provision for safeguarding the information disclosed, as required by § 603.9 (on safeguards); and
(vi) Provision for on-site inspections of the agency, entity, or contractor, to assure that the requirements of the State’s law and the agreement or contract required by this section are being met.
(2) In the case of disclosures under § 603.5(d)(2) (to a third party (other than an agent) or disclosures made on an ongoing basis), the agreement required by paragraph (a) of this section must assure that the information will be accessed by only those entities with authorization under the individual’s or employer’s release, and that it may be used only for the specific purposes authorized in that release.
(c) Breach of agreement—(1) In general. If an agency, entity, or contractor, or any official, employee, or agent thereof, fails to comply with any provision of an agreement required by this section, including timely payment of the State’s or State UC agency’s costs billed to the agency, entity, or contractor, the agreement must be suspended, and further disclosure of information (including any disclosure being processed) to such agency, entity, or contractor is prohibited, until the State or State UC agency is satisfied that corrective action has been taken and there will be no further breach. In the absence of prompt and satisfactory corrective action, the agreement must be canceled, and the agency, entity, or contractor must be required to surrender to the State or State UC agency all confidential UC information (and copies thereof) obtained under the agreement which has not previously been returned to the State or State UC agency, and any other information relevant to the agreement.
(2) Enforcement. In addition to the actions required to be taken by paragraph (c)(1) of this section, the State or State UC agency must undertake any other action under the agreement, or under any law of the State or of the United States, to enforce the agreement and secure satisfactory corrective action or surrender of the information, and must take other remedial actions permitted under State or Federal law to effect adherence to the requirements of this subpart B, including seeking damages, penalties, and restitution as permitted under such law for any charges to granted funds and all costs incurred by the State or the State UC agency in pursuing the breach of the agreement and enforcement as required by this paragraph (c).
(d) The requirements of this section do not apply to disclosures of UC information to a Federal agency which the Department has determined, by notice published in the
§ 603.11 How do States notify claimants and employers about the uses of their information?
(a) Claimants. Every claimant for compensation must be notified, at the time of application, and periodically thereafter, that confidential UC information pertaining to the claimant may be requested and utilized for other governmental purposes, including, but not limited to, verification of eligibility under other government programs. Notice on or attached to subsequent additional claims will satisfy the requirement for periodic notice thereafter.
(b) Employers. Every employer subject to a State’s law must be notified that wage information and other confidential UC information may be requested and utilized for other governmental purposes, including, but not limited to, verification of an individual’s eligibility for other government programs.
§ 603.12 How are the requirements of this part enforced?
(a) Resolving conformity and compliance issues. For the purposes of resolving issues of conformity and substantial compliance with the requirements set forth in subparts B and C, the provisions of 20 CFR 601.5(b) (informal discussions with the Department of Labor to resolve conformity and substantial compliance issues), and 20 CFR 601.5(d) (Secretary of Labor’s hearing and decision on conformity and substantial compliance) apply.
(b) Conformity and substantial compliance. Whenever the Secretary of Labor, after reasonable notice and opportunity for a hearing to the State UC agency of a State, finds that the State law fails to conform, or that the State or State UC agency fails to comply substantially, with:
(1) The requirements of Title III, SSA, implemented in subparts B and C of this part, the Secretary of Labor shall notify the Governor of the State and such State UC agency that further payments for the administration of the State UC law will not be made to the State until the Secretary of Labor is satisfied that there is no longer any such failure. Until the Secretary of Labor is so satisfied, the Department of Labor shall make no further payments to such State.
(2) The FUTA requirements implemented in this subpart B, the Secretary of Labor shall make no certification under that section to the Secretary of the Treasury for such State as of October 31 of the 12-month period for which such finding is made.
Subpart C—Mandatory Disclosure for Income and Eligibility Verification System (IEVS)
§ 603.20 What is the purpose and scope of this subpart?
(a) Purpose. Subpart C implements Section 303(f), SSA. Section 303(f) requires States to have in effect an income and eligibility verification system, which meets the requirements of Section 1137, SSA, under which information is requested and exchanged for the purpose of verifying eligibility for, and the amount of, benefits available under several federally assisted programs, including the Federal-State UC program.
(b) Scope. This subpart C applies only to a State UC agency.
Although not implemented in this part 603, Section 1137(a)(1), SSA, provides that each State must require claimants for compensation to furnish to the State UC agency their social security account numbers, as a condition of eligibility for compensation, and further requires States to utilize such account numbers in the administration of the State UC laws. Section 1137(a)(3), SSA, further provides that employers must make quarterly wage reports to a State UC agency, or an alternative agency, for use in verifying eligibility for, and the amount of, benefits. Section 1137(d)(1), SSA, provides that each State must require claimants for compensation, as a condition of eligibility, to declare in writing, under penalty of perjury, whether the individual is a citizen or national of the United States, and, if not, that the individual is in a satisfactory immigration status. Other provisions of Section 1137(d), SSA, not implemented in this regulation require the States to obtain, and individuals to furnish, information which shows immigration status, and require the States to verify immigration status with the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services.
§ 603.21 What is a requesting agency?
For the purposes of this subpart C, requesting agency means:
(a) Temporary Assistance to Needy Families Agency—Any State or local agency charged with the responsibility of administering a program funded under part A of Title IV of the SSA.
(b) Medicaid Agency—Any State or local agency charged with the responsibility of administering the provisions of the Medicaid program under a State plan approved under Title XIX of the SSA.
(c) Food Stamp Agency—Any State or local agency charged with the responsibility of administering the provisions of the Food Stamp Program under the Food Stamp Act of 1977.
(d) Other SSA Programs Agency—Any State or local agency charged with the responsibility of administering a program under a State plan approved under Title I, X, XIV, or XVI (Supplemental Security Income for the Aged, Blind, and Disabled) of the SSA.
(e) Child Support Enforcement Agency—Any State or local child support enforcement agency charged with the responsibility of enforcing child support obligations under a plan approved under part D of Title IV of the SSA.
(f) Social Security Administration—Commissioner of the Social Security Administration in establishing or verifying eligibility or benefit amounts under Titles II (Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance Benefits) and XVI (Supplemental Security Income for the Aged, Blind, and Disabled) of the SSA.
§ 603.22 What information must State UC agencies disclose for purposes of an IEVS?
(a) Disclosure of information. Each State UC agency must disclose, upon request, to any requesting agency, as defined in § 603.21, that has entered into an agreement required by § 603.10, wage information (as defined at § 603.2(k)) and claim information (as defined at § 603.2(a)) contained in the records of such State UC agency.
(b) Format. The State UC agency must adhere to standardized formats established by the Secretary of HHS (in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture) and set forth in 42 CFR 435.960 (concerning standardized formats for furnishing and obtaining information to verify income and eligibility).
§ 603.23 What information must State UC agencies obtain from other agencies, and crossmatch with wage information, for purposes of an IEVS?
(a) Crossmatch with information from requesting agencies. Each State UC agency must obtain such information from the Social Security Administration and any requesting agency as may be needed in verifying eligibility for, and the amount of, compensation payable under the State UC law.
(b) Crossmatch of wage and benefit information. The State UC agency must crossmatch quarterly wage information with UC payment information to the extent that such information is likely, as determined by the Secretary of Labor, to be productive in identifying ineligibility for benefits and preventing or discovering incorrect payments.
PART 604—REGULATIONS FOR ELIGIBILITY FOR UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION
§ 604.1 Purpose and scope.
The purpose of this Part is to implement the requirements of Federal UC law that limit a State’s payment of UC to individuals who are able to work and available for work. This regulation applies to all State UC laws and programs.
§ 604.2 Definitions.
(a) Department means the United States Department of Labor.
(b) FUTA means the Federal Unemployment Tax Act, 26 U.S.C. 3301 et seq.
(c) Social Security Act means the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. 501 et seq.
(d) State means a State of the United States of America, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the United States Virgin Islands.
(e) State UC agency means the agency of the State charged with the administration of the State’s UC law.
(f) State UC law means the law of a State approved under Section 3304(a), FUTA (26 U.S.C. 3304(a)).
(g) Unemployment Compensation (UC) means cash benefits payable to individuals with respect to their unemployment.
(h) Week of unemployment means a week of total, part-total or partial unemployment as defined in the State’s UC law.
§ 604.3 Able and available requirement—general principles.
(a) A State may pay UC only to an individual who is able to work and available for work for the week for which UC is claimed.
(b) Whether an individual is able to work and available for work under paragraph (a) of this section must be tested by determining whether the individual is offering services for which a labor market exists. This requirement does not mean that job vacancies must exist, only that, at a minimum, the type of services the individual is able and available to perform is generally performed in the labor market. The State must determine the geographical scope of the labor market for an individual under its UC law.
(c) The requirement that an individual be able to work and available for work applies only to the week of unemployment for which UC is claimed. It does not apply to the reasons for the individual’s separation from employment, although the separation may indicate the individual was not able to work or available for work during the week the separation occurred. This Part does not address the authority of States to impose disqualifications with respect to separations. This Part does not limit the States’ ability to impose additional able and available requirements that are consistent with applicable Federal laws.
§ 604.4 Application—ability to work.
(a) A State may consider an individual to be able to work during the week of unemployment claimed if the individual is able to work for all or a portion of the week claimed, provided any limitation on his or her ability to work does not constitute a withdrawal from the labor market.
(b) If an individual has previously demonstrated his or her ability to work and availability for work following the most recent separation from employment, the State may consider the individual able to work during the week of unemployment claimed despite the individual’s illness or injury, unless the individual has refused an offer of suitable work due to such illness or injury.
§ 604.5 Application—availability for work.
(a) General application. A State may consider an individual to be available for work during the week of unemployment claimed under any of the following circumstances:
(1) The individual is available for any work for all or a portion of the week claimed, provided that any limitation placed by the individual on his or her availability does not constitute a withdrawal from the labor market.
(2) The individual limits his or her availability to work which is suitable for such individual as determined under the State UC law, provided the State law definition of suitable work does not permit the individual to limit his or her availability in such a way that the individual has withdrawn from the labor market. In determining whether the work is suitable, States may, among other factors, take into consideration the education and training of the individual, the commuting distance from the individual’s home to the job, the previous work history of the individual (including salary and fringe benefits), and how long the individual has been unemployed.
(3) The individual is on temporary lay-off and is available to work only for the employer that has temporarily laid-off the individual.
(b) Jury service. If an individual has previously demonstrated his or her availability for work following the most recent separation from employment and is appearing for duty before any court under a lawfully issued summons during the week of unemployment claimed, a State may consider the individual to be available for work. For such an individual, attendance at jury duty may be taken as evidence of continued availability for work. However, if the individual does not appear as required by the summons, the State must determine if the reason for non-attendance indicates that the individual is not able to work or is not available for work.
(c) Approved training. A State must not deny UC to an individual for failure to be available for work during a week if, during such week, the individual is in training with the approval of the State agency. However, if the individual fails to attend or otherwise participate in such training, the State must determine if the reason for non-attendance or non-participation indicates that the individual is not able to work or is not available for work.
(d) Self-employment assistance. A State must not deny UC to an individual for failure to be available for work during a week if, during such week, the individual is participating in a self-employment assistance program and meets all the eligibility requirements of such self-employment assistance program.
(e) Short-time compensation. A State must not deny UC to an individual participating in a short-time compensation (also known as worksharing) program under State UC law for failure to be available for work during a week, but such individual will be required to be available for his or her normal workweek.
(f) Alien status. To be considered available for work in the United States for a week, the alien must be legally authorized to work that week in the United States by the appropriate agency of the United States government. In determining whether an alien is legally authorized to work in the United States, the State must follow the requirements of section 1137(d) of the SSA (42 U.S.C. 1320b-7(d)), which relate to verification of and determination of an alien’s status.
(g) Relation to ability to work requirement. A State may consider an individual available for work if the State finds the individual able to work under § 604.4(b) despite illness or injury.
(h) Work search. The requirement that an individual be available for work does not require an active work search on the part of the individual. States may, however, require an individual to be actively seeking work to be considered available for work, or States may impose a separate requirement that the individual must actively seek work.
§ 604.6 Conformity and substantial compliance.
(a) In general. A State’s UC law must conform with, and the administration of its law must substantially comply with, the requirements of this regulation for purposes of certification under:
(1) Section 3304(c) of the FUTA (26 U.S.C. 3304(c)), with respect to whether employers are eligible to receive credit against the Federal unemployment tax established by section 3301 of the FUTA (26 U.S.C. 3301), and
(2) Section 302 of the SSA (42 U.S.C. 502), with respect to whether a State is eligible to receive Federal grants for the administration of its UC program.
(b) Resolving Issues of Conformity and Substantial Compliance. For the purposes of resolving issues of conformity and substantial compliance with the requirements of this regulation, the following provisions of 20 CFR 601.5 apply:
(1) Paragraph (b) of this section, pertaining to informal discussions with the Department of Labor to resolve conformity and substantial compliance issues, and
(2) Paragraph (d) of this section, pertaining to the Secretary of Labor’s hearing and decision on conformity and substantial compliance.
(c) Result of failure to conform or substantially comply—(1) FUTA requirements. Whenever the Secretary of Labor, after reasonable notice and opportunity for a hearing to the State UC agency, finds that the State UC law fails to conform, or that the State or State UC agency fails to comply substantially, with the requirements of the FUTA, as implemented in this regulation, then the Secretary of Labor shall make no certification under such act to the Secretary of the Treasury for such State as of October 31 of the 12-month period for which such finding is made. Further, the Secretary of Labor must notify the Governor of the State and such State UC agency that further payments for the administration of the State UC law will not be made to the State.
(2) SSA requirements. Whenever the Secretary of Labor, after reasonable notice and opportunity for a hearing to the State UC agency, finds that the State UC law fails to conform, or that the State or State UC agency fails to comply substantially, with the requirements of title III, SSA (42 U.S.C. 501-504), as implemented in this regulation, then the Secretary of Labor must notify the Governor of the State and such State UC agency that further payments for the administration of the State UC law will not be made to the State until the Secretary of Labor is satisfied that there is no longer any such failure. Until the Secretary of Labor is so satisfied, the Department of Labor will not make further payments to such State.
PART 606—TAX CREDITS UNDER THE FEDERAL UNEMPLOYMENT TAX ACT; ADVANCES UNDER TITLE XII OF THE SOCIAL SECURITY ACT
Subpart A—General
§ 606.1 Purpose and scope.
(a) In general. The regulations in this part 606 are issued to implement the tax credit provisions of the Federal Unemployment Tax Act, and the loan provisions of title XII of the Social Security Act. The regulations on tax credits cover all of the subjects of 3302 of the Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA), except subsections (c)(3) and (e). The regulations on loans cover all of the subjects in title XII of the Social Security Act.
(b) Scope. This part 606 covers general matters relating to this part in this subpart A, and in the following subparts includes specific subjects described in general terms as follows:
(1) Subpart B describes the tax credit reductions under the Federal Unemployment Tax Act, which relate to outstanding balances of advances made under title XII of the Social Security Act.
(2) Subpart C describes the various forms of relief from tax credit reductions, and the criteria and standards for grant of such relief in the form of—
(i) A cap on tax credit reduction,
(ii) Avoidance of tax credit reduction, and
(iii) Waiver of and substitution for additional tax credit reduction.
(3) Subpart D describes the interest rates on advances made under title XII of the Social Security Act, dues dates for payment of interest, and other related matters.
(4) Subpart E describes the various forms of relief from payment of interest, and the criteria and standards for grant of such relief in the form of—
(i) May/September delay of interest payments,
(ii) High unemployment deferral of interest payments,
(iii) High unemployment delay of interest payments, and
(iv) Maintenance of solvency effort required to retain a deferral previously granted.
§ 606.2 Total credits allowable.
The total credits allowed to an employer subject to the tax imposed by section 3301 of the Federal Unemployment Tax Act shall not exceed 5.4 percent with respect to taxable years beginning after December 31, 1984.
§ 606.3 Definitions.
For the purposes of the Acts cited and this part—
Act means as appropriate the Federal Unemployment Tax Act (26 U.S.C. 3301-3311), or title XII of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1321-1324).
Advance means a transfer of funds to a State unemployment fund, for the purpose of paying unemployment compensation, from the Federal unemployment account in the Unemployment Trust Fund, pursuant to section 1202 of the Social Security Act.
Average High Cost Multiple (AHCM) for a State as of December 31 of a calendar year is calculated by dividing the State’s reserve ratio, as defined in § 606.3, by the State’s average high cost rate (AHCR), as defined in § 606.3, for the same year. Final calculations are rounded to the nearest multiple of 0.01.
Average High Cost Rate (AHCR) for a State is calculated as follows:
(1) Determine the time period over which calculations are to be made by selecting the longer of:
(i) The 20-calendar year period that ends with the year for which the AHCR calculation is made; or
(ii) The number of years beginning with the calendar year in which the first of the last three completed national recessions began, as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research, and ending with the calendar year for which the AHCR is being calculated.
(2) For each calendar year during the selected time period, calculate the benefit-cost ratio, as defined in § 606.3; and
(3) Average the three highest calendar year benefit cost ratios for the selected time period from paragraph (2) of this definition. Final calculations are rounded to the nearest multiple of 0.01 percent.
Benefit-cost ratio for a calendar year is the percentage obtained by dividing—
(1) The total dollar sum of—
(i) All compensation actually paid under the State law during such calendar year, including in such total sum all regular, additional, and extended compensation, as defined in section 205 of the Federal-State Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 1970, and excluding from such total sum—
(A) Any such compensation paid for which the State is entitled to reimbursement or was reimbursed under the provisions of any Federal Law, and
(B) Any such compensation paid which is attributable to services performed for a reimbursing employer, and which is not included in the total dollar amount reported under paragraph (c)(1)(i)(A) of this section, and
(ii) Any interest paid during such calendar year on any advance, by
(2) The total wages (as defined in § 606.3) with respect to such calendar year.
(3) For cap purposes, if any percentage determined by this computation for a calendar year is not a multiple of 0.1 percent, such percentage shall be reduced to the nearest multiple of 0.1 percent. For funding goal purposes, if any percentage determined by this computation for a calendar year is not a multiple of 0.01 percent, such percentage is rounded to the nearest multiple of 0.01 percent.
Contributions means payments required by a State law to be made into an unemployment fund by any person on account of having individuals in his employ, to the extent that such payments are made by him without being deducted or deductible from the remuneration of individuals in his employ.
Federal unemployment tax means the excise tax imposed under section 3301 of the Federal Unemployment Tax Act on employers with respect to having individuals in their employ.
Fiscal year means the Federal fiscal year which begins on October 1 of a year and ends on September 30, of the next succeeding year.
FUTA refers to the Federal Unemployment Tax Act.
Reserve ratio is calculated by dividing the balance in the State’s account in the unemployment trust fund (UTF) as of December 31 of such year by the total wages paid workers covered by the unemployment compensation (UC) program during the 12 months ending on December 31 of such year. Final calculations are rounded to the nearest multiple of 0.01 percent.
State unemployment fund or unemployment fund means a special fund established under a State law for the payment of unemployment compensation to unemployed individuals, and which is an “unemployment fund” as defined in section 3306(f) of the Federal Unemployment Tax Act.
Taxable year means the calendar year.
Unemployment tax rate means, for any taxable year and with respect to any State, the percentage obtained by dividing the total amount of contributions paid into the State unemployment fund with respect to such taxable year by total wages as defined in § 606.3.
Wages, taxable means the total sum of remuneration which is subject to contributions under a State law.
Wages, total means the total sum of all remuneration covered by a State law, disregarding any dollar limitation on the amount of remuneration which is subject to contributions under the State law.
(a) Redelegation to OWS Administrator. The Administrator, Office of Workforce Security (hereinafter “OWS Administrator”), is redelegated authority to make the determinations required under this part. This redelegation is contained in Employment and Training Order No. 1-84, published in the
(b) Delegation by Governor. The Governor of a State, as used in this part, refers to the highest executive official of a State. Wherever in this part an action is required by or of the Governor of a State, such action may be taken by the Governor or may be taken by a delegatee of the Governor if the Department is furnished appropriate proof of an authoritative delegation of authority.
§ 606.5 Verification of estimates and review of determinations.
The Department of Labor (hereinafter “Department”) shall verify all information and data provided by a State under this part, and the State shall comply with such provisions as the Department considers necessary to assure the correctness and verification of such information and data. The State agency of a State affected by a determination made by the OWS Administrator under this part may seek review of such determination by a higher level official of the Employment and Training Administration.
§ 606.6 Information, reports, and studies.
A State shall furnish to the Secretary of Labor such information and reports and conduct such studies as the Secretary determines are necessary or appropriate for carrying out the purposes of this part, including any additional information or data the OWS Administrator may require for the purposes of making determinations under subparts C and E of this part.
Subpart B—Tax Credit Reduction [Reserved]
Subpart C—Relief From Tax Credit Reduction
§ 606.20 Cap on tax credit reduction.
(a) Applicability. Subsection (f) of section 3302 of FUTA authorizes a limitation (cap) on the reduction of tax credits by reason of an outstanding balance of advances, if the OWS Administrator determines with respect to a State, on or before November 10 of a taxable year, that—
(1) No action was taken by the State during the 12-month period ending on September 30 of such taxable year which has resulted, or will result, in a reduction in the State’s unemployment tax effort, as defined in § 606.21(a);
(2) No action was taken by the State during the 12-month period ending on September 30 of such taxable year which has resulted, or will result, in a net decrease in the solvency of the State unemployment compensation system, as defined in § 606.21(b);
(3) The State unemployment tax rate (as defined in § 606.3) for the taxable year equals or exceeds the average benefit-cost ratio (as defined in § 606.3) for the calendar years in the five-calendar year period ending with the calendar year immediately preceding the taxable year for which the cap is requested, under the rules specified in § 606.21 (c) and (d); and
(4) The outstanding balance of advances to the State on September 30 of the taxable year was not greater than the outstanding balance of advances to the State on September 30 of the third preceding taxable year.
(b) Maximum tax credit reduction. If a State qualifies for a cap, the maximum tax credit reduction for the taxable year shall not exceed 0.6 percent, or, if higher, the tax credit reduction that was in effect for the taxable year preceding the taxable year for which the cap is requested.
(c) Year not taken into account. If a State qualifies for a cap for any year, the year and January 1 of the year to which the cap applies will not be taken into account for purposes of determining reduction of tax credit for subsequent taxable years.
(d) Partial caps. Partial caps obtained under subsection (f)(8) are no longer available. Nevertheless, for the purposes of applying section 3302(c)(2) to subsequent taxable years, partial cap credits earned will be taken into account for purposes of determining reduction of tax credits. Also, the taxable year to which the partial cap applied (and January 1 thereof) will be taken into account for purposes of determining reduction of tax credits for subsequent taxable years.
§ 606.21 Criteria for cap.
(a) Reduction in unemployment tax effort. (1) For purposes of paragraph (a)(1) of § 606.20, a reduction in a State’s unemployment tax effort will have occurred with respect to a taxable year if any action is or was taken (legislative, judicial, or administrative,) that is effective during the 12-month period ending on September 30 of such taxable year, which has resulted in or will result in a reduction of the amount of contributions paid or payable or the amounts that were or would have been paid or payable but for such action.
(2) Actions that will result in a reduction in tax effort include, but are not limited to, a reduction in the taxable wage base, the tax rate schedule, tax rates, or taxes payable (including surtaxes) that would not have gone into effect but for the legislative, judicial, or administrative action taken. Notwithstanding the foregoing criterion, a reduction in unemployment tax effort resulting from any provision of the State law enacted prior to August 13, 1981, will not be taken into account as a reduction in the State’s unemployment tax effort for the purposes of this section.
(b) Net decrease in solvency. For purposes of paragraph (a)(2) of § 606.20, a net decrease in the solvency of the State’s unemployment compensation system will have occurred with respect to a taxable year if any action is or was taken (legislative, judicial, or administrative), that is effective during the 12-month period ending on September 30 of such taxable year, which has resulted in or will result in an increase in benefits without at least an equal increase in taxes, or a decrease in taxes without at least an equal decrease in benefits. Notwithstanding the foregoing criterion, a decrease in solvency resulting from any provision of the State law enacted prior to August 13, 1981, will not be taken into account as a reduction in solvency of the State’s unemployment compensation system for the purposes of this section.
(c) State unemployment tax rate. For purposes of paragraph (a)(3) of § 606.20, the State unemployment tax rate is defined in § 606.3. If such percentage is not a multiple of 0.1 percent, the percentage shall remain unrounded.
(d) State five-year average benefit cost ratio. The average benefit-cost ratio for the 5 preceding calendar years is the percentage determined by dividing the sum of the benefit-cost ratios for the 5 years by five. If such percentage is not a multiple of 0.1 percent, the percentage shall remain unrounded.
§ 606.22 Application for cap.
(a) Application. (1) The Governor of the State shall make application, addressed to the Secretary of Labor, no later than July 1 of a taxable year with respect to which a State requests a cap on tax credit reduction. The Governor is required to notify the Department on or before October 15 of such taxable year of any action occurring after the date of the initial application and effective prior to October 1 of such year that would impact upon the State’s application.
(2) The OWS Administrator will make a determination on the application on or before November 10 of such taxable year, will notify the applicant and the Secretary of the Treasury of such determination, and will cause notice of such determination to be published in the
(b) Anticipated impact statement. In support of the application by the Governor, there shall be submitted with the application (on or before October 15), for the purposes of the criteria described in §§ 606.20(a) (1) and (2) and 606.21 (a) and (b), a description of all statutory provisions enacted or amended, regulations adopted or revised, administrative policies and procedures adopted or revised, and judicial decisions given effect, which are effective during the 12-month period ending on September 30 of the taxable year for which a cap on tax credit reduction is requested, and an anticipated impact statement (AIS) for each such program action in the following respect—
(1) The estimated dollar effect on each program action upon expenditures for compensation from the State unemployment fund and for the amounts of contributions paid or payable in such 12-month period, including the effect of interaction among program actions, and with respect to program actions for which dollar impact cannot be estimated or is minor or negligible, indicate whether the impact is positive or negative;
(2) If a program action has no such dollar effect, an explanation of why there is or will be no such effect;
(3) A description of assumptions and methodology used and the basis for the financial estimate of the impact of each program action described in paragraphs (b)(1) and (b)(2) of this section; and
(4) A comparision of the program actions described in paragraphs (b)(1) and (b)(2) of this section with the program actions prior to the Federal fiscal year (as defined in § 606.3) which ends on such September 30.
(c) Unemployment tax rate. With respect to the unemployment tax rate criterion described in §§ 606.20(a)(3) and 606.21(c), the application shall include an estimate for the taxable year with respect to which a cap on tax credit reduction is requested and actual data for the prior two years as follows:
(1) The amount of taxable wages as defined in § 606.3;
(2) The amount of total wages as defined in § 606.3; and
(3) The estimated distribution of taxable wages, as defined in § 606.3, by tax rate under the State law.
(d) Benefit cost ratio. With respect to the benefit cost ratio criterion described in §§ 606.20(a)(3) and 606.21(d), the application shall include for each of the five calendar years prior to the taxable year for which a cap on tax credit reduction is requested, the following data:
(1) The total dollar sum of compensation actually paid under the State law during the calendar year, including in such total sum all regular, additional, and extended compensation as defined in section 205 of the Federal-State Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 1970, but excluding from such total sum—
(i) The total dollar amount of such compensation paid for which the State is entitled to reimbursement or was reimbursed under the provisions of any Federal law;
(ii) The total dollar amount of such compensation paid which is attributable to services performed for a reimbursing employer, and which is not included in the total amount reported under paragraph (d)(1)(i) of this section;
(2) The total dollar amount of interest paid during the calendar year on any advance; and
(3) The total dollar amount of wages (as defined in § 606.3) with respect to such calendar year.
(e) Documentation required. Copies of the sources of or authority for each program action described in paragraph (b) of this section shall be submitted with each application for a cap on tax credit reduction. In addition, a notation shall be made on each AIS of where all figures referred to are contained in reports required by the Department or in other data sources.
(f) State contact person. The Department may request additional information or clarification of information submitted bearing upon an application for a cap on tax credit reduction. To expedite requests for such information, the name and telephone number of an appropriate State official shall be included in the application by the Governor.
§ 606.23 Avoidance of tax credit reduction.
(a) Applicability. Subsection (g) of section 3302 of FUTA authorizes a State to avoid a tax credit reduction for a taxable year by meeting the three requirements of subsection (g). These requirements are met if the OWS Administrator determines that:
(1) Advances were repaid by the State during the one-year period ending on November 9 of the taxable year in an amount not less than the sum of—
(i) The potential additional taxes (as estimated by the OWS Administrator) that would be payable by the State’s employers if paragraph (2) of section 3302(c) of FUTA were applied for such taxable year (as estimated with regard to the cap on tax credit reduction for which the State qualifies under §§ 606.20 to 606.22 with respect to such taxable year), and
(ii) Any advances made to such State during such one-year period under title XII of the Social Security Act;
(2) There will be adequate funds in the State unemployment fund (as estimated by the OWS Administrator) sufficient to pay all benefits when due and payable under the State law during the three-month period beginning on November 1 of such taxable year without receiving any advance under title XII of the Social Security Act; and
(3) There is a net increase (as estimated by the OWS Administrator) in the solvency of the State unemployment compensation system for the taxable year and such net increase equals or exceeds the potential additional taxes for such taxable year as estimated under paragraph (a)(1)(i) of this section.
(b) Net increase in solvency. (1) The net increase in solvency for a taxable year, as determined for the purposes of paragraph (a)(3) of this section, must be attributable to legislative changes made in the State law after the later of—
(i) September 3, 1982, or
(ii) The date on which the first advance is taken into account in determining the amount of the potential additional taxes.
(2) The OWS Administrator shall determine the net increase in solvency by first estimating the difference between revenue receipts and benefit outlays under the law in effect for the year for which avoidance is requested, as if the relevant changes in State law referred to in paragraph (b)(1) of this section were not in effect for such year. The OWS Administrator shall then estimate the difference between revenue receipts and benefit outlays under the law in effect for the year for which the avoidance is requested, taking into account the relevant changes in State law referred to in paragraph (b)(1) of this section. The amount (if any) by which the second estimated difference exceeds the first estimated difference shall constitute the net increase in solvency for the purposes of this section.
(c) Year taken into account. If a State qualifies for avoidance for any year, that year and January 1 of that year to which the avoidance applies will be taken into account for purposes of determining reduction of tax credits for subsequent taxable years.
§ 606.24 Application for avoidance.
(a) Application. (1) The Governor of the State shall make application, addressed to the Secretary of Labor, no later than July 1 of a taxable year with respect to which a State requests avoidance of tax credit reduction. The Governor is required to notify the Department on or before October 15 of such taxable year of any action impacting upon the State’s application occurring subsequent to the date of the initial application and on or before November 10.
(2) The OWS Administrator will make a determination on the application as of November 10 of such taxable year, will notify the applicant and the Secretary of the Treasury of such determination, and will cause notice of such determination to be published in the
(b) Information. (1) The application shall include a statement of the amount of advances repaid and to be repaid during the one-year period ending on November 9 of the taxable year for which avoidance is requested. If the amount repaid as of the date of the application is less than the amount required to satisfy the provisions of § 606.23(a)(1), the Governor shall provide a report later of the additional repayments that have been made in the remainder of the one-year period ending on November 9 of the taxable year, for the purposes of meeting the provisions of § 606.23(a)(1).
(2) The application also shall include estimates of revenue receipts, benefit outlays, and end-of-month fund balance for each month in the period beginning with September of the taxable year for which avoidance is requested through the subsequent January. Actual data for the comparable period of the preceding year also shall be included in the application in order to determine the reasonableness of such estimates.
(3) The application also shall include a description of State law changes, effective for the taxable year for which the avoidance is requested, which resulted in a net increase in the solvency of the State unemployment compensation system, and documentation which supports the State’s estimate of the net increase in solvency for such taxable year.
§ 606.25 Waiver of and substitution for additional tax credit reduction.
A provision of subsection (c)(2) of section 3302 of FUTA provides that, for a State that qualifies, the additional tax credit reduction applicable under subparagraph (C), beginning in the fifth consecutive year of a balance of outstanding advances, shall be waived and the additional tax credit reduction applicable under subparagraph (B) shall be substituted. The waiver and substitution are granted if the OWS Administrator determines that the State has taken no action, effective during the 12-month period ending on September 30 of the year for which the waiver and substitution are requested, which has resulted or will result in a net decrease in the solvency of the State unemployment compensation system as determined for the purposes of §§ 606.20(a)(2) and 606.21(b).
§ 606.26 Application for waiver and substitution.
(a) Application. The Governor of the State shall make application addressed to the Secretary of Labor, no later than July 1 of a taxable year with respect to which a State requests waiver and substitution. Any such application shall contain the supportive data and information required by § 606.22(b) for the purposes of §§ 606.20(a)(2) and 606.21(b). The Governor is required to notify the Department on or before October 15 of such taxable year of action occurring after the date of the initial application and effective prior to October 1 of such year that would impact upon the State’s application.
(b) Notification of determination. The OWS Administrator will make a determination on the application as of November 10 of the taxable year, will notify the applicant and the Secretary of the Treasury of the resulting tax credit reduction to be applied, and will cause notice of such determination to be published in the
Subpart D—Interest on Advances
§ 606.30 Interest rates on advances.
Advances made to States pursuant to title XII of the Social Security Act shall be subject to interest payable on the due dates specified in § 606.31.
§ 606.31 Due dates for payment of interest. [Reserved]
§ 606.32 Types of advances subject to interest.
(a) Payment of interest. Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (b) of this section each State shall pay interest on any advance made to such State under title XII of the Social Security Act.
(b) Cash flow loans—(1) Availability of interest-free advances. Advances are deemed cash flow loans and shall be free of interest provided that:
(i) The advances are repaid in full prior to October 1 of the calendar year in which the advances are made;
(ii) The State does not receive an additional advance after September 30 of the same calendar year in which the advance is made. If the State receives an additional advance after September 30 of the same calendar year in which earlier advances were made, interest on the fully repaid earlier advance(s) is due and payable not later than the day following the date of the first such additional advance. The administrator of the State agency must notify the Secretary of Labor no later than September 10 of the same calendar year of those loans deemed to be cash flow loans and not subject to interest. This notification must include the date and amount of each loan made beginning January 01 through September 30 of the same calendar year, and a copy of documentation sent to the Secretary of the Treasury requesting loan repayment transfer(s) from the State’s account in the UTF to the Federal unemployment account in the UTF; and
(iii) The State has met the funding goals described in paragraph (b)(2) or (b)(3) of this section.
(2) Funding goals. This paragraph (b)(2) is applicable to all States as of January 1, 2019. A State has met the funding goals requirement if:
(i) The State, as of December 31 of any of the 5 consecutive calendar years preceding the calendar year in which such advances are made, had an AHCM of at least 1.00, as determined under § 606.3; and
(ii) The State maintained tax effort as determined under paragraph (b)(4) of this section.
(3) Phasing in funding goals. This paragraph (b)(3) applies for calendar years 2014 through 2018. A State has met the funding goals requirement if it has satisfied the solvency criterion in paragraph (i), and the maintenance of tax effort criteria in paragraph (ii), of this § 606.32(b)(3).
(i) A State has met the solvency criterion if:
(A) For calendar year 2014, as of December 31 of any of the 5 consecutively preceding calendar years, the State had an AHCM of at least 0.50, as determined under § 606.3;
(B) For calendar year 2015, as of December 31 of any of the 5 consecutively preceding calendar years, the State had an AHCM of at least 0.60, as determined under § 606.3;
(C) For calendar year 2016, as of December 31 of any of the 5 consecutively preceding calendar years, the State had an AHCM of at least 0.70, as determined under § 606.3;
(D) For calendar year 2017, as of December 31 of any of the 5 consecutively preceding calendar years, the State had an AHCM of at least 0.80, as determined under § 606.3;
(E) For calendar year 2018, as of December 31 of any of the 5 consecutively preceding calendar years, the State had an AHCM of at least 0.90, as determined under § 606.3;
(ii) A State has met the maintenance of tax effort criteria if it maintained tax effort as determined under paragraph (b)(4) of this section.
(4) Maintenance of tax effort criteria. A State has maintained tax effort if, for every year between the last calendar year in which it met the solvency criterion in paragraph (b)(2)(i) or (b)(3)(i) of this section and the calendar year in which an interest-free advance is taken, the State’s unemployment tax rate as defined in § 606.3 for the calendar year is at least—
(i) 80 percent of the prior year’s unemployment tax rate; and
(ii) 75 percent of the State 5-year average benefit-cost ratio, as determined under § 606.21(d).
§ 606.33 No payment of interest from unemployment fund. [Reserved]
§ 606.34 Reports of interest payable. [Reserved]
§ 606.35 Order of application for repayments. [Reserved]
Subpart E—Relief from Interest Payment
§ 606.40 May/September delay.
Subsection (b)(3)(B) of section 1202 of the Social Security Act permits a State to delay payment of interest accrued on advances made during the last five months of the Federal fiscal year (May, June, July, August, and September) to no later than December 31 of the next succeeding calendar year. If the payment is delayed, interest on the delayed payment will accrue from the normal due date (i.e., September 30) and in the same manner as if the interest due on the advance(s) was an advance made on such due date. The Governor of a State which has decided to delay such interest payment shall notify the Secretary of Labor no later than September 1 of the year with respect to which the delay is applicable.
§ 606.41 High unemployment deferral.
(a) Applicability. Subsection (b)(3)(C) of section 1202 of the Social Security Act permits a State to defer payment of, and extend the payment for, 75 percent of interest charges otherwise due prior to October 1 of a year if the OWS Administrator determines that high unemployment conditions existed in the State.
(b) High unemployment defined. For purposes of this section, high unemployment conditions existed in the State if the State’s rate of insured unemployment (as determined for purposes of 20 CFR 615.12) under the State law with respect to the period consisting of the first six months of the preceding calendar year equalled or exceeded 7.5 percent; this means that in weeks 1 (that week which includes January 1 of the year) through 26 of such preceding calendar year, the rate of insured unemployment reported by the State and accepted by the Department under 20 CFR part 615 must have averaged a percentage equalling or exceeding 7.5 percent.
(c) Schedule of deferred payments. The State must pay prior to October 1 one-fourth of the interest due, and must pay a minimum of one-third of the deferred amount prior to October 1 in each of the three years following the year in which deferral was granted; at the State’s option payment of deferred interest may be accelerated.
(d) Related criteria. Timely payment of one-fourth of the interest due prior to October 1 is a precondition to obtaining deferral of payment of 75 percent of the interest due. No interest shall accrue on such deferred interest.
(e) Application for deferral and determination. (1) The Governor of a State which has decided to request such deferral of interest payment shall apply to the Secretary of Labor no later than July 1 of the taxable year for which the deferral is requested.
(2) The OWS Administrator will determine whether deferral is or is not granted on the basis of the Department’s records of reports of the rates of insured unemployment and information obtained from the Department of the Treasury as to the timely and full payment of one-fourth of the interest due.
§ 606.42 High unemployment delay.
(a) Applicability. Paragraph (9) of section 1202 (b) of the Social Security Act permits a State to delay for a period not exceeding nine months the interest payment due prior to October 1 if, for the most recent 12-month period prior to such October 1 for which data are available, the State had an average total unemployment rate of 13.5 percent or greater.
(b) Delayed due date. An interest payment delayed under paragraph (9) must be paid in full not later than the last official Federal business day prior to the following July 1; at the State’s option payment of delayed interest may be accelerated. No interest shall accrue on such delayed payment.
(c) Application for delay in payment and determination. (1) The Governor of a State which has decided to request delay in payment of interest under paragraph (9) shall apply to the Secretary of Labor no later than July 1 of the taxable year for which the delay is requested.
(2) The OWS Administrator will determine whether delay is or is not granted on the basis of seasonally unadjusted civilian total unemployment rate data published by the Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.
§ 606.44 Notification of determinations.
The OWS Administrator will make determinations under §§ 606.41, 606.42, and 606.43 on or before September 10 of the taxable year, will promptly notify the applicants and the Secretary of the Treasury of such determinations, and will cause notice of such determinations to be published in the
PART 609—UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION FOR FEDERAL CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES
Subpart A—General Provisions
§ 609.1 Purpose and application.
(a) Purpose. Subchapter I of chapter 85, title 5 of the United States Code, as amended by Pub. L. 94-566, 90 Stat. 2667, 5 U.S.C. 8501-8508, provides for a permanent program of unemployment compensation for unemployed Federal civilian employees. The unemployment compensation provided for in subchapter I is hereinafter referred to as unemployment compensation for Federal employees, or UCFE. The regulations in this part are issued to implement the UCFE Program.
(b) First rule of construction. The Act and the implementing regulations in this part shall be construed liberally so as to carry out the purposes of the Act.
(c) Second rule of construction. The Act and the implementing regulations in this part shall be construed so as to assure insofar as possible the uniform interpretation and application of the Act throughout the United States.
(d) Effectuating purpose and rules of construction. (1) In order to effectuate the provisions of this section, each State agency shall forward to the United States Department of Labor (hereafter Department), not later than 10 days after issuance, a copy of each judicial or administrative decision ruling on an individual’s entitlement to payment of UCFE or to credit for a waiting period. On request of the Department, a State agency shall forward to the Department a copy of any determination or redetermination ruling on an individual’s entitlement to UCFE or waiting period credit.
(2) If the Department believes that a determination, redetermination, or decision is inconsistent with the Department’s interpretation of the Act or this part, the Department may at any time notify the State agency of the Department’s view. Thereafter the State agency shall issue a redetermination or appeal if possible, and shall not follow such determination, redetermination, or decision as a precedent; and, in any subsequent proceedings which involve such determination, redetermination, or decision, or wherein such determination, redetermination, or decision is cited as precedent or otherwise relied upon, the State agency shall inform the claims deputy or hearing officer or court of the Department’s view and shall make all reasonable efforts, including appeal or other proceedings in an appropriate forum, to obtain modification, limitation, or overruling of the determination, redetermination, or decision.
(3) If the Department believes that a determination, redetermination, or decision is patently and flagrantly violative of the Act or this part, the Department may at any time notify the State agency of the Department’s view. If the determination, redetermination, or decision in question denies UCFE to a claimant, the steps outlined in paragraph (d)(2) of this section shall be followed by the State agency. If the determination, redetermination, or decision in question awards UCFE to a claimant, the benefits are “due” within the meaning of section 303(a)(1) of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. 503(a)(1), and therefore must be paid promptly to the claimant. However, the State agency shall take the steps outlined in paragraph (d)(2) of this section, and payments to the claimant may be temporarily delayed if redetermination or appeal action is taken not more than one business day following the day on which the first payment otherwise would be issued to the claimant; and the redetermination action is taken or appeal is filed to obtain a reversal of the award of UCFE and a ruling consistent with the Department’s view; and the redetermination action or appeal seeks an expedited redetermination or appeal within not more than two weeks after the redetermination action is taken or the appeal is filed. If redetermination action is not taken or appeal is not filed within the above time limit, or a redetermination or decision is not obtained within the two-week limit, or any redetermination or decision or order is issued which affirms the determination, redetermination, or decision awarding UCFE or allows it to stand in whole or in part, the benefits awarded must be paid promptly to the claimant.
(4)(i) If any determination, redetermination, or decision, referred to in paragraph (d)(2) or paragraph (d)(3) of this section, is treated as a precedent for any future UCFE claim or claim under the UCX Program (part 614 of this chapter), the Secretary will decide whether the Agreement with the State entered into under the Act shall be terminated.
(ii) In the case of any determination, redetermination, or decision that is not legally warranted under the Act or this part, including any determination, redetermination, or decision referred to in paragraph (d)(3) of this section, the Secretary will decide whether the State shall be required to restore the funds of the United States for any sums paid under such a determination, redetermination, or decision, and whether, in the absence of such restoration, the Agreement with the State shall be terminated and whether other action shall be taken to recover such sums for the United States.
(5) A State agency may request reconsideration of a notice issued pursuant to paragraph (d)(2) of paragraph (d)(3) of this section, and shall be given an opportunity to present views and arguments if desired.
(6) Concurrence of the Department in a determination, redetermination, or decision shall not be presumed from the absence of a notice issued pursuant to this section.
§ 609.2 Definitions of terms.
For the purposes of the Act and this part:
(a) Act means subchapter I of chapter 85, title 5, United States Code, 5 U.S.C. 8501-8508.
(b) Agreement means the agreement entered into pursuant to the Act between a State and the Secretary under which the State agency of the State agrees to make payments of unemployment compensation in accordance with the Act and the regulations and procedures thereunder prescribed by the Department.
(c) Based period means the base period as defined by the applicable State law for the benefit year.
(d) Benefit year means the benefit year as defined by the applicable State law, and if not so defined the term means the period prescribed in the agreement with the State or, in the absence of an Agreement, the period prescribed by the Department.
(e) Federal agency means any department, agency, or governmental body of the United States, including any instrumentality wholly or partially owned by the United States, in any branch of the Government of the United States, which employs any individual in Federal civilian service.
(f) Federal civilian service means service performed in the employ of any Federal agency, except service performed—
(1) By an elective official in the executive or legislative branches of the Government of the United States;
(2) As a member of the Armed Forces or the Commissioned Corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration;
(3) By Foreign Service personnel for whom special separation allowances are provided under chapter 14 of title 22 of the United States Code;
(4) Outside the 50 States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia, by an individual who is not a citizen of the United States;
(5) By an individual excluded by regulations of the Office of Personnel Management from civil service retirement coverage provided by subchapter III of chapter 83 of title 5 of the United States Code because the individual is paid on a contract or fee basis;
(6) By an individual receiving nominal pay and allowances of $12 or less a year;
(7) In a hospital, home, or other institution of the United States by a patient or inmate thereof;
(8) By a student-employee as defined by 5 U.S.C. 5351; that is: (i) A student nurse, medical or dental intern, resident-in-training, student dietitian, student physical therapist, or student occupational therapist, assigned or attached to a hospital, clinic, or medical or dental laboratory operated by an agency as defined in section 5351; or
(ii) Any other student-employee, assigned or attached primarily for training purposes to such a hospital, clinic, or medical or dental laboratory operated by such an agency, who is designated by the head of the agency with the approval of the Office of Personnel Management;
(9) By an individual serving on a temporary basis in case of fire, storm, earthquake, flood, or other similar emergency;
(10) By an individual employed under a Federal relief program to relieve the individual from unemployment;
(11) As a member of a State, county, or community committee under the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service or of any other board, council, committee, or other similar body, unless such body is composed exclusively of individuals otherwise in the full-time employ of the United States;
(12) By an officer or member of the crew on or in connection with an American vessel which is:
(i) Owned by or bareboat chartered to the United States, and
(ii) The business of which is conducted by a general agent of the Secretary of Commerce; and
(iii) If contributions on account of such service are required under section 3305(g) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. 3305(g)) to be made to an unemployment fund under a State law;
(13) By an individual excluded by any other Federal law from coverage under the UCFE Program; or
(14) By an individual whose service is covered by the UCX Program to which part 614 of this chapter applies.
(g) Federal employee means an individual who has performed Federal civilian service.
(h) Federal findings means the facts reported by a Federal agency pertaining to an individual as to: (1) Whether or not the individual has performed Federal civilian service for such an agency;
(2) The period or periods of such Federal civilian service;
(3) The individual’s Federal wages; and
(4) The reasons for termination of the individual’s Federal civilian service.
(i) Federal wages means all pay and allowances, in cash and in kind, for Federal civilian service.
(j) First claim means an initial claim for unemployment compensation under the UCFE Program, the UCX Program (part 614 of this chapter), a State law, or some combination thereof, whereby a benefit year is established under an applicable State law.
(k) Official station means the State (or country, if outside the United States) designated on a Federal employee’s notification of personnel action terminating the individual’s Federal civilian service (Standard Form 50 or its equivalent) as the individual’s “duty station.” If the form of notification does not specify the Federal employee’s “duty station”, the individual’s official station shall be the State or country designated under “name and location of employing office” on such form or designated as the individual’s place of employment on an equivalent form.
(l) Secretary means the Secretary of Labor of the United States.
(m) State means the 50 States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
(n) State agency means the agency of the State which administers the applicable State law and is administering the UCFE Program in the State pursuant to an Agreement with the Secretary.
(o)(1) State law means the unemployment compensation law of a State approved by the Secretary under section 3304 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 26 U.S.C. 3304, if the State is certified under section 3304(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 26 U.S.C. 3304(c).
(2) Applicable State law means the State law made applicable to a UCFE claimant by § 609.8.
(p)(1) Unemployment compensation means cash benefits (including dependents’ allowances) payable to individuals with respect to their unemployment, and includes regular, additional, emergency, and extended compensation.
(2) Regular compensation means unemployment compensation payable to an individual under any State law, but not including additional compensation or extended compensation.
(3) Additional compensation means unemployment compensation totally financed by a State and payable under a State law by reason of conditions of high unemployment or by reason of other special factors.
(4) Emergency compensation means supplementary unemployment compensation payable under a temporary Federal law after exhaustion of regular and extended compensation.
(5) Extended compensation means unemployment compensation payable to an individual for weeks of unemployment in an extended benefit period, under those provisions of a State law which satisfy the requirements of the Federal-State Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 1970, as amended, 26 U.S.C. 3304 note, and part 615 of this chapter, with respect to the payment of extended compensation.
(q) Week means, for purposes of eligibility for and payment of UCFE, a week as defined in the applicable State law.
(r) Week of unemployment means a week of total, part-total, or partial unemployment as defined in the applicable State law, which shall be applied in the same manner and to the same extent to all employment and earnings, and in the same manner and to the same extent for the purposes of the UCFE Program, as if the individual filing for UCFE were filing a claim for State unemployment compensation.
Subpart B—Administration of UCFE Program
§ 609.3 Eligibility requirements for UCFE.
An individual shall be eligible to receive a payment of UCFE or to waiting period credit with respect to a week of unemployment if:
(a) The individual has Federal civilian service and Federal wages in the base period under the applicable State law;
(b) The individual meets the qualifying employment and wage requirements of the applicable State law, either on the basis of Federal civilian service and Federal wages alone or in combination with service and wages covered under a State law or under the UCX Program (part 614 of this chapter);
(c) The individual has filed an initial claim for UCFE and, as appropriate, has filed a timely claim for waiting period credit or a payment of UCFE with respect to that week of unemployment; and
(d) The individual is totally, part-totally, or partially unemployed, and is able to work, available for work, and seeking work within the meaning of or as required by the applicable State law, and is not subject to disqualification under this part or the applicable State law, with respect to that week of unemployment.
§ 609.4 Weekly and maximum benefit amounts.
(a) Total unemployment. The weekly amount of UCFE payable to an eligible individual for a week of total unemployment shall be the amount that would be payable to the individual as unemployment compensation for a week of total unemployment as determined under the applicable State law.
(b) Partial and part-total unemployment. The weekly amount of UCFE payable for a week of partial or part-total unemployment shall be the amount that would be payable to the individual as unemployment compensation for a week of partial or part-total unemployment as determined under the applicable State law.
(c) Maximum amount. The maximum amount of UCFE which shall be payable to an eligible individual during and subsequent to the individual’s benefit year shall be the maximum amount of all unemployment compensation that would be payable to the individual as determined under the applicable State law.
(d) Computation rules. (1) The weekly and maximum amounts of UCFE payable to an individual under the UCFE Program shall be determined under the applicable State law to be in the same amount, on the same terms, and subject to the same conditions as the State unemployment compensation which would be payable to the individual under the applicable State law if the individual’s Federal civilian service and Federal wages assigned or transferred under this part to the State had been included as employment and wages covered by that State law.
(2) All Federal civilian service and Federal wages for all Federal agencies shall be considered employment with a single employer for purposes of the UCFE Program.
§ 609.5 Claims for UCFE.
(a) First claims. A first claim for UCFE shall be filed by an individual in any State agency of any State (or Canada) according to the applicable State law, and on a form prescribed by the Department which shall be furnished to the individual by the State agency where the claim is filed.
(b) Weekly claims. Claims for waiting week credit and payments of UCFE for weeks of unemployment shall be filed in any State agency (or Canada) at the times and in the manner as claims for State unemployment compensation are filed under the applicable State law, and on forms prescribed by the Department which shall be furnished to the individual by the State agency where the claim is filed.
(c) Secretary’s standard. The procedure for reporting and filing claims for UCFE and waiting period credit shall be consistent with this part 609 and the Secretary’s “Standard for Claim Filing, Claimant Reporting, Job Finding and Employment Services” (Employment Security Manual, part V, sections 5000 et seq.).
§ 609.6 Determinations of entitlement; notices to individual.
(a) Determination of first claim. The State agency whose State law applies to an individual under § 609.8 shall, promptly upon the filing of a first claim for UCFE, determine whether the individual is eligible and whether a disqualification applies, and, if the individual is found to be eligible, the individual’s benefit year and the weekly and maximum amounts of UCFE payable to the individual.
(b) Determinations of weekly claims. The State agency promptly shall, upon the filing of a claim for payment of UCFE or waiting period credit with respect to a week, determine whether the individual is entitled to a payment of UCFE or waiting period credit with respect to such week, and, if entitled, the amount of UCFE or waiting period credit to which the individual is entitled.
(c) Redetermination. The provisions of the applicable State law concerning the right to request, or authority to undertake, reconsideration of a determination pertaining to State unemployment compensation under the applicable State law shall apply to determinations pertaining to UCFE.
(d) Notices to individual. The State agency promptly shall give notice in writing to the individual of any determination or redetermination of a first claim, and, except as may be authorized under paragraph (g) of this section, of any determination or redetermination of any weekly claim which denies UCFE or waiting period credit or reduces the weekly amount or maximum amount initially determined to be payable. Each notice of determination or redetermination shall include such information regarding the determination or redetermination and notice of right to reconsideration or appeal, or both, as is furnished with written notices of determinations and redeterminations with respect to claims for State unemployment compensation; and where information furnished by a Federal agency was considered in making the determination, or redetermination, the notice thereof shall include an explanation of the right of the individual to seek additional information pursuant to § 609.23 and/or a reconsideration of Federal findings pursuant to § 609.24.
(e) Obtaining information for claim determinations. (1) Information required for the determination of claims for UCFE shall be obtained by the State agency from claimants, employers, and others, in the same manner as information is obtained for claim purposes under the applicable State law, but information (including additional and reconsidered Federal findings) shall be obtained from the Federal agency that employed the UCFE claimant as prescribed in §§ 609.21 through 609.25. On request by a UCFE claimant, the State agency shall seek additional information pursuant to § 609.23 and reconsideration of Federal findings pursuant to § 609.24.
(2) If Federal findings have not been received from a Federal agency within 12 days after the request for information was submitted to the Federal agency, the State agency shall determine the individual’s entitlement to UCFE on the basis of an affidavit completed by the individual on a form prescribed by the Department. In addition, the individual shall submit for examination by the State agency any documents issued by the Federal agency (for example, Standard Form 50 or W-2) verifying that the individual performed services for and received wages from such Federal agency.
(3) If Federal findings received by a State agency after a determination has been made under this section contain information which would result in a change in the individual’s eligibility for or entitlement to UCFE, the State agency promptly shall make a redetermination and notify the individual, as provided in this section. All payments of UCFE made prior to or after such redetermination shall be adjusted in accordance therewith.
(f) Promptness. Full payment of UCFE when due shall be consistent with this part 609 and shall be made with the greatest promptness that is administratively feasible, but the provisions of part 640 of this chapter (relating to promptness of benefit payments) shall not be applicable to the UCFE Program.
(g) Secretary’s standard. The procedures for making determinations and redeterminations, and furnishing written notices of determinations, redeterminations, and rights of appeal to individuals applying for UCFE, shall be consistent with this part 609 and with the Secretary’s “Standard for Claim Determinations—Separation Information” (Employment Security Manual, part V, sections 6010 et seq.).
§ 609.7 Appeal and review.
(a) Applicable State law. The provisions of the applicable State law concerning the right of appeal and fair hearing from a determination or redetermination of entitlement to State unemployment compensation shall apply to determinations and redeterminations of eligibility for or entitlement to UCFE and waiting period credit. Any such determination or redetermination shall be subject to appeal and review only in the manner and to the extent provided in the applicable State law with respect to determinations and redeterminations of entitlement to State unemployment compensation.
(b) Rights of appeal and fair hearing. The provisions on right to appeal and opportunity for a fair hearing with respect to claims for UCFE shall be consistent with this part and with sections 303(a)(1) and 303(a)(3) of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. 503(a)(1) and 503(a)(3).
(c) Promptness on appeals. (1) Decisions on appeals under the UCFE Program shall accord with the Secretary’s “Standard for Appeals Promptness—Unemployment Compensation” in part 650 of this chapter, and with § 609.1(d).
(2) Any provision of an applicable State law for advancement or priority of unemployment compensation cases on judicial calendars, or otherwise intended to provide for the prompt payment of unemployment compensation when due, shall apply to proceedings involving claims for UCFE.
(d) Appeal and review by Federal agency. If a Federal agency believes that a State agency’s determination or redetermination of an individual’s eligibility for or entitlement to UCFE is incorrect, the Federal agency may seek appeal and review of such determination or redetermination in the same manner as an interested employer may seek appeal and review under the applicable State law.
§ 609.8 The applicable State for an individual.
(a) The applicable State. The applicable State for an individual shall be the State to which the individual’s Federal civilian service and Federal wages are assigned or transferred under this section. The applicable State law for the individual shall be the State law of such State.
(b) Assignment of service and wages. (1) An individual’s Federal civilian service and Federal wages shall be assigned to the State in which the individual had his or her last official station prior to filing a first claim unless:
(i) At the time a first claim is filed the individual resides in another State in which, after separation from Federal civilian service, the individual performed service covered under the State law, in which case all of the individual’s Federal civilian service and wages shall be assigned to the latter State; or
(ii) Prior to filing a first claim an individual’s last official station was outside the States, in which case all of the individual’s Federal civilian service and Federal wages shall be assigned to the State in which the individual resides at the time the individual files a first claim, provided the individual is personally present in a State when the individual files the first claim.
(2) Federal civilian service and wages assigned to a State in error shall be reassigned for use by the proper State agency. An appropriate record of a reassignment shall be made by the State agency which makes the reassignment.
(3) Federal civilian service and Federal wages assigned to a State shall be transferred to another State where such transfer is necessary for the purposes of a combined-wage claim filed by an individual.
(c) Assignment deemed complete. All of an individual’s Federal civilian service and Federal wages shall be deemed to have been assigned to a State upon the filing of a first claim. Federal civilian service and Federal wages shall be assigned to a State only in accordance with paragraph (b) of this section.
(d) Use of assigned service and wages. All assigned Federal civilian service and Federal wages shall be used only by the State to which assigned or transferred in accordance with paragraph (b) of this section.
§ 609.9 Provisions of State law applicable to UCFE claims.
(a) Particular provisions applicable. Except where the result would be inconsistent with the provisions of the Act or this part or the procedures thereunder prescribed by the Department, the terms and conditions of the applicable State law which apply to claims for, and the payment of, State unemployment compensation shall apply to claims for, and the payment of, UCFE and claims for waiting period credit. The provisions of the applicable State law which shall apply include, but are not limited to:
(1) Claim filing and reporting;
(2) Information to individuals, as appropriate;
(3) Notices to individuals and Federal agencies, as appropriate, including notice to each individual of each determination and redetermination of eligibility for or entitlement to UCFE;
(4) Determinations and redeterminations;
(5) Ability to work, availability for work, and search for work; and
(6) Disqualifications.
(b) IBPP. The Interstate Benefit Payment Plan shall apply, where appropriate, to individuals filing claims for UCFE.
(c) Wage combining. The State’s provisions complying with the Interstate Arrangement for Combining Employment and Wages (part 616 of this chapter) shall apply, where appropriate, to individuals filing claims for UCFE.
(d) Procedural requirements. The provisions of the applicable State law which apply hereunder to claims for and the payment of UCFE shall be applied consistently with the requirements of title III of the Social Security Act and the Federal Unemployment Tax Act which are pertinent in the case of State unemployment compensation, including but not limited to those standards and requirements specifically referred to in the provisions of this part, except as provided in paragraph (f) of § 609.6.
§ 609.10 Restrictions on entitlement.
(a) Disqualification. If the week of unemployment for which an individual claims UCFE is a week to which a disqualification for State unemployment compensation applies under the applicable State law, or would apply but for the fact that the individual has no right to such compensation, the individual shall not be entitled to a payment of UCFE for that week.
(b) Allocation of terminal annual leave payments. Lump-sum terminal annual leave payments shall not be allocated by a Federal agency and shall be allocated by a State agency in the same manner as similar payments to individuals employed by private employers are allocated under the applicable State law. In a State in which a private employer has an option as to the period to which such payments shall be allocated, such payments shall be allocated to the date of separation from employment.
§ 609.11 Overpayments; penalties for fraud.
(a) False statements and representations. Section 8507(a) of the Act provides that if a State agency, the Department, or a court of competent jurisdiction finds that an individual—
(1) Knowingly has made, or caused to be made by another, a false statement or representation of a material fact, or knowingly has failed, or caused another to fail, to disclose a material fact; and
(2) As a result of that action has received an amount as UCFE to which the individual was not entitled; the individual shall repay the amount to the State agency or the Department. Instead of requiring repayments, the State agency or the Department may recover the amount by deductions from UCFE payable to the individual during the 2-year period after the date of the finding. A finding by a State agency or the Department may be made only after an opportunity for a fair hearing, subject to such further review as may be appropriate under § 609.7.
(b) Prosecution for fraud. Section 1919 of title 18, United States Code, provides that whoever makes a false statement or representation of a material fact knowing it to be false, or knowingly fails to disclose a material fact, to obtain or increase for himself or for any other individual any payment authorized to be paid under chapter 85 of title 5, United States Code, or under an agreement thereunder, shall be fined not more than $1,000 or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.
(c) Absence of fraud. If a State agency or court of competent jurisdiction finds that an individual has received a payment of UCFE to which the individual was not entitled under the Act and this part, which was not due to a false statement or representation as provided in paragraph (a) or (b) of this section, the individual shall be liable to repay to the applicable State the total sum of the payment to which the individual was not entitled, and the State agency shall take all reasonable measures authorized under any State law or Federal law to recover for the account of the United States the total sum of the payment to which the individual was not entitled.
(d) Recovery by offset. (1) The State agency shall recover, insofar as is possible, the amount of any overpayment which is not repaid by the individual, by deductions from any UCFE payable to the individual under the Act and this part, or from any unemployment compensation payable to the individual under any Federal unemployment compensation law administered by the State agency, or from any assistance or allowance payable to the individual with respect to unemployment under any other Federal law administered by the State agency.
(2) A State agency shall also recover, insofar as is possible, the amount of any overpayment of UCFE made to the individual by another State, by deductions from any UCFE payable by the State agency to the individual under the Act and this part, or from any unemployment compensation payable to the individual under any Federal unemployment compensation law administered by the State agency, or from any assistance or allowance payable to the individual with respect to unemployment under any other Federal law administered by the State agency.
(3) Recoupment of fraudulent overpayments referred to in paragraph (a) of this section shall be limited to the 2-year period stated in that paragraph. Recoupment of fraudulent overpayments referred to in paragraph (b) of this section, and nonfraudulent overpayments referred to in paragraph (c) of this section shall be subject to any time limitation on recoupment provided for in the State law that applies to the case.
(e) Debts due the United States. UCFE payable to an individual shall be applied by the State agency for the recovery by offset of any debt due to the United States from the individual, but shall not be applied or used by the State agency in any manner for the payment of any debt of the individual to any State or any other entity or person except pursuant to a court order for child support or alimony in accordance with the law of the State and section 459 of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. 659.
(f) Application of State law. (1) Except as indicated in paragraph (a) of this section, any provision of State law that may be applied for the recovery of overpayments or prosecution for fraud, and any provision of State law authorizing waiver of recovery of overpayments of unemployment compensation, shall be applicable to UCFE.
(2) In the case of any finding of false statement or representation under the Act and paragraph (a) of this section, or prosecution for fraud under 18 U.S.C. 1919 or pursuant to paragraph (f)(1) of this section, the individual shall be disqualified or penalized in accordance with the provisions of the applicable State law relating to fraud in connection with a claim for State unemployment compensation.
(g) Final decision. Recovery of any overpayment of UCFE shall not be enforced by the State agency until the determination or redetermination establishing the overpayment has become final, or if appeal is taken from the determination or redetermination, until the decision after opportunity for a fair hearing has become final.
(h) Procedural requirements. (1) The provisions of paragraphs (c), (d), and (g) of § 609.6 shall apply to determinations and redeterminations made pursuant to this section.
(2) The provisions of § 609.7 shall apply to determinations and redeterminations made pursuant to this section.
(i) Fraud detection and prevention. Provisions in the procedures of each State with respect to detection and prevention of fraudulent overpayments of UCFE shall be, as a minimum, commensurate with the procedures adopted by the State with respect to State unemployment compensation and consistent with the Secretary’s “Standard for Fraud and Overpayment Detection” (Employment Security Manual, part V, section 7510 et seq.).
(j) Recovered overpayments. An amount repaid or recouped under this section shall be—
(1) Deposited in the fund from which payment was made, if the repayment was to a State agency; or
(2) Returned to the Treasury of the United States and credited to the current applicable appropriation, fund, or account from which payment was made, if the repayment was to the Department.
§ 609.12 Inviolate rights to UCFE.
Except as specifically provided in this part, the rights of individuals to UCFE shall be protected in the same manner and to the same extent as the rights of persons to State unemployment compensation are protected under the applicable State law. Such measures shall include protection of applicants for UCFE from waiver, release, assignment, pledge, encumbrance, levy, execution, attachment, and garnishment of their rights to UCFE, except as provided in § 609.11. In the same manner and to the same extent, individuals shall be protected from discrimination and obstruction in regard to seeking, applying for, and receiving any right to UCFE.
§ 609.13 Recordkeeping; disclosure of information.
(a) Recordkeeping. Each State agency will make and maintain records pertaining to the administration of the UCFE Program as the Department requires, and will make all such records available for inspection, examination, and audit by such Federal officials or employees as the Department may designate or as may be required by law.
(b) Disclosure of Information. Information in records maintained by a State agency in administering the UCFE Program shall be kept confidential, and information in such records may be disclosed only in the same manner and to the same extent as information with respect to State unemployment compensation and the entitlement of individuals thereto may be disclosed under the applicable State law. This provision on the confidentiality of information maintained in the administration of the UCFE Program shall not apply, however, to the Department or for the purposes of §§ 609.11 or 609.13, or in the case of information, reports and studies required pursuant to §§ 609.17 or 609.25, or where the result would be inconsistent with the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552), the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended (5 U.S.C. 552a), or regulations of the Department promulgated thereunder.
§ 609.14 Payments to States.
(a) State entitlement. Each State is entitled to be paid by the United States with respect to each individual whose base period wages included Federal wages, an amount bearing the same ratio to the total amount of compensation paid to such individual as the amount of the individual’s Federal wages in the individual’s base period bears to the total amount of the individual’s base period wages.
(b) Payment. Each State shall be paid, either in advance or by way of reimbursement, as may be determined by the Department, the sum that the Department estimates the State is entitled to receive under the Act and this part for each calendar month. The sum shall be reduced or increased by the amount which the Department finds that its estimate for an earlier calendar month was greater or less than the sum which should have been paid to the State. An estimate may be made on the basis of a statistical, sampling, or other method agreed on by the Department and the State agency.
(c) Certification by the Department. The Department, from time to time, shall certify to the Secretary of the Treasury the sum payable to each State under this section. The Secretary of the Treasury, before audit or settlement by the General Accounting Office, shall pay the State in accordance with the certification from the funds for carrying out the purposes of the Act and this part.
(d) Use of money. Money paid a State under the Act and this part may be used solely for the purposes for which it is paid. Money so paid which is not used solely for these purposes shall be returned, at the time specified by the Agreement, to the Treasury of the United States and credited to the current applicable appropriation, fund, or account from which payments to states under the Act and this part may be made.
§ 609.15 Public access to Agreements.
The State agency of a State will make available to any individual or organization a true copy of the Agreement with the State for inspection and copying. Copies of an Agreement may be furnished on request to any individual or organization upon payment of the same charges, if any, as apply to the furnishing of copies of other records of the State agency.
§ 609.16 Administration in absence of an Agreement.
(a) Administering Program. The Department shall administer the UCFE Program through personnel of the Department or through other arrangements under procedures prescribed by the Department, in the case of any State which does not have an Agreement with the Secretary as provided for in 5 U.S.C. 8502. The procedures prescribed by the Department under this section shall be consistent with the Act and this part.
(b) Applicable State law. On the filing by an individual of a claim for UCFE in accordance with arrangements under this section, UCFE shall be paid to the individual, if eligible, in the same amount, on the same terms, and subject to the same conditions as would be paid to the individual under the applicable State law if the individual’s Federal civilian service and Federal wages had been included as employment and wages under the State law. Any such claim shall include the individual’s Federal civilian service and Federal wages, combined with any service and wages covered by State law. However, if the individual, without regard to his or her Federal civilian service and Federal wages, has employment or wages sufficient to qualify for compensation during the benefit year under that State law, then payments of UCFE under this section may be made only on the basis of the individual’s Federal civilian service and Federal wages.
(c) Fair hearing. An individual whose claim for UCFE is denied under this section is entitled to a fair hearing under rules of procedure prescribed by the Department. A final determination by the Department with respect to entitlement to UCFE under this section is subject to review by the courts in the same manner and to the same extent as is provided by section 205(g) of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. 405(g).
§ 609.17 Information, reports, and studies.
State agencies shall furnish to the Department such information and reports and conduct such studies as the Department determines are necessary or appropriate for carrying out the purposes of the UCFE Program.
Subpart C—Responsibilities of Federal Agencies
§ 609.20 Information to Federal civilian employees.
Each Federal agency shall:
(a) Furnish information to its employees as to their rights and responsibilities under the UCFE Program and 18 U.S.C. 1919; and
(b) Furnish a completed copy of a form approved by the Department, “Notice to Federal Employee About Unemployment Compensation,” in accordance with instructions thereon, to each employee at the time of separation from Federal civilian service, when transferred from one payroll office to another, or when the office responsible for distribution of the form is advised that an individual is in nonpay status for seven consecutive days or more.
§ 609.21 Findings of Federal agency.
(a) Answering request. Within four workdays after receipt from a State agency of a request for Federal findings on a form furnished by the State agency, and prescribed by the Department, a Federal agency shall make such Federal findings, complete all copies of the form, and transmit the completed copies to the State agency. If documents necessary for completion of the form have been assigned to an agency records center or the Federal Records Center in St. Louis, the Federal agency shall obtain the necessary information from the records center. Any records center shall give priority to such a request.
(b) Failure to meet time limit. If a completed form containing the Federal agency’s findings cannot be returned within four workdays of receipt, the Federal agency immediately shall inform the State agency, and shall include an estimated date by which the completed form will be returned.
(c) Administrative control. Each Federal agency shall maintain a control of all requests for Federal findings received by it, and the Federal agency’s response to each request. The records shall be maintained so as to enable the Federal agency to ascertain at any time the number of such forms that have not been returned to State agencies, and the dates of the Federal agency’s receipt of such unreturned forms.
§ 609.22 Correcting Federal findings.
If a Federal agency ascertains at any time within one year after it has returned a completed form reporting its findings, that any of its findings were erroneous, it shall promptly correct its error and forward its corrected findings to the State agency.
§ 609.23 Furnishing additional information.
On receipt of a request for additional information from a State agency, a Federal agency shall consider the information it supplied initially in connection with such request and shall review its findings. The Federal agency promptly shall forward to the State agency such additional findings as will respond to the request. The Federal agency shall, if possible, respond within four workdays after the receipt of a request under this section.
§ 609.24 Reconsideration of Federal findings.
On receipt of a request for reconsideration of Federal findings from a State agency, the Federal agency shall consider the initial information supplied in connection with such request and shall review its findings. The Federal agency shall correct any errors or omissions in its findings and shall affirm, modify, or reverse any or all of its findings in writing. The Federal agency promptly shall forward its reconsidered findings to the requesting authority. The Federal agency shall, if possible, respond within four workdays after the receipt of a request under this section.
§ 609.25 Furnishing other information.
(a) Additional Information. In addition to the information required by §§ 609.21, 609.22, 609.23, and 609.24, a Federal agency shall furnish to a State agency or the Department, within the time requested, any information which it is not otherwise prohibited from releasing by law, which the Department determines is necessary for the administration of the UCFE Program.
(b) Reports. Federal agencies shall furnish to the Department or State agencies such reports containing such information as the Department determines are necessary or appropriate for carrying out the purposes of the UCFE Program.
§ 609.26 Liaison with Department.
To facilitate the Department’s administration of the UCFE Program, each Federal agency shall designate one or more of its officials to be the liaison with the Department. Each Federal agency will inform the Department of its designation(s) and of any change in a designation.
PART 614—UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION FOR EX-SERVICEMEMBERS
Subpart A—General Provisions
§ 614.1 Purpose and application.
(a) Purpose. Subchapter II of chapter 85, title 5 of the United States Code (5 U.S.C. 8521-8525) provides for a permanent program of unemployment compensation for unemployed individuals separated from the Armed Forces. The unemployment compensation provided for in subchapter II is hereinafter referred to as Unemployment Compensation for Ex-servicemembers, or UCX. The regulations in this part are issued to implement the UCX Program.
(b) First rule of construction. The Act and the implementing regulations in this part shall be construed liberally so as to carry out the purposes of the Act.
(c) Second rule of construction. The Act and the implementing regulations in this part shall be construed so as to assure insofar as possible the uniform interpretation and application of the Act throughout the United States.
(d) Effectuating purpose and rules of construction. (1) In order to effectuate the provisions of this section, each State agency shall forward to the United States Department of Labor (hereafter Department), not later than 10 days after issuance, a copy of each judicial or administrative decision ruling on an individual’s entitlement to payment of UCX or to credit for a waiting period. On request of the Department, a State agency shall forward to the Department a copy of any determination or redetermination ruling on an individual’s entitlement to UCX or waiting period credit.
(2)(i) If the Department believes that a determination, redetermination, or decision is inconsistent with the Department’s interpretation of the Act or this part, the Department may at any time notify the State agency of the Department’s view. Thereafter, the State agency shall issue a redetermination or appeal if possible, and shall not follow such determination, redetermination, or decision as a precedent; and, in any subsequent proceedings which involve such determination, redetermination, or decision, or wherein such determination, redetermination, or decision is cited as precedent or otherwise relied upon, the State agency shall inform the claims deputy or hearing officer or court of the Department’s view and shall make all reasonable efforts, including appeal or other proceedings in an appropriate forum, to obtain modification, limitation, or overruling of the determination, redetermination, or decision.
(ii) If the Department believes that a State agency has failed to use, or use in a timely manner, the crossmatch mechanism at the claims control center designated by the Department, the Department may at any time notify the State of the Department’s view. Thereafter, the State agency shall take action to ensure that operable procedures for the effective utilization of the claims control center are in place and adhered to. In any case of any determination, redetermination, or decision that is not legally warranted under the Act or this part had the State used, or used in a timely manner, the crossmatch mechanism at the claims control center designated by the Department, State agency shall take the steps outlined in paragraph (d)(2)(i) of this section.
(3) If the Department believes that a determination, redetermination, or decision is patently and flagrantly violative of the Act or this part, the Department may at any time notify the State agency of the Department’s view. If the determination, redetermination, or decision in question denies UCX to a claimant, the steps outlined in paragraph (2) above shall be followed by the State agency. If the determination, redetermination, or decision in question awards UCX to a claimant, the benefits are “due” within the meaning of section 303(a)(1) of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. 503(a)(1), and therefore must be paid promptly to the claimant. However, the State agency shall take the steps outlined in paragraph (d)(2) of this section, and payments to the claimant may be temporarily delayed if redetermination or appeal action is taken not more than one business day following the day on which the first payment otherwise would be issued to the claimant; and the redetermination action is taken or appeal is filed to obtain a reversal of the award of UCX and a ruling consistent with the Department’s view; and the redetermination action or appeal seeks an expedited redetermination or appeal within not more than two weeks after the redetermination action is taken or the appeal is filed. If redetermination action is not taken or appeal is not filed within the above time limit, or a redetermination or decision is not obtained within the two-week limit, or any redetermination or decision or order is issued which affirms the determination, redetermination, or decision awarding UCX or allows it to stand in whole or in part, the benefits awarded must be paid promptly to the claimant.
(4)(i) If any determination, redetermination, or decision, referred to in paragraph (d)(2) or paragraph (d)(3) of this section, is treated as a precedent for any future UCX claim or claim under the UCFE Program (part 609 of this chapter), the Secretary will decide whether the Agreement with the State entered into under the Act shall be terminated.
(ii) In the case of any determination, redetermination, or decision that is not legally warranted under the Act or this part, including any determination, redetermination, or decision referred to in paragraph (d)(2) or in paragraph (d)(3) of this section, the Secretary will decide whether the State shall be required to restore the funds of the United States for any sums paid under such a determination, redetermination, or decision, and whether, in absence of such restoration, the Agreement with the State shall be terminated and whether other action shall be taken to recover such sums for the United States.
(5) A State agency may request reconsideration of a notice issued pursuant to paragraph (d)(2) or paragraph (d)(3) of this section, and shall be given an opportunity to present views and arguments if desired.
(6) Concurrence of the Department in a determination, redetermination, or decision shall not be presumed from the absence of a notice issued pursuant to this section.
§ 614.2 Definitions of terms.
For purposes of the Act and this part:
(a) Act means subchapter II of chapter 85 of title 5 of the United States Code, 5 U.S.C. 8521-8525.
(b) Agreement means the Agreement entered into pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 8502 between a State and the Secretary under which the State agency of the State agrees to make payments of unemployment compensation in accordance with the Act and the regulations and procedures thereunder prescribed by the Department.
(c) Base period means the base period as defined by the applicable State law for the benefit year.
(d) Benefit year means the benefit year as defined by the applicable State law, and if not so defined the term means the period prescribed in the Agreement with the State or, in the absence of an Agreement, the period prescribed by the Department.
(e) Ex-servicemember means an individual who has performed Federal military service.
(f) Federal military agency means any of the Armed Forces of the United States, including the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Department of Commerce).
(g) Federal military service means active service (not including active duty in a reserve status unless for a continuous period of 90 days or more) in the Armed Forces or the Commissioned Corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration if with respect to that service—
(1) The individual was discharged or released under honorable conditions (and, if an officer, did not resign for the good of the service); and
(2)(i) The individual was discharged or released after completing his/her first full term of active service which the individual initially agreed to serve, or
(ii) The individual was discharged or released before completing such term of active service—
(A) For the convenience of the Government under an early release program,
(B) Because of medical disqualification, pregnancy, parenthood, or any service-incurred injury or disability,
(C) Because of hardship, or
(D) Because of personality disorders or inaptitude but only if the service was continuous for 365 days or more.
(h) Federal military wages means all pay and allowances in cash and in kind for Federal military service, computed on the basis of the pay and allowances for the pay grade of the individual at the time of his or her latest discharge or release from Federal/military service, as determined in accordance with the Schedule of Remuneration applicable at the time the individual files his or her first claim for compensation for a benefit year.
(i) First claim means an initial claim for unemployment compensation under the UCX Program, the UCFE Program (part 609 of this chapter), or a State law, or some combination thereof, first filed by an individual after the individual’s latest discharge or release from Federal military service, whereby a benefit year is established under an applicable State law.
(j) Military document means an official document or documents issued to an individual by a Federal military agency relating to the individual’s Federal military service and discharge or release from such service.
(k) Period of active service means a period of continuous active duty (including active duty for training purposes) in a Federal military agency or agencies, beginning with the date of entry upon active duty and ending on the effective date of the first discharge or release thereafter which is not qualified or conditional.
(l) Schedule of Remuneration means the schedule issued by the Department from time to time under 5 U.S.C. 8521(a)(2) and this part, which specifies for purposes of the UCX Program, the pay and allowances for each pay grade of servicemember.
(m) Secretary means the Secretary of Labor of the United States.
(n) State means the 50 States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
(o) State agency means the agency of the State which administers the applicable State unemployment compensation law and is administering the UCX Program in the State pursuant to an Agreement with the Secretary.
(p)(1) State law means the unemployment compensation law of a State approved by the Secretary under section 3304 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 26 U.S.C. 3304, if the State is certified under section 3304(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 26 U.S.C. 3304(c).
(2) Applicable State law means the State law made applicable to a UCX claimant by § 614.8.
(q)(1) Unemployment compensation means cash benefits (including dependents’ allowances) payable to individuals with respect to their unemployment, and includes regular, additional, emergency, and extended compensation.
(2) Regular compensation means unemployment compensation payable to an individual under any State law, but not including additional compensation or extended compensation.
(3) Additional compensation means unemployment compensation totally financed by a State and payable under a State law by reason of conditions of high unemployment or by reason of other special factors.
(4) Emergency compensation means supplementary unemployment compensation payable under a temporary Federal law after exhaustion of regular and extended compensation.
(5) Extended compensation means unemployment compensation payable to an individual for weeks of unemployment in an extended benefit period, under those provisions of a State law which satisfy the requirements of the Federal-State Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 1970, as amended, 26 U.S.C. 3304 note, and part 615 of this chapter, with respect to the payment of extended compensation.
(r) Unemployment Compensation for Ex-Servicemember means the unemployment compensation payable under the Act to claimants eligible for the payments, and is referred to as UCX.
(s) Week means, for purposes of eligibility for and payment of UCX, a week as defined in the applicable State law.
(t) Week of unemployment means a week of total, part-total, or partial unemployment as defined in the applicable State law, which shall be applied in the same manner and to the same extent to all employment and earnings, and in the same manner and to the same extent for the purposes of the UCX Program, as if the individual filing for UCX were filing a claim for State unemployment compensation.
Subpart B—Administration of UCX Program
§ 614.3 Eligibility requirements for UCX.
An individual shall be eligible to receive a payment of UCX or waiting period credit with respect to a week of unemployment if:
(a) The individual has Federal military service and Federal military wages in the base period under the applicable State law;
(b) The individual meets the qualifying employment and wage requirements of the applicable State law, either on the basis of Federal military service and Federal military wages alone or in combination with service and wages covered under a State law or under the UCFE Program (part 609 of this chapter);
(c) The individual has filed an initial claim for UCX and, as appropriate, has filed a timely claim for waiting period credit or payment of UCX with respect to that week of unemployment; and
(d) The individual is totally, part-totally, or partially unemployed, and is able to work, available for work, and seeking work within the meaning of or as required by the applicable State law, and is not subject to disqualification under this part or the applicable State law, with respect to that week of unemployment.
§ 614.4 Weekly and maximum benefit amounts.
(a) Total unemployment. The weekly amount of UCX payable to an eligible individual for a week of total unemployment shall be the amount that would be payable to the individual as unemployment compensation for a week of total unemployment as determined under the applicable State law.
(b) Partial and part-total unemployment. The weekly amount of UCX payable for a week of partial or part-total unemployment shall be the amount that would be payable to the individual as unemployment compensation for a week of partial or part-total unemployment as determined under the applicable State law.
(c) Maximum amount. The maximum amount of UCX which shall be payable to an eligible individual during and subsequent to the individual’s benefit year shall be the maximum amount of all unemployment compensation that would be payable to the individual as determined under the applicable State law.
(d) Computation rules. The weekly and maximum amounts of UCX payable to an individual under the UCX Program shall be determined under the applicable State law to be in the same amount, on the same terms, and subject to the same conditions as the State unemployment compensation which would be payable to the individual under the applicable State law if the individual’s Federal military service and Federal military wages assigned or transferred under this part to the State had been included as employment and wages covered by that State law, subject to the use of the applicable Schedule of Remuneration.
§ 614.5 Claims for UCX.
(a) First claims. A first claim for UCX shall be filed by an individual in any State agency of any State according to the applicable State law, and on a form prescribed by the Department which shall be furnished to the individual by the State agency where the claim is filed.
(b) Weekly claims. Claims for waiting week credit and payments of UCX for weeks of unemployment shall be filed in any State agency (or Canada) at the times and in the manner as claims for State unemployment compensation are filed under the applicable State law, and on forms prescribed by the Department which shall be furnished to the individual by the State agency where the claim is filed.
(c) Secretary’s standard. The procedures for reporting and filing claims for UCX and waiting period credit shall be consistent with this part 614 and the Secretary’s “Standard for Claim Filing, Claimant Reporting, Job Finding and Employment Services” in the Employment Security Manual, part V, sections 5000-5004 (appendix A of this part).
§ 614.6 Determinations of entitlement; notices to individual and Federal military agency.
(a) Determinations of first claim. Except for findings of a Federal military agency and the applicable Schedule of Remuneration which are final and conclusive under § 614.23, the State agency whose State law applies to an individual under § 614.8 shall, promptly upon the filing of a first claim for UCX, determine whether the individual is otherwise eligible, and, if the individual is found to be eligible, the individual’s benefit year and the weekly and maximum amounts of UCX payable to the individual.
(b) Determinations of weekly claims. The State agency promptly shall, upon the filing of a claim for a payment of UCX or waiting period credit with respect to a week, determine whether the individual is entitled to a payment of UCX or waiting period credit respect to such week, and, if entitled, the amount of UCX or waiting period credit to which the individual is entitled.
(c) Redetermination. The provisions of the applicable State law concerning the right to request, or authority to undertake, reconsideration of a determination pertaining to State unemployment compensation under the applicable State law shall apply to determinations pertaining to UCX.
(d) Notices to individual and Federal military agency. (1) The State agency promptly shall give notice in writing to the individual of any determination or redetermination of a first claim, and, except as may be authorized under paragraph (g) of this section, of any determination or redetermination of any weekly claim which denies UCX or waiting period credit or reduces the weekly amount or maximum amount initially determined to be payable. Each notice of determination or redetermination shall include such information regarding the determination or redetermination and notice of right to reconsideration or appeal, or both, as is furnished with written notices of determinations and redeterminations with respect to claims for State unemployment compensation. Such notice shall include the findings of any Federal military agency utilized in making the determination or redetermination, and shall inform the individual of the finality of Federal findings and the individual’s right to request correction of such findings as is provided in § 614.22.
(2) A notice of claim filing and subsequent notices of monetary and nonmonetary determinations on a UCX claim shall be sent to each Federal military agency for which the individual performed Federal military service during the appropriate base period, together with notice of appeal rights of the Federal military agency to the same extent that chargeable employers are given such notices under State law and practice unless an alternate mechanism is established by the Department of Labor in lieu of such notices.
(e) Obtaining information for claim determinations. (1) Information required for the determination of claims for UCX shall be obtained by the State agency from claimants, employers, and others, in the same manner as information is obtained for claim purposes under the applicable State law, but Federal military findings shall be obtained from military documents, the applicable Schedule of Remuneration, and from Federal military agencies as prescribed in §§ 614.21 through 614.24.
(f) Promptness. Full payment of UCX when due shall be consistent with this part and shall be made with the greatest promptness that is administratively feasible, but the provisions of part 640 of this chapter (relating to promptness of benefit payments) shall not be applicable to the UCX Program.
(g) Secretary’s standard. The procedures for making determinations and redeterminations, and furnishing written notices of determinations, redeterminations, and rights of appeal to individuals applying for UCX and to appropriate Federal military agencies shall be consistent with this part 614 and the Secretary’s “Standard for Claim Determinations-Separation Information” in the Employment Security Manual, part V, sections 6010-6015 (Appendix B of this part).
§ 614.7 Appeal and review.
(a) Applicable State Law. The provisions of the applicable State law concerning the right of appeal and fair hearing from a determination or redetermination of entitlement to State unemployment compensation (exclusive of findings which are final and conclusive under § 614.25) shall apply to determinations and redeterminations of eligibility for or entitlement to UCX and waiting period credit. Any such determination or redetermination shall be subject to appeal and review only in the manner and to the extent provided in the applicable State law with respect to determinations and redeterminations of entitlement to State unemployment compensation.
(b) Rights of appeal and fair hearing. The provisions on right of appeal and opportunity for a fair hearing with respect to claims for UCX shall be consistent with this part and with sections 303(a)(1) and 303(a)(3) of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. 503(a)(1) and 503(a)(3).
(c) Promptness on appeals. (1) Decisions on appeals under the UCX Program shall accord with the Secretary’s “Standard for Appeals Promptness—Unemployment Compensation” in part 650 of this chapter, and with § 614.1(d).
(2) Any provision of an applicable State law for advancement or priority of unemployment compensation cases on judicial calendars, or otherwise intended to provide for the prompt payment of unemployment compensation when due, shall apply to proceedings involving claims for UCX.
(d) Appeal and review by Federal military agency. If a Federal military agency believes that a State agency’s determination or redetermination of an individual’s eligibility for or entitlement to UCX is incorrect, the Federal military agency may seek appeal and review of such determination or redetermination in the same manner as an interested employer may seek appeal and review under the applicable State law.
§ 614.8 The applicable State for an individual.
(a) The applicable State. The applicable State for an individual shall be the State to which the individual’s Federal military service and Federal military wages are assigned or transferred under this section. The applicable State law for the individual shall be the State law of such State.
(b) Assignment of service and wages. (1) When an individual files a first claim, all of the individual’s Federal military service and Federal military wages shall be deemed to be assigned to the State in which such claim is filed, which shall be the “Paying State” in the case of a combined-wage claim. (§ 616.6(e) of this chapter.)
(2) Federal military service and Federal military wages assigned to a State in error shall be reassigned for use by the proper State agency. An appropriate record of the reassignment shall be made by the State agency which makes the reassignment.
(c) Assignment deemed complete. All of an individual’s Federal military service and Federal military wages shall be deemed to have been assigned to a State upon the filing of a first claim. Federal military service and Federal military wages shall be assigned to a State only in accordance with paragraph (b) of this section.
(d) Use of assigned service and wages. All assigned Federal military service and Federal military wages shall be used only by the State to which assigned in accordance with paragraph (b) of this section, except that any Federal military service and Federal military wages which are not within the base period of the State to which they were assigned shall be subject to transfer in accordance with part 616 of this chapter for the purposes of any subsequent Combined-Wage Claim filed by the individual.
§ 614.9 Provisions of State law applicable to UCX claims.
(a) Particular provisions applicable. Except where the result would be inconsistent with the provisions of the Act or this part or the procedures thereunder prescribed by the Department, the terms and conditions of the applicable State law which apply to claims for, and the payment of, State unemployment compensation shall apply to claims for, and the payment of, UCX and claims for waiting period credit. The provisions of the applicable State law which shall apply include, but are not limited to:
(1) Claim filing and reporting;
(2) Information to individuals, as appropriate;
(3) Notices to individuals, as appropriate, including notice to each individual of each determination and redetermination of eligibility for or entitlement to UCX;
(4) Determinations and redeterminations;
(5) Ability to work, availability for work, and search for work; and
(6) Disqualifications, except in regard to separation from any Federal military agency.
(b) IBPP. The Interstate Benefit Payment Plan shall apply, where appropriate, to individuals filing claims for UCX.
(c) Wage combining. The State’s provisions complying with the Interstate Arrangement for Combining Employment and Wages (part 616 of this chapter) shall apply, where appropriate, to individuals filing claims for UCX.
(d) Procedural requirements. The provisions of the applicable State law which apply hereunder to claims for and the payment of UCX shall be applied consistently with the requirements of title III of the Social Security Act and the Federal Unemployment Tax Act which are pertinent in the case of State unemployment compensation, including but not limited to those standards and requirements specifically referred to in the provisions of this part, except as provided in paragraph (f) of § 614.6.
§ 614.10 Restrictions on entitlement.
(a) Disqualification. If the week of unemployment for which an individual claims UCX is a week to which a disqualification for State unemployment compensation applies under the applicable State law, the individual shall not be entitled to a payment of UCX for that week. As provided in § 614.9(a), no disqualification shall apply in regard to separation from any Federal military agency.
(b) Effect of “days lost”. The continuity of a period of an individual’s Federal military service shall not be deemed to be interrupted by reason of any “days lost” in such period, but “days lost” shall not be counted for purposes of determining:
(1) Whether an individual has performed Federal military service;
(2) Whether an individual meets the wage and employment requirements of a State law; or
(3) The amount of an individual’s Federal military wages.
(c) Allocation of military accrued leave. A State agency shall allocate the number of days of unused military leave specified in an ex-servicemember’s military document, for which a lump-sum payment has been made, in the same manner as similar payments by private employers to their employees are allocated under the applicable State law, except that the applicable Schedule of Remuneration instead of the lump-sum payment shall be used to determine the amount of the claimant’s Federal military wages. In a State in which a private employer has an option as to the period to which such payments shall be allocated, such payments shall be allocated to the date of the individual’s latest discharge or release from Federal military service. An allocation under this paragraph shall be disregarded in determining whether an individual has had a period of active service constituting Federal military service.
(d) Education and training allowances. An individual is not entitled to UCX under the Act or this part for a period with respect to which the individual receives:
(1) A subsistence allowance for vocational rehabilitation training under chapter 31 of title 38 of the United States Code, 38 U.S.C. 1501 et seq., or under part VIII of Veterans Regulation Numbered 1(a); or
(2) An educational assistance allowance or special training allowance under chapter 35 of title 38 of the United States Code, 38 U.S.C. 1700 et seq.
§ 614.11 Overpayments; penalties for fraud.
(a) False statements and representations. Section 8507(a) of the Act provides that if a State agency, the Department, or a court of competent jurisdiction finds that an individual—
(1) Knowingly has made, or caused to be made by another, a false statement or representation of a material fact, or knowingly has failed, or caused another to fail, to disclose a material fact; and
(2) As a result of that action has received an amount as UCX to which the individual was not entitled; the individual shall repay the amount to the State agency or the Department. Instead of requiring repayment, the State agency or the Department may recover the amount by deductions from UCX payable to the individual during the 2-year period after the date of the finding. A finding by a State agency or the Department may be made only after an opportunity for a fair hearing, subject to such further review as may be appropriate under § 614.7.
(b) Prosecution for fraud. Section 1919 of title 18, United States Code, provides that whoever makes a false statement or representation of a material fact knowing it to be false, or knowingly fails to disclose a material fact, to obtain or increase for himself or for any other individual any payment authorized to be paid under chapter 85 of title 5, United States Code, or under an agreement thereunder, shall be fined not more than $1,000 or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.
(c) Absence of fraud. If a State agency or court of competent jurisdiction finds that an individual has received a payment of UCX to which the individual was not entitled under the Act and this part, which was not due to a false statement or representation as provided in paragraph (a) or (b) of this section, the individual shall be liable to repay to the applicable State the total sum of the payment to which the individual was not entitled, and the State agency shall take all reasonable measures authorized under any State law or Federal law to recover for the account of the United States the total sum of the payment to which the individual was not entitled.
(d) Recovery by offset. (1) The State agency shall recover, insofar as is possible, the amount of any overpayment which is not repaid by the individual, by deductions from any UCX payable to the individual under the Act and this part, or from any unemployment compensation payable to the individual under any Federal unemployment compensation law administered by the State agency, or from any assistance or allowance payable to the individual with respect to unemployment under any other Federal law administered by the State agency.
(2) A State agency shall also recover, insofar as is possible, the amount of any overpayment of UCX made to the individual by another State by deductions from any UCX payable by the State agency to the individual under the Act and this part, or from any unemployment compensation payable to the individual under any Federal unemployment compensation law administered by the State agency, or from any assistance or allowance payable to the individual with respect to unemployment under any other Federal law administered by the State agency.
(3) Recoupment of fraudulent overpayments referred to in paragraph (a) of this section shall be limited to the 2-year period stated in that paragraph. Recoupment of fraudulent overpayments referred to in paragraph (b) of this section, and nonfraudulent overpayments referred to in paragraph (c) of this section shall be subject to any time limitation on recoupment provided for in the State law that applies to the case.
(e) Debts due the United States. UCX payable to an individual shall be applied by the State agency for the recovery by offset of any debt due to the United States from the individual, but shall not be applied or used by the State agency in any manner for the payment of any debt of the individual to any State or any other entity or person except pursuant to a court order for child support or alimony in accordance with the law of the State and section 459 of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. 659.
(f) Application of State law. (1) Except as indicated in paragraph (a) of this section, any provision of State law that may be applied for the recovery of overpayments or prosecution for fraud, and any provision of State law authorizing waiver of recovery of overpayments of unemployment compensation, shall be applicable to UCX.
(2) In the case of any finding of false statement of representation under the Act and paragraph (a) of this section, or prosecution for fraud under 18 U.S.C. 1919 or pursuant to paragraph (f)(1) of this section, the individual shall be disqualified or penalized in accordance with the provision of the applicable State law relating to fraud in connection with a claim for State unemployment compensation.
(g) Final decision. Recovery of any overpayment of UCX shall not be enforced by the State agency until the determination or redetermination establishing the overpayment has become final, or if appeal is taken from the determination or redetermination, until the decision after opportunity for a fair hearing has become final.
(h) Procedural requirements. (1) The provisions of paragraphs (c), (d), and (g) of § 614.6 shall apply to determinations and redeterminations made pursuant to this section.
(2) The provisions of § 614.7 shall apply to determinations and redeterminations made pursuant to this section.
(i) Fraud detection and prevention. Provisions in the procedures of each State with respect to detection and prevention of fraudulent overpayments of UCX shall be, as a minimum, commensurate with the procedures adopted by the State with respect to State unemployment compensation and consistent with this part 614 and the Secretary’s “Standard for Fraud and Overpayment Detection” in the Employment Security Manual, part V, sections 7510-7515 (Appendix C of this part), and provide for timely use of any crossmatch mechanism established by the Department.
(j) Recovered overpayments. An amount repaid or recouped under this section shall be—
(1) Deposited in the fund from which payment was made, if the repayment was to a State agency; or
(2) Returned to the Treasury of the United States and credited to the current applicable appropriation, fund, or account from which payment was made, if the repayment was to the Department.
§ 614.12 Schedules of remuneration.
(a) Authority. Section 8521(a)(2) of chapter 85, title 5 of the United States Code, 5 U.S.C. 8521(a)(2), requires the Secretary of Labor to issue from time to time, after consultation with the Secretary of Defense, a Schedule of Remuneration specifying the pay and allowances for each pay grade of members of the Armed Forces.
(b) Elements of schedule. A schedule reflects representative amounts for appropriate elements of the pay and allowances, whether in cash or kind, for each pay grade of members of the Armed Forces, with a statement of the effective date of the schedule. Benefit amounts for the UCX Program are computed on the basis of the Federal military wages for the pay grade of the individual at the time of the individual’s latest discharge or release from Federal military service, as specified in the schedule applicable at the time the individual files his or her first claim for compensation for the benefit year.
(c) Effective date. Any new Schedule of Remuneration shall take effect beginning with the first week of the calendar quarter following the calendar quarter in which such schedule is issued, and shall remain applicable until a subsequent schedule becomes effective. Prior schedules shall continue to remain applicable for the periods they were in effect.
(d) Publication. Any new Schedule of Remuneration shall be issued by the Secretary of Labor to the State agencies and the Federal military agencies. Promptly after the issuance of a new Schedule of Remuneration it shall be published as a notice in the
§ 614.13 Inviolate rights to UCX.
Except as specifically provided in this part, the rights of individuals to UCX shall be protected in the same manner and to the same extent as the rights of persons to State unemployment compensation are protected under the applicable State law. Such measures shall include protection of applicants for UCX from waiver, release, assignment, pledge, encumbrance, levy, execution, attachment, and garnishment of their rights to UCX, except as provided in § 614.11. In the same manner and to the same extent, individuals shall be protected from discrimination and obstruction in regard to seeking, applying for, and receiving any right to UCX.
§ 614.14 Recordkeeping; disclosure of information.
(a) Recordkeeping. Each State agency will make and maintain records pertaining to the administration of the UCX Program as the Department requires, and will make all such records available for inspection, examination, and audit by such Federal officials or employees as the Department may designate or as may be required by law.
(b) Disclosure of information. Information in records maintained by a State agency in administering the UCX Program shall be kept confidential, and information in such records may be disclosed only in the same manner and to the same extent as information with respect to State unemployment compensation and the entitlement of individuals thereto may be disclosed under the applicable State law. This provision on the confidentiality of information maintained in the administration of the UCX Program shall not apply, however, to the Department or for the purposes of §§ 614.11 or 614.14, or in the case of information, reports and studies required pursuant to §§ 614.18 or 614.26, or where the result would be inconsistent with the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. 552, the Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. 552a, or regulations of the Department promulgated thereunder.
§ 614.15 Payments to States.
(a) State entitlement. Each State is entitled to be paid by the United States with respect to each individual whose base period wages included Federal military wages, an amount bearing the same ratio to the total amount of compensation paid to such individual as the amount of the individual’s Federal military wages in the individual’s base period bears to the total amount of the individual’s base period wages.
(b) Payment. Each State shall be paid, either in advance or by way of reimbursement, as may be determined by the Department, the sum that the Department estimates the State is entitled to receive under the Act and this part for each calendar month. The sum shall be reduced or increased by the amount which the Department finds that its estimate for an earlier calendar month was greater or less than the sum which should have been paid to the State. An estimate may be made on the basis of a statistical, sampling, or other method agreed on by the Department and the State agency.
(c) Certification by the Department. The Department, from time to time, shall certify to the Secretary of the Treasury the sum payable to each State under this section. The Secretary of the Treasury, before audit or settlement by the General Accounting Office, shall pay the State in accordance with the certification from the funds for carrying out the purposes of the Act and this part.
(d) Use of money. Money paid a State under the Act and this part may be used solely for the purposes for which it is paid. Money so paid which is not used solely for these purposes shall be returned, at the time specified by the Agreement, to the Treasury of the United States and credited to the current applicable appropriation, fund, or account from which payments to States under the Act and this part may be made.
§ 614.16 Public access to Agreements.
The State agency of a State will make available to any individual or organization a true copy of the Agreement with the State for inspection and copying. Copies of an Agreement may be furnished on request to any individual or organization upon payment of the same charges, if any, as apply to the furnishing of copies of other records of the State agency.
§ 614.17 Administration in absence of an Agreement.
(a) Administering program. The Department shall administer the UCX Program through personnel of the Department or through other arrangements under procedures prescribed by the Department, in the case of any State which does not have an Agreement with the Secretary as provided for in 5 U.S.C. 8502. The procedures prescribed by the Department under this section shall be consistent with the Act and this part.
(b) Applicable State law. On the filing by an individual of a claim for UCX in accordance with arrangements under this section, UCX shall be paid to the individual, if eligible, in the same amount, on the same terms, and subject to the same conditions as would be paid to the individual under the applicable State law if the individual’s Federal military service and Federal military wages had been included as employment and wages under the State law. Any such claims shall include the individual’s Federal military service and Federal military wages, combined with any service and wages covered by State law. However, if the individual, without regard to his or her Federal military service and Federal military wages, has employment or wages sufficient to qualify for compensation during the benefit year under that State law, then payments of UCX under this section may be made only on the basis of the individual’s Federal military service and Federal military wages.
(c) Fair hearing. An individual whose claim for UCX is denied under this section is entitled to a fair hearing under rules of procedures prescribed by the Department. A final determination by the Department with respect to entitlement to UCX under this section is subject to review by the courts in the same manner and to the same extent as is provided by section 205(g) of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. 405(g).
§ 614.18 Information, reports, and studies.
State agencies shall furnish to the Department such information and reports and conduct such studies as the Department determines are necessary or appropriate for carrying out the purposes of the UCX Program.
Subpart C—Responsibilities of Federal Military Agencies and State Agencies
§ 614.20 Information to ex-servicemembers.
At the time of discharge or release from Federal military service, each Federal military agency shall furnish to each ex-servicemember information explaining rights and responsibilities under the UCX Program and 18 U.S.C. 1919, and military documents necessary for filing claims for UCX.
§ 614.21 Findings of Federal military agency.
(a) Findings in military documents. Information contained in a military document furnished to an ex-servicemember shall constitute findings to which § 614.23 applies as to:
(1) Whether the individual has performed active service in the Armed Forces or the Commissioned Corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration;
(2) The beginning and ending dates of the period of active service and “days lost” during such period;
(3) The type of discharge or release terminating the period of active service;
(4) The individuals’ pay grade at the time of discharge or release from active service; and
(5) The narrative reason or other reason for separation from active service.
(b) Discharges not under honorable conditions. A military document which shows that an individual’s discharge or release was under other than honorable conditions shall also be a finding to which § 614.23 applies.
§ 614.22 Correcting Federal findings.
(a) Request for correction. (1) If an individual believes that a finding specified in § 614.21 is incorrect or that information as to any finding has been omitted from a military document, the individual may request the issuing Federal military agency to correct the military document. A request for correction may be made through the State agency, which shall forward such request and any supporting information submitted by the individual to the Federal military agency.
(2) The Federal military agency shall promptly forward to the individual or State agency making the request the corrected military document. Information contained in a corrected military document issued pursuant to such a request shall constitute the findings of the Federal military agency under § 614.21.
(3) If a determination or redetermination based on a finding as to which correction is sought has been issued by a State agency before a request for correction under this paragraph is made, the individual who requested such correction shall file a request for redetermination or appeal from such determination or redetermination with the State agency, and shall inform the State agency of the request for correction.
(4) An individual who files a request for correction of findings under this paragraph shall promptly notify the State agency of the action of the Federal military agency on such request.
(b) State agency procedure when request made. (1) If a determination of entitlement has not been made when an individual notifies a State agency of a request for correction under paragraph (a) of this section, the State agency may postpone such determination until the individual has notified the State agency of the action of the Federal military agency on the request.
(2) If a determination of entitlement has been made when an individual notifies a State agency that a request for correction of Federal findings has been made, or if an individual notifies a State agency prior to a determination of entitlement that a request has been made but such determination is not postponed by the State agency, the individual may file a request for redetermination or appeal in accordance with the applicable State law.
(3) Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section, no redetermination shall be made or hearing scheduled on an appeal until the individual has notified the State agency of the action of the Federal military agency on a request for correction under paragraph (a) of this section.
(c) State agency procedure when request answered. On receipt of notice of the action of a Federal military agency on a request for correction of its findings, a State agency shall:
(1) Make a timely determination or redetermination of the individual’s entitlement, or
(2) Promptly schedule a hearing on the individual’s appeal.
(d) Findings corrected without request. Information as to any finding specified in § 614.21 contained in a corrected military document issued by a Federal military agency on its own motion shall constitute the findings of such agency under § 614.21, if notice thereof is received by a State agency before the period for redetermination or appeal has expired under the State law. On timely receipt of such notice a State agency shall take appropriate action under the applicable State law to give effect to the corrected findings.
§ 614.23 Finality of findings.
The findings of a Federal military agency referred to in §§ 614.21 and 614.22, and the Schedules of Remuneration issued by the Department pursuant to the Act and § 614.12, shall be final and conclusive for all purposes of the UCX Program, including appeal and review pursuant to § 614.7 or § 614.17.
§ 614.24 Furnishing other information.
(a) Additional information. In addition to the information required by §§ 614.21 and 614.22, a Federal military agency shall furnish to a State agency or the Department, within the time requested, any information which it is not otherwise prohibited from releasing by law, which the Department determines is necessary for the administration of the UCX Program.
(b) Reports. Federal military agencies shall furnish to the Department or State agencies such reports containing such information as the Department determines are necessary or appropriate for carrying out the purposes of the UCX Program.
§ 614.25 Liaison with Department
To facilitate the Department’s administration of the UCX program, each Federal military agency shall designate one or more of its officials to be the liaison with the Department. Each Federal military agency will inform the Department of its designation(s) and of any change in a designation.
Appendix A to Part 614—Standard for Claim Filing, Claimant Reporting, Job Finding, and Employment Services
* Revises subgrouping 5000-5004.
A. Federal law requirements. Section 3304(a)(1) of the Federal Unemployment Tax Act and section 303(a)(2) of the Social Security Act require that a State law provide for:
“Payment of unemployment compensation solely through public employment offices or such other agencies as the Secretary may approve.”
Section 3304(a)(4) of the Federal Unemployment Tax Act and section 303(a)(5) of the Social Security Act require that a State law provide for:
“Expenditure of all money withdrawn from an unemployment fund of such State, in the payment of unemployment compensation. * * *”
Section 303(a)(1) of the Social Security Act requires that the State law provide for:
“Such methods of administration * * * as are found by the Secretary to be reasonably calculated to insure full payment of unemployment compensation when due.”
B. Secretary’s interpretation of Federal law requirements.
1. The Secretary interprets section 3304(a)(1) of the Federal Unemployment Tax Act and section 303(a)(2) of the Social Security Act to require that a State law provide for payment of unemployment compensation solely through public employment offices or claims offices administered by the State employment security agency if such agency provides for such coordination in the operations of its public employment offices and claims offices as will insure: (a) The payment of benefits only to individuals who are unemployed and who are able to work and available for work, and (b) that individuals claiming unemployment compensation (claimants) are afforded such placement and other employment services as are necessary and appropriate to return them to suitable work as soon as possible.
2. The Secretary interprets all the above sections to require that a State law provide for:
a. Such contact by claimants with public employment offices or claims offices or both, (1) as will reasonably insure the payment of unemployment compensation only to individuals who are unemployed and who are able to work and available for work, and (2) that claimants are afforded such placement and other employment services as are necessary and appropriate to facilitate their return to suitable work as soon as possible; and
b. Methods of administration which do not unreasonably limit the opportunity of individuals to establish their right to unemployment compensation due under such State law.
A. Claim filing—total or part-total unemployment.
1. Individuals claiming unemployment compensation for total or part-total unemployment are required to file a claim weekly or biweekly, in person or by mail, at a public employment office or a claims office (these terms include offices at itinerant points) as set forth below.
2. Except as provided in paragraph 3, a claimant is required to file in person:
a. His new claim with respect to a benefit year, or his continued claim for a waiting week or for his first compensable week of unemployment in such year; and
b. Any other claim, when requested to do so by the claims personnel at the office at which he files his claim(s) because questions about his right to benefits are raised by circumstances such as the following:
(1) The conditions or circumstances of his separation from employment;
(2) The claimant’s answers to questions on mail claim(s) indicate that he may be unable to work or that there may be undue restrictions on his availability for work or that his search for work may be inadequate or that he may be disqualified;
(3) The claimant’s answers to questions on mail claims create uncertainty about his credibility or indicate a lack of understanding of the applicable requirement; or
(4) The claimant’s record shows that he has previously filed a fraudulent claim.
In such circumstances, the claimant is required to continue to file claims in person each week (or biweekly) until the State agency determines that filing claims in person is no longer required for the resolution of such questions.
3. A claimant must be permitted to file a claim by mail in any of the following circumstances:
a. He is located in an area requiring the expenditure of an unreasonable amount of time or money in traveling to the nearest facility established by the State agency for filing claims in person;
b. Conditions make it impracticable for the agency to take claims in person;
c. He has returned to full-time work on or before the scheduled date for his filing a claim, unless the agency makes provision for in-person filing at a time and place that does not interfere with his employment;
d. The agency finds that he has good cause for failing to file a claim in person.
4. A claimant who has been receiving benefits for partial unemployment may continue to file claims as if he were a partially unemployed worker for the first four consecutive weeks of total or part-total unemployment immediately following his period of partial unemployment so long as he remains attached to his regular employer.
B. Claim filing—partial unemployment. Each individual claiming unemployment compensation for a week (or other claim period) during which, because of lack of work, he is working less than his normal customary full-time hours for his regular employer and is earning less than the earnings limit provided in the State law, shall not be required to file a claim for such week or other claim period earlier than 2 weeks from the date that wages are paid for such claim period or, if a low earnings report is required by the State law, from the date the employer furnished such report to the individual. State agencies may permit claims for partial unemployment to be filed either in person or by mail, except that in the circumstances set forth in section A 3, filing by mail must be permitted, and in the circumstances set forth in section A 2 b, filing in person may be required.
A. Claims personnel are required to assure that each claimant is doing what a reasonable individual in his circumstances would do to obtain suitable work.
B. In the discretion of the State agency:
1. The claims personnel are required to give each claimant such necessary and appropriate assistance as they reasonably can in finding suitable work and at their discretion determine when more complete placement and employment services are necessary and appropriate for a claimant; and if they determine more complete services are necessary and appropriate, the claims personnel are to refer him to employment service personnel in the public employment office in which he has been filing claim(s), or, if he has been filing in a claims office, in the public employment office most accessible to him; or
2. All placement and employment services are required to be afforded to each claimant by employment service personnel in the public employment office most accessible to him, in which case the claims personnel in the office in which the claimant files his claim are to refer him to the employment service personnel when placement or other employment services are necessary and appropriate for him.
C. The personnel to whom the State agency assigns the responsibilities outlined in paragraph B above are required to give claimants such job-finding assistance, placement, and other employment services as are necessary and appropriate to facilitate their return to suitable work as soon as possible.
In some circumstances, no such services or only limited services may be required. For example, if a claimant is on a short-term temporary layoff with a fixed return date, the only service necessary and appropriate to be given to him during the period of the layoff is a referral to suitable temporary work if such work is being performed in the labor market area.
Similarly, claimants whose unemployment is caused by a labor dispute presumably will return to work with their employer as soon as the labor dispute is settled. They generally do not need services, nor do individuals in occupations where placement customarily is made by other nonfee charging placement facilities such as unions and professional associations.
Claimants who fall within the classes which ordinarily would require limited services or no services shall, if they request placement and employment services, be afforded such services as are necessary and appropriate for them to obtain suitable work or to achieve their reasonable employment goals.
On the other hand, a claimant who is permanently separated from his job is likely to require some services. He may need only some direction in how to get a job; he may need placement services if he is in an occupation for which there is some demand in the labor market area; if his occupation is outdated, he may require counseling and referral to a suitable training course. The extent and character of the services to be given any particular claimant may change with the length of his unemployment and depend not only on his own circumstances and conditions, but also on the condition of the labor market in the area.
D. Claimants are required to report to employment service personnel, as directed, but such personnel and the claims personnel are required to so arrange and coordinate the contacts required of a claimant as not to place an unreasonable burden on him or unreasonably limit his opportunity to establish his rights to compensation. As a general rule, a claimant is not required to contact in person claims personnel or employment service personnel more frequently than once a week, unless he is directed to report more frequently for a specific service such as referral to a job or a training course or counseling which cannot be completed in one visit.
E. Employment service personnel are required to report promptly to claims personnel in the office in which the claimant files his claim(s): (1) His failure to apply for or accept work to which he was referred by such personnel or when known, by any other nonfee-charging placement facility such as a union or a professional association; and (2) any information which becomes available to it that may have a bearing on the claimant’s ability to work or availability for work, or on the suitability of work to which he was referred or which was offered to him.
Appendix B to Part 614—Standard for Claim Determination—Separation Information
* Revises subgrouping 6010-6019
“Such methods of administration . . . as are found by the Secretary to be reasonably calculated to insure full payment of unemployment compensation when due.”
Section 303(a)(3) of the Social Security Act requires that a State law include provision for:
“Opportunity for a fair hearing before an impartial tribunal, for all individuals whose claims for unemployment compensation are denied.”
Section 3304(a)(4) of the Federal Unemployment Tax Act and section 303(a)(5) of the Social Security Act require that a State law include provision for:
“Expenditure of all money withdrawn from an unemployment fund of such State, in the payment of unemployment compensation * * *.
Section 3306(h) of the Federal Unemployment Tax Act defines “compensation” as “cash benefits payable to individuals with respect to their unemployment.”
A. Individuals who may be entitled to unemployment compensation are furnished such information as will reasonably afford them an opportunity to know, establish, and protect their rights under the unemployment compensation law of such State, and
B. The State agency obtains and records in time for the prompt determination and review of benefit claims such information as will reasonably insure the payment of benefits to individuals to whom benefits are due.
In determining the conformity of a State law with the above requirements of the Federal Unemployment Tax Act and the Social Security Act as interpreted by the Secretary, the following criteria will be applied:
A. Is it required that individuals who may be entitled to unemployment compensation be furnished such information of their potential rights to benefits, including the manner and places of filing claims, the reasons for determinations, and their rights of appeal, as will insure them a reasonable opportunity to know, establish, and protect their rights under the law of the State?
B. Is the State agency required to obtain, in time for prompt determination of rights to benefits such information as will reasonably insure the payment of benefits to individuals to whom benefits are due?
C. Is the State agency required to keep records of the facts considered in reaching determinations of rights to benefits?
A. Investigation of claims. The State agency is required to obtain promptly and prior to a determination of an individual’s right to benefits, such facts pertaining thereto as will be sufficient reasonably to insure the payment of benefits when due.
This requirement embraces five separate elements:
1. It is the responsibility of the agency to take the initiative in the discovery of information. This responsibility may not be passed on the claimant or the employer. In addition to the agency’s own records, this information may be obtained from the worker, the employer, or other sources. If the information obtained in the first instance discloses no essential disagreement and provides a sufficient basis for a fair determination, no further investigation is necessary. If the information obtained from other sources differs essentially from that furnished by the claimant, the agency, in order to meet its responsibility, is required to inform the claimant of such information from other sources and to afford the claimant an opportunity to furnish any further facts he may have.
2. Evidentiary facts must be obtained as distinguished from ultimate facts or conclusions. That a worker was discharged for misconduct is an ultimate fact or conclusion; that he destroyed a machine upon which he was working is a primary or evidentiary fact, and the sort of fact that the requirement refers to.
3. The information obtained must be sufficient reasonably to insure the payment of benefits when due. In general, the investigation made by the agency must be complete enough to provide information upon which the agency may act with reasonable assurance that its decision is consistent with the unemployment compensation law. On the other hand, the investigation should not be so exhaustive and time-consuming as unduly to delay the payment of benefits and to result in excessive costs.
4. Information must be obtained promptly so that the payment of benefits is not unduly delayed.
5. If the State agency requires any particular evidence from the worker, it must give him a reasonable opportunity to obtain such evidence.
B. Recording of facts. The agency must keep a written record of the facts considered in reaching its determinations.
C. Determination notices
1. The agency must give each claimant a written notice of:
a. Any monetary determination with respect to his benefit year;
b. Any determination with respect to purging a disqualification if, under the State law, a condition or qualification must be satisfied with respect to each week of disqualification; but in lieu of giving written notice of each determination for each week in which it is determined that the claimant has met the requirements for purging the agency may inform the claimant that he has purged the disqualification for a week by notation on his applicant identification card or otherwise in writing.
c. Any other determination which adversely affects
(1) A week in a benefit year for which the claimant’s weekly benefit amount is reduced in whole or in part by earnings if, the first time in the benefit year that there is such a reduction, he is required to be furnished a booklet or leaflet containing the information set forth below in paragraph 2f(1). However, a written notice of determination is required if: (a) There is a dispute concerning the reduction with respect to any week (e.g., as to the amount computed as the appropriate reduction, etc.); or (b) there is a change in the State law (or in the application thereof) affecting the reduction; or
(2) Any week in a benefit year subsequent to the first week in such benefit year in which benefits were denied, or reduced in whole or in part for reasons other than earnings, if denial or reduction for such subsequent week is based on the same reason and the same facts as for the first week, and if written notice of determination is required to be given to the claimant with respect to such first week, and with such notice of determination, he is required to be given a booklet or pamphlet containing the information set forth below in paragraphs 2f(2) and 2h. However, a written notice of determination is required if: (a) There is a dispute concerning the denial or reduction of benefits with respect to such week; or (b) there is a change in the State law (or in the application thereof) affecting the denial or reduction; or (c) there is a change in the amount of the reduction except as to the balance covered by the last reduction in a series of reductions.
This procedure may be applied to determinations made with respect to any subsequent weeks for the same reason and on the basis of the same facts: (a) That claimant is unable to work, unavailable for work, or is disqualified under the labor dispute provision; and (b) reducing claimant’s weekly benefit amount because of income other than earnings or offset by reason of overpayment.
2. The agency must include in written notices of determinations furnished to claimants sufficient information to enable them to understand the determinations, the reasons therefor, and their rights to protest, request reconsideration, or appeal.
The written notice of monetary determination must contain the information specified in the following items (except h) unless an item is specifically not applicable. A written notice of any other determination must contain the information specified in as many of the following items as are necessary to enable the claimant to understand the determination and to inform him of his appeal rights. Information specifically applicable to the individual claimant must be contained in the written notice of determination. Information of general application such as (but not limited to) the explanation of benefits for partial unemployment, information as to deductions, seasonality factors, and information as to the manner and place of taking an appeal, extension of the appeal period, and where to obtain information and assistance may be contained in a booklet or leaflet which is given the claimant with his monetary determination.
a. Base period wages. The statement concerning base-period wages must be in sufficient detail to show the basis of computation of eligibility and weekly and maximum benefit amounts. (If maximum benefits are allowed, it may not be necessary to show details of earnings.)
b. Employer name. The name of the employer who reported the wages is necessary so that the worker may check the wage transcript and know whether it is correct. If the worker is given only the employer number, he may not be able to check the accuracy of the wage transcript.
c. Explanation of benefit formula—weekly and maximum benefit amounts. Sufficient information must be given the worker so that he will understand how his weekly benefit amount, including allowances for dependents, and his maximum benefit amount were figured. If benefits are computed by means of a table contained in the law, the table must be furnished with the notice of determination whether benefits are granted or denied.
The written notice of determination must show clearly the weekly benefit amount and the maximum potential benefits to which the claimant is entitled.
The notice to a claimant found ineligible by reason of insufficient earnings in the base period must inform him clearly of the reason for ineligibility. An explanation of the benefit formula contained in a booklet or pamphlet should be given to each claimant at or prior to the time he receives written notice of a monetary determination.
d. Benefit year. An explanation of what is meant by the benefit year and identification of the claimant’s benefit year must be included in the notice of determination.
e. Information as to benefits for partial unemployment. There must be included either in the written notice of determination or in a booklet or pamphlet accompanying the notice an explanation of the claimant’s rights to partial benefits for any week with respect to which he is working less than his normal customary full-time workweek because of lack of work and for which he earns less than his weekly benefit amount or weekly amount plus earnings, whichever is provided by the State law. If the explanation is contained in the notice of determination, reference to the item in the notice in which his weekly benefit amount is entered should be made.
f. Deductions from weekly benefits.
(1) Earnings. Although written notice of determinations deducting earnings from a claimant’s weekly benefit amount is generally not required (see paragraph 1c (1) above), where written notice of determination is required (or given) it shall set forth the amount of earnings, the method of computing the deduction in sufficient detail to enable the claimant to verify the accuracy of the deduction, and his right to protest, request redetermination, and appeal. Where a written notice of determination is given to the claimant because there has been a change in the State law or in the application of the law, an explanation of the change shall be included.
Where claimant is not required to receive a written notice of determination, he must be given a booklet or pamphlet the first time in his benefit year that there is a deduction for earnings which shall include the following information:
(a) The method of computing deductions for earnings in sufficient detail to enable the claimant to verify the accuracy of the deduction;
(b) That he will not automatically be given a written notice of determination for a week with respect to which there is a deduction for earnings (unless there is a dispute concerning the reduction with respect to a week or there has been a change in the State law or in the application of the law affecting the deduction) but that he may obtain such a written notice upon request; and
(c) A clear statement of his right to protest, request a redetermination, and appeal from any determination deducting earnings from his weekly benefit amount even though he does not automatically receive a written notice of determination; and if the State law requires written notice of determination in order to effectuate a protest, redetermination, or appeal, he must be so advised and advised also that he must request a written notice of determination before he takes any such action.
(2) Other deductions.
(a) A written notice of determination is required with respect to the first week in claimant’s benefit year in which there is a reduction from his benefits for a reason other than earnings. This notice must describe the deduction made from claimant’s weekly benefit amount, the reason for the deduction, the method of computing it in sufficient detail to enable him to verify the accuracy of such deduction, and his right to protest, request redetermination, or appeal.
(b) A written notice of determination is not required for subsequent weeks that a deduction is made for the same reason and on the basis of the same facts, if the notice of determination pursuant to (2)(a), or a booklet or pamphlet given him with such notice explains: (i) The several kinds of deductions which may be made under the State law (e.g., retirement pensions, vacation pay, and overpayments); (ii) the method of computing each kind of deduction in sufficient detail that claimant will be able to verify the accuracy of deductions made from his weekly benefit payments; (iii) any limitation on the amount of any deduction or the time in which any deduction may be made; (iv) that he will not automatically be given a written notice of determination for subsequent weeks with respect to which there is a deduction for the same reason and on the basis of the same facts, but that he may obtain a written notice of determination upon request; (v) his right to protest, request redetermination, or appeal with respect to subsequent weeks for which there is a reduction from his benefits for the same reason, and on the basis of the same facts even though he does not automatically receive a written notice of determination; and (vi) that if the State law requires written notice of determination in order to effectuate a protest, redetermination, or appeal, he must be so advised and advised also that he must request a written notice of determination before he takes any such action.
g. Seasonality factors. If the individual’s determination is affected by seasonality factors under the State law, an adequate explanation must be made. General explanations of seasonality factors which may affect determinations for subsequent weeks may be included in a booklet or pamphlet given with his notice of monetary determination.
h. Disqualification or ineligibility. If a disqualification is imposed, or if the claimant is declared ineligible for one or more weeks, he must be given not only a statement of the period of disqualification or ineligibility and the amount of wage-credit reductions, if any, but also an explanation of the reason for the ineligibility or disqualification. This explanation must be sufficiently detailed so that he will understand why he is ineligible or why he has been disqualified, and what he must do in order to requalify for benefits or purge the disqualification. The statement must be individualized to indicate the facts upon which the determination was based, e.g., state, “It is found that you left your work with Blank Company because you were tired of working; the separation was voluntary, and the reason does not constitute good cause,” rather than merely the phrase “voluntary quit.” Checking a box as to the reason for the disqualification is not a sufficiently detailed explanation. However, this statement of the reason for the disqualification need not be a restatement of all facts considered in arriving at the determination.
i. Appeal rights. The claimant must be given information with respect to his appeal rights.
(1) The following information shall be included in the notice of determination:
(a) A statement that he may appeal or, if the State law requires or permits a protest or redetermination before an appeal, that he may protest or request a redetermination.
(b) The period within which an appeal, protest, or request for redetermination must be filed. The number of days provided by statute must be shown as well as either the beginning date or ending date of the period. (It is recommended that the ending date of the appeal period be shown, as this is the more understandable of the alternatives.)
(2) The following information must be included either in the notice of determination or in separate informational material referred to in the notice:
(a) The manner in which the appeal, protest, or request for redetermination must be filed, e.g., by signed letter, written statement, or on a prescribed form, and the place or places to which the appeal, protest, or request for redetermination may be mailed or hand-delivered.
(b) An explanation of any circumstances (such as nonworkdays, good cause, etc.) which will extend the period for the appeal, protest, or request for redetermination beyond the date stated or identified in the notice of determination.
(c) That any further information claimant may need or desire can be obtained together with assistance in filing his appeal, protest, or request for redetermination from the local office.
If the information is given in separate material, the notice of determination would adequately refer to such material if it said, for example, “For other information about your (appeal), (protest), (redetermination) rights, see pages __ to __ of the ______________ (name of pamphlet or booklet) heretofore furnished to you.”
A. Information to agency. Where workers are separated, employers are required to furnish the agency promptly, either upon agency request or upon such separation, a notice describing the reasons for and the circumstances of the separation and any additional information which might affect a claimant’s right to benefits. Where workers are working less than full time, employers are required to furnish the agency promptly, upon agency request, information concerning a claimant’s hours of work and his wages during the claim periods invovled, and other facts which might affect a claimant’s eligibility for benefits during such periods.
When workers are separated and the notices are obtained on a request basis, or when workers are working less than full time and the agency requests information, it is essential to the prompt processing of claims that the request be sent out promptly after the claim is filed and the employer be given a specific period within which to return the notice, preferably within 2 working days.
When workers are separated and notices are obtained upon separation, it is essential that the empolyer be required to send the notice to the agency with sufficient promptness to insure that, if a claim is filed, it may be processed promptly. Normally, it is desirable that such a notice be sent to the central office of the agency, since the employer may not know in which local office the worker will file his claim. The usual procedure is for the employer to give the worker a copy of the notice sent by the employer to the agency.
B. Information to worker.
1. Information required to be given. Employees are required to give their employers information and instructions concerning the employees’ potential rights to benefits and concerning registration for work and filing claims for benefits.
The information furnished to employees under such a requirement need not be elaborate; it need only be adequate to insure that the worker who is separated or who is working less than full time knows he is potentially eligible for benefits and is informed as to what he is to do or where he is to go to file his claim and register for work. When he files his claim, he can obtain more detailed information.
In States that do not require employers to furnish periodically to the State agency detailed reports of the wages paid to their employees, each employer is required to furnish to his employees information as to: (a) The name under which he is registered by the State agency, (b) the address where he maintains his payroll records, and (c) the workers’ need for this information if and when they file claims for benefits.
2. Methods for giving information. The information and instructions required above may be given in any of the following ways:
a. Posters prominently displayed in the employer’s establishment. The State agency should supply employers with a sufficient number of posters for distribution throughout their places of business and should see that the posters are conspicuously displayed at all times.
b. Leaflets. Leaflets distributed either periodically or at the time of separation or reduction of hours. The State agency should supply employers with a sufficient number of leaflets.
c. Individual notices. Individual notices given to each employee at the time of separation or reduction in hours.
It is recommended that the State agency’s publicity program be used to supplement the employer-information requirements. Such a program should stress the availability and location of claim-filing offices and the importance of visiting those offices whenever the worker is unemployed, wishes to apply for benefits, and to seek a job.
Appendix C to Part 614—Standard for Fraud and Overpayment Detection
“Such methods of administration * * * as are found by the Secretary to be reasonably calculated to insure full payment of unemployment compensation when due.”
Section 1603(a)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code and section 3030(a)(5) of the Social Security Act require that a State law include provision for:
“Expenditure for all money withdrawn from an unemployment fund of such State, in the payment of unemployment compensation * * * ”
Section 1607(h) of the Internal Revenue Code defines “compensation” as “cash benefits payable to individuals with respect to their unemployment.”
A. Are investigations required to be made after the payment of benefits, (or, in the case of interstate claims, are investigations made by the agent State after the processing of claims) as to claimants’ entitlement to benefits paid to them in a sufficient proportion of cases to test the effectiveness of the agency’s procedures for the prevention of payments which are not due? To carry out investigations, has the agency assigned to some individual or unit, as a basic function, the responsibility of making or functionally directing such investigations?
Explantaion: It is not feasible to prescribe the extent to which the above activities are required; however, they should always be carried on to such an extent that they will show whether or not error or willful misrepresentation is increasing or decreasing, and will reveal problem areas. The extent and nature of the above activities should be varied according to the seriousness of the problem in the State. The responsible individual or unit should:
1. Check paid claims for overpayment and investigate for willful misrepresentation or, alternatively, advise and assist the operating units in the performance of such functions, or both;
2. Perform consultative services with respect to methods and procedures for the prevention and detection of fraud; and
3. Perform other services which are closely related to the above.
Although a State agency is expected to make a full-time assignment of responsibility to a unit or individual to carry on the functions described above, a small State agency might make these functions a part-time responsibility of one individual. In connection with the detection of overpayments, such a unit or individual might, for example:
(a) Investigate information on suspected benefit fraud received from any agency personnel, and from sources outside the agency, including anonymous complaints;
(b) Investigate information secured from comparisons of benefit payments with employment records to detect cases of concurrent working (whether in covered or noncovered work) and claiming of benefits (including benefit payments in which the agency acted as agent for another State).
The benefit fraud referred to herein may involve employers, agency employees, and witnesses, as well as claimants.
Comparisons of benefit payments with employment records are commonly made either by post-audit or by industry surveys. The so-called “post-audit” is a matching of central office wage-record files against benefit payments for the same period. “Industry surveys” or “mass audits” are done in some States by going directly to employers for pay-roll information to be checked against concurrent benefit lists. A plan
A. of investigation based on a sample post-audit will be considered as partial fulfillment of the investigation program; it would need to be supplemented by other methods capable of detecting overpayments to persons who have moved into noncovered occupations or are claiming interstate benefits.
B. Are adequate records maintained by which the results of investigations may be evaluated? *
* Revises section 7513 as issued 5/5/50.
Explanation. To meet this criterion, the State agency will be expected to maintain records of all its activities in the detection of overpayments, showing whether attributable to error or willful misrepresentation, measuring the results obtained through various methods, and noting the remedial action taken in each case. The adequacy and effectiveness of various methods of checking for willful misrepresentation can be evaluated only if records are kept of the results obtained. Internal reports on fraudulent and erroneous overpayments are needed by State agencies for self-evaluation. Detailed records should be maintained in order that the State agency may determine, for example, which of several methods of checking currently used are the most productive. Such records also will provide the basis for drawing a clear distinction between fraud and error.
C. Does the agency take adequate action with respect to publicity concerning willful misrepresentation and its legal consequences to deter fraud by claimants? *
Explanation. To meet this criterion, the State agency must issue adequate material on claimant eligibility requirements and must take necessary action to obtain publicity on the legal consequences of willful misrepresentation or willful nondisclosure of facts.
Public announcements on convictions and resulting penalties for fraud are generally considered necessary as a deterrent to other persons, and to inform the public that the agency is carrying on an effective program to prevent fraud. This alone is not considered adequate publicity. It is important that information be circulated which will explain clearly and understandably the claimant’s rights, and the obligations which he must fulfill to be eligible for benefits. Leaflets for distribution and posters placed in local offices are appropriate media for such information.
* Revises section 7513 as issued 5/5/50.
PART 615—EXTENDED BENEFITS IN THE FEDERAL-STATE UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION PROGRAM
§ 615.1 Purpose.
This part implements the “Federal-State Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 1970” (EUCA). Under the Federal Unemployment Tax Act, 26 U.S.C. 3304(a)(11), an approved State law must provide for the payment of extended compensation to eligible individuals who have exhausted all rights to regular compensation during specified periods of unemployment, as prescribed in EUCA and this part.
§ 615.2 Definitions.
For the purposes of the EUCA and this part—
Additional compensation means compensation totally financed by a State and payable under a State law by reason of conditions of high unemployment or by reason of other special factors and, when so payable, includes compensation payable pursuant to 5 U.S.C. chapter 85.
And, as used in section 202(a)(3)(D)(ii), shall be interpreted to mean “or”.
Applicable benefit year means, with respect to an individual, the current benefit year if, at the time an initial claim for extended compensation is filed, the individual has an unexpired benefit year only in the State in which such claim is filed, or, in any other case, the individual’s most recent benefit year. For this purpose, the most recent benefit year for an individual who has unexpired benefit years in more than one State when an initial claim for extended compensation is filed, is the benefit year with the latest ending date or, if such benefit years have the same ending date, the benefit year in which the latest continued claim for regular compensation was filed. The individual’s most recent benefit year which expires in an extended benefit period, when either extended compensation or high unemployment extended compensation is payable, is the applicable benefit year if the individual cannot establish a second benefit year or is precluded from receiving regular compensation in a second benefit year solely by reason of a State law provision which meets the requirement of section 3304(a)(7) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. 3304(a)(7)).
Applicable State means, with respect to an individual, the State with respect to which the individual is an “exhaustee” as defined in § 615.5, and in the case of a combined wage claim for regular compensation, the term means the “paying State” as defined in § 616.6(e) of this chapter.
Applicable State law means the law of the State which is the applicable State for an individual.
Average weekly benefit amount, for the purposes of section 202(a)(3)(D)(i), means the weekly benefit amount (including dependents’ allowances payable for a week of total unemployment and before any reduction because of earnings, pensions or other requirements) applicable to the week in which the individual failed to take an action which results in a disqualification as required by section 202(a)(3)(B) of the EUCA.
Base period means, with respect to an individual, the base period as determined under the applicable State law for the individual’s applicable benefit year.
Benefit structure as used in section 204(a)(2)(D), for the requirement to round down to the “nearest lower full dollar amount” for Federal reimbursement of sharable regular and sharable extended compensation means all of the following:
(1) Amounts of regular weekly benefit payments,
(2) Amounts of additional and extended weekly benefit payments,
(3) The State maximum or minimum weekly benefit,
(4) Partial and part-total benefit payments,
(5) Amounts payable after deduction for pensions, and
(6) Amounts payable after any other deduction required by State law.
Benefit year means, with respect to an individual, the benefit year as defined in the applicable State law.
Claim filed in any State under the interstate benefit payment plan, as used in section 202(c), means:
(1) Any interstate claim for a week of unemployment filed pursuant to the Interstate Benefit Payment Plan, but does not include—
(i) A claim filed in Canada,
(ii) A visiting claim filed by an individual who has received permission from his/her regular reporting office to report temporarily to a local office in another State and who has been furnished intrastate claim forms on which to file claims, or
(iii) A transient claim filed by an individual who is moving from place to place searching for work, or an intrastate claim for Extended Benefits filed by an individual who does not reside in a State that is in an Extended Benefit Period,
(2) The first 2 weeks, as used in section 202(c), means the first 2 weeks for which the individual files compensable claims for Extended Benefits under the Interstate Benefit Payment Plan in an agent State in which an Extended Benefit Period is not in effect during such weeks.
Compensation and unemployment compensation means cash benefits (including dependents’ allowances) payable to individuals with respect to their unemployment, and includes regular compensation, additional compensation and extended compensation as defined in this section.
Date of a disqualification, as used in section 202(a)(4), means the date the disqualification begins, as determined under the applicable State law.
Department means the United States Department of Labor, and shall include the Employment and Training Administration, the agency of the United States Department of Labor headed by the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employment and Training to whom has been delegated the Secretary’s authority under the EUCA in Secretary’s Order No. 6-2010 (75 FR 66268) or any subsequent order.
Eligibility period means, for an individual, the period consisting of—
(1) The weeks in the individual’s applicable benefit year which begin in an extended benefit period or high unemployment period, or for a single benefit year, the weeks in the benefit year which begin in more than one extended benefit period or high unemployment period, and
(2) If the applicable benefit year ends within an extended benefit period or high unemployment period, any weeks thereafter which begin in such extended benefit period or high unemployment period,
(3) An individual may not have more than one eligibility period for any one exhaustion of regular benefits, or carry over from one eligibility period to another any entitlement to extended compensation.
Employed, for the purposes of section 202(a)(3)(B)(ii) of the EUCA, and employment, for the purposes of section 202(a)(4) of the EUCA, mean service performed in an employer-employee relationship as defined in the State law; and that law also shall govern whether that service must be covered by it, must consist of consecutive weeks, and must consist of more weeks of work than are required under section 202(a)(3)(B) of the EUCA.
EUCA means the Federal-State Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 1970, title II of Public Law 91-373, 84 Stat. 695, 708 (codified in note to 26 U.S.C. 3304), as amended.
Extended benefit period means the weeks during which extended compensation is payable in a State in accordance with § 615.11.
Extended Benefits Program or EB Program means the entire program under which monetary payments are made to workers who have exhausted their regular compensation during periods of high unemployment.
Extended compensation or extended benefits means the funds payable to an individual for weeks of unemployment which begin in a regular EB period or high unemployment period (HUP), under those provisions of a State law which satisfy the requirements of EUCA and this part with respect to the payment of extended unemployment compensation, and, when so payable, includes compensation payable under 5 U.S.C. chapter 85, but does not include regular compensation or additional compensation.
Extended compensation account is the account established for each individual claimant for the payment of regular extended compensation or high unemployment extended compensation.
Extended unemployment compensation means:
(1) Regular extended compensation paid to an eligible individual under those provisions of a State law which are consistent with EUCA and this part, and that does not exceed the smallest of the following:
(i) 50 percent of the total amount of regular compensation payable to the individual during the applicable benefit year; or
(ii) 13 times the individual’s weekly amount of extended compensation payable for a week of total unemployment, as determined under § 615.6(a); or
(iii) 39 times the individual’s weekly benefit amount, referred to in paragraph (1)(ii) of this definition, reduced by the regular compensation paid (or deemed paid) to the individual during the applicable benefit year; or
(2) High unemployment extended compensation paid to an eligible individual under an optional TUR indicator enacted under State law when the State is in a high unemployment period, in accordance with § 615.11(e) of this part, and that does not exceed the smallest of the following:
(i) 80 percent of the total amount of regular compensation payable to the individual during the applicable benefit year; or
(ii) 20 times the individual’s weekly amount of extended compensation payable for a week of total unemployment, as determined under § 615.6(a); or
(iii) 46 times the individual’s weekly benefit amount, referred to in paragraph (1)(ii) of this definition, reduced by the regular compensation paid (or deemed paid) to the individual during the applicable benefit year.
Gross average weekly remuneration, for the purposes of section 202(a)(3)(D)(i), means the remuneration offered for a week of work before any deductions for taxes or other purposes and, in case the offered pay may vary from week to week, it shall be determined on the basis of recent experience of workers performing work similar to the offered work for the employer who offered the work.
High unemployment extended compensation means the benefits payable to an individual for weeks of unemployment which begin in a high unemployment period, under those provisions of a State law which satisfy the requirements of EUCA and this part for the payment of high unemployment extended compensation. When so payable, high unemployment extended compensation includes compensation payable under 5 U.S.C. chapter 85, but does not include regular compensation or additional compensation. Regular extended unemployment compensation, along with high unemployment extended compensation, are part of the program referred to in this part as Extended Benefits.
High unemployment period (or HUP) means a period where the Department determines that the Trigger Value in a State, which has enacted the alternative Total Unemployment Rate indicator in law, for the most recent 3 months for which data for all States is published, equals or exceeds 8 percent and such Trigger Value equals or exceeds 110 percent of such Trigger Value for either or both of the corresponding 3-month periods ending in the 2 preceding calendar years.
Hospitalized for treatment of an emergency or life-threatening condition, as used in section 202(a)(3)(A)(ii), has the following meaning: “Hospitalized for treatment” means an individual was admitted to a hospital as an inpatient for medical treatment. Treatment is for an “emergency or life threatening condition” if determined to be such by the hospital officials or attending physician that provide the treatment for a medical condition existing upon or arising after hospitalization. For purposes of this definition, the term “medical treatment” refers to the application of any remedies which have the objective of effecting a cure of the emergency or life-threatening condition. Once an “emergency condition” or a “life-threatening condition” has been determined to exist by the hospital officials or attending physician, the status of the individual as so determined shall remain unchanged until release from the hospital.
Individual’s capabilities, for the purposes of section 202(a)(3)(C), means work which the individual has the physical and mental capacity to perform and which meets the minimum requirements of section 202(a)(3)(D).
Insured Unemployment Rate means the percentage derived by dividing the average weekly number of individuals filing claims for regular compensation in a State for weeks of unemployment in the most recent 13-consecutive-week period as determined by the State on the basis of State reports to the United States Secretary of Labor by the average monthly employment covered under State law for the first 4 of the most recent 6 completed calendar quarters before the end of such 13-week period.
Jury duty, for purposes of section 202(a)(3)(A)(ii), means the performance of service as a juror, during all periods of time an individual is engaged in such service, in any court of a State or the United States pursuant to the law of the State or the United States and the rules of the court in which the individual is engaged in the performance of such service.
Provisions of the applicable State law, as used in section 202(a)(3)(D)(iii) of EUCA, means that State law provisions must not be inconsistent with sections 202(a)(3)(C) and 202(a)(3)(E). Therefore, decisions based on State law provisions must not require an individual to take a job which requires traveling an unreasonable distance to work, or which involves an unreasonable risk to the individual’s health, safety or morals. Such State law provisions must also include labor standards and training provisions required under sections 3304(a)(5) and 3304(a)(8) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and section 236(d) of the Trade Act of 1974.
Reasonably short period, for the purposes of section 202(a)(3)(C), means the number of weeks provided by the applicable State law.
Regular compensation means compensation payable to an individual under a State law, and, when so payable, includes compensation payable pursuant to 5 U.S.C. chapter 85, but does not include extended compensation or additional compensation.
Regular extended compensation means the benefits payable to an individual for weeks of unemployment which begin in an extended benefit period, under those provisions of a State law which satisfy the requirements of EUCA and this part for the payment of extended unemployment compensation, and, when so payable, includes compensation payable under 5 U.S.C. chapter 85, but does not include regular compensation or additional compensation. Regular extended compensation, along with high unemployment extended compensation, are part of the program referred to in this part as Extended Benefits.
Regular EB period means a period in which a state is “on” the EB Program because either the mandatory or optional IUR indicator satisfies the criteria to be “on” and the state is not in a 13-week mandatory “off” period; or the State is “on” the EB Program because the TUR indicator’s Trigger Value is at least 6.5 percent and it is at least 110 percent of the Trigger Value for the comparable 3 months in either of the prior 2 years.
Secretary means the Secretary of Labor of the United States.
Sharable compensation means:
(1) Extended compensation paid to an eligible individual under those provisions of a State law which are consistent with EUCA and this part, and that does not exceed the smallest of the following:
(i) 50 percent of the total amount of regular compensation payable to the individual during the applicable benefit year; or
(ii) 13 times the individual’s weekly amount of extended compensation payable for a week of total unemployment, as determined under § 615.6(a); or
(iii) 39 times the individual’s weekly benefit amount, referred to in paragraph (1)(ii) of this definition, reduced by the regular compensation paid (or deemed paid) to the individual during the applicable benefit year.
(2) Extended compensation paid to an eligible individual under an optional TUR indicator enacted under State law when the State is in a high unemployment period, in accordance with § 615.12(f) of this part, and that does not exceed the smallest of the following:
(i) 80 percent of the total amount of regular compensation payable to the individual during the applicable benefit year; or
(ii) 20 times the individual’s weekly amount of extended compensation payable for a week of total unemployment, as determined under § 615.6(a); or
(iii) 46 times the individual’s weekly benefit amount, referred to in paragraph (1)(ii) of this definition, reduced by the regular compensation paid (or deemed paid) to the individual during the applicable benefit year.
(3) Regular compensation paid to an eligible individual for weeks of unemployment in the individual’s eligibility period, but only to the extent that the sum of such compensation, plus the regular compensation paid (or deemed paid) to the individual for prior weeks of unemployment in the applicable benefit year, exceeds 26 times and does not exceed 39 times the average weekly benefit amount (including allowances for dependents) for weeks of total unemployment payable to the individual under the State law in such benefit year: Provided, that such regular compensation is paid under provisions of a State law which are consistent with EUCA and this part.
(4) Notwithstanding the preceding provisions of this paragraph, sharable compensation does not include any regular or extended compensation for which a State is not entitled to a payment under section 202(a)(6) or 204 of EUCA or § 615.14 of this part.
State means the States of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the U. S. Virgin Islands.
State agency means the State unemployment compensation agency of a State which administers the State law.
State law means the unemployment compensation law of a State, approved by the Secretary under section 3304(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. 3304(a)).
A systematic and sustained effort, for the purposes of section 202(a)(3)(E), means—
(i) A high level of job search activity throughout the given week, compatible with the number of employers and employment opportunities in the labor market reasonably applicable to the individual,
(ii) A plan of search for work involving independent efforts on the part of each individual which results in contacts with persons who have the authority to hire or which follows whatever hiring procedure is required by a prospective employer in addition to any search offered by organized public and private agencies such as the State employment service or union or private placement offices or hiring halls,
(iii) Actions by the individual comparable to those actions by which jobs are being found by people in the community and labor market, but not restricted to a single manner of search for work such as registering with and reporting to the State employment service and union or private placement offices or hiring halls, in the same manner that such work is found by people in the community,
(iv) A search not limited to classes of work or rates of pay to which the individual is accustomed or which represent the individual’s higher skills, and which includes all types of work within the individual’s physical and mental capabilities, except that the individual, while classified by the State agency as provided in § 615.8(d) as having “good” job prospects, shall search for work that is suitable work under State law provisions which apply to claimants for regular compensation (which is not sharable),
(v) A search by every claimant, without exception for individuals or classes of individuals other than those in approved training, as required under section 3304(a)(8) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 or section 236(e) of the Trade Act of 1974,
(vi) A search suspended only when severe weather conditions or other calamity forces suspension of such activities by most members of the community, except that
(vii) The individual, while classified by the State agency as provided in § 615.8(d) as having “good” job prospects, if such individual normally obtains customary work through a hiring hall, shall search for work that is suitable work under State law provisions which apply to claimants for regular compensation (which is not sharable).
Tangible evidence of an active search for work, for the purposes of section 202(a)(3)(E), means a written record which can be verified, and which includes the actions taken, methods of applying for work, types of work sought, dates and places where work was sought, the name of the employer or person who was contacted and the outcome of the contact.
Total Unemployment Rate means the number of unemployed individuals in a State (seasonally adjusted) divided by the civilian labor force (seasonally adjusted) in the State for the same period.
Trigger Value or average rate of total unemployment means the ratio computed using 3 months of the level of seasonally adjusted unemployment in a State in the numerator and 3 months of the level of the seasonally adjusted civilian labor force in the State in the denominator. This rate is used for triggering States “on” and “off” the optional Total Unemployment Rate indicator as described in § 615.12(e).
Week means:
(1) For purposes of eligibility for and payment of extended compensation, a week as defined in the applicable State law.
(2) For purposes of computation of extended compensation “on” and “off” and “no change” indicators and insured unemployment rates and the beginning and ending of an EB Period or a HUP, a calendar week.
Week of unemployment means:
(1) A week of total, part-total, or partial unemployment as defined in the applicable State law, which shall be applied in the same manner and to the same extent to the Extended Benefit Program as if the individual filing a claim for Extended Benefits were filing a claim for regular compensation, except as provided in paragraph (2) of this definition.
(2) Week of unemployment in section 202(a)(3)(A) of the EUCA means a week of unemployment, as defined in paragraph (1) of this definition, for which the individual claims Extended Benefits or sharable regular benefits.
§ 615.3 Effective period of the program.
An Extended Benefit Program conforming with EUCA and this part shall be a requirement for a State law effective on and after January 1, 1972, pursuant to section 3304(a)(11) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, (26 U.S.C. 3304(a)(11)). Continuation of the program by a State in conformity and substantial compliance with EUCA and this part, throughout any 12-month period ending on October 31 of a year subsequent to 1972, shall be a condition of the certification of the State with respect to such 12-month period under section 3304(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. 3304(c)). Conformity with EUCA and this part in the payment of regular compensation, regular extended compensation, and high unemployment extended compensation (if State law so provides) to any individual is a continuing requirement, applicable to every week as a condition of a State’s entitlement to payment for any compensation as provided in EUCA and this part.
§ 615.4 Eligibility requirements for Extended Benefits.
(a) General. An individual is entitled to Extended Benefits for a week of unemployment which begins in the individual’s eligibility period if, with respect to such week, the individual is an exhaustee as defined in § 615.5, files a timely claim for Extended Benefits, and satisfies the pertinent requirements of the applicable State law which are consistent with EUCA and this part.
(b) Qualifying for Extended Benefits. The State law shall specify whether an individual qualifies for Extended Benefits by earnings and employment in the base period for the individual’s applicable benefit year as required by section 202(a)(5) of EUCA, (and if it does not also apply this requirement to the payment of sharable regular benefits, the State will not be entitled to a payment under § 615.14), as follows:
(1) One and one-half times the high quarter wages; or
(2) Forty times the most recent weekly benefit amount, and if this alternative is adopted, it shall use the weekly benefit amount (including dependents’ allowances) payable for a week of total unemployment (before any reduction because of earnings, pensions or other requirements) which applied to the most recent week of regular benefits; or
(3) Twenty weeks of full-time insured employment, and if this alternative is adopted, the term “full-time” shall have the meaning provided by the State law.
§ 615.5 Definition of “exhaustee.”
(a)(1) “Exhaustee” means an individual who, with respect to any week of unemployment in the individual’s eligibility period:
(i) Has received, prior to such week, all of the regular compensation that was payable under the applicable State law or any other State law (including regular compensation payable to Federal civilian employees and Ex-Servicemembers under 5 U.S.C. chapter 85) for the applicable benefit year that includes such week; or
(ii) Has received, prior to such week, all of the regular compensation that was available under the applicable State law or any other State law (including regular compensation available to Federal civilian employees and Ex-Servicemembers under 5 U.S.C. chapter 85) in the benefit year that includes such week, after the cancellation of some or all of the individual’s wage credits or the total or partial reduction of the individual’s right to regular compensation; or
(iii) The applicable benefit year having expired prior to such week and the individual is precluded from establishing a second (new) benefit year, or the individual established a second benefit year but is suspended indefinitely from receiving regular compensation, solely by reason of a State law provision which meets the requirement of section 3304(a)(7) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. 3304(a)(7)): Provided, that, an individual shall not be entitled to Extended Benefits based on regular compensation in a second benefit year during which the individual is precluded from receiving regular compensation solely by reason of a State law provision which meets the requirement of section 3304(a)(7) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. 3304(a)(7)); or
(iv) The applicable benefit year having expired prior to such week, the individual has insufficient wages or employment, or both, on the basis of which a new benefit year could be established in any State that would include such week; and
(v) Has no right to unemployment compensation for such week under the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act or such other Federal laws as are specified by the Department pursuant to this paragraph; and
(vi) Has not received and is not seeking for such week unemployment compensation under the unemployment compensation law of Canada, unless the Canadian agency finally determines that the individual is not entitled to unemployment compensation under the Canadian law for such week.
(2) An individual who becomes an exhaustee as defined above shall cease to be an exhaustee commencing with the first week that the individual becomes eligible for regular compensation under any State law or 5 U.S.C. chapter 85, or has any right to unemployment compensation as provided in paragraph (a)(1)(v) of this section, or has received or is seeking unemployment compensation as provided in paragraph (a)(1)(vi) of this section. The individual’s Extended Benefit Account shall be terminated upon the occurrence of any such week, and the individual shall have no further right to any balance in that Extended Benefit Account.
(b) Special Rules. For the purposes of paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) of this section, an individual shall be deemed to have received in the applicable benefit year all of the regular compensation payable according to the monetary determination, or available to the individual, as the case may be, even though—
(1) As a result of a pending appeal with respect to wages or employment or both that were not included in the original monetary determination with respect to such benefit year, the individual may subsequently be determined to be entitled to more or less regular compensation, or
(2) By reason of a provision in the State law that establishes the weeks of the year in which regular compensation may be paid to the individual on the basis of wages in seasonal employment—
(i) The individual may be entitled to regular compensation with respect to future weeks of unemployment in the next season or off season, as the case may be, but such compensation is not payable with respect to the week of unemployment for which Extended Benefits are claimed, and
(ii) The individual is otherwise an exhaustee within the meaning of this section with respect to rights to regular compensation during the season or off season in which that week of unemployment occurs, or
(3) Having established a benefit year, no regular compensation is payable during such year because wage credits were cancelled or the right to regular compensation was totally reduced as the result of the application of a disqualification.
(c) Adjustment of week. If it is subsequently determined as the result of a redetermination or appeal that an individual is an exhaustee as of a different week than was previously determined, the individual’s rights to Extended Benefits shall be adjusted so as to accord with such redetermination or decision.
§ 615.6 Extended Benefits; weekly amount.
(a) Total unemployment. (1) The weekly amount of Extended Benefits payable to an individual for a week of total unemployment in the individual’s eligibility period shall be the amount of regular compensation payable to the individual for a week of total unemployment during the applicable benefit year. If the individual had more than one weekly amount of regular compensation for total unemployment during such benefit year, the weekly amount of extended compensation for total unemployment shall be one of the following which applies as specified in the applicable State law:
(i) The average of such weekly amounts of regular compensation,
(ii) The last weekly benefit amount of regular compensation in such benefit year, or
(iii) An amount that is reasonably representative of the weekly amounts of regular compensation payable during such benefit year.
(2) If the method in paragraph (a)(1)(iii) of this section is adopted by a State, the State law shall specify how such amount is to be computed. If the method in paragraph (a)(1)(i) of this section is adopted by a State, and the amount computed is not an even dollar amount, the amount shall be raised or lowered to an even dollar amount as provided by the applicable State law for regular compensation.
(b) Partial and part-total unemployment. The weekly amount of Extended Benefits payable for a week of partial or part-total unemployment shall be determined under the provisions of the applicable State law which apply to regular compensation, computed on the basis of the weekly amount of Extended Benefits payable for a week of total unemployment as determined pursuant to paragraph (a) of this section.
§ 615.7 Extended Benefits; maximum amount.
(a) Individual account. An Extended Benefit Account shall be established for each individual determined to be eligible for Extended Benefits, in the sum of the maximum amount potentially payable to the individual as computed in accordance with paragraph (b) of this section.
(b) Computation of amount in individual account. (1) The amount established in the Extended Benefit Account of an individual, as the maximum amount potentially payable to the individual during the individual’s eligibility period, shall be equal to the lesser of—
(i) 50 percent of the total amount of regular compensation (including dependents’ allowances) payable to the individual during the individual’s applicable benefit year; or
(ii) 13 times the individual’s weekly amount of Extended Benefits payable for a week of total unemployment, as determined pursuant to § 615.6(a); or
(iii) 39 times the individual’s weekly benefit amount referred to in (ii), reduced by the regular compensation paid (or deemed paid) to the individual during the individual’s applicable benefit year.
(2) If the State law so provides, the amount in the individual’s Extended Benefit Account shall be reduced by the aggregate amount of additional compensation paid (or deemed paid) to the individual under such law for prior weeks of unemployment in such benefit year which did not begin in an Extended Benefit Period.
(3) If State law provides, in accordance with § 615.12(e), for a high unemployment period for weeks of unemployment beginning after March 6, 1993, the provisions of paragraph (b)(1) of this section are applied by substituting:
(i) 80 percent for 50 percent in (b)(1)(i),
(ii) 20 for 13 in (b)(1)(ii), and
(iii) 46 for 39 in (b)(1)(iii).
Provided, that if an individual’s extended compensation account is determined in accordance with the provisions of paragraphs (b)(3)(i) through (b)(3)(iii) (for a “high unemployment period” as defined in § 615.2) during the individual’s eligibility period, upon termination of the high unemployment period, such individual’s account must be reduced by the amount in the account that is more than the maximum amount of extended compensation or high extended compensation payable to the individual. Provided further, if the account balance is equal to or less than the maximum amount of extended compensation or high unemployment extended compensation payable, there will be no reduction in the account balance upon termination of a high unemployment period. In no case will the individual receive more regular extended compensation or high unemployment extended compensation than the amount determined in accordance with paragraphs (b)(1)(i) through (iii) of this section, nor more extended compensation or high unemployment extended compensation than as provided in paragraphs (b)(2)(i) through (iii) of this section.
(c) Changes in accounts. (1) If an individual is entitled to more or less Extended Benefits as a result of a redetermination or an appeal which awarded more or less regular compensation or Extended Benefits, an appropriate change shall be made in the individual’s Extended Benefit Account pursuant to an amended determination of the individual’s entitlement to Extended Benefits.
(2) If an individual who has received Extended Benefits for a week of unemployment is determined to be entitled to more regular compensation with respect to such week as the result of a redetermination or an appeal, the Extended Benefits paid shall be treated as if they were regular compensation up to the greater amount to which the individual has been determined to be entitled, and the State agency shall make appropriate adjustments between the regular and extended accounts. If the individual is entitled to more Extended Benefits as a result of being entitled to more regular compensation, an amended determination shall be made of the individual’s entitlement to Extended Benefits. If the greater amount of regular compensation results in an increased duration of regular compensation, the individual’s status as an exhaustee shall be redetermined as of the new date of exhaustion of regular compensation.
(3) If an individual who has received Extended Benefits for a week of unemployment is determined to be entitled to less regular compensation as the result of a redetermination or an appeal, and as a consequence is entitled to less Extended Benefits, any Extended Benefits paid in excess of the amount to which the individual is determined to be entitled after the redetermination or decision on appeal shall be considered an overpayment which the individual shall have to repay on the same basis and in the same manner that excess payments of regular compensation are required to be repaid under the applicable State law. If such decision reduces the duration of regular compensation payable to the individual, the claim for Extended Benefits shall be backdated to the earliest date, subsequent to the date when the redetermined regular compensation was exhausted and within the individual’s eligibility period, that the individual was eligible to file a claim for Extended Benefits. Any such changes shall be made pursuant to an amended determination of the individual’s entitlement to Extended Benefits.
(d) Reduction because of trade readjustment allowances. Section 233(c) of the Trade Act of 1974 (and section 204(a)(2)(C) of EUCA), requiring a reduction of extended compensation because of the receipt of trade readjustment allowances, must be applied as follows:
(1) The reduction of Extended Benefits shall apply only to an individual who has not exhausted his/her Extended Benefits at the end of the benefit year;
(2) The amount to be deducted is the product of the weekly benefit amount for Extended Benefits multiplied by the number of weeks for which trade readjustment allowances were paid (regardless of the amount paid for any such week) up to the close of the last week that begins in the benefit year; and
(3) The amount to be deducted shall be deducted from the balance of Extended Benefits not used as of the close of the last week which begins in the benefit year.
§ 615.8 Provisions of State law applicable to claims.
(a) Particular provisions applicable. Except where the result would be inconsistent with the provisions of EUCA or this part, the terms and conditions of the applicable State law which apply to claims for, and the payment of, regular compensation shall apply to claims for, and the payment of, Extended Benefits. The provisions of the applicable State law which shall apply to claims for, and the payment of, Extended Benefits include, but are not limited to:
(1) Claim filing and reporting;
(2) Information to individuals, as appropriate;
(3) Notices to individuals and employers, as appropriate;
(4) Determinations, redeterminations, and appeal and review;
(5) Ability to work and availability for work, except as provided otherwise in this section;
(6) Disqualifications, including disqualifying income provisions, except as provided by paragraph (c) of this section;
(7) Overpayments, and the recovery thereof;
(8) Administrative and criminal penalties;
(9) The Interstate Benefit Payment Plan;
(10) The Interstate Arrangement for Combining Employment and Wages, in accordance with part 616 of this chapter.
(b) Provisions not to be applicable. The State law and regulations shall specify those of its terms and conditions which shall not be applicable to claims for, or payment of, Extended Benefits. Among such terms and conditions shall be at least those relating to—
(1) Any waiting period;
(2) Monetary or other qualifying requirements, except as provided in § 615.4(b); and
(3) Computation of weekly and total regular compensation.
(c) Terminating disqualifications. A disqualification in a State law, as to any individual who voluntarily left work, was suspended or discharged for misconduct, gross misconduct or the commission or conviction of a crime, or refused an offer of or a referral to work, as provided in sections 202(a) (4) and (6) of EUCA—
(1) As applied to regular benefits which are not sharable, is not subject to any limitation in sections 202(a) (4) and (6);
(2) As applied to eligibility for Extended Benefits, shall require that the individual be employed again subsequent to the date of the disqualification before it may be terminated, even though it may have been terminated on other grounds for regular benefits which are not sharable; and if the State law does not also apply this provision to the payment of what would otherwise be sharable regular benefits, the State will not be entitled to a payment under EUCA and § 615.14 in regard to such regular compensation; and
(3) Will not apply in regard to eligibility for Extended Benefits in a subsequent eligibility period.
(d) Classification and determination of job prospects. (1) As to each individual who files an initial claim for Extended Benefits (or sharable regular compensation), the State agency shall classify the individual’s prospects for obtaining work in his/her customary occupation within a reasonably short period, as “good” or “not good,” and shall promptly (not later than the end of the week in which the initial claim is filed) notify the individual in writing of such classification and of the requirements applicable to the individual under the provisions of the applicable State law corresponding to section 202(a)(3) of EUCA and this part. Such requirements shall be applicable beginning with the week following the week in which the individual is furnished such written notice.
(2) If an individual is thus classified as having good prospects, but those prospects are not realized by the close of the period the State law specifies as a reasonably short period, the individual’s prospects will be automatically reclassified as “not good” or classified as “good” or “not good” depending on the individual’s job prospects as of that date.
(3) Whenever, as part of a determination of an individual’s eligibility for benefits, an issue arises concerning the individual’s failure to apply for or accept an offer of work (sections 202(a)(3)(A)(i) and (F) of EUCA and paragraphs (e) and (f) of this section), or to actively engage in seeking work (sections 202(a)(3)(A)(ii) and (E) of EUCA and paragraph (g) of this section), a written appealable determination shall be made which includes a finding as to the individual’s job prospects at the time the issue arose. The reasons for allowing or denying benefits in the written notice of determination shall explain how the individual’s job prospects relate to the decision to allow or deny benefits.
(4) If an individual’s job prospects are determined in accordance with the preceding paragraph (3) to be “good,” the suitability of work will be determined under the standard State law provisions applicable to claimants for regular compensation which is not sharable; and if determined to be “not good,” the suitability of work will be determined under the definition of suitable work in the State law provisions corresponding to sections 202(a)(3) (C) and (D) of EUCA and this part. Any determination or classification of an individual’s job prospects is mutually exclusive, and only one suitable work definition shall be applied to a claimant as to any failure to accept or apply for work or seek work with respect to any week.
(e) Requirement of referral to work. (1) The State law shall provide, as required by section 202(a)(3)(F) of EUCA and this part, that the State Workforce Agency shall refer every claimant for Extended Benefits to work which is “suitable work” as provided in paragraph (d)(4) of this section, beginning with the week following the week in which the individual is furnished a written notice of classification of job prospects as required by paragraphs (d)(1) and (h) of this section.
(2) To make such referrals, the State Workforce Agency shall assure that each Extended Benefit claimant is registered for work and continues to be considered for referral to job openings as long as he/she continues to claim benefits.
(3) In referring claimants to available job openings, the State Workforce Agency shall apply to Extended Benefit claimants the same priorities, policies, and judgments as it does to other applicants, except that it shall not restrict referrals only to work at higher skill levels, prior rates of pay, customary work, or preferences as to work or pay for individuals whose prospects of obtaining work in their customary occupations have been classified as or determined to be “not good.”
(4) For referral purposes, any work which does not exceed the individual’s capabilities shall be considered suitable work for an Extended Benefit claimant whose job prospects have been classified as or determined to be “not good”, except as modified by this paragraph (e).
(5) For Extended Benefit claimants whose prospects of obtaining work in their customary occupations have been classified as or determined to be “not good”, work shall not be suitable, and referral to a job shall not be made, if—
(i) The gross average weekly remuneration for the work for any week does not exceed the sum of the individual’s weekly benefit amount plus any supplemental unemployment benefits (SUB) (as defined in section 501(c)(17)(D) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986) payable to the individual,
(ii) The work is not offered in writing or is not listed with the State employment service,
(iii) The work pays less than the higher of the minimum wage set in section 6(a)(1) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, or any applicable State or local minimum wage, without regard to any exemption elsewhere in those laws, or
(iv) Failure to accept or apply for the work would not result in a denial of compensation under the provisions of the applicable State law as defined in § 615.2(o)(7).
(6) In addition, if the State Workforce Agency classifies or determines that an individual’s prospects for obtaining work in his/her customary occupation within a reasonably short period are “good,” referral shall not be made to a job if such referral would not be made under the State law provisions applicable to claimants for regular benefits which are not sharable, and such referrals shall be limited to work which the individual is required to make a “systematic and sustained effort” to search for as defined in § 615.2(o)(8).
(7) For the purposes of the foregoing paragraphs of this paragraph (e), State law applies regarding whether members of labor organizations shall be referred to nonunion work in their customary occupations.
(8) If the State law does not also apply this paragraph (e) to individuals who claim what would otherwise be sharable regular compensation, the State will not be entitled to payment under EUCA and § 615.14 in regard to such regular compensation.
(f) Refusal of work. (1) The State law shall provide, as required by section 202(a)(3)(A)(i) of EUCA and this part, that if an individual who claims Extended Benefits fails to accept an offer of work or fails to apply for work to which he/she was referred by the State Workforce Agency—
(i) If the individual’s prospects for obtaining work in his/her customary occupation within a reasonably short period are determined to be “good,” the State agency shall determine whether the work is suitable under the standard State law provisions which apply to claimants for regular compensation which is not sharable, and if determined to be suitable the individual shall be ineligible for Extended Benefits for the week in which the individual fails to apply for or accept an offer of suitable work and thereafter until the individual is employed in at least four weeks with wages from such employment totalling not less than four times the individual’s weekly benefit amount, as provided by the applicable State law; or
(ii) If the individual’s prospects for obtaining work in his/her customary occupation are determined to be “not good,” the State agency shall determine whether the work is suitable under the applicable State law provisions corresponding to sections 202(a)(3) (C) and (D) of EUCA and paragraphs (e)(5) and (f)(2) of this section, and if determined to be suitable the individual shall be ineligible for Extended Benefits for the week in which the individual fails to apply for or accept an offer of suitable work and thereafter until the individual is employed in at least four weeks with wages from such employment totalling not less than four times the individual’s weekly benefit amount, as provided by the applicable State law.
(2) For an individual whose prospects of obtaining work in his/her customary occupation within the period specified by State law are classified or determined to be “not good,” the term “suitable work” shall mean any work which is within the individual’s capabilities, except that work shall not be suitable if—
(i) The gross average weekly remuneration for the work for any week does not exceed the sum of the individual’s weekly benefit amount plus any supplemental unemployment compensation benefits (as defined in section 501(c)(17)(D) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986) payable to the individual,
(ii) The work is not offered in writing or is not listed with the State employment service,
(iii) The work pays less than the higher of the minimum wage set in section 6(a)(1) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, or any applicable State or local minimum wage, without regard to any exemption elsewhere in those laws, or
(iv) Failure to accept or apply for the work would not result in a denial of compensation under the provisions of the applicable State law as defined in § 615.2(o)(7).
(3) For the purposes of the foregoing paragraphs of this paragraph (f), State law applies regarding whether members of labor organizations shall be referred to nonunion work in their customary occupations.
(4) If the State law does not also apply this paragraph (f) to individuals who claim what would otherwise be sharable regular compensation, the State will not be entitled to payment under EUCA and § 615.14 in regard to such regular compensation.
(g) Actively seeking work. (1) The State law shall provide, as required by sections 202(a)(3) (A)(ii) and (E) of EUCA and this part, that an individual who claims Extended Benefits shall be required to make a systematic and sustained effort (as defined in § 615.2(o)(8)) to search for work which is “suitable work” as provided in paragraph (d)(4) of this section, throughout each week beginning with the week following the week in which the individual is furnished a written notice of classification of job prospects as required by paragraphs (d)(1) and (h) of this section, and to furnish to the State agency with each claim tangible evidence of such efforts.
(2) If the individual fails to thus search for work, or to furnish tangible evidence of such efforts, he/she shall be ineligible for Extended Benefits for the week in which the failure occurred and thereafter until the individual is employed in at least four weeks with wages from such employment totalling not less than four times the individual’s weekly benefit amount, as provided by the applicable State law.
(3)(i) A State law may provide that eligibility for Extended Benefits be determined under the applicable provisions of State law for regular compensation which is not sharable, without regard to the active search provisions otherwise applicable in paragraph (g)(1) of this section, for any individual who fails to engage in a systematic and sustained search for work throughout any week because such individual is—
(A) Serving on jury duty, or
(B) Hospitalized for treatment of an emergency or life-threatening condition.
(ii) The conditions in (i) (A) and (B) must be applied to individuals filing claims for Extended Benefits in the same manner as applied to individuals filing claims for regular compensation which is not sharable compensation.
(4) For the purposes of the foregoing paragraphs of this paragraph (g), State law applies regarding whether members of labor organizations shall be required to seek nonunion work in their customary occupations.
(5) If the State law does not also apply this paragraph (g) to individuals who claim what would otherwise be sharable regular compensation, the State will not be entitled to payment under EUCA and § 615.14 in regard to such regular compensation.
(h) Information to claimants. The State agency or State Workforce Agency, as applicable, shall assure that each Extended Benefit claimant (and claimant for sharable regular compensation) is informed in writing—
(1) Of the State agency’s classification of his/her prospects for finding work in his/her customary occupation within the time set out in paragraph (d) as “good” or “not good,”
(2) What kind of jobs he/she may be referred to, depending on the classification of his/her job prospects,
(3) What kind of jobs he/she must be actively engaged in seeking each week depending on the classification of his/her job prospects, and what tangible evidence of such search must be furnished to the State agency with each claim for benefits. In addition, the State must inform the claimant that he/she is required to apply for and accept suitable work, and
(4) The resulting disqualification if he/she fails to apply for work to which referred, or fails to accept work offered, or fails to actively engage in seeking work or to furnish tangible evidence of such search for each week for which extended compensation or sharable regular benefits is claimed, beginning with the week following the week in which such information shall be furnished in writing to the individual.
§ 615.9 Restrictions on entitlement.
(a) Disqualifications. If the week of unemployment for which an individual claims Extended Benefits is a week to which a disqualification for regular compensation applies, including a reduction because of the receipt of disqualifying income, or would apply but for the fact that the individual has exhausted all rights to such compensation, the individual shall be disqualified in the same degree from receipt of Extended Benefits for that week.
(b) Additional compensation. No individual shall be paid additional compensation and Extended Benefits with respect to the same week. If both are payable by a State with respect to the same week, the State law may provide for the payment of Extended Benefits instead of additional compensation with respect to the week. If Extended Benefits are payable to an individual by one State and additional compensation is payable to the individual for the same week by another State, the individual may elect which of the two types of compensation to claim.
(c) Interstate claims. An individual who files claims for Extended Benefits under the Interstate Benefit Payment Plan, in a State which is not in an Extended Benefit Period for the week(s) for which Extended Benefits are claimed, shall not be paid more than the first two weeks for which he/she files such claims.
(d) Other restrictions. The restrictions on entitlement specified in this section are in addition to other restrictions in EUCA and this part on eligibility for and entitlement to Extended Benefits.
§ 615.10 Special provisions for employers.
(a) Charging contributing employers. (1) Section 3303(a)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. 3303(a)(1)) does not require that Extended Benefits paid to an individual be charged to the experience rating accounts of employers.
(2) A State law may, however, consistently with section 3303(a)(1), require the charging of Extended Benefits paid to an individual; and if it does, it may provide for charging all or any portion of such compensation paid.
(3) Sharable regular compensation must be charged as all other regular compensation is charged under the State law.
(b) Payments by reimbursing employers. If an employer is reimbursing the State unemployment fund in lieu of paying contributions pursuant to the requirements of State law conforming with sections 3304(a)(6)(B) and 3309(a)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. 3304(a)(6)(B) and 3309(a)(2)), the State law shall require the employer to reimburse the State unemployment fund for not less than 50 percent of any sharable compensation that is attributable under the State law to service with such employer; and as to any compensation which is not sharable compensation under § 615.14, the State law shall require the employer to reimburse the State unemployment fund for 100 percent, instead of 50 percent, of any such compensation paid.
§ 615.11 Extended Benefit Periods.
(a) Beginning date. Except as provided in paragraph (d) of this section, an extended benefit period or high unemployment period begins in a State on the first day of the third calendar week after a week for which there is a State “on” indicator in that State under either § 615.12(a) or (b).
(b) Ending date. Except as provided in paragraphs (c) and (e) of this section, an extended benefit period or high unemployment period in a State ends on the last day of the third week after the first week for which there is a State “off” indicator in that State, unless another indicator is in “on” status.
(c) Duration. When an extended benefit period and/or high unemployment period becomes effective in any State, or triggers “off,” the attained status must continue in effect for not less than 13 consecutive weeks.
(d) Limitation. No extended benefit period or high unemployment period may begin or end in any State before the most recent week for which data used to trigger the State “on” or “off” or “no change” indicator has been published.
(e) Specific applications of the 13-week rule. (1) If a State concludes a 13-week mandatory “on” period by virtue of the IUR indicator which, at the end of the 13-week period no longer satisfies the requirements for a State to be “on,” the extended benefit period continues if the TUR indicator is “on” during the 11th week of the 13-week mandatory “on” period.
(2) If a State concludes a 13-week mandatory “on” period by virtue of the TUR indicator which, at the end of the 13-week period no longer satisfies the requirements for a State to be “on,” the extended benefit period continues if the IUR indicator is “on” during the 11th week of the 13-week mandatory “on” period.
(f) Determining if a State remains “off” as a result of a total unemployment rate indicator after the 13-week mandatory “off” period ends. (1) The State remains “off” if there is not an IUR “on” indicator the 11th week of the 13-week mandatory “off” period, and there is a TUR “off” indicator for the third week before the last week of the 13-week mandatory “off” period.
§ 615.12 Determination of “on” and “off” indicators.
(a) Standard State indicators. (1) There is a State “on” indicator in a State for a week if the head of the State agency determines, in accordance with this section, that, for the period consisting of that week and the immediately preceding 12 weeks, the rate of insured unemployment (not seasonally adjusted) under the State law—
(i) Equalled or exceeded 120 percent of the average of such rates for the corresponding 13-week periods ending in each of the preceding two calendar years, and
(ii) Equalled or exceeded 5.0 percent.
(2) There is a State “off” indicator in a State for a week if the head of the State agency determines, in accordance with this section, that, for the period consisting of that week and the immediately preceding 12 weeks, the rate of insured unemployment (not seasonally adjusted) under the State law—
(i) Was less than 120 percent of the average of such rates for the corresponding 13 week periods ending in each of the preceding two calendar years, or
(ii) Was less than 5.0 percent.
(3) The standard State indicators in this paragraph (a) shall apply to weeks beginning after September 25, 1982.
(b) Optional State indicators. (1)(i) A State may, in addition to the State indicators in paragraph (a) of this section, provide by its law that there shall be a State “on” indicator in the State for a week if the head of the State agency determines, in accordance with this section, that, for the period consisting of that week and the immediately preceding 12 weeks, the rate of insured unemployment (not seasonally adjusted) under the State law equalled or exceeded 6.0 percent even though it did not meet the 120 percent factor required under paragraph (a).
(ii) A State which adopts the optional State indicator must also provide that, when it is in an Extended Benefit Period, there will not be an “off” indicator until (A) the State rate of insured unemployment is less than 6.0 percent, and (B) either its rate of insured unemployment is less than 5.0 percent or is less than 120 percent of the average of such rates for the corresponding 13-week periods ending in each of the preceding two calendar years.
(2) The optional State indicators in this paragraph (b) shall apply to weeks beginning after September 25, 1982.
(c) Computation of rate of insured unemployment—(1) Equation. Each week the State agency head shall calculate the rate of insured unemployment under the State law (not seasonally adjusted) for purposes of determining the State “on” and “off” and “no change” indicators. In making such calculations the State agency head shall use a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the weekly average number of weeks claimed in claims filed (not seasonally adjusted) in the State in the 13-week period ending with the week for which the determination is made, and the denominator of which shall be the average monthly employment covered by the State law for the first four of the last six calendar quarters ending before the close of the 13-week period. The quotient obtained is to be computed to four decimal places, and is not otherwise rounded, and is to be expressed as a percentage by multiplying the resultant decimal fraction by 100.
(2) Counting weeks claimed. To determine the average number of weeks claimed in claims filed to serve as the numerator under paragraph (c)(1), the State agency shall include claims for all weeks for regular compensation, including claims taken as agent State under the Interstate Benefit Payment Plan. It shall exclude claims—
(i) For Extended Benefits under any State law,
(ii) For additional compensation under any State law, and
(iii) Under any Federal law except joint claims which combine regular compensation and compensation payable under 5 U.S.C. chapter 85.
(3) Method of computing the State 120 percent factor. The rate of insured unemployment for a current 13-week period shall be divided by the average of the rates of insured unemployment for the corresponding 13-week periods in each of the two preceding calendar years to determine whether the rate is equal to 120 percent of the average rate for the two years. The quotient obtained shall be computed to four decimal places and not otherwise rounded, and shall be expressed as a percentage by multiplying the resultant decimal fraction by 100. The average of the rates for the corresponding 13-week periods in each of the two preceding calendar years shall be one-half the sum of such rates computed to four decimal places and not otherwise rounded. To determine which are the corresponding weeks in the preceding years—
(i) The weeks shall be numbered starting with week number 1 as the first week ending in each calendar year.
(ii) The 13-week period ending with any numbered week in the current year shall correspond to the period ending with that same numbered week in each preceding year.
(iii) When that period in the current year ends with week number 53, the corresponding period in preceding years shall end with week number 52 if there is no week number 53.
(d) Amendment of State indicator rates. (1) Any determination by the head of a State agency of an “on” or “off” or “no change” IUR indicator may not be corrected more than three weeks after the close of the week to which it applies. If any figure used in the computation of a rate of insured unemployment is later found to be wrong, the correct figure must be used to redetermine the rate of insured unemployment and the 120 percent factor for that week and all later weeks, but no determination of previous “on” or “off” or “no change” indicator shall be affected unless the redetermination is made within the time the indicator may be corrected under the first sentence of this paragraph (d)(1). Any change is subject to the concurrence of the Department as provided in paragraph (e) of this section.
(2) The initial release of the TUR by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is subject to revision. However, once a State’s TUR indicator is determined using the initial release of the TUR data, it is not subject to revision even if the BLS TUR for that period of time is revised.
(3) The “on” period under a State’s optional IUR or TUR indicator may not begin before the later of the date of the State’s adoption of the optional insured unemployment rate or total unemployment rate indicator, or the effective date of that enactment. The “off” period under a State’s optional insured unemployment rate or total unemployment rate indicator may not occur until after the effective date of the repeal of the optional insured unemployment rate or total unemployment rate indicator from State law.
(e) Other optional indicators. (1) A State may, as an option, in addition to the State indicators in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section, provide by its law that there is a State “on” or “off” indicator in the State for a week if we determine that—
(i) The Trigger Value in such State computed using the most recent 3 months for which data for all States are published before the close of such week equals or exceeds 6.5 percent; and
(ii) The Trigger Value computed using data from the 3-month period referred to in paragraph (e)(1)(i) of this section equals or exceeds 110 percent of the Trigger Value for either (or both) of the corresponding 3-month periods ending in the 2 preceding calendar years. This “look-back” is computed by dividing the Trigger Value by the same measure for the corresponding 3 months in each of the applicable prior years, and the resulting decimal fraction is rounded to the hundredths place, multiplied by 100 and reported as an integer and compared to the statutory threshold to help determine the State’s EB Program status; and
(iii) There is a State “off” indicator for a week if either the requirements of paragraph (e)(1)(i) or (ii) of this section are not satisfied.
(2) Where a State adopts the optional indicator under paragraph (e)(1) of this section, there is a State “on” indicator for a high unemployment period (as defined in § 615.2) under State law if—
(i) The Trigger Value in the State computed using the most recent 3 months for which data for all States are published before the close of such week equals or exceeds 8.0 percent, and
(ii) The Trigger Value in the State computed using data from the 3-month period referred to in paragraph (e)(2)(i) of this section equals or exceeds 110 percent of the Trigger Value for either (or both) of the corresponding 3-month periods ending in the 2 preceding calendar years. This “look-back” is computed by dividing the Trigger Value by the same measure for the corresponding 3 months in each of the applicable prior years, and the resulting decimal fraction is rounded to the hundredths place, multiplied by 100 and reported as an integer and compared to the statutory threshold to help determine the State’s EB Program status; and
(iii) There is a State “off” indicator for high unemployment period for a week if either the requirements of paragraph (e)(2)(i) or (ii) of this section are not satisfied.
(3) Method of computing the average rate of total unemployment. The average rate of total unemployment is computed by dividing the average of 3 months of the level of seasonally adjusted unemployment in the State by the average of 3 months of the level of seasonally adjusted unemployment and employment in the State. The resulting rate is multiplied by 100 to convert it to a percentage basis and then rounded to the tenths place (the first digit to the right of the decimal place).
(4) Method of computing the State ”look-back.” The average rate of total unemployment, ending with a given month, is divided by the same measure for the corresponding 3 months in each of the applicable prior years. The resultant decimal fraction is then rounded to the hundredths place (the second digit to the right of the decimal place). The resulting number is then multiplied by 100 and reported as an integer (no decimal places) and compared to the statutory threshold to help determine the State’s EB Program status.
(f) Notice to Secretary. Within 10 calendar days after the end of any week for which the head of a State agency has determined that there is an “on,” or “off,” or “no change” IUR indicator in the State, the head of the State agency must notify the Secretary of the determination. The notice must state clearly the State agency head’s determination of the specific week for which there is a State “on” or “off” or “no change” indicator. The notice must include also the State agency head’s findings supporting the determination, with a certification that the findings are made in accordance with the requirements of § 615.15. The Secretary may provide additional instructions for the contents of the notice to assure the correctness and verification of notices given under this paragraph. The Secretary will accept determinations and findings made in accordance with the provisions of this paragraph and of any instructions issued under this paragraph. A notice does not become final for purposes of EUCA and this part until the Secretary accepts the notice.
§ 615.13 Announcement of the beginning and ending of Extended Benefit Periods or High Unemployment Periods.
(a) State indicators—(1) Extended benefit period. Upon receipt of a notice required by § 615.12(f) which the Department determines is acceptable, the Department will publish in the
(2) Notification. The Department also notifies the heads of all other State agencies, and the Regional Administrators of the Employment and Training Administration of the State agency head’s determination of the State “on” or “off” indicator for an extended benefit period, or high unemployment period (based on the insured unemployment rate in the State), or of the Department’s determination of an “on” or “off” indicator (based on the total unemployment rate in a State) for an extended benefit period or high unemployment period and of the indicator’s effect.
(b) Publicity by State. (1) Whenever a State agency head determines that there is an “on” indicator in the State by reason of which an extended benefit period (based on the insured unemployment rate in the State) will begin in the State, or an “off” indicator by reason of which an extended benefit period in the State (based on the insured unemployment rate) will end, the head of the State agency must promptly announce the determination through appropriate news media in the State after the Department accepts notice from the agency head in accordance the 615.12(f).
(2) Whenever the head of a State agency receives notification from the Department in accordance with § 615.12(f) that there is an “on” indicator by reason of which an extended benefit period or high unemployment period (based on the total unemployment rate in the State) will begin in the State, or an “off” indicator by reason of which a regular extended benefit period or high unemployment period (based on the total unemployment rate) will end, the head of the State agency must promptly announce the determination through the appropriate news media in the State.
(3) Announcements made in accordance with paragraphs (b)(1) or (b)(2) of this section must include the beginning or ending date of the extended benefit period or high unemployment period, whichever is appropriate. In the case of a regular EB period or high unemployment period that is about to begin, the announcement must describe clearly the unemployed individuals who may be eligible for extended compensation or high extended compensation during the period, and in the case of a regular EB period or high unemployment period that is about to end, the announcement must also describe clearly the individuals whose entitlement to extended compensation or high extended compensation will be terminated. If a high unemployment period is ending, but an extended benefit period will remain “on,” the announcement must clearly state that fact and the effect on entitlement to extended compensation.
(c) Notice to individuals. (1) Whenever there has been a determination that a regular extended benefit period or high unemployment period will begin in a State, the State agency must provide prompt written notice of potential entitlement to Extended Benefits to each individual who has established a benefit year in the State that will not end before the beginning of the regular extended benefit period or high unemployment period, and who exhausted all rights under the State law to regular compensation before the beginning of the regular extended benefit period or high unemployment period.
(2) The State agency must provide the notice promptly to each individual who begins to claim sharable regular benefits or who exhausts all rights under the State law to regular compensation during a regular extended benefit period or high unemployment period, including exhaustion by reason of the expiration of the individual’s benefit year.
(3) The notices required by paragraphs (c)(1) and (2) of this section must describe the actions required of claimants for sharable regular compensation and extended compensation and those disqualifications which apply to the benefits which are different from those applicable to other claimants for regular compensation which is not sharable.
(4) Whenever there is a determination that a regular extended benefit period or high unemployment period will end in a State, the State agency must provide prompt written notice to each individual who is currently filing claims for extended compensation of the forthcoming end of the regular extended benefit period or high unemployment period and its effect on the individual’s right to extended compensation.
§ 615.14 Payments to States.
(a) Sharable compensation. (1) The Department shall promptly upon receipt of a State’s report of its expenditures for a calendar month reimburse the State in the amount of the sharable compensation the State is entitled to receive under EUCA and this part.
(2) The Department may instead advance to a State for any period not greater than one day the amount the Department estimates the State will be entitled to be paid under EUCA and this part for that period.
(3) Any payment to a State under this section shall be based upon the Department’s determination of the amount the State is entitled to be paid under EUCA and this part, and such amount shall be reduced or increased, as the case may be, by any amount by which the Department finds that a previous payment was greater or less than the amount that should have been paid to the State.
(4) Any payment to a State pursuant to this paragraph (a) shall be made by a transfer from the extended unemployment compensation account in the Unemployment Trust Fund to the account of the State in such Fund, in accordance with section 204(e) of EUCA.
(b) Payments not to be made to States. Because a State law must contain provisions fully consistent with sections 202 and 203 of EUCA, the Department shall make no payment under paragraph (a) of this section, whether or not the State is certified under section 3304(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986—
(1) In respect of any regular or extended compensation paid to any individual for any week if the State does not apply—
(i) The provisions of the State law required by section 202(a)(3) and this part, relating to failure to accept work offered or to apply for work or to actively engage in seeking work or the provisions of State law required by section 202(a)(4) and this part, relating to terminating a disqualification;
(ii) The provisions of the State law required by section 202(a)(5) and this part, relating to qualifying employment; or
(2) In respect of any regular or extended compensation paid to any individual for any week which was not payable by reason of the provision of the State law required by section 202(c) and this part as determined by the Department with regard to each State.
(c) Payments not to be reimbursed. The Department shall make no payment under paragraph (a) of this section, whether or not the State is certified under section 3304(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, in respect of any regular or extended compensation paid under a State law—
(1) As provided in section 204(a)(1) of EUCA and this part, if the payment made was not sharable extended compensation or sharable regular compensation;
(2) As provided in section 204(a)(2)(A) of EUCA, if the State is entitled to reimbursement for the payment under the provisions of any Federal law other than EUCA;
(3) As provided in section 204(a)(2)(B) of EUCA, if for the first week in an individual’s eligibility period with respect to which Extended Benefits or sharable regular benefits are paid to the individual and the State law provides for the payment (at any time or under any circumstances) of regular compensation to any individual for the first week of unemployment in any such individual’s benefit year; except that—
(i) In the case of a State law which is changed so that regular compensation is not paid at any time or under any circumstances with respect to the first week of unemployment in any individual’s benefit year, this paragraph (c)(3) shall not apply to any week which begins after the effective date of such change in the State law; and
(ii) In the case of a State law which is changed so that regular compensation is paid at any time or under any circumstances with respect to the first week of unemployment in any individual’s benefit year, this paragraph (c)(3) shall apply to all weeks which begin after the effective date of such change in the State law;
(4) As provided in section 204(a)(2)(C) of EUCA, for any week in which extended compensation is not payable because of the payment of trade readjustment allowances, as provided in section 233(c) of the Trade Act of 1974, and § 615.7(d).
(5) As provided in section 204(a)(2)(D) of EUCA and this part, if the State does not provide for a benefit structure under which benefits are rounded down to the next lower dollar amount, for the 50 percent Federal share of the amount by which sharable regular or Extended Benefits paid to any individual exceeds the nearest lower full dollar amount.
(6) As provided in section 204(a)(3) of EUCA, to the extent that such compensation is based upon employment and wages in service performed for governmental entities or instrumentalities to which section 3306(c)(7) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. 3306(c)(7)) applies, in the proportion that wages for such service in the base period bear to the total base period wages;
(7) If the payment made was not sharable extended compensation or sharable regular compensation because the payment was not consistent with the requirements of—
(i) Section 202(a)(3) of EUCA, and § 615.8 (e), (f), or (g);
(ii) Section 202(a)(4) of EUCA, and § 615.8(c); or
(iii) Section 202(a)(5) of EUCA, and § 615.4(b);
(8) If the payment made was not sharable extended compensation or sharable regular compensation because there was not in effect in the State an Extended Benefit Period in accord with the Act and this part; or
(9) For any week with respect to which the claimant was either ineligible for or not entitled to the payment.
(d) Effectuating authorization for reimbursement. (1) If the Department believes that reimbursement should not be authorized with respect to any payments made by a State that are claimed to be sharable compensation paid by the State, because the State law does not contain provisions required by EUCA and this part, or because such law is not interpreted or applied in rules, regulations, determinations or decisions in a manner that is consistent with those requirements, the Department may at any time notify the State agency in writing of the Department’s view. The State agency shall be given an opportunity to present its views and arguments if desired.
(2) The Department shall thereupon decide whether the State law fails to include the required provisions or is not interpreted and applied so as to satisfy the requirements of EUCA and this part. If the Department finds that such requirements are not met, the Department shall notify the State agency of its decision and the effect thereof on the State’s entitlement to reimbursement under this section and the provisions of section 204 of EUCA.
(3) Thereafter, the Department shall not authorize any payment under paragraph (a) of this section in respect of any sharable regular or extended compensation if the State law does not contain all of the provisions required by sections 202 and 203 of EUCA and this part, or if the State law, rules, regulations, determinations or decisions are not consistent with such requirements, or which would not have been payable if the State law contained the provisions required by EUCA and this part or if the State law, rules, regulations, determinations or decisions had been consistent with such requirements. Loss of reimbursement for such compensation shall begin with the date the State law was required to contain such provisions, and shall continue until such time as the Department finds that such law, rules and regulations have been revised or the interpretations followed pursuant to such determinations and decisions have been overruled and payments are made or denied so as to accord with the Federal law requirements of EUCA and this part, but no reimbursement shall be authorized with respect to any payment that did not fully accord with EUCA and this part.
(4) A State agency may request reconsideration of a decision issued pursuant to paragraph (d)(2) above, within 10 calendar days of the date of such decision, and shall be given an opportunity to present views and arguments if desired.
(5) Concurrence of the Department in any State law provision, rule, regulation, determination or decision shall not be presumed from the absence of notice issued pursuant to this section or from a certification of the State issued pursuant to section 3304(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
(6) Upon finding that a State has made payments for which it claims reimbursement that are not consistent with EUCA or this part, such claim shall be denied; and if the State has already been paid such claim in advance or by reimbursement, it shall be required to repay the full amount to the Department. Such repayment may be made by transfer of funds from the State’s account in the Unemployment Trust Fund to the Extended Unemployment Compensation Account in the Fund, or by offset against any current advances or reimbursements to which the State is otherwise entitled, or the amount repayable may be recovered for the Extended Unemployment Compensation Account by other means and from any other sources that may be available to the United States or the Department.
(e) Compensation under Federal unemployment compensation programs. The Department shall promptly reimburse each State which has paid sharable compensation based on service covered by the UCFE and UCX Programs (parts 609 and 614 of this chapter, respectively) pursuant to 5 U.S.C. chapter 85, an amount which represents the full amount of such sharable compensation paid under the State law, or may make advances to the State. Such amounts shall be paid from the Federal Employees Compensation Account established for those programs, rather than from the Extended Unemployment Compensation Account.
(f) Combined-wage claims. If an individual was paid benefits under the Interstate Arrangement for Combining Employment and Wages (part 616 of this chapter) any payment required by paragraph (a) of this section shall be made to the States which contributed the wage credits.
(g) Interstate claims. Where sharable compensation is paid to an individual under the provisions of the Interstate Benefit Payment Plan, any payment required by paragraph (a) of this section shall be made only to the liable State.
§ 615.15 Records and reports.
(a) General. State agencies must furnish to the Secretary such information and reports and make such studies as the Secretary decides are necessary or appropriate for carrying out the purposes of this part.
(b) Recordkeeping. Each State agency must make and maintain records pertaining to the administration of the Extended Benefit Program as the Department requires, and must make all such records available for inspection, examination and audit by such Federal officials or employees as the Department may designate or as may be required by law.
PART 616—INTERSTATE ARRANGEMENT FOR COMBINING EMPLOYMENT AND WAGES
§ 616.1 Purpose of arrangement.
This arrangement is approved by the Secretary under the provisions of section 3304(a)(9)(B) of the Federal Unemployment Tax Act to establish a system whereby an unemployed worker with covered employment or wages in more than one State may combine all such employment and wages in one State, in order to qualify for benefits or to receive more benefits.
§ 616.2 Consultation with the State agencies.
As required by section 3304(a)(9)(B), this arrangement has been developed in consultation with the State unemployment compensation agencies. For purposes of such consultation in its formulation and any future amendment the Secretary recognizes, as agents of the State agencies, the duly designated representatives of the National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA).
§ 616.3 Interstate cooperation.
Each State agency will cooperate with every other State agency by implementing such rules, regulations, and procedures as may be prescribed for the operation of this arrangement. Each State agency shall identify the paying and the transferring State with respect to Combined-Wage Claims filed in its State.
§ 616.4 Rules, regulations, procedures, forms—resolution of disagreements.
All State agencies shall operate in accordance with such rules, regulations, and procedures, and shall use such forms, as shall be prescribed by the Secretary in consultation with the State unemployment compensation agencies. All rules, regulations, and standards prescribed by the Secretary with respect to intrastate claims will apply to claims filed under this arrangement unless they are clearly inconsistent with the arrangement. The Secretary shall resolve any disagreement between State agencies concerning the operation of the arrangement, with the advice of the duly designated representatives of the State agencies.
§ 616.6 Definitions.
These definitions apply for the purpose of this arrangement and the procedures issued to effectuate it.
(a) State. “State” includes the States of the United States of America, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
(b) State agency. The agency which administers the unemployment compensation law of a State.
(c) Combined-Wage Claim. A claim filed under this arrangement.
(d) Combined-Wage Claimant. A claimant who has covered wages under the unemployment compensation law of more than one State and who has filed a claim under this arrangement.
(e) Paying State. A single State against which the claimant files a Combined-Wage Claim, if the claimant has wages and employment in that State’s base period(s) and the claimant qualifies for unemployment benefits under the unemployment compensation law of that State using combined wages and employment.
(f) Transferring State. A State in which a Combined-Wage Claimant had covered employment and wages in the base period of a paying State, and which transfers such employment and wages to the paying State for its use in determining the benefit rights of such claimant under its law.
(g) Employment and wages. “Employment” refers to all services which are covered under the unemployment compensation law of a State, whether expressed in terms of weeks of work or otherwise. “Wages” refers to all remuneration for such employment.
(h) Secretary. The Secretary of Labor of the United States.
(i) Base period and benefit year. The base period and benefit year applicable under the unemployment compensation law of the paying State.
§ 616.7 Election to file a Combined-Wage Claim.
(a) Any unemployed individual who has had employment covered under the unemployment compensation law of two or more States, whether or not the individual is monetarily qualified under one or more of them, may elect to file a Combined-Wage Claim. The individual may not so elect, however, if the individual has established a benefit year under any State or Federal unemployment compensation law and:
(1) The benefit year has not ended, and
(2) The individual still has unused benefit rights based on such benefit year.
(b) For the purposes of this arrangement, a claimant will not be considered to have unused benefit rights based on a benefit year which the claimant has established under a State or Federal unemployment compensation law if:
(1) The claimant has exhausted his/her rights to all benefits based on such benefit year; or
(2) The claimant’s rights to such benefits have been postponed for an indefinite period or for the entire period in which benefits would otherwise be payable; or
(3) Benefits are affected by the application of a seasonal restriction.
(c) If an individual elects to file a Combined-Wage Claim, all employment and wages in all States in which the individual worked during the base period of the paying State must be included in such combining, except employment and wages which are not transferrable under the provisions of § 616.9(b).
(d) A Combined-Wage Claimant may withdraw his/her Combined-Wage Claim within the period prescribed by the law of the paying State for filing an appeal, protest, or request for redetermination (as the case may be) from the monetary determination of the Combined-Wage Claim, provided the claimant either:
(1) Repays in full any benefits paid to him thereunder, or
(2) Authorizes the State(s) against which the claimant files a substitute claim(s) for benefits to withhold and forward to the paying State a sum sufficient to repay such benefits.
(e) If the Combined-Wage Claimant files his/her claim in a State other than the paying State, the claimant shall do so pursuant to the Interstate Benefit Payment Plan.
(f) If a State denies a Combined-Wage Claim, it must inform the claimant of the option to file in another State in which the claimant has wages and employment during that State’s base period(s).
§ 616.8 Responsibilities of the paying State.
(a) Transfer of employment and wages—payment of benefits. The paying State shall request the transfer of a Combined-Wage Claimant’s employment and wages in all States during its base period, and shall determine the claimant’s entitlement to benefits (including additional benefits, extended benefits and dependents’ allowances when applicable) under the provisions of its law based on employment and wages in the paying State, and all such employment and wages transferred to it hereunder. The paying State shall apply all the provisions of its law to each determination made hereunder, except that the paying State may not determine an issue which has previously been adjudicated by a transferring State. Such exception shall not apply, however, if the transferring State’s determination of the issue resulted in making the Combined-Wage Claim possible under § 616.7(b)(2). If the paying State fails to establish a benefit year for the Combined-Wage Claimant, or if the claimant withdraws his/her claim as provided herein, it shall return to each transferring State all employment and wages thus unused.
(b) Notices of determination. The paying State shall give to the claimant a notice of each of its determinations on his/her Combined-Wage Claim that he/she is required to receive under the Secretary’s Claim Determinations Standard and the contents of such notice shall meet such Standard. When the claimant is filing his/her Combined-Wage Claims in a State other than the paying State, the paying State shall send a copy of each such notice to the local office in which the claimant filed such claims.
(c) Redeterminations. (1) Redeterminations may be made by the paying State in accordance with its law based on additional or corrected information received from any source, including a transferring State, except that such information shall not be used as a basis for changing the paying State if benefits have been paid under the Combined-Wage Claim.
(2) When a determination is made, as provided in paragraph (a) of this section, which suspends the use of wages earned in employment with an educational institution during a prescribed period between successive academic years or terms or other periods as prescribed in the law of the paying State in accordance with section 3304(a)(6)(A)(i)-(iv) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, the paying State shall furnish each transferring State involved in the combined-Wage Claim an adjusted determination used to recompute each State’s proportionate share of any charges that may accumulate for benefits paid during the period of suspended use of school wages. Wages which are suspended shall be retained by the paying State for possible future reinstatement to the Combined-Wage Claim and shall not be returned to the transferring State.
(d) Appeals. (1) Except as provided in paragraph (d)(3) of this section, where the claimant files his/her Combined-Wage Claim in the paying State, any protest, request for redetermination or appeal shall be in accordance with the law of such State.
(2) Where the claimant files his/her Combined-Wage Claim in a State other than the paying State, or under the circumstances described in paragraph (d)(3) of this section, any protest, request for redetermination or appeal shall be in accordance with the Interstate Benefit Payment Plan.
(3) To the extent that any protest, request for redetermination or appeal involves a dispute as to the coverage of the employing unit or services in a transferring State, or otherwise involves the amount of employment and wages subject to transfer, the protest, request for redetermination or appeal shall be decided by the transferring State in accordance with its law.
(e) Recovery of prior overpayments. If there is an overpayment outstanding in a transferring State and such transferring State so requests, the overpayment shall be deducted from any benefits the paying State would otherwise pay to the claimant on his/her Combined-Wage Claim except to the extent prohibited by the law of the paying State. The paying State shall transmit the amount deducted to the transferring State or credit the deduction against the transferring State’s required reimbursement under this arrangement. This paragraph shall apply to overpayments only if the transferring State certifies to the paying State that the determination of overpayment was made within 3 years before the Combined-Wage Claim was filed and that repayment by the claimant is legally required and enforceable against him/her under the law of the transferring State.
(f) Statement of benefit charges. (1) At the close of each calendar quarter, the paying State shall send each transferring State a statement of benefits charged during such quarter to such State as to each Combined-Wage Claimant.
(2) Except as provided in paragraphs (c)(2), (f)(3), and (f)(5) of this section, each such charge shall bear the same ratio to the total benefits paid to the Combined-Wage Claimant by the paying State as the claimant’s wages transferred by the transferring State bear to the total wages used in such determination. Each such ratio shall be computed as a percentage, to three or more decimal places.
(3) Charges to the transferring State shall not include the costs of any benefits paid which are funded or reimbursed from the Federal Unemployment Benefits and Allowances account in the U.S. Department of Labor appropriation, including:
(i) Benefits paid pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 8501-8525; and
(ii) Benefits which are reimbursable under part B of title II of the Emergency Jobs and Unemployment Assistance Act of 1974 (Pub. L. 93-567).
(4) Except as provided in paragraphs (f)(3) and (f)(5) of this section, all transferring States will be charged by the paying State for Extended Benefits in the same manner as for regular benefits.
(5) The United States shall be charged directly by the paying State, in the same manner as is provided in paragraphs (f)(1) and (f)(2) of this section, in regard to Federal civilian service and wages and Federal military service and wages assigned or transferred to the paying State and included in Combined-Wage Claims in accordance with this part and parts 609 and 614 of this chapter.
§ 616.9 Responsibilities of transferring States.
(a) Transfer of employment and wages. Each transferring State shall promptly transfer to the Paying State the employment and wages the Combined-Wage Claimant had in covered employment during the base period of the paying State. Any employment and wages so transferred shall be transferred without restriction as to their use for determination and benefit payments under the provisions of the paying State’s law.
(b) Employment and wages not transferable. Employment and wages transferred to the paying State by a transferring State shall not include:
(1) Any employment and wages which have been transferred to any other paying State and not returned unused, or which have been used in the transferring State as the basis of a monetary determination which established a benefit year.
(2) Any employment and wages which have been canceled or are otherwise unavailable to the claimant as a result of a determination by the transferring State made prior to its receipt of the request for transfer, if such determination has become final or is in the process of appeal but is still pending. If the appeal is finally decided in favor of the Combined-Wage Claimant, any employment and wages involved in the appeal shall forthwith be transferred to the paying State and any necessary redetermination shall be made by such paying State.
(c) Reimbursement of paying State. Each transferring State shall, as soon as practicable after receipt of a quarterly statement of charges described herein, reimburse the paying State accordingly.
§ 616.10 Reuse of employment and wages.
Employment and wages which have been used under this arrangement for a determination of benefits which establishes a benefit year shall not thereafter be used by any State as the basis for another monetary determination of benefits.
§ 616.11 Amendment of arrangement.
Periodically the Secretary shall review the operation of this arrangement, and shall propose such amendments to the arrangement as the Secretary believes are necessary or appropriate. Any State unemployment compensation agency or NASWA may propose amendments to the arrangement. Any proposal shall constitute an amendment to the arrangement upon approval by the Secretary in consultation with the State unemployment compensation agencies. Any such amendment shall specify when the change shall take effect, and to which claims it shall apply.
PART 617 [RESERVED]
PART 618—TRADE ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE UNDER THE TRADE ACT OF 1974, AS AMENDED
Subpart A-General
§ 618.100 Purpose and scope.
(a) Purpose. The Act establishes a Trade Adjustment Assistance for Workers (TAA) Program. The goal of the TAA Program is to help each worker participating in the program obtain suitable employment whenever possible, and to return to employment as quickly as possible.
(b) Scope. Global trade impacts thousands of workers each year across the United States. The TAA Program provides trade-affected workers with opportunities to obtain the skills, credentials, resources, and support necessary to become reemployed in a good job. The TAA Program’s benefits and services include: employment and case management services, training, out-of-area job search and relocation allowances, income support through Trade Readjustment Allowances (TRA), the Reemployment Trade Adjustment Assistance (RTAA) benefit for workers aged 50 or older who find qualifying reemployment, and, if available, the Health Coverage Tax Credit (HCTC). Together with its workforce development partners in the one-stop delivery system authorized under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), the TAA Program helps retrain, retool, and rebuild the American workforce. This part 618 applies for all workers determined eligible to apply for TAA except for those covered under certain provisions of the Trade Adjustment Assistance Reform Act of 2002 and the Trade and Globalization Adjustment Assistance Act of 2009, for which administrative guidance will continue to apply.
(c) Effect. The regulations in this part are issued to implement the Act.
§ 618.110 Definitions.
The following definitions apply solely in this part.
Act means chapter 2 of title II of the Trade Act of 1974, Public Law 93-618, 88 Stat. 1978 (19 U.S.C. 2271-2323 and 2395), as amended.
Administrator means the Administrator, Office of Trade Adjustment Assistance, Employment and Training Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, Washington, DC, who has responsibility for administering the TAA Program, or his or her designee.
Adversely affected employment means employment in a firm or appropriate subdivision, if workers of the firm or appropriate subdivision are certified as eligible to apply for the TAA Program under subpart B of this part.
Adversely affected worker or AAW (also referred to, in combination with an AAIW, as a trade-affected worker) means an individual, including an employer, who, because of lack of work in adversely affected employment, has been totally or partially separated from such employment.
Adversely affected incumbent worker or AAIW (also referred to, in combination with an AAW, as a trade-affected worker) means a worker who:
(1) Is a member of a worker group certified as eligible to apply for the TAA Program under subpart B of this part;
(2) Has not been totally or partially separated from adversely affected employment; and
(3) The Department determines, on an individual basis, is threatened with total or partial separation.
Agent State means a State, other than a liable State, that provides benefits or services to a trade-affected worker. A State can be both an agent State and a liable State.
Applicable State law means, for any worker, the State law of the State:
(1) In which such worker is entitled to Unemployment Insurance (UI) (whether or not such worker has filed a UI claim) immediately following such worker’s first separation; or
(2) If the worker is not so entitled to UI under the State law of any State immediately following such first separation, or is entitled to UI under the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act (RRUI), the State law of the State in which such first separation occurred.
Appropriate subdivision means an establishment, facility or facilities, an organizational department, a product line, a project team, an operational unit, or part or combination thereof. The appropriate subdivision is determined on a case-by-case basis and includes all workers or a subset of workers working at, or reporting to, the location(s) identified in the petition, or subsequently identified during the course of the investigation, whose employment is dependent upon the production of the specific article or supply of the specific service identified in the petition, or identified during the course of the investigation.
Appropriate week means the week in which the AAW’s first separation occurred.
Approved training or TAA approved training means a training program approved under subpart F of this part (§ 618.610).
Article means a tangible good or an intangible good sold or produced by a firm. The good must be the subject of the sale or production, and not an object that is produced incidentally to the sale or production. An article can be measured in individual production units or commercial production units, such as with commodities. Sale of an article is the means by which revenue is generated, accumulated, or calculated.
Average weekly hours means the average hours worked by an AAW (excluding overtime) in the employment from which the worker has been or claims to have been separated in the 52 consecutive calendar weeks (excluding weeks during which the worker was sick or on vacation) immediately preceding the worker’s total separation or, for a partially separated worker, the week before the appropriate week. The average is obtained by dividing:
(1) Total hours worked (excluding overtime) in the 52 consecutive calendar weeks (excluding weeks in such period during which the worker was sick or on vacation); by
(2) The number of weeks in such 52 consecutive calendar weeks (excluding weeks in such period during which the worker was sick or on vacation).
Average weekly wage means one-thirteenth of the total wages paid to an AAW in the high quarter. For purposes of this computation, the high quarter is the quarter in which the worker’s total wages were highest among the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters immediately preceding the week in which total separation occurred or, in cases where partial separation is claimed, the appropriate week.
Benefit period means, with respect to an AAW:
(1) The benefit year and any ensuing period, as determined under the applicable State law, during which the worker is eligible for regular compensation, additional compensation, or extended compensation; or
(2) The equivalent to such a benefit year or ensuing period provided for under Federal UI law.
Certification or affirmative determination or petition certification means a determination issued under § 618.235(a), or an amendment under § 618.250, of eligibility to apply for the TAA Program, with respect to a specified worker group of a firm or appropriate subdivision. Excluded from this definition are “certifications” in sections 223(d), 236(a)(5)(H), 239(a)(3), and 247(19) of the Act, and “affirmative determinations” in sections 222(e) and 224 of the Act.
Certification date or date of certification means the date on which the Certifying Officer signs the certification. This is the date that the certification takes effect.
Certification period means the period of time during which total, partial, or threat of separations from adversely affected employment within a firm or appropriate subdivision of a firm are covered by a certification for worker groups eligible to apply for assistance under section 222(a) and (b) of the Act. It also means the period of time during which total or partial separations from adversely affected employment within a firm are covered by a certification for worker groups eligible to apply for assistance under section 222(e) of the Act. The certification period begins on the impact date and, unless stated otherwise in the certification, ends 2 years after the certification date. A certification may expire sooner than 2 years after the certification date as a result of a termination under § 618.240, an amendment under § 618.250, or if a certification is based on a determination issued by the International Trade Commission (ITC) under section 222(e) of the Act.
Certifying Officer means an official, including the Administrator of the Office of Trade Adjustment Assistance, Employment and Training Administration, Department of Labor, who has been delegated responsibility to make determinations and issue certifications of eligibility to apply for the TAA Program, and to perform such further duties as may be required.
Co-enrollment means enrollment in the TAA Program and at least one other program that operates as part of the one-stop delivery system, such as the dislocated worker program under title I of WIOA.
Commission or International Trade Commission or ITC means the U.S. International Trade Commission.
Commuting area means the area in which a trade-affected worker would be expected to travel to and from work on a daily basis as determined under the applicable State law.
Completion of training or complete training or completed training means that the trade-affected worker has finished all required coursework (including required externships or internships), testing, and professional licensing exams related to TAA approved training.
Component part means an input (tangible or intangible article) that is directly incorporated into the production of another article, although it need not retain its original form or characteristics.
Confidential business information means trade secrets and commercial or financial information received by the Department, or by the States on the Department’s behalf, during an investigation under subpart B of this part, which the Department considers to be privileged or confidential as set forth in the Trade Secrets Act (18 U.S.C. 1905), 5 U.S.C. 552(b)(4), or 29 CFR part 70. It does not include publicly available business information, or business information with respect to which the firm or customer submitting the information had notice, at the time of submitting the information, that the information would be released by the Department or the States, or if the firm or customer subsequently consents to the release of the information.
Contributed importantly means a cause that is important but not necessarily more important than any other cause.
Cooperating State agency or CSA means the agency at the State level that will act as agent of the Department in receiving applications from and providing benefits and services to trade-affected workers in coordination with the State agency that administers the UI law, if applicable, and such other agency or agencies of the State as the Governor of the State may designate to cooperate with such CSA for performance accountability reporting and other purposes.
Customized training means work-based training that is:
(1) Designed to meet the special requirements of a single employer or group of employers;
(2) Conducted with a commitment by the employer or group of employers to employ a trade-affected worker upon successful completion of the training; and
(3) For which the employer pays for a significant portion (but in no case less than 50 percent) of the cost of such training.
Denial or negative determination or petition denial means a determination issued under § 618.235(b) that a group of workers is not eligible for TAA Program benefits.
Department of Labor or Department means the U.S. Department of Labor.
Downstream producer means a firm that performs additional, value-added production processes or services, such as final assembly, finishing, testing, packaging, or maintenance or transportation services. The value-added production processes or services must be performed directly for another firm that has a worker group certified to apply for the TAA Program under § 618.225, and the production processes or services must be carried out with respect to the article or service on which the certification under § 618.225 was based.
Eligible RTAA recipient means, for HCTC purposes (see definition of HCTC), an AAW eligible for RTAA and who is participating in RTAA for a month and is receiving an RTAA benefit for that month.
Eligible TAA recipient means, for HCTC purposes (see definition of HCTC), an AAW who receives TRA for any day of the month or who would be eligible to receive TRA but for the fact that the worker has not exhausted his or her UI entitlement.
Employer means any individual or type of organization, including the Federal Government, a State government, a political subdivision, or an instrumentality of one or more governmental entities, with one or more individuals performing service in employment for it within the United States.
Employment means any service performed for an employer by an officer of a corporation or by an individual for wages.
Enrolled in training means that a worker’s application for training is approved by the State under subpart F of this part, and the training provider has furnished written notice to the State that the worker has been accepted in the approved training program, which is to begin within 30 calendar days of the date of such approval.
Exhaustion of UI means exhaustion of all rights to UI in a benefit period by reason of:
(1) Having received all UI to which a worker was entitled under the applicable State law or Federal unemployment compensation law with respect to such benefit period; or
(2) The expiration of such benefit period.
Family means the following members of an adversely affected worker’s household whose principal place of abode is with the individual in a home the individual maintains or would maintain but for unemployment:
(1) Spouse;
(2) Domestic partner;
(3) Children of the adversely affected worker, of the worker’s spouse, or of the worker’s domestic partner, who are unmarried and under 21 years of age or who, regardless of age, are physically or mentally incapable of self-support. (The term “children” shall include natural offspring; stepchildren; adopted children; grandchildren, legal minor wards or other dependent children who are under legal guardianship of the worker, of the worker’s spouse, or of the domestic partner; and an unborn child(ren) born and moved after the worker’s effective date of transfer.);
(4) Dependent parents (including step and legally adoptive parents) of the worker, of the worker’s spouse, or of the worker’s domestic partner; and
(5) Dependent brothers and sisters (including step and legally adoptive brothers and sisters) of the worker, of the worker’s spouse, or of the worker’s domestic partner, who are unmarried and under 21 years of age or who, regardless of age, are physically or mentally incapable of self-support.
Filing date means the date on which the petition and attachments to the petition form are determined to be valid by the Department’s Office of Trade Adjustment Assistance, in accordance with § 618.205.
Firm means an individual proprietorship, partnership, joint venture, association, corporation (including a development corporation), business trust, cooperative, trustee in bankruptcy, or receiver under decree of any court. A firm, together with any predecessor or successor-in-interest, or together with any affiliated firm controlled or substantially beneficially owned by substantially the same persons may be considered a single firm. Where the term “firm” appears in this part, it means “firm or appropriate subdivision.” Firm also means an agricultural firm or service sector firm or an appropriate subdivision thereof. For purposes of subpart B of this part only, firm does not include a public agency or any subdivision of a public agency, as defined in 29 U.S.C. 203(x).
First benefit period means the benefit period established after the AAW’s first qualifying separation or in which such separation occurs.
Full-time training means:
(1) Attendance in training in accordance with the training provider’s established full-time hours in a day (or credit hours) and days in a week; and
(2) In the last semester of training, if the remaining course(s) to complete the training approved under subpart F of this part do not meet the training provider’s usual definition of full-time, States must consider the participation in training as full-time training, if no additional training or coursework will be required to complete the training program.
Group of workers means at least two workers employed or formerly employed by the same firm, or an appropriate subdivision thereof, including teleworkers and staffed workers, who file a petition for certification under subpart B of this part, or for whom a petition is filed.
Health Coverage Tax Credit or HCTC means the tax credit equal to a specific percentage of the costs of qualified health insurance premiums, which is administered by the Internal Revenue Service under section 35 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (26 U.S.C. 35). When the tax credit is available, eligible TAA and RTAA recipients (see definitions of eligible TAA recipient and eligible RTAA recipient) and qualifying family members may apply for advance payment of the credit or claim the credit on their income tax return.
Impact date means the date stated in a certification of eligibility to apply for the TAA Program, on which the total or partial separations of the workers covered by the certification began or threatened to begin, but in most cases, is not more than 1 year before the petition date.
Increased imports means that imports have increased either absolutely or relative to domestic production compared to a representative base period. The representative base period will be 1 year consisting of the 4 quarters immediately preceding the date that is 12 months prior to the date of the petition.
Individual employment plan or IEP means a revisable document containing an ongoing strategy, jointly developed by the trade-affected worker and the State, identifying the worker’s employment goals, appropriate achievement objectives, and appropriate services for the worker to achieve his or her employment goals, objectives, and benchmarks while in training or receiving employment and case management services.
Job finding club means a job search workshop that includes a period of 1 to 2 weeks of structured, supervised activity in which trade-affected workers attempt to obtain jobs.
Job search program or JSP means a job search workshop or job finding club.
Job search workshop means a short (1 to 3 days) seminar designed to provide workers with knowledge that will enable the workers to find jobs. Subjects are not limited to, but should include, labor market information, resume writing, interviewing techniques, and techniques for finding job openings.
Lack of work means that the employer does not have work for the worker to perform or does not make that work available to the worker, and includes, but is not limited to, circumstances when:
(1) Work is unavailable because the employer suspends or ceases operations or institutes a lockout; or
(2) Work is unavailable because the employer downsizes the workforce by means of attrition or layoff.
Layoff means a suspension of or separation from employment by a firm for lack of work, initiated by the employer, and expected to be for a definite or indefinite period of time.
Liable State means, with respect to a trade-affected worker making claims for TAA Program benefits, the State whose State UI law is the applicable State law. A State can be both an agent State and a liable State.
Like or directly competitive means, for articles, that articles have characteristics that are substantially identical in inherent or intrinsic characteristics (i.e., material from which the articles are made, appearance, quality) or are used for substantially equivalent purposes and achieve comparable results and are, therefore, commercially interchangeable; and for services, services that have characteristics that are substantially identical in inherent or intrinsic characteristics (i.e., processes and procedures that comprise the activity, sequence of steps or component elements required in the provision of the service or both) or are used for substantially equivalent purposes and achieve comparable results and are, therefore, commercially interchangeable.
Office of Trade Adjustment Assistance or OTAA means the organization within the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration that administers the TAA Program, or OTAA’s successor organization.
One-stop delivery system means the nationwide system of one-stop career centers, known as American Job Centers, which administer and deliver workforce development, educational, and training activities, as well as supportive services to workers and job seekers, in accordance with title I of WIOA.
On-the-job training or OJT means work-based training, provided—under contract with an employer in the public, nonprofit, or private sector—to an AAW who is employed by the employer.
Partial separation or partially separated means, with respect to an AAW who has not been totally separated, that:
(1) For purposes of subpart B of this part:
(i) The worker’s hours of work have been reduced to 80 percent or less of the worker’s average weekly hours at the firm, or appropriate subdivision thereof during the period of investigation; and
(ii) The worker’s wages have been reduced to 80 percent or less of the worker’s average weekly wage at the firm, or appropriate subdivision thereof during the period of investigation.
(2) For this subpart and subparts C through I of this part:
(i) The worker’s hours of work have been reduced to 80 percent or less of the worker’s average weekly hours in adversely affected employment during the certification period; and
(ii) The worker’s wages have been reduced to 80 percent or less of the worker’s average weekly wage in adversely affected employment during the certification period.
Period of duty means active duty served by an AAW before completing training under subpart F of this part for a period of more than 30 days under a call or order to active duty of more than 30 days or, in the case of a member of the Army National Guard of the United States or Air National Guard of the United States, full-time National Guard duty under 32 U.S.C. 502(f), for 30 consecutive days or more when authorized by the President or the Secretary of Defense for the purpose of responding to a national emergency declared by the President and supported by Federal funds.
Petition date means the date a petition form is signed by the petitioner(s). When petitioners sign on different dates, the petition date is the latest of those dates.
Prerequisite education or prerequisite coursework or prerequisite training means any coursework or training required by a training provider before entering an occupational training program designed to impart the skills and information required to perform a specific job or group of jobs.
Program of remedial education or remedial education or remedial training means coursework or training that is designed to enhance the employability of a trade-affected worker by upgrading basic academic knowledge through such courses as adult basic education (ABE), basic math and literacy, English language acquisition (ELA) for nonnative speakers, and high school equivalency (HSE) courses, among others.
Qualifying separation means any total or partial separation of an AAW from adversely affected employment within the certification period for the purposes of determining the AAW’s eligibility to receive Basic TRA; 26-week period for enrollment in approved training; and Basic TRA eligibility period. The first qualifying separation is used to determine the weekly and maximum amounts of Basic TRA payable to an AAW.
Reemployment Trade Adjustment Assistance or RTAA means the TAA Program benefit available to certain AAWs 50 years of age and older who obtain qualifying reemployment.
Regional Administrator means the appropriate Regional Administrator of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration.
Secretary means the Secretary of Labor, U.S. Department of Labor, or his or her designee.
Separation date means:
(1) For a total separation:
(i) For a worker in employment status and not on employer-authorized leave, the last day worked; or
(ii) For a worker on employer-authorized leave, including leave for military service, the last day the worker would have worked had the worker not been on the employer-authorized leave.
(2) For a partial separation, the last day of the week in which the partial separation occurred.
Service means the work performed by a worker for a service firm or appropriate subdivision. The work of a service firm is measured in units of time, labor, and tasks completed. Services may include the incidental production of an article, such as a license, ticket, certificate, permit, model, drawing, or prototype. Services are intangible but may involve the use of tangible objects during the supply of the service (such as textbooks in the supply of educational services). Where the revenue of the firm, or appropriate subdivision, is generated from the sale of a service, the firm, or appropriate subdivision, is deemed to be engaged in activity related to the supply of a service.
Significant number or proportion of the workers means:
(1) The lesser of 50 workers or 5 percent of the workers within a firm, or appropriate subdivision, have been totally or partially separated, or both, or are threatened with total or partial separation; or
(2) 2 or more workers within a firm, or appropriate subdivision, with a workforce of fewer than 50 workers, have been totally or partially separated, or both, or are threatened with total or partial separation.
Staffed worker means a worker directly employed by one firm to perform work under the operational control of another firm that is the subject of a petition investigation. These workers were previously referred to as “leased workers.” The term excludes independent contractors.
State means the States of the United States, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; and the term “United States,” when used in the geographical sense, includes the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
State agency means the agency at the State level that administers the State law.
State law means the UI law of a State under section 3304 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (26 U.S.C. 3304).
Successor-in-interest means a firm, whether or not named on a certification issued under subpart B of this part, from which trade-affected workers are separated, or threatened with separation, and where most or all of the factors in paragraphs (1) through (7) of this definition are present, relative to a firm named on a determination issued under subpart B:
(1) There is continuity in business operations.
(2) There is continuity in location.
(3) There is continuity in the workforce.
(4) There is continuity in supervisory personnel.
(5) The same jobs exist under similar conditions.
(6) There is continuity in machinery, equipment, and process.
(7) There is continuity in product/service.
Suitable employment means, with respect to a worker, work of a substantially equal or higher skill level than the worker’s past adversely affected employment, and wages for such work that are not less than 80 percent of the worker’s average weekly wage. Part-time, temporary, short-term, or threatened employment is not suitable employment.
Supplier means a firm that produces and supplies directly to another firm component parts for articles, or services, used in the production of articles or in the supply of services, as the case may be, that were the basis for a certification of eligibility under § 618.225 of a worker group employed by such other firm. There is no direct supply where an intervening customer, supplier, or another entity receives the component parts, aside from in a delivery or bailment capacity, or in the case of a service supplier, if an intervening entity performs the service.
Supportive services means services such as local transportation, childcare, dependent care, and housing, provided through WIOA or other programs, that are needed to enable an individual to participate in activities authorized under the Act.
Threatened to become totally or partially separated means that there is evidence of intent to separate workers or that imminent separations are reasonably anticipated.
Threatened to begin means, in the context of reasonably anticipated total or partial separations, the date(s) on which imminent separations will begin.
Total separation or totally separated means:
(1) For purposes of subpart B of this part, the layoff or severance of an AAW from a firm or appropriate subdivision thereof; or
(2) For all other purposes under this part, the layoff or severance of a worker from adversely affected employment with a firm, or appropriate subdivision thereof.
Trade Adjustment Assistance for Workers or Trade Adjustment Assistance or TAA Program means chapter 2 of title II of the Act, Public Law 93-618, 88 Stat. 1978 (19 U.S.C. 2271-2323 and 2395), as amended, which establishes the Trade Adjustment Assistance for Workers (TAA) Program. The benefits and services established under the Act, including RTAA, are collectively referred to as the Trade Adjustment Assistance Program (TAA Program) and provide assistance to workers adversely affected by foreign trade, as described in this part.
Trade-affected worker means both “adversely affected workers” and “adversely affected incumbent workers.”
Trade Readjustment Allowances or TRA means a weekly allowance payable to an AAW who meets the requirements of subpart G of this part. There are three types of TRA: Basic, Additional, and Completion, as described in § 618.710.
Unemployment Insurance or UI means the unemployment compensation payable to a worker under any State law or Federal UI law, including chapter 85 of title 5 of the U.S. Code and the RRUI. UI includes:
(1) Regular compensation means compensation payable to a worker under any State unemployment compensation law (including compensation payable pursuant to 5 U.S.C. chapter 85), other than extended compensation and additional compensation.
(2) Additional compensation means compensation payable to exhaustees by reason of conditions of high unemployment or by reason of other special factors.
(3) Extended compensation means compensation (including additional compensation and compensation payable pursuant to 5 U.S.C. chapter 85) payable for weeks of unemployment beginning in an extended benefit period to a worker under those provisions of the State law that satisfy the requirements of the Federal-State Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 1970 (EUCA) (26 U.S.C. 3304 (note)) with respect to the payment of extended compensation, including one-hundred percent federally funded unemployment compensation extensions.
Value-added production processes or services means such processes or services similar to and including final assembly, finishing, testing, packaging, or maintenance or transportation services.
Wages means:
(1) Remuneration as defined by State law; or
(2) For purposes of calculating a reemployment wage when determining the availability of suitable employment, the stated salary and—to the extent known—the value of any compensation package that would be defined as remuneration under State law, as provided by an employer in a job posting or job offer.
Wagner-Peyser Act means the Wagner-Peyser Act, as amended (29 U.S.C. 49 et seq.).
Week means a week as defined in the applicable State law.
Week of unemployment means a week of total, part-total, or partial unemployment as determined under the applicable State law or Federal UI law.
Worker group means two or more workers of the same firm, or appropriate subdivision thereof, named in a certification rendered under subpart B of this part as eligible to apply for TAA Program benefits and services, inclusive of teleworkers and staffed workers.
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act or WIOA means the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (Pub. L. 113-128, as amended).
§ 618.120 Severability.
Should a court of competent jurisdiction hold any provision(s) of this subpart to be invalid, such action will not affect any other provision of this subpart.
Subpart B—Petitions, Investigations, and Determinations
§ 618.200 Scope.
This subpart relates to petitions, investigations, and determinations of eligibility for a group of workers to apply for adjustment assistance under the Act. This subpart specifically applies to the initiation, conduct, and effective processing of petitions for certification of eligibility to apply for adjustment assistance. This subpart also contains general provisions with respect to filing of documents, public availability of documents, and the appeals process.
§ 618.205 Petitions.
(a) Who may file a petition. A petition for certification of eligibility to apply for adjustment assistance for a group of workers, or a request to amend an existing certification under § 618.250, must be filed simultaneously with the Department and with the State in which such workers’ firm is located, by any of the following:
(1) A group of two or more workers from the same firm, on whose behalf the petition is filed;
(2) A certified or recognized union, or other duly authorized representative of the group of workers;
(3) The employer(s) of the group of workers; or
(4) One-stop center operators or one-stop partners, including State workforce officials, employment security agencies, or dislocated worker unit and rapid response team members.
(b) Form and contents. Petitioners may obtain a petition form and instructions online at: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/tradeact, at a one-stop center (also known as an American Job Center), or by writing to: U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Office of Trade Adjustment Assistance, 200 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20210. A petition, which may include attachments, must provide the following information to be considered valid and for an investigation to commence:
(1) The name and contact information for each petitioner;
(2) The name of the firm;
(3) The address of the location(s) where the group of workers who have been totally or partially separated or threatened with separation report to work (for a teleworker, the address of the location to which they report);
(4) The name and contact information of an official within the firm or an individual authorized to provide information regarding the operation of the group of workers’ firm;
(5) The article produced or service supplied by the firm;
(6) The actual or approximate date on which total or partial separations are threatened to occur or did occur;
(7) The actual or estimated total number of workers who have been or may be separated;
(8) A reason why the petitioner believes that worker separations have occurred or may occur at the firm due to foreign trade impacts, or a reason why a request to amend an existing and active certification should be granted; and
(9)(i) Every petition must be signed and dated by at least two members of the petitioning group of workers, or by an official of a certified or recognized union or other duly authorized representative of the group of workers, or by an official of the employer of the group of workers, or by a representative of one of the organizations listed in paragraph (a)(4) of this section.
(ii) Signing of a petition must constitute acknowledgement that the information provided on the petition form will be used for the purposes of determining worker group eligibility and providing notice to petitioners, workers, and the general public that the petition has been filed, and whether the worker group is eligible to apply for TAA Program benefits and services. Knowingly falsifying any information on the petition form is a Federal offense (18 U.S.C. 1001) and a violation of the Act (19 U.S.C. 2316). For the petition to be valid, the petitioner(s) listed on the form must sign and date the form, attesting to the fact that they are authorized to file a petition.
(c) Supplemental information. Providing supplemental information, while not required, may assist the investigation. Attachments to the petition form are part of the petition.
(d) Filing. (1) Petitions should be filed electronically with the Office of Trade Adjustment Assistance, via https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/tradeact. Individuals requiring assistance in filing online should contact their nearest one-stop center or the State’s rapid response unit.
(2) Alternatively, petitions may be filed via email to [email protected], via fax at (202) 693-3584 or (202) 693-3585, or by mail to: U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Office of Trade Adjustment Assistance, 200 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20210.
(e) Industry notification of ITC determinations. Upon receiving notification from the ITC that it has issued an affirmative determination of injury or threat of injury under section 202 or 421 of the Act, under an applicable safeguard provision enacted to implement a trade agreement to which the United States is a party, or an affirmative final determination of material injury of threat thereof in investigation under section 705 or 735 of the Tariff Act of 1930, the Department will notify the affected parties listed in paragraph (e)(1) of this section. To the extent practicable, the Department may also notify other duly authorized representatives of the industry to which the ITC determination applies.
(1) Parties the Department will notify under paragraph (e) of this section include:
(i) Representatives of the domestic industry affected by the determination;
(ii) Firms publicly identified by name during the proceeding related to the ITC determination; and
(iii) Unions representing workers in firms covered by the determination.
(2) The notice provided by the Department under paragraph (e) of this section will include:
(i) A summary of the ITC determination;
(ii) Information about the workers’ potential eligibility for TAA Program benefits;
(iii) The benefits and services available under the TAA Program;
(iv) Information regarding the process for filing of petitions; and
(v) The availability of assistance from the State for filing petitions.
(3) The Department will also notify the Governor of each State in which one or more firms covered by an ITC determination are located and will identify those firms to the State.
(f) Acceptance of petitions. The Department will review a petition, including attachments, to determine if it is valid within 2 business days of receipt of the petition by the Department. The date on which the petition is determined to be valid under paragraph (b) of this section is the filing date. The Department will not initiate the investigation until it has determined that the petition is valid.
(g) Multiple petitions for same group of workers. If the Department receives multiple petitions regarding the same group of workers, it will base the filing date upon the first petition received.
(h) Publication of notice in the
(i) Public access to petitions. A petition, including attachments, is a record that is available, in redacted form, in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), as amended (5 U.S.C. 552), Executive Order 12600, and 29 CFR part 70. The Department will post all petitions, in redacted form, to the Department’s website and make them available for review at the Office of Trade Adjustment Assistance, Washington, DC.
(j) Receipt of petition by the State. When the State receives a petition, the State must verify that the Department has also received the petition. If the petition has not been posted to the Department’s website within 10 calendar days of receipt by the State, the State must forward the petition to the Department.
§ 618.210 Investigation.
(a) Timing. The Department will initiate an investigation once it has deemed the petition valid in accordance with § 618.205(f).
(b) Period of investigation. For purposes of this subpart, the period of investigation is the time period it takes to investigate each of the criteria that are part of the Department’s determination. The period of investigation varies for some eligibility criteria; § 618.225 describes the period of investigation for each criterion.
(c) Investigative process. To determine whether the petitioning group of workers’ eligibility criteria for certification have been met, the Department may take as many of the steps in paragraphs (c)(1) through (8) of this section during the investigation as it deems necessary to identify the group of workers and to reach a determination of eligibility to apply for TAA Program benefits for the identified worker group:
(1) Verify information on the petition form by contacting the petitioner(s);
(2) Provide the petitioner(s) the opportunity to submit additional evidence in support of the petition;
(3) Obtain publicly available information about the workers’ firm and industry;
(4) Request information from the workers’ firm;
(5) Request information from the customers of the workers’ firm;
(6) Request information from the officials of certified or recognized unions or other duly authorized representatives of the group of workers;
(7) Request information from one-stop center operators or one-stop partners; or
(8) Use other available sources of information as necessary.
(d) Protection of confidential business information. (1) The Department will determine whether information submitted by a firm or customer is confidential business information in accordance with FOIA, as amended (5 U.S.C. 552), Executive Order 12600, the Trade Secrets Act (18 U.S.C. 1905), and 29 CFR part 70.
(2) The Department will not disclose confidential business information without the consent of the submitting firm or customer, unless under a court order to do so or as otherwise required by law.
(e) Termination of investigation. (1) The Department will notify the petitioner of the termination of an investigation, publish a Notice of Termination of Investigation in the
(i) The petition is invalid, which includes petitions identifying a nonexistent group of workers, filed under false pretenses, or perpetuating fraud;
(ii) The petitioner has withdrawn the petition in writing;
(iii) The group of workers identified in the investigation is the same as a group of workers identified in another pending investigation;
(iv) The group of workers identified in the investigation already has been issued a denial, and the period of investigation applicable to the current investigation and the previous denial is the same; or
(v) The group of workers identified in the investigation is already covered by a certification that does not expire within 90 calendar days of the determination.
(2) If appropriate to protect the interests of the group of workers covered by a petition filed and terminated under paragraph (e)(1)(i) or (ii) of this section, the Department may use the original impact date of the terminated petition for the identical group of workers covered under a later, valid, petition covering the identical group of workers, provided that it is filed within 30 calendar days of the filing date of the first petition. Under no circumstances will the Department use the impact date of an earlier petition when that petition was terminated for being invalid under paragraph (e)(1)(i) of this section because it was filed under false pretenses or to perpetuate a fraud.
(3) Section 618.245 describes reconsideration of a termination of investigation.
(f) Investigative record. The investigative record of a determination will include the petition that initiated the investigation, the documents and other materials provided to the Department in connection with the determination on the petition, research conducted by the Department, and records of investigation activities (including but not limited to telephone logs and email correspondence, and any determination under § 618.225(a), (b), or (c)). The investigative record excludes information that is privileged or otherwise exempt from disclosure. Personally identifiable information and confidential business information will be protected consistent with all Federal authorities and Departmental administrative guidance.
(g) Site visits. The investigation may include one or more site visits to confirm information furnished by the petitioner(s) and to elicit other relevant information, where other methods to obtain or confirm information or both, are unsuccessful.
§ 618.215 Public hearings.
(a) When held. (1) A public hearing must be held in connection with an investigation initiated under § 618.210 whenever, but not later than 10 days after the date of publication in the
(i) The petitioner; or
(ii) Any other person found by the Administrator to have a substantial interest in the proceedings.
(2) Such petitioner and other interested persons must be afforded an opportunity to be present, to produce evidence, and to be heard.
(3) An explanation of why the requestor is requesting the hearing must be provided to the Department.
(b) Form of request. A request for public hearing must be filed, in letter format, in the same manner as provided for other documents under § 618.205(d)(2). The request must contain:
(1) The name, address, and telephone number of the person, organization, or group requesting the hearing;
(2) A complete statement of the relationship of the person, organization, or group requesting the hearing to the petitioner or the petition’s subject matter; and
(3) An explanation of why the person, organization, or requestor of the hearing is interested in the matter.
(c) Time, place, and scope. The time, place, and scope of a public hearing will be set by the presiding officers and published in the
(d) Presiding officer. The Administrator, or his or her designee, must conduct and preside over public hearings.
(e) Order of testimony. Witnesses will testify in the order designated by the presiding officer. Each witness, after being duly sworn, will proceed with testimony. After testifying, the presiding officer or an agent designated by the presiding officer may question the witness. Any person who has entered an appearance in accordance with paragraph (k) of this section may direct questions to the witness, but only for the purpose of assisting the presiding officer in obtaining relevant and material facts with respect to the subject matter of the hearing.
(f) Evidence. Witnesses may produce evidence of a relevant and material nature to the subject matter of the hearing.
(g) Briefs. Parties who have entered an appearance may file briefs regarding the evidence produced at the hearing. The briefs must be filed with the presiding officer within 10 days of the completion of the hearing.
(h) Oral argument. The presiding officer must provide opportunity for oral argument by parties listed in paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (ii) of this section after conclusion of the testimony in a hearing. The presiding officer will determine in each instance the time to be allowed for argument and the allocation thereof.
(i) Authentication of evidence. Evidence, oral or written, submitted at hearings, will, upon order of the presiding officer, be subject to verification from books, papers, and records of the parties submitting such evidence and from any other available sources.
(j) Transcripts. All hearings will be transcribed or recorded in compliance with the standards of the Department. Persons interested in records of the hearings may inspect them at the U.S. Department of Labor in Washington, DC.
(k) Appearances. Any person showing a substantial interest in the proceedings may enter an appearance at a hearing, either in person or by a duly authorized representative.
§ 618.220 Use of subpoena.
(a) The Administrator may require, by subpoena, in connection with any investigation or hearing, the attendance and testimony of witnesses and the production of evidence the issuing official deems necessary to make a determination under this subpart.
(b) The Department will issue a subpoena to secure evidence from a firm, customer, petitioner, or other person who fails to provide requested information within 20 days of the request, unless the recipient of the subpoena demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Department that the information will be provided within a reasonable time. In making this determination, the Department will consider the following factors:
(1) Submission of a portion of the required information;
(2) Prompt cooperation with inquiries about the information;
(3) Cooperation in previous responses to information requests;
(4) Evidence of effort to obtain the required information; and
(5) Other information the Department determines to be relevant.
(c) Witnesses subpoenaed under this section to appear in person must be paid the same fees and mileage as are paid for like services in the District Court of the United States within the jurisdiction of which the proceeding is taking place. The Department must pay the witness fees and mileage.
(d) Subpoenas issued under paragraph (a) of this section must be signed by the Administrator, or his or her designee, and must be served consistent with Rule 5(b) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. The date for compliance must be 7 calendar days following service of the subpoena, unless otherwise indicated.
(e) If the recipient of the subpoena refuses to provide the requested information, the Department may petition the appropriate District Court of the United States to seek enforcement of the subpoena.
§ 618.225 Criteria for certification of a group of workers.
(a) Increased imports. (1) This paragraph (a) includes criteria for certification of a group of workers based upon increased imports of:
(i) Articles like or directly competitive with the articles produced by the workers’ firm;
(ii) Services like or directly competitive with the services supplied by the workers’ firm;
(iii) Articles like or directly competitive with articles into which one or more component parts produced by the workers’ firm are directly incorporated;
(iv) Articles like or directly competitive with articles that are produced directly using services supplied by the workers’ firm; or
(v) Articles directly incorporating one or more component parts produced outside the United States that are like or directly competitive with imports of articles incorporating one or more component parts produced by the workers’ firm.
(2) After review of the relevant information necessary to make a determination, the Certifying Officer must certify a worker group as eligible to apply for TAA Program benefits and services as impacted by increased imports if all four of the criteria in paragraphs (a)(2)(i) through (iv) of this section are met.
(i) Criterion 1. A significant number or proportion of the workers’ firm, or appropriate subdivision thereof, have been totally or partially separated, or threatened with such separation, during the 1-year period prior to the petition date.
(A) Information regarding separations may be obtained from:
(1) A questionnaire;
(2) State workforce agencies;
(3) Unions;
(4) Workers in the group of workers;
(5) Public records; and
(6) Other reliable sources.
(B) Analysis of separation data must generally consist of a:
(1) Comparison of employment on the petition date to employment on the date that is 1 year prior to the petition date;
(2) Review of employment activity during the 1-year period prior to the petition date; and
(3) Review of evidence provided by the workers’ firm regarding actual and threatened separations that occur, or are scheduled to occur, after the petition date.
(C) Evidence of threat of separation includes, but is not limited to:
(1) A Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notice (WARN) letter, or a notification issued under a similar State law;
(2) A separation schedule;
(3) Information provided to the public, such as a news release or notice on the workers’ firm website;
(4) Information provided to the worker group; or
(5) Internal firm documents, including memoranda or a firm newsletter.
(ii) Criterion 2. Sales or production, or both, of the workers’ firm has decreased during the 1-year period prior to the petition date.
(A) Information regarding sales or production may be collected from:
(1) Questionnaires;
(2) Public records; and
(3) Other reliable sources.
(B) Analysis of sales or production data must generally consist of a comparison of sales or production data on the petition date to sales or production data on the date that is 1 year prior to the petition date.
(iii) Criterion 3. Imports of the article or service have increased during the 1-year period prior to the petition date.
(A) Information regarding imports may be collected from:
(1) Questionnaires issued to the workers’ firm or customer(s);
(2) Public records; and
(3) Other reliable sources.
(B) Analysis of the workers’ firm import activity must generally consist of a comparison of the workers’ firm import data on the petition date to the workers’ firm import data on the date that is 1 year prior to the petition date.
(C) Analysis of customer import activity must generally consist of a comparison of the aggregate of customer import data on the petition date to the aggregate of customer import data on the date that is 1 year prior to the petition date.
(iv) Criterion 4. Increased imports have contributed importantly to worker separations, or threat of separation, and the decline in sales or production at the workers’ firm.
(A) Analysis of the impact of increased imports on worker separations and declines in sales or production at the workers’ firm must generally consist of determining:
(1) Whether there are one or more events, or factors, that lessen or sever the causal nexus between the increase in imports and worker separations or threat of separation, and the decline in sales and production at the workers’ firm;
(2) What percentage of the workers’ firm sales or production declines was attributable to the firm’s increased imports;
(3) What percentage of the workers’ firm customer(s) sales or production declines was attributable to the firm’s increased imports; and
(4) Whether there are other events or factors that mitigate or amplify the impact of increased imports on the workers’ firm.
(B) The impact may be determined using a quantitative or qualitative analysis.
(b) Shift. (1) This paragraph (b) includes criteria for certification of a worker group based on a shift:
(i) In production of like or directly competitive articles by the workers’ firm to another country; or
(ii) In the supply of like or directly competitive services by the workers’ firm to another country.
(2) After a review of relevant information necessary to make a determination, the Certifying Officer must certify a group of workers as eligible to apply for TAA Program benefits and services as impacted by a shift in production or supply of service if all of the criteria in paragraphs (b)(2)(i) through (iii) of this section of are met.
(i) Criterion 1. A significant number or proportion of the workers’ firm, or appropriate subdivision thereof, have been totally or partially separated, or threatened with separation, during the 1-year period prior to the petition date.
(A) Information regarding separations may be obtained from:
(1) A questionnaire;
(2) State workforce agencies;
(3) Unions;
(4) Workers in the group of workers;
(5) Public records; and
(6) Other reliable sources.
(B) Analysis of separation data must generally consist of a:
(1) Comparison of employment on the petition date to employment on the date that is 1 year prior to the petition date;
(2) Review of employment activity during the 1-year period prior to the petition date; and
(3) Review of evidence provided by the workers’ firm regarding actual and threatened separations that occur, or are scheduled to occur, after the petition date.
(C) Evidence of threat of separation includes, but is not limited to:
(1) A WARN letter, or a notification issued under a similar State law;
(2) A separation schedule;
(3) Information provided to the public, such as a news release or notice on the workers’ firm website;
(4) Information provided to the worker group; or
(5) Internal firm documents, including memoranda or a firm newsletter.
(ii) Criterion 2. There has been a shift in the production or supply of services by the workers’ firm to a foreign country.
(A) Information regarding shift activity may be collected from:
(1) A questionnaire;
(2) Public records; and
(3) Other reliable sources.
(B) Analysis of shift activity must generally consist of a:
(1) Comparison of shift data on the petition date to shift data on the date that is 1 year prior to the petition date;
(2) Review of shift activity during the 1-year period prior to the petition date; and
(3) Review of evidence provided by the workers’ firm regarding shift activity scheduled to occur after the petition date.
(C) Evidence of future planned shift activity must include more than a stated intent to shift activity to a foreign country and includes, but is not limited to, a reassignment of production or service supply; a reassignment of discrete aspects or stages of production or service supply; securing a facility in a foreign country; shipping resources to a foreign country; or acquiring personnel in a foreign country.
(iii) Criterion 3. The shift to a foreign country has contributed importantly to worker separations or threat of separation.
(A) Analysis of impact of shift activity on worker separations must generally consist of determining:
(1) Whether there are one or more events or factors that sever or lessen the causal nexus between the shift activity and worker separations or threat of separation;
(2) What percentage of the workers’ firm sales or production declines was attributable to the firm’s shift activity;
(3) Whether operations at the workers’ firm domestic facility or facilities decreased at the same or at a greater rate than operations at the foreign facility or facilities; and
(4) Whether there are other events or factors that mitigate or amplify the impact of shift activity on the workers’ firm.
(B) The impact may be determined using a quantitative or qualitative analysis.
(c) Foreign acquisition. This paragraph (c) includes criteria for certification of a worker group based on a foreign acquisition of like or directly competitive articles by the workers’ firm from another country. After review of relevant information necessary to make a determination, the Certifying Officer must certify a group of workers as eligible to apply for TAA Program benefits and services as impacted by a foreign acquisition of articles or services if all of the criteria in paragraphs (c)(1) through (3) of this section are met.
(1) Criterion 1. A significant number or proportion of the workers’ firm, or appropriate subdivision thereof, have been totally or partially separated, or threatened with separation, during the 1-year period prior to the petition date.
(i) Information regarding separations may be obtained from:
(A) A questionnaire;
(B) State workforce agencies;
(C) Unions;
(D) Workers in the group of workers;
(E) Public records; and
(F) Other reliable sources.
(ii) Analysis of separation data must generally consist of a:
(A) Comparison of employment on the petition date to employment on the date that is 1 year prior to the petition date;
(B) Review of employment activity during the 1-year period prior to the petition date; and
(C) Review of evidence provided by the workers’ firm regarding actual and threatened separations that occur, or are scheduled to occur, after the petition date.
(iii) Evidence of threat of separation includes, but is not limited to:
(A) A WARN letter, or a notification issued under a similar State law;
(B) A separation schedule;
(C) Information provided to the public, such as a news release or notice on the workers’ firm website;
(D) Information provided to the worker group; or
(E) Internal firm documents, including memoranda or a firm newsletter.
(2) Criterion 2. There has been an acquisition of articles or supply of services by the workers’ firm from an entity in a foreign country.
(i) Information regarding separations may be obtained from:
(A) A questionnaire;
(B) State workforce agencies;
(C) Unions;
(D) Workers in the group of workers;
(E) Public records; and
(F) Other reliable sources.
(ii) Analysis of acquisition data must generally consist of a:
(A) Comparison of acquisition data on the petition date to acquisition data on the date that is 1 year prior to the petition date;
(B) Review of acquisition data during the 1-year period prior to the petition date; and
(C) Review of evidence provided by the workers’ firm regarding acquisition activity scheduled to occur after the petition date.
(iii) Evidence of future planned acquisitions requires more than a stated intent to procure production of an article or supply of services from an entity in a foreign country and may include, but is not limited to, entering into a contract with a licensee; reassignment of production or service supply to a contractor or licensee; and a reassignment of discrete aspects or stages of production or service supply to a contractor or licensee.
(3) Criterion 3. The acquisition from a foreign country has contributed importantly to worker separations or threat of separation.
(i) Analysis of impact of acquisition data on worker separations must generally consist of determining:
(A) Whether there are one or more events or factors that lessen or sever the causal nexus between the acquisition activity and worker separations or threat of separation;
(B) What percentage of the workers’ firm sales or production declines was attributable to the firm’s acquisition activity;
(C) Whether operations at the workers’ firm domestic facility or facilities decreased at the same or at a greater rate than contractor or licensee operations in the foreign country; and
(D) Whether there are other events or factors that mitigate or amplify the impact of acquisition activity on the workers’ firm.
(ii) The impact may be determined using a quantitative or qualitative analysis.
(d) Supplier of component parts or services. This paragraph (d) contains criteria for certification of a worker group as a supplier to a worker group. After review of relevant information necessary to make a determination, the Certifying Officer must certify a worker group as eligible to apply for TAA Program benefits and services as a supplier to a worker group if all of the criteria in paragraphs (d)(1) through (5) of this section are met.
(1) Criterion 1. A significant number or proportion of the workers’ firm, or appropriate subdivision thereof, have been totally or partially separated, or threatened with separation, during the 1-year period prior to the petition date.
(i) Information regarding separations may be obtained from:
(A) A questionnaire;
(B) State workforce agencies;
(C) Unions;
(D) Workers in the group of workers;
(E) Public records; and
(F) Other reliable sources.
(ii) Analysis of separation data must generally consist of a:
(A) Comparison of employment on the petition date to employment on the date that is 1 year prior to the petition date;
(B) Review of employment activity during the 1-year period prior to the petition date; and
(C) Review of evidence provided by the workers’ firm regarding actual and threatened separations that occur, or are scheduled to occur, after the petition date.
(iii) Evidence of threat of separation includes, but is not limited to:
(A) A WARN letter, or a notification issued under a similar State law;
(B) A separation schedule;
(C) Information provided to the public, such as a news release or notice on the workers’ firm website;
(D) Information provided to the worker group; or
(E) Internal firm documents, including memoranda or a firm newsletter.
(2) Criterion 2. The certification of the worker group employed by the firm to which the workers’ firm supplied component parts or services has not expired by the petition date.
(3) Criterion 3. The workers’ firm conducted business with the firm identified in paragraph (d)(2) of this section during the 1-year period prior to the petition date.
(4) Criterion 4. The certification identified in paragraph (d)(2) of this section was based on an article or service related to the component part produced or service supplied by the workers’ firm.
(5) Criterion 5. The component parts supplied to the firm identified in paragraph (d)(2) of this section, represented at least 20 percent of the supplier’s production or sales during the 1-year period prior to the petition date, or loss of business with the firm identified in paragraph (d)(2) of this section, during the 1-year period prior to the petition date, contributed importantly to separations or threat of separation at the workers’ firm.
(e) Downstream producer. After review of relevant information necessary to make a determination, the Certifying Officer must certify a worker group as eligible to apply for TAA Program benefits and services as a downstream producer if all of the criteria in paragraphs (e)(1) through (5) of this section are met.
(1) Criterion 1. A significant number or proportion of the workers’ firm, or appropriate subdivision thereof, have been totally or partially separated, or threatened with separation, during the 1-year period prior to the petition date.
(i) Information regarding separations may be obtained from a questionnaire, State workforce agencies, unions, workers in the group of workers, public records, and other reliable sources.
(ii) Analysis of separation data must generally consist of a:
(A) Comparison of employment on the petition date to employment on the date that is 1 year prior to the petition date;
(B) Review of employment activity during the 1-year period prior to the petition date; and
(C) Review of evidence provided by the workers’ firm regarding actual and threatened separations that occur, or are scheduled to occur, after the petition date.
(iii) Evidence of threat of separation includes, but is not limited to:
(A) A WARN letter, or a notification issued under a similar State law;
(B) A separation schedule;
(C) Information provided to the public, such as a news release or notice on the workers’ firm website;
(D) Information provided to the worker group; or
(E) Internal firm documents, including memoranda or a firm newsletter.
(2) Criterion 2. The certification of the worker group employed by the firm to which the workers’ firm provided value-added production processes or services has not expired by the petition date.
(3) Criterion 3. The workers’ firm conducted business with the firm identified in paragraph (e)(2) of this section during the 1-year period prior to the petition date.
(4) Criterion 4. The certification identified in paragraph (e)(2) of this section was based on an article or service related to the value-added production processes or services supplied by the workers’ firm.
(5) Criterion 5. Loss of business with the firm identified in paragraph (e)(2) of this section during the 1-year period prior to the petition date contributed importantly to separations or threat of separation at the workers’ firm.
(f) ITC determinations. After review of relevant information necessary to make a determination, the Certifying Officer must certify a worker group as eligible to apply for TAA based on a determination issued by the ITC if all of the criteria in paragraphs (f)(1) through (3) of this section are met.
(1) Criterion 1. The ITC has publicly identified the workers’ firm, by name, as a member of a domestic industry in an investigation resulting in:
(i) An affirmative determination of serious injury or threat thereof under section 202(b)(1) of the Act (19 U.S.C. 2252(b)(1));
(ii) An affirmative determination of market disruption or threat thereof under section 421(b)(1) of the Act (19 U.S.C. 2451(b)(1)); or
(iii) An affirmative final determination of material injury or threat thereof under section 705(b)(1)(A) or 735(b)(1)(A) of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1671d(b)(1)(A) and 1673d(b)(1)(A)).
(2) Criterion 2. The petition is filed during the 1-year period beginning on the date on which:
(i) A summary of the report submitted to the President by the ITC under section 202(f)(1) of the Act with respect to the affirmative determination described in paragraph (f)(1)(i) of this section is published in the
(ii) Notice of an affirmative determination described in paragraph (f)(1)(ii) or (iii) of this section is published in the
(3) Criterion 3. The workers have become totally or partially separated from the workers’ firm within:
(i) The 1-year period described in paragraph (f)(2) of this section; or
(ii) The 1-year period preceding the 1-year period described in paragraph (f)(2) of this section.
(g) Sales or production decline criteria. For paragraphs (a) through (c) of this section, in assessing sales or production decline for the period 1 year prior to the petition date, the Department will use a comparison of the latest 2 full calendar year periods and will use a comparison of the year to date period (from the year the petition was filed) to the same year to date period from the prior year. This paragraph (g) does not apply to determining whether a significant number of workers have been separated or threatened with separation.
(h) Oil and gas. For workers employed by firms engaged in exploration or drilling for crude oil and natural gas:
(1) Any firm, or appropriate subdivision of a firm, that engages in exploration or drilling for oil or natural gas must be considered to be a firm producing oil or natural gas;
(2) Any firm, or appropriate subdivision of a firm, that engages in exploration or drilling for oil or natural gas, or otherwise produces oil or natural gas, must be considered to be producing articles directly competitive with imports of oil and with imports of natural gas; and
(3) The Department may conduct a parallel investigation to determine whether the group of workers meets the criteria for certification of worker groups under this section for the services provided by the group of workers. The Department will render a determination after all appropriate avenues are considered.
(i) Staffed workers. The Department considers staffed workers to be members of a worker group even if they are not specifically mentioned within the determination document issued under § 618.235. The Department will collect information from the workers’ firm during the investigation to establish which leasing or staffing entity or entities the firm used under a contract. Once identified, an evaluation of operational control will occur. If a certification is rendered, the Department will notify States regarding the appropriate contact information of the known leasing or staffing entity or entities in order to expedite worker notification of their eligibility to apply individually for TAA Program benefits and services. Factors to be considered in evaluating operational control include:
(1) Whether the contract workers perform only tasks that are independent, discrete projects for the workers’ firm (as opposed to performing tasks that are part of the regular business operations of the firm);
(2) Whether the workers’ firm has the discretion to hire, fire, and discipline the contract workers;
(3) Whether the workers’ firm has the ability to terminate the contract workers’ employment with such firm through the staffing or leasing contracted firm;
(4) Whether the workers’ firm exercises the authority to supervise the contract workers’ daily work activities, including assigning and managing work, and determining how, where, and when the work of contract worker takes place (e.g., factors such as the hours of work, the selection of work, and the manner in which the work is to be performed by each contract worker are relevant);
(5) Whether the services of the contract workers are offered on the open market;
(6) Whether the contract workers work exclusively for the workers’ firm;
(7) Whether the workers’ firm is responsible for establishing wage rates and the payment of salaries of the contract workers;
(8) Whether the workers’ firm provides skills training to the contract workers; and
(9) Whether there are other facts indicating that the workers’ firm exercises control over the contract workers.
(j) Teleworkers. The Department considers teleworkers (also known as remote, or home-based workers) to be members of a worker group even if they are not specifically mentioned within the determination document issued under § 618.235 when they would be a part of the worker group if they worked on-site. Teleworkers do not have to be physically based at the location of the subject firm or in the same city or same State of the location that is identified on the determination document to be members of the certified worker group.
(k) Successor-in-interest. The Department considers workers employed by a firm that is a successor-in-interest to be members of a worker group even if they are not mentioned specifically within the determination document issued under § 618.235.
§ 618.230 Evidence.
(a) The Department will verify information obtained during an investigation before considering such information in support of a petition.
(b) Evidence may be accepted from such sources including, but not limited to, petitioners, company officials, current and former workers of the firm, customers of the firm, trade associations, union representatives, Federal agencies, and public sources such as State agencies and academic institutions.
(c) The Department may share affidavits, testimonials, news articles, and other types of information proffered in support of a petition with appropriate parties for verification.
§ 618.235 Determinations.
Based on the findings of the investigation as set forth in § 618.230, a Certifying Officer will make a determination on a petition as provided under paragraph (a) or (b) of this section.
(a) Affirmative determination or certification. When the investigation establishes that a group of workers meets the eligibility criteria of § 618.225, the Certifying Officer will issue a certification of worker group eligibility to apply for TAA Program benefits and services. The certification will include the name of the firm or appropriate subdivision thereof at which the trade-affected workers covered by the certification have been employed (which need not be limited to the unit specified in the petition), and may identify the worker group by name, as described in § 618.225(i) and (j), the certification period, and the certification date.
(1) A certification covers any worker in the worker group eligible to apply for assistance under sec. 222(a) and (b) of the Act, whose last total or partial separation, or threat of a separation, from a firm or appropriate subdivision took place within the certification period, which is the period:
(i) Following the impact date, which is the date 1 year before the petition date; and
(ii) On or before the day the certification expires, which is 2 years after the certification date, or an earlier date on which the Certifying Officer determines that separations from adversely affected employment may no longer be attributed to the conditions underlying the certification, as described in § 618.240, or the date identified in an amendment described in § 618.250.
(2) A certification covers any worker in the worker group eligible to apply for TAA Program benefits and services under section 222(e) whose last total or partial separation from a firm took place within the certification period, which is the period:
(i) Following the impact date, which is the date 1 year before the ITC publication in the
(ii) On or before the day the certification expires, which is the date 1 year from the ITC publication in the
(3) A trade-affected worker who is a member of the worker group covered by the certification may apply to the State for benefits and services under subparts C through G of this part.
(b) Negative determination or denial. When the investigation establishes that the group of workers does not meet the criteria for eligibility, as described in § 618.225, the Certifying Officer will issue a denial. The denial will include the name of the firm or appropriate subdivision thereof at which the workers covered by the denial have been employed (which need not be limited to the unit specified in the petition), and may identify the worker group by name, as described in § 618.225(i) and (j).
(c) Determination. The Certifying Officer issues a determination identifying the article(s) produced or service(s) provided and describing the worker group covered by the certification or denial and stating the reasons for the determination (excluding information designated as confidential business information). The Department will provide a copy of the determination to the petitioner(s) and to the State(s) covered by the determination. The Department will publish in the
(d) Amended determination. The Department may amend a certification for any of the purposes described in § 618.250(a), in response to a petition filed under § 618.205, or without an outside request for an amendment. An amended determination will not take effect until the previous determination becomes final, either after the period in which to request reconsideration has lapsed or after the Department makes a determination on reconsideration. Amended certifications are discussed in more detail in § 618.250.
(e) Administrative action. The Department may, with or without an outside request, reconsider actions taken under § 618.210(e), 618.235(b), 618.240, 618.245, or 618.250.
§ 618.240 Termination of certification.
(a) Initiation. Whenever the Administrator of the Office of Trade Adjustment Assistance has reason to believe, with respect to any nonexpired certification, that the total or partial separations or threat of separation from a firm, or appropriate subdivision thereof, are no longer attributable to the conditions specified in section 222 of the Act and § 618.225, the Administrator must promptly conduct an investigation.
(b) Notice. A notice of the initiation of an investigation to terminate a certification must be published in the
(c) Opportunity for comment. Within 10 calendar days after publication of the notice under paragraph (b) of this section, members of the worker group or any other person who has a substantial interest in the matter may provide evidence in writing supporting the continuation of eligibility of certification to show why the certification should not be terminated. If a hearing is requested, it will be conducted in accordance with § 618.215. If no evidence is provided by any interested party within 10 days from the date of publication to the
(d) Investigation of termination of a certification. The Department will conduct a review of the record on which the certification was based, any evidence timely filed under paragraph (c) of this section, and any data submitted with the petition or provided subsequent to the filing of the petition.
(e) Determination to terminate or partially terminate a certification. A determination to terminate a certification may cover the entire worker group specified in the certification or a portion of that group. Such termination or partial termination must apply only with respect to total or partial separations occurring after the termination date specified in the determination notice and must only take effect after the determination becomes final, either after the period in which to request reconsideration has lapsed or after a determination on reconsideration is made.
(1) Upon making a determination that the certification should be terminated for all or part of the worker group specified in the certification, the Department will issue a determination, which will contain the reasons for making such determination, and notify the petitioner(s) of the original certification, the firm official(s), and the State(s). The Department will also publish the notice in the
(2) The termination date specified in the determination notice must not be earlier than the date of publication in the
(f) Determination of continuation of certification. After an investigation resulting in a decision that the certification should not be terminated, the Department will notify the petitioner(s) of the original certification, firm official(s), and the State(s). The State(s) will notify the worker group of the determination of continuation of certification. The Department will publish the determination in the
(g) Reconsideration of termination or partial termination of a certification. Any party that is eligible under § 618.205 to submit a petition may file an application for reconsideration with the Department, following the procedures described in § 618.245.
§ 618.245 Reconsideration of termination of an investigation, denial, or termination or partial termination of certification.
(a) Application for reconsideration; contents. (1) Any party who is eligible to file a petition under § 618.205, and any worker in the group of workers, may file a written application seeking reconsideration of a termination of an investigation under § 618.210(e); a negative determination issued under § 618.235(b); or a termination or partial termination of certification issued under § 618.240, via email: [email protected]; fax: (202) 693-3584 or (202) 693-3585; or mail: U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Office of Trade Adjustment Assistance, 200 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20210.
(2) An application for reconsideration must contain the following information to be complete and valid:
(i) The name(s) and contact information of the applicant(s);
(ii) The name or a description of the group of workers on whose behalf the application for reconsideration is filed in the case of an application for reconsideration of a termination of an investigation or a negative determination, or the name or a description of the worker group on whose behalf the application for reconsideration of a termination or partial termination of a certification is filed;
(iii) The petition number identified on the petition or determination that is the subject of the application for reconsideration;
(iv) The reasons for believing that the termination of the investigation, negative determination, or termination or partial termination of a certification identified in paragraph (a)(1) of this section is erroneous, including any issues that the applicant asserts require further investigation;
(v) Any information that may support the application for reconsideration, including material not considered prior to the termination of the investigation, negative determination, or termination or partial termination of a certification; and
(viii) The signature(s) of the party, or representative thereof, requesting reconsideration.
(b) Time for filing. An application for reconsideration of the termination of the investigation, negative determination, or termination or partial termination of a certification must be filed no later than 30 calendar days after the notice of the termination of the investigation, negative determination, or termination or partial termination of a certification has been published in the
(c) Return of incomplete applications for reconsideration. The Department will review an application for reconsideration within 2 business days upon its receipt to determine if the application contains all of the necessary information required under paragraph (a)(2) of this section. The Department will not accept an incomplete application for filing, but will return it to the applicant with a brief statement explaining why it is incomplete. Should an applicant wish to refile an application for reconsideration, the refiling must occur no later than 30 calendar days after the notice of the determination has been published in the
(d) Notice of an application for reconsideration. After receipt of a complete and timely application for reconsideration, the Department will notify the applicant and publish in the
(e) Opportunity for comment and submission of data on reconsideration. Within 10 calendar days after publication of a notice under paragraph (d) of this section, any party who is eligible to file a petition under § 618.205 may make written submissions to show why the determination under reconsideration should or should not be modified.
(f) Investigation on reconsideration. The Department will conduct a review of the record on which the termination of the investigation, negative determination, or termination or partial termination of a certification was based, any comments timely filed under paragraphs (a)(2)(iv), (a)(2)(v), or (e) of this section, and any data submitted with the original petition or provided subsequent to the filing of the petition. The period of investigation under reconsideration will remain the same as the period of investigation for the original petition.
(g) Determinations on reconsideration. The Department will issue a final determination affirming, reversing, or modifying the termination of the investigation, negative determination, or termination or partial termination of a certification within 60 days after the date of receiving a complete and valid application for reconsideration. The Department will notify the applicant(s), the petitioner(s) of the original petition, firm official(s), and the State(s); and publish notice in the
§ 618.250 Amendments of certifications.
(a) Reasons for amendments. A Certifying Officer may amend a certification. The Department retains the authority to amend a certification without a petition, where it has determined that an amendment is appropriate. Amendments must not extend the impact date more than 1 year prior to the petition date unless there is a statutory exception, as described in § 618.235(a)(1)(ii). Reasons for amendments include, but are not limited to:
(1) Identifying an ownership change affecting the applicable firm;
(2) Correcting technical errors; or
(3) Clarifying the identification of the worker group.
(b) Petition filing. Amendments must be requested through the regular petition process described in § 618.205.
(c) Notification of amendment. The Department will publish the amended certification in the
§ 618.255 Judicial review of determinations.
(a) General. A worker, group of workers, certified or recognized union, or authorized representative of such worker or group may commence a civil action for review of the determination by filing a complaint with the United States Court of International Trade (USCIT) within 60 days after the date of publication of the notice of a final determination in the
(b) Final determination. Only determinations issued under § 618.245(g) are final determinations for purposes of judicial review.
(c) Certified record of the Department. Upon receiving a copy of the summons and complaint from the clerk of the USCIT, the Department will file with the court a certified record meeting the requirements of the rules of the USCIT. When the certified record contains confidential business information, the Department will file a public version of the record redacting the confidential business information, and a separate version that includes the confidential business information, in accordance with the rules of the USCIT.
(d) Further proceedings. Upon remand by the USCIT, the Department will conduct an additional investigation and the Certifying Officer will make new or modified findings of fact and will modify or affirm the previous determination. Upon making this subsequent determination, the Certifying Officer will publish a summary of the determination and the reasons for the determination in the
(e) Standard of review. The determination and findings of fact by the Certifying Officer are conclusive if the USCIT determines that they are supported by substantial evidence, as provided under section 284 of the Act (19 U.S.C. 2395).
(f) Individual benefits denials. Appeals of denials of individual benefits are not determinations under section 222 of the Act and are not subject to review by the USCIT under section 284 of the Act.
(g) Manner of filing. Requests for judicial review must be filed in accordance with the rules of the USCIT.
§ 618.260 Study regarding certain affirmative determinations by the Commission.
(a) Upon notification from the Commission that it has begun an investigation under section 202 of the Act with respect to an industry, the Department must immediately begin a study of:
(1) The number of workers in the domestic industry producing the like or directly competitive article who have been or are likely to be certified as eligible for adjustment assistance, which includes, but is not limited to, analysis of:
(i) The estimated number of certified workers within the domestic industry named in the ITC affirmative determination;
(ii) Information obtained during the investigation of TAA Program determinations;
(iii) Responses from Domestic Industry Study;
(iv) Information obtained by consultation with ITC Commission industry experts; and
(v) Other pertinent workforce and trade-impact data of companies who are currently participating in the industry.
(2) The extent to which the adjustment of such workers to the import competition may be facilitated through the use of the TAA Program, other Departmental programs and resources, and programs administered by other Federal agencies.
(b) The report of the Department’s study under paragraph (a) of this section must be made to the President not later than 15 days after the day on which the Commission makes its report under section 202(f)(1) of the Act. The Department will also publish the report in the
§ 618.265 Availability of information to the public.
(a) Information available to the public. The Department posts all determinations on the Department’s website at https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/tradeact. The Department also posts redacted versions of all petitions on the same website. Upon request to the Administrator of the Office of Trade Adjustment Assistance, members of the public may inspect petitions and other documents filed with the Administrator, transcripts of testimony taken and exhibits submitted at public hearings held under the provisions of this subpart, public notices concerning trade-affected worker assistance under the Act, and other reports and documents issued for general distribution, in accordance with the Department’s record retention schedule, FOIA, and the Privacy Act.
(b) Information not available to the public. Confidential business information must not be made available to the public.
Subpart C—Employment and Case Management Services
§ 618.300 Scope.
This subpart describes the employment and case management services that the State must make available to trade-affected workers, either directly through the TAA Program or through arrangements with partner programs. This subpart requires States, under the Governor-Secretary Agreement at § 618.804, to integrate the provision of benefits and services available to trade-affected workers under the TAA Program with the delivery of employment services and other assistance provided through the one-stop delivery system (established under title I of WIOA), as required by sections 235 and 239(a), (e), and (g) of the Act. It also implements the requirements of section 221(a)(2)(A) of the Act for the provision of rapid response assistance and appropriate career services described in §§ 682.300 through 682.370, and 680.150 of this chapter, respectively, for workers upon receipt of a petition filed covering a group of workers.
§ 618.305 The Trade Adjustment Assistance Program as a one-stop partner.
(a) As provided by WIOA section 121(b)(1)(B)(vii), the TAA Program is a required one-stop partner under WIOA.
(b) The State must ensure that the TAA Program complies with WIOA’s one-stop partnership requirements at WIOA section 121(b)(1)(A)(i) through (v). This includes, among the other requirements, paying infrastructure costs where the TAA Program is being carried out.
(c) The TAA Program must also comply with, and be a party to, the memorandum of understanding required under the regulations implementing WIOA at § 678.500 of this chapter, where the TAA Program is being carried out.
§ 618.310 Responsibilities for the delivery of employment and case management services.
(a) The State is responsible for providing information to workers about the TAA Program, as required in § 618.816;
(b) As part of the delivery of services, the State must:
(1) Conduct intake, which includes interviewing each trade-affected worker and reviewing suitable training opportunities reasonably available to each worker under subpart F of this part;
(2) Inform trade-affected workers of the employment services and allowances available under the Act and this part, including the application procedures, the filing requirements for such services, and enrollment deadlines for receiving TRA, as described in subpart G of this part;
(3) Determine whether suitable employment, as defined in § 618.110, is available, and assist in job search activities related to securing suitable employment;
(4) Accept applications for training;
(5) Provide information on which training providers offer training programs at a reasonable cost and with a reasonable expectation of employment following the completion of such training, and assist in acquiring such training;
(6) Monitor the progress and attendance of trade-affected workers in approved training programs;
(7) Develop and implement a procedure for determining whether to issue a training waiver and to review waivers to determine whether the conditions under which they were issued have changed, in compliance with subpart G of this part;
(8) Provide access to workshops and other resources related to job search strategies, resume building, interviewing, and other topics available through the TAA Program or through the one-stop delivery system; and
(9) Coordinate the administration and delivery of additional appropriate employment services, benefits, training, supportive services, and supplemental assistance for workers with partner programs for which the trade-affected worker may be eligible.
(c) The State must make available the employment and case management services in paragraphs (c)(1) through (7) of this section to trade-affected workers who apply for or are seeking receipt of TAA Program benefits and services, and ensure that those workers are informed of the availability of:
(1) Comprehensive and specialized assessment of skill levels and service needs, including through:
(i) Diagnostic testing and use of other assessment tools; and
(ii) In-depth interviewing and evaluation to identify employment barriers and appropriate employment goals.
(2) Development of an individual employment plan (IEP) to identify employment goals and objectives, and appropriate training to achieve those goals and objectives.
(3) Information on how to apply for financial aid, including referring workers to educational opportunity centers described in section 402F of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA) (20 U.S.C. 1070a-16), where applicable, and notifying workers that they may request that financial aid administrators at institutions of higher education (as defined in section 102 of HEA (20 U.S.C. 1002)) use the administrators’ discretion under section 479A of HEA (20 U.S.C. 1087tt) to use current-year income data, rather than preceding-year income data, for determining the amount of the workers’ need for Federal financial assistance under title IV of HEA (20 U.S.C. 1070 et seq.).
(4) Short-term prevocational services, including development of learning skills, communications skills, interviewing skills, punctuality, personal maintenance skills, and professional conduct to prepare trade-affected workers for employment or training.
(5) Individual and group career counseling, including job search and placement counseling, during the period in which the worker is receiving a trade adjustment allowance or training under this chapter, and after receiving such training for purposes of job placement and employment retention.
(6) Provision of employment statistics information, including the provision of accurate information relating to local, regional, and national labor market areas, including:
(i) Job-vacancy listings in such labor market areas;
(ii) Information on the job skills necessary to obtain the jobs identified in the job-vacancy listings described in paragraph (c)(6)(i) of this section;
(iii) Information relating to local occupations that are in demand and the earning potential of those occupations; and
(iv) Skills requirements for local occupations described in paragraph (c)(6)(iii) of this section.
(7) Information relating to the availability of supportive services, available through partner programs, including services relating to childcare, transportation, dependent care, housing assistance, and needs related payments that are necessary to enable a trade-affected worker to participate in training.
(d) To make available, with respect to the employment and case management services described in paragraph (c) of this section, means:
(1) That the State must inform the trade-affected worker of the full suite of services available; and
(2) That the State must offer and provide appropriate services to the trade-affected worker, as requested by the worker or deemed appropriate for the worker; and
(3) That the State must document each service provided to the trade-affected worker and document the reason any service listed in paragraph (c) of this section was not provided. The documentation must be included in the worker’s case file, either through case notes or as a stand-alone document.
§ 618.325 Integrated service strategies and Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act co-enrollment.
(a)(1) A State must co-enroll trade-affected workers who are eligible for WIOA’s dislocated worker program. Workers may choose to decline co-enrollment in WIOA. A State cannot deny such a worker benefits or services under the TAA Program solely for declining co-enrollment in WIOA.
(2) A State must also make co-enrollment available to trade-affected workers who are eligible for other one-stop partner programs to ensure that all necessary and appropriate services, including supportive services, are available to the worker.
(b)(1) Trade-affected worker dislocated worker eligibility. Most trade-affected workers meet the eligibility criteria of a dislocated worker defined at WIOA section 3(15).
(2) Partially separated worker and AAIW dislocated worker eligibility. In certain circumstances, such as a general announcement of a closure, partially separated workers and AAIWs may meet the eligibility criteria as a dislocated worker under WIOA and must also be co-enrolled.
(3) Trade-affected worker dislocated worker ineligibility. Some trade-affected workers are ineligible for the WIOA dislocated worker program, including those that do not meet the Selective Service registration requirement, and will be exempt from the co-enrollment requirement in this section.
§ 618.330 Assessment of trade-affected workers.
(a) The assessment process forms the basis for determining which TAA Program benefits and services, including training, are most appropriate to enable trade-affected workers to successfully become reemployed.
(b) The State must schedule an initial assessment that provides sufficient time and information for the trade-affected worker to consider, request, and enroll in training or obtain a waiver of the training requirement in § 618.720(g) to protect the worker’s eligibility to receive TRA under subpart G of this part.
(c) Assessments are administered with the cooperation of the trade-affected worker and should include discussion of the worker’s interests, skills, aptitudes, and abilities.
(d) The results of assessments must be documented in the case file, either through case notes or as a stand-alone document.
(e) If an assessment has already been administered by a partner program, it must be reviewed once a worker becomes a trade-affected worker to ensure it has the required components as listed in § 618.335 for an initial assessment and, if necessary, § 618.345 for a comprehensive and specialized assessment. If the assessment(s) does not contain the required components, the assessment(s) must be supplemented by the State, in conjunction with the trade-affected worker, to ensure it is fully compliant with TAA Program requirements in this part.
(f) The State must make the trade-affected worker aware of the advantages of receiving an assessment(s). However, a worker may refuse an assessment. Since portions of the assessment(s) are necessary to determine eligibility for certain TAA Program benefits, a worker’s refusal to provide necessary information, either as part of the assessment or outside of the assessment process, may result in a denial of a those benefits. This is detailed further in the applicable benefit sections throughout this part.
§ 618.335 Initial assessment of trade-affected workers.
(a) A State must carry out an initial assessment for each trade-affected worker as part of the intake process described in section 239(g) of the Act. When applicable, a State must use the results of an assessment developed by a partner program, supplemented if necessary, as described in § 618.330(e).
(b) The results of the initial assessment will determine the best service strategy to assist the trade-affected worker in obtaining reemployment and provide insight into which benefits and services under the TAA Program and partner programs would be most beneficial to the worker. The initial assessment of the availability of suitable employment to the worker in the local labor market must take into consideration the following factors:
(1) Prevailing local labor market conditions, including the unemployment rate, local employer skill demands and hiring prerequisites;
(2) The worker’s knowledge, skills, and abilities from his or her education and previous employment;
(3) Transferable skills that the worker may possess that would be of interest to other local employers;
(4) Evaluation of a worker’s skill levels (including literacy, numeracy, and English language proficiency), aptitudes, abilities (including skills gaps), and supportive service needs; and
(5) Any barriers to the worker’s reemployment, such as:
(i) Lack of applicability of skills from the worker’s present occupation to other occupations;
(ii) Skills that are in excess supply in the labor market area; or
(iii) Other barriers as outlined in WIOA section 3(24).
(c) Based upon the information gathered in the initial assessment, described in paragraph (a) of this section, the State may:
(1) Determine that suitable employment is available to the trade-affected worker, and if so, the State must make available employment and case management services. If the worker disagrees with the determination, the State must make available to the worker a comprehensive and specialized assessment (under § 618.345) to obtain additional information to determine whether the initial assessment was correct.
(2) Determine that no suitable employment is available to the worker and, if so, the State must make available services as described in § 618.310 (responsibilities for the delivery of employment and case management services) and a comprehensive and specialized assessment (as described in § 618.345) to develop a comprehensive service strategy for the trade-affected worker.
(d) If the State determines under paragraph (c) of this section that suitable employment is not available to a trade-affected worker, even with additional employment and case management services, the State must advise the worker to apply for training under subpart F of this part.
§ 618.345 Comprehensive and specialized assessment of trade-affected workers.
(a) The State must make available a comprehensive and specialized assessment to all trade-affected workers.
(b) The comprehensive and specialized assessment must take into account the trade-affected worker’s goals and interests as they relate to employment opportunities either in the worker’s commuting area or, where there is no reasonable expectation of securing employment in the worker’s commuting area and the worker is interested in relocation, the employment opportunities and demand in the area to which the worker proposes to relocate.
(c) The comprehensive and specialized assessment must expand upon the initial assessment regarding the trade-affected worker’s interests, skills, aptitudes, and abilities. This may include use of diagnostic testing tools and instruments and in-depth interviewing and evaluation to identify barriers to employment and appropriate employment goals. The in-depth interviewing of trade-affected workers must include discussion of training opportunities reasonably available to each trade-affected worker, as described in subpart F of this part; reviewing the opportunities with each trade-affected worker; and informing each trade-affected worker of the requirements for participating in training, including the enrollment deadlines required for TRA eligibility.
(d) The State may use information from the comprehensive and specialized assessment to determine whether the trade-affected worker has met the six criteria for approval of training listed in subpart F of this part.
§ 618.350 Individual employment plans for trade-affected workers.
(a) A State must:
(1) Make available an IEP; and
(2) Document an IEP for any trade-affected worker seeking training under subpart F of this part or a job search allowance under subpart D of this part, before the worker receives those benefits and services.
(b) An IEP must use the results of the initial and, if available, comprehensive and specialized assessments to assist in documenting a strategy to provide the trade-affected worker with the services needed to obtain employment, including the items listed in paragraph (c) of this section.
(c) An IEP must document:
(1) The trade-affected worker’s employment goal, including the targeted occupation and industry;
(2) The training program proposed, if any;
(3) Any services that will be needed by the worker to obtain suitable employment, including career services, supportive services provided through partner programs, and post-training case management services;
(4) If applicable, any supplemental assistance (subsistence or transportation payments) required for participation in training and the basis for their calculation; and
(5) The worker’s responsibilities under the plan.
(d) If an IEP has been previously developed with a trade-affected worker by a partner program, it must be reviewed once the worker becomes TAA Program-eligible to ensure it has the components required by paragraph (c) of this section. If the IEP does not contain the components, the IEP must be supplemented by the State in conjunction with the worker to ensure it is fully compliant with the TAA Program requirements in this part.
(e) The State must monitor the progress of the trade-affected worker in meeting the worker’s responsibilities as listed in the IEP, including attendance and achievement in approved training programs.
(f)(1) The State must modify the IEP as necessary to facilitate a successful performance outcome for the trade-affected worker.
(2) The modification must be done with the worker’s input.
(3) At a minimum, the IEP must be modified when there is a change in the training program, receipt of supplemental assistance, or both.
(g) The State must make the trade-affected worker aware of the advantages of receiving an IEP. However, a worker may refuse to complete an IEP. Since portions of the IEP are necessary to determine eligibility for job search allowances under subpart D of this part and training under subpart F of this part, a worker’s refusal to provide necessary information, either as part of the IEP or outside of the IEP process, may result in a denial of a those benefits and services. This is detailed further in subparts D and F of this part.
§ 618.355 Knowledge, skills, and abilities of staff performing assessments.
(a) Staff performing either the initial or comprehensive and specialized assessment must possess the following knowledge and abilities:
(1) Knowledge of the local labor market;
(2) Knowledge of local employer and occupation skill demands and hiring prerequisites, such as educational requirements and professional certifications;
(3) The ability to identify transferable skills that a trade-affected worker may possess that would be of interest to other local employers outside of the worker’s present occupational area;
(4) The ability to evaluate quickly a worker’s ability to conduct a self-directed job search; and
(5) The ability to identify barriers to a worker’s employment that could be overcome with training and case management services.
(b) The staff performing these initial and comprehensive and specialized assessments may be from any partner program.
(c) Funds under section 235A(1) of the Act may be used to improve and maintain the knowledge and abilities of staff conducting assessments for trade-affected workers.
§ 618.360 Employment and case management services for trade-affected workers in training.
The State must make employment and case management services available, including placement and referrals to supportive services and follow-up services available through partner programs, to trade-affected workers during training, and after completion of training, and for AAWs on a waiver from training.
Subpart D—Job Search and Relocation Allowances
§ 618.400 Scope.
This subpart sets forth the conditions under which an AAW may apply for and receive a job search allowance to help the worker secure suitable employment outside the commuting area but within the United States. This subpart also sets forth the conditions under which an AAW may apply for and receive a relocation allowance to help the worker relocate to suitable employment secured outside the commuting area but within the United States.
§ 618.405 General.
(a) A State must grant a job search allowance to an AAW to help the worker secure suitable employment within the United States if the AAW meets the requirements in this subpart. A job search allowance for activities outside of the worker’s commuting area may be provided for costs including, but not limited to:
(1) Travel to and attendance at job fairs and interviews;
(2) Travel to and attendance at prevocational workshops;
(3) Making an in-person visit with a potential employer who may reasonably be expected to have openings for suitable employment;
(4) Completing a job application in person with a potential employer who may reasonably be expected to have openings for suitable employment;
(5) Going to a local one-stop, copy shop, Post Office, or similar entity to print, copy, mail, email, or fax a job application, cover letter, and/or a resume;
(6) Going to a local one-stop, public library, community center, or similar entity to use online job matching systems, to search for job matches, request referrals, submit applications/resumes, attend workshops, and/or apply for jobs; and,
(7) Attending a professional association meeting for networking purposes.
(b) A State must grant a relocation allowance to an AAW to help the worker and the worker’s family relocate within the United States if the AAW meets the requirements in this subpart. A State may grant a relocation allowance to a worker only once under a certification. A State may grant a relocation allowance to only one member of a family for the same relocation, even if there are multiple AAWs in the same family. If more than one member of a family applies for a relocation allowance for the same relocation, then the State must pay the allowance to the AAW who files first, if that AAW is otherwise eligible.
§ 618.410 Applying for a job search allowance.
(a) Forms. To receive a job search allowance, an AAW must apply to the State, using the State’s process.
(b) Submittal. An AAW must apply for a job search allowance before beginning a job search to be funded by such an allowance.
§ 618.415 Eligibility for a job search allowance.
(a) Conditions. To be eligible for a job search allowance an AAW must:
(1) File an application before either:
(i) The later of the 365th day after either the date of the certification under which the AAW is covered, or the 365th day after the AAW’s last total separation; or
(ii) The 182nd day after the date of concluding approved training;
(2) Be an AAW totally separated from the job covered under the certification when beginning the job search;
(3) Receive a determination by the State that the AAW:
(i) Cannot reasonably expect to secure suitable employment in the commuting area; and
(ii) Can reasonably expect to obtain, in the area of the job search, either:
(A) Suitable employment; or
(B) Employment that pays a wage of at least the 75th percentile of national wages, as determined by the National Occupational Employment Wage Estimates, and otherwise meets the definition of suitable employment;
(4) Receive a determination by the State that the worker cannot reasonably expect to secure suitable employment by alternatives to being physically present in the area of the job search, such as by searching and interviewing for employment by means of the internet and other technology;
(5) Not previously have received a relocation allowance under the same certification; and
(6) Complete a State-approved job search within 30 calendar days after the worker leaves the commuting area to begin the job search.
(b) Completion of job search. (1) An AAW has completed a job search when the worker either:
(i) Obtains a bona fide offer of employment; or
(ii) Has, with State verification, as provided in § 618.420(a)(2), contacted each employer the worker planned to contact, or to whom the State or other one-stop partner referred the worker as part of the job search.
(2) The job search is complete when one of the actions in paragraph (b)(1) of this section occurs, whichever comes first. For purposes of paragraph (b)(1)(i) of this section, “bona fide” means the offer of suitable employment is made in good faith by a prospective employer.
§ 618.420 Findings required for a job search allowance.
(a) Findings by liable State. Before a liable State may approve final payment of a job search allowance, the liable State must:
(1) Find that the AAW meets the eligibility requirements for a job search allowance specified in § 618.415(a)(1) through (6); and
(2) Verify that the worker contacted each employer the State certified or to whom the State or one-stop center referred the worker as part of the job search and must find that the worker completed the job search, as described in § 618.415(b) within the time limits stated in § 618.415(a)(6).
(b) Assistance by agent State. (1) When an AAW files an application for a job search allowance to conduct a job search in an agent State, the agent State in which the worker conducts the job search is responsible for assisting the worker in conducting the job search, for assisting the liable State by furnishing any information required for the liable State’s determination of the claim, and for paying the job search allowance.
(2) The agent State must cooperate fully with the liable State in carrying out its activities and functions with regard to such applications. When requested by the liable State, the agent State must verify with the employer and report to the liable State whether the worker has obtained suitable employment, or a bona fide offer of suitable employment.
§ 618.425 Amount of a job search allowance.
(a) Computation. The job search allowance is 90 percent of the total costs of an AAW’s travel (as defined in paragraph (a)(1) of this section) and lodging and meals (as defined in paragraph (a)(2) of this section), up to the limit in paragraph (b) of this section:
(1) Travel. The worker’s allowable travel expenses may not exceed 90 percent of the prevailing cost per mile by privately owned vehicle under 41 CFR chapters 300 through 304, the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR), found at https://www.gsa.gov/, for round trip travel by the usual route from the worker’s home to the job search area, though other forms of transportation may be utilized.
(2) Lodging and meals. The worker’s allowable lodging and meals costs cannot exceed the lesser of:
(i) The actual cost for lodging and meals while engaged in the job search; or
(ii) 50 percent of the prevailing per diem allowance under the FTR, found at https://www.gsa.gov/, for the worker’s job search area.
(b) Limit. The AAW’s total job search allowance under a certification may not exceed $1,250, no matter how many job searches the worker undertakes. If the worker is entitled to be paid or reimbursed by another source for any of these travel, lodging, and meals expenses, the State must reduce the job search allowance by the amount of the payment or reimbursement.
(c) Choice of mode of transportation. With respect to the limits established in paragraph (a)(1) of this section, an AAW may elect to use a different mode of transportation than the one for which the State calculated the applicable reimbursement amount. However, the State must limit the reimbursement to the worker to the amount calculated under paragraph (a)(1) of this section.
§ 618.430 Determination and payment of a job search allowance.
(a) Determinations. The State must promptly make and record determinations necessary to assure an AAW’s eligibility for a job search allowance. Sections 618.820 (determinations of eligibility; notices to individuals) and 618.828 (appeals and hearings) apply to these determinations. States must include copies of such applications and all determinations by the State in the AAW’s case file.
(b) Payment. If the AAW makes a timely application, is covered under a certification, and is otherwise eligible, the State must make payment promptly after the worker has completed a job search and complied with paragraph (d) of this section, provided that funds are available for job search allowances.
(c) Advances. Once the State determines that the AAW is eligible for a job search allowance, it may advance the worker up to 60 percent of the estimated amount of the job search allowance subject to the limit in § 618.425(b), but not exceeding $750, within 5 days before the commencement of a job search. The State must deduct the advance from any payment under paragraph (b) of this section.
(d) Worker evidence. After the AAW completes a job search, the AAW must certify to the State as to the employer contacts made and must provide documentation of expenses in accordance with FTR and Uniform Guidance at 2 CFR part 200. This may include receipts for all lodging, purchased transportation, or other expenses. If an advance the worker received was more or less than the actual allowance, the State must make an appropriate adjustment and pay the balance entitled, or the worker must repay the excess received.
§ 618.435 Job search program participation.
(a) Requirements. An AAW who participates in an approved job search program (JSP), may receive reimbursement for necessary expenses of subsistence and transportation incurred for the worker’s participation in the approved JSP, regardless of the worker’s approval for, or receipt of, a job search allowance under §§ 618.420 and 618.430.
(b) Approved JSP. A State may approve a JSP if:
(1) The JSP is provided through WIOA, the public employment service, or any other Federal- or State-funded program, and meets the definition provided in § 618.110; or
(2) The JSP is sponsored by the firm from which the AAW has been separated.
(c) JSP allowances. Subsistence and transportation costs, whether inside or outside the AAW’s commuting area, must be approved for workers participating in JSPs in accordance with § 618.640(a) and within available State funding levels.
§ 618.440 Applying for a relocation allowance.
(a) Forms. To receive a relocation allowance, an AAW must apply to the State using the State’s process.
(b) Submittal. An AAW must apply for a relocation allowance and the State must approve the worker for a relocation allowance before the relocation begins. The State must make a timely determination on a relocation application submitted to allow the worker to promptly begin the relocation.
§ 618.445 Eligibility for a relocation allowance.
(a) Conditions. To be eligible for a relocation allowance, the AAW must:
(1) File an application before either:
(i) The later of the 425th day after the date of the certification under which the worker is covered, or the 425th day after the date of the worker’s last total separation; or
(ii) The 182nd day after the date the worker concluded training;
(2) Be an AAW totally separated from adversely affected employment when the relocation begins;
(3) Not have already received a relocation allowance under the same certification;
(4) Relocate within the United States but outside the worker’s commuting area;
(5) Receive a determination by the State that the worker has no reasonable expectation of securing suitable employment in the commuting area, and has obtained either suitable employment or employment that pays a wage of at least the 75th percentile of national wages, as determined by the National Occupational Employment Wage Estimates, and otherwise meets the suitable employment requirements, or a bona fide offer of such employment, in the area of intended relocation;
(6) Begin the relocation as promptly as possible after the date of certification but no later than:
(i) 182 days after the worker filed the application for a relocation allowance; or
(ii) 182 days after the conclusion of an approved training program, if the worker entered a training program that received supplemental assistance approved under § 618.640(c) (subsistence payments) and (d) (transportation payments), for training outside the worker’s commuting area; and
(7) Complete the relocation, as described in § 618.460(f), within a reasonable time as determined in accordance with FTR with the State giving consideration to, among other factors, whether:
(i) Suitable housing is available in the area of relocation;
(ii) The worker can dispose of the worker’s residence;
(iii) The worker or a family member is ill; and
(iv) A member of the family is attending school, and when the family can best transfer the member to a school in the area of relocation.
(b) Job search allowances. The State may not approve a relocation allowance and a job search allowance for an AAW at the same time. However, if the worker has received a job search allowance, the worker may receive a relocation allowance at a later time or receive a relocation allowance as a result of a successful job search for which the worker received a job search allowance.
§ 618.450 Findings required for a relocation allowance.
(a) Findings by liable State. Before the liable State may approve final payment of a relocation allowance, the liable State must make the following findings:
(1) That the AAW meets the eligibility requirements for a relocation allowance specified in § 618.445(a)(1) through (7) and is not also simultaneously receiving a job search allowance as specified in § 618.445(b);
(2) That the worker submitted the application for a relocation allowance within the time limits specified in § 618.445(a)(1);
(3) That the worker began and completed the relocation within the time limitations specified in § 618.445(a)(6) and (7); and
(4) That the worker obtained suitable employment, or a bona fide offer of such suitable employment, in the area of intended relocation, in accordance with § 618.445(a)(5). The liable State must verify (directly or through the agent State) the suitable employment, or the bona fide offer, with the employer.
(b) Assistance by agent State. (1) When an AAW relocates to an agent State, the agent State is responsible for:
(i) Assisting the worker in relocating to the State, completing an application for a relocation allowance with the liable State, and paying the relocation allowance; and
(ii) Assisting the liable State by furnishing any information required for the liable State’s determination on the claim.
(2) The agent State must cooperate with the liable State in carrying out its activities and functions with regard to relocation applications. When requested by the liable State, the agent State must verify with the employer and report to the liable State whether the worker has obtained suitable employment, or a bona fide offer of suitable employment.
§ 618.455 Determining the amount of a relocation allowance.
The AAW’s relocation allowance includes the information in paragraphs (a) through (c) of this section, as applicable:
(a) Reimbursement—(1) Travel. (i) The State may reimburse the AAW for up to 90 percent of the prevailing cost per mile by privately owned vehicle under the FTR, found at https://www.gsa.gov/, for travel from the AAW’s old home to the AAW’s new home.
(ii) Separate travel of a family member or members who, for good cause and with the approval of the State, must travel separately to their new home, may also be reimbursed. For purposes of this paragraph (a)(1)(ii), good cause includes, but is not limited to, reasons such as a family member’s health, schooling, job, or economic circumstances.
(2) Lodging and meals. The State may reimburse the worker for 90 percent of lodging and meal expenses for the worker and his or her family while they are in transit, but such costs may not exceed the lesser of:
(i) The actual lodging and meals cost to the worker and his or her family while they are traveling; or
(ii) 50 percent of the prevailing per diem allowance under the FTR, found at https://www.gsa.gov/, for the relocation area for those days while the worker and his or her family are traveling.
(3) Movement of household goods. (i) The State may reimburse the worker for 90 percent of the allowable costs of moving the workers and family’s household goods and personal effects in accordance with the FTR (41 CFR chapter 302). This includes 90 percent of the costs of moving by the most economical commercial carrier the State can reasonably expect the worker to use, moving by rental truck or trailer (for rental, mileage, and fuel), or moving a house trailer or mobile home. It also includes 90 percent of the costs of temporary storage of household goods for up to 60 days. In approving the move of a house trailer or mobile home, the State must follow the specific requirements of the FTR, found at https://www.gsa.gov.
(ii) For a commercial carrier move of household goods or house trailer or mobile home, the worker must obtain an estimate of the moving cost and provide this to the liable State. The estimate may include the cost of insuring such goods and effects for their actual value or $40,000 as delineated in the FTR, whichever is less, against loss or damage in transit.
(iii) If more economical, the State may make direct arrangements for moving and insuring a worker’s household goods and personal effects with a carrier and insurer selected by the worker and may make payment of 90 percent of moving and insurance costs directly to the carrier and insurer. No such arrangement releases a carrier from liability otherwise provided by law or contract for loss or damage to the worker’s goods and effects. Any contract for moving and insuring an AAW’s household goods must provide that the United States must not be or become liable to either party for personal injury or property loss damage under any circumstances.
(iv) The maximum net weight of the household goods relocated from the worker’s old home to the relocation area may not exceed that set by the FTR.
(4) Lump sum. As part of the relocation allowance, the worker will receive a lump sum equivalent to three times the worker’s average weekly wage, not to exceed $1,250.
(b) Reduction. If the AAW is eligible to receive or has received moving expenses from any other source for the same relocation, the State must deduct the amount received from the amount of the relocation allowance as determined in paragraphs (a)(1) through (3) of this section.
(c) Limitation. In no case may the State pay a travel allowance for the AAW or a family member more than once for a single relocation.
§ 618.460 Determinations and payment of a relocation allowance.
(a) Determinations. The State must promptly make and record determinations necessary to assure an AAW’s eligibility for a relocation allowance. Sections 618.820 (determinations of eligibility; notices to individuals) and 618.828 (appeals and hearings) apply to these determinations. The State must include copies of such applications and all determinations by the State in the AAW’s case file.
(b) Payment. If the AAW makes a timely application, is covered under a certification, and is otherwise eligible, the State must make payment as promptly as possible.
(c) Travel allowances—(1) Payment. The State must pay the allowances computed under § 618.455 no earlier than 10 days in advance of, and no later than at the time of, the AAW’s scheduled departure to begin relocation. The State must make the payment for a family member approved for separate travel 10 days in advance of, or at the time of that family member’s scheduled departure.
(2) Worker evidence. After an AAW completes the relocation, the AAW must certify to the State the expenses associated with the relocation, in accordance with the FTR and Uniform Guidance in 2 CFR part 200. This may include receipts for all lodging, purchased transportation, or other expenses. If an advance the worker received was more or less than the actual allowance, the State must make an appropriate adjustment and pay the balance entitled, if any, or the worker must repay any excess received, if any.
(d) Movement of household goods. The State must pay the amount equal to 90 percent of the estimate of the costs of moving the AAW’s household goods by the most economical commercial carrier the State can reasonably expect the worker to use (as described in § 618.455(a)(3) (determining the amount of a relocation allowance) as follows:
(1) Commercial carrier. If a commercial carrier moves the worker’s household goods and personal effects, the State must provide the worker with an advance equal to 90 percent of the estimated cost of the move, including any other charges that the State has approved, such as insurance. The State must advance the funds to the worker no earlier than 10 days in advance of, and no later than at the time of, the scheduled shipment. If more economical, the State may make direct arrangements for moving and insuring a worker’s household goods and personal effects with a carrier and insurer selected by the worker and may make payment of 90 percent of moving and insurance costs directly to the carrier and insurer subject to the conditions of § 618.455(a)(3)(iii). The State must deliver payment to the carrier and insurer no earlier than 10 days in advance of, and no later than at the time of, the scheduled shipment.
(i) On completion of the move, as determined under paragraph (f) of this section, the worker must promptly submit to the State a copy of the carrier’s bill of lading, including a receipt showing payment of moving costs.
(ii) If the amount the worker received as an advance is greater than 90 percent of the actual approved moving costs, the worker must reimburse the State for the difference. If the advance the worker received is less than 90 percent of the actual moving costs approved by the State, the State must reimburse the worker for the difference.
(2) Private truck and trailer, rental truck or trailer, or house trailer move—(i) Private vehicle with trailer. If the move is by private vehicle and trailer, the State must advance 90 percent of the estimated cost for the use of the private vehicle within 10 days in advance of the scheduled move.
(ii) Truck and trailer rental. If the move is by rental truck or rental trailer, the State must advance 90 percent of the estimated rental cost within 10 days in advance of the scheduled move. The State may make payment to either the worker or the rental company.
(iii) House trailer. If a house trailer or mobile home is moved by commercial carrier, the State must advance 90 percent of the approved estimated cost to the worker within 10 days in advance of the scheduled move. The State may make payment to either the worker or the carrier.
(iv) Itemized receipt. Upon completion of the move, the worker must promptly submit an itemized receipt to the State for payment of the rental charges and fuel costs. If the amount the worker received as an advance is greater than 90 percent of the actual moving costs, the worker must reimburse the State for the difference. If the advance the worker received is less than 90 percent of the actual moving costs approved by the State, the State must pay the worker for the difference.
(3) Temporary storage. If temporary storage, not to exceed 60 days, of household goods and personal effects is necessary for the relocation, then the State must advance 90 percent of the approved estimated cost within 10 days in advance of the scheduled move. The State may make payment to either the worker or the rental agency.
(e) Lump sum allowance. The State must pay the lump sum allowance provided in § 618.455(a)(4) when arrangements for the relocation are finalized, but not more than 10 days before the earlier of the AAW’s anticipated departure from his or her old home, or the anticipated date of shipment of the worker’s household goods and personal effects.
(f) Relocation completed. An AAW completes a relocation when the worker and family, if any, along with household goods and personal effects are delivered to the new residence in the area of relocation or to temporary storage. If the worker moves no household goods and personal effects, then a worker completes relocation when the worker and family, if any, arrive in the area of relocation and establish a residence in the new area. When a family member is approved for separate travel, the later arrival of such family member does not alter the date on which the State must consider the relocation completed.
Subpart E—Reemployment Trade Adjustment Assistance
§ 618.500 Scope.
This subpart provides the rules for RTAA. RTAA, authorized under section 246 of the Act, provides 50 percent of the difference between the wages received by the AAW at the time of separation from adversely affected employment and the wages received by the worker from reemployment for workers aged 50 and older who meet the eligibility criteria described in this subpart. This subpart identifies the eligibility criteria and the benefits available to AAWs who are eligible for RTAA.
§ 618.505 Individual eligibility.
(a) Eligibility criteria. An AAW from a worker group certified under § 618.225 may elect to receive RTAA benefits if the AAW:
(1) Is at least 50 years of age;
(2) Earns not more than, or is projected to earn not more than, $50,000 in reemployment wages each year during the eligibility period, as further defined in § 618.520(a);
(3) Earns less than, or is projected to earn less than, the AAW’s annualized wages at separation, as further defined in § 618.520(a);
(4)(i) Is employed on a full-time basis as defined by the law of the State in which the worker is employed and is not enrolled in any training program approved under subpart F of this part; or
(ii) Is employed at least 20 hours per week and is enrolled in a TAA approved training program; and
(5) Is not employed at the firm, as further defined in paragraph (b) of this section, from which the worker was separated.
(b) Eligibility-relevant definitions. For purposes of RTAA, the following definitions apply:
(1) Firm. The State must determine on a case-by-case basis what constitutes the “firm” for purposes of determining RTAA eligibility based on the certification. If the Department issues the certification under subpart B of this part for a worker group in an appropriate subdivision of a firm, an AAW in that group is not eligible for RTAA upon a return to employment within that subdivision, but may be eligible for RTAA upon a return to employment at another subdivision of the firm. If, however, the Department issues the certification for a worker group composed of all workers from the firm rather than from a subdivision, then the worker is not eligible for RTAA based on a return to employment in any subdivision of that firm.
(2) Successor-in-interest. The State must determine if the firm now employing the AAW is the same firm as the one from which the AAW was separated.
(i) In making its determination, the State should first review the certification under which the worker was covered, look for any amendments to the certification, and compare the name and address of the firm in the certification to the name and address of the firm in which the worker has found reemployment. If they are the same, this is, in most cases, dispositive: The firms are the same and the worker is not eligible for RTAA.
(ii) If, despite the information gathered under paragraph (b)(2)(i) of this section, it nonetheless remains unclear whether the firms are the same, the State may need to obtain further information about the firm reemploying the worker, from the employer and otherwise, to make that determination. To do so, the State should determine whether the firm at which the worker found reemployment is a “successor-in-interest” to the firm from which the worker was separated. If the reemploying firm merged with, acquired, or purchased the assets of the firm from which the worker was separated, then the reemploying firm is a successor-in-interest.
(iii) If the reemploying firm does not meet the criteria in paragraph (b)(2)(ii) of this section, or if that information is unavailable, then the State should consider the factors identified in paragraphs (b)(3)(i) through (vii) of this section to determine whether the reemploying firm is a successor-in-interest. If the State determines that the worker returned to employment with a successor-in-interest to the firm from which the worker was separated, then the worker is not eligible for RTAA. The State must make the determination based on the individual application of the worker. A firm, together with any predecessor or successor-in-interest, or together with any affiliated firm controlled or substantially owned by substantially the same persons, is considered a single firm. If the State determines that the reemployment is with a successor-in-interest the State also must seek to identify any additional members of the worker group and notify them of their potential eligibility under the TAA Program, as provided in § 618.816(e).
(3) Successor-in-interest factors. A State may consider a firm a successor-in-interest to another firm, if a majority of the following factors are present:
(i) There is continuity in business operations.
(ii) There is continuity in location.
(iii) There is continuity in the workforce.
(iv) There is continuity in supervisory personnel.
(v) The same jobs exist under similar conditions.
(vi) There is continuity in machinery, equipment, and process.
(vii) There is continuity in product/service.
(4) Year. For purposes of RTAA, a year represents the 12-month period beginning with the first full week of qualifying reemployment.
(c) Full-time employment. For purposes of RTAA, full-time employment is defined per State law in which the reemployment occurs.
(1) If there is no State law addressing the definition of full-time employment referenced under paragraph (a)(4)(i) of this section, the State must issue a definition of full-time employment for RTAA purposes.
(2) The State must verify reemployment and do so in accordance with State policies.
(3) Where an AAW seeks to establish RTAA eligibility based upon more than one job, the State must combine employment hours in order to determine whether the worker has the number of hours needed to qualify for RTAA.
(4) If the AAW is employed in more than one State, the State must determine full-time employment for the entire duration of the AAW’s RTAA eligibility under a single certification under the law of the State in which the AAW has the lowest threshold of hours required to meet the definition of full-time employment.
(d) Relevance of UI eligibility. UI eligibility is not a requirement for RTAA eligibility.
(e) Eligible employment. (1) Employment for purposes of paragraph (a)(4) of this section must be covered employment under State law; however, employment may not include activity that is unlawful under Federal, State, or local law.
(2) Work involving wages plus commission or piece work may be considered qualifying employment for the purpose of establishing RTAA eligibility, if it otherwise meets the criteria in paragraph (e)(1) of this section.
(3) For purposes of meeting the requirements of paragraphs (a)(4)(i) and (ii) of this section, employment may include one or more jobs unless, in the case of paragraph (a)(4)(i) of this section, the law of the State in which the AAW is employed provides otherwise.
(4) A State must count hours in which an AAW is on employer-authorized leave as hours of work for purposes of meeting the requirements of paragraphs (a)(4)(i) and (ii) of this section unless, in the case of paragraph (a)(4)(i) of this section, the law of the State in which the worker is employed provides otherwise.
§ 618.510 Eligibility period for payments of Reemployment Trade Adjustment Assistance and application deadline.
(a) Adversely affected worker who has not received TRA. (1) In the case of an AAW who has not received TRA, the worker may receive benefits as described in § 618.520(a) for a period not to exceed 104 weeks beginning on the earlier of:
(i) The date on which the worker exhausts all rights to UI based on the separation of the worker from the adversely affected employment that is the basis of the certification; or
(ii) The date on which the worker first begins qualifying reemployment as described in § 618.505(e).
(2) Where a worker has more than one separation from adversely affected employment, the relevant separation for determining the date on which the “worker exhausts all rights to UI” referenced in paragraph (a)(1)(i) of this section is the worker’s last separation from adversely affected employment that qualifies the worker as an AAW. The Department uses the last separation because that separation is the one that triggers the worker’s application for RTAA. Accordingly, the State must determine the worker’s last separation for lack of work from adversely affected employment before the RTAA application. This principle applies only to the determination of the eligibility period and does not apply to the calculation of RTAA payments, where wages at separation are defined as the annualized hourly rate at the time of the most recent separation, as explained in § 618.520(a).
(b) Adversely affected worker who has received TRA. In the case of an AAW who has received TRA, the worker may also receive RTAA benefits based on the same certification for a period of 104 weeks beginning on the date on which the worker first begins qualifying reemployment, reduced by the total number of weeks for which the worker received such TRA.
(c) Applicable dates. To make the RTAA determination, the State will need to know the applicable dates for the AAW: The date of reemployment and either the date the worker exhausted all rights to UI, or the dates the worker began and ended receipt of TRA before the date of reemployment. These dates must occur within the 104-week eligibility period identified in the Act.
(d) Age of AAW when obtaining RTAA-qualifying employment. An AAW may obtain employment before turning 50 years old and receive RTAA benefits after turning 50 years old, if the employment is determined to be RTAA-qualifying reemployment, as provided at § 618.505(e), and the RTAA eligibility period established after obtaining such employment has not expired when the individual turned 50 years old.
(e) Exception to filing deadline and eligibility periods. The filing deadline and eligibility periods in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section do not apply where:
(1) A negative determination on a petition filed under subpart B of this part has been appealed to the USCIT;
(2) A certification of the worker group covered by that petition is later made; and
(3) The delay in the certification is not attributable to the petitioner or the AAW.
(f) Reasonable accommodation of filing deadline and eligibility periods. In the event the filing deadline and eligibility periods in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section do not apply because the certification meets the conditions in paragraph (e) of this section, the filing deadline and eligibility periods for RTAA will be extended by the State for the period necessary to make RTAA reasonably available to AAWs.
§ 618.515 Continuing eligibility and timing of payments.
(a) Continuing eligibility for RTAA. (1) Changing jobs during reemployment does not disqualify an otherwise eligible AAW from receiving subsequent RTAA payments for the remainder of the 104-week (2-year) eligibility period if the new reemployment meets the requirements of § 618.505.
(2) An AAW already receiving RTAA payments who has a period of unemployment will not be eligible to receive RTAA for that period. Upon reemployment, the AAW must notify the State. If the new reemployment meets the requirements of § 618.505 and the worker meets all other eligibility requirements in this part, the AAW will be eligible to receive RTAA in accordance with the requirements of this section for the remaining portion of the 104-week (2-year) eligibility period.
(3) If during a year during the 2-year eligibility period an AAW’s cumulative wages exceed, or are projected to exceed, $50,000, the AAW will no longer be eligible to receive additional RTAA payments within that year. The AAW will be eligible for RTAA benefits in the next year and RTAA payments will resume until wages exceed, or are projected to exceed, $50,000, or until the $10,000 benefit limit is reached.
(4) If the worker is employed part-time (at least 20 hours per week) and receiving RTAA while in TAA approved training, the State must verify participation in training on a monthly basis. Verification of participation in TAA approved training will be conducted in accordance with State policies. States may use training benchmarks, described at § 618.660, as a method of verification of participation.
(b) Timing of RTAA payments. The State must make RTAA payments on a regular basis, either weekly, biweekly, or monthly, for no more than a 104-week (2-year) period for an AAW under any one certification, beginning no earlier than the first day of reemployment that satisfies the requirements of § 618.505. An AAW may receive retroactive payments, in a lump sum, for payments for which the AAW was eligible, but for which the AAW had not yet applied.
(c) Periodic verification of employment and reemployment wages. No less than once a month, the State must review whether an AAW receiving RTAA payments continues to meet the eligibility requirements of § 618.505 and determine whether changes have occurred in the AAW’s reemployment wages, as described in § 618.520(a).
(d) Change in reemployment wages. The State must recompute the appropriate amount of the RTAA payments if, during its review under paragraph (c) of this section, it determines that an AAW’s reemployment wages have changed.
(1) If reemployment wages exceed, or are projected to exceed, $50,000 in a year during the eligibility period, then the State must immediately issue a determination that the AAW is ineligible for further RTAA payments, notify the AAW of this determination, and cease such RTAA payments.
(2) If reemployment wages change but do not exceed $50,000 in a year during the eligibility period then the RTAA payment must be recomputed every time such a change in reemployment wages occurs. The State must then continue periodic verification in accordance with paragraph (c) of this section, or recommence periodic verification if RTAA payments resume in the second year after such scenario as described in paragraph (a)(3) of this section occurs.
§ 618.520 Benefits available to eligible adversely affected workers.
(a) Payment. A RTAA-eligible AAW may receive a maximum of $10,000 over a period of not more than 104 weeks (2 years). If the AAW received TRA, each week of TRA received reduces the total weeks of RTAA available by 1 week and reduces the total RTAA payment amount available in proportion to the reduction in the number of total weeks.
(1) Total amount of benefits. RTAA supplements a worker’s wages for up to 104 weeks (2 years) (reduced by the number of weeks of TRA received) or $10,000 (reduced in proportion to the reduction in the number of total weeks of TRA received), whichever occurs first, by an amount equal to the annualized wage differential as computed under paragraph (a)(2) of this section for an AAW employed full-time or paragraph (a)(3) of this section for an AAW employed less than full-time.
(2) Annualized wage differential for initial eligibility of an AAW employed full-time. This amount is equal to 50 percent of: The AAW’s annualized separation wages (as computed under paragraph (a)(2)(i) of this section) minus the amount of the AAW’s annualized reemployment wages (as computed under paragraph (a)(2)(ii) of this section).
(i) Annualized separation wages are the product of the AAW’s hourly rate during the last full week of the AAW’s regular schedule in adversely affected employment, multiplied by the number of hours the AAW worked during the last full week of such employment, multiplied by 52. The computation of annualized wages at separation excludes employer-paid health insurance premiums and employer pension contributions, as well as bonuses, severance payments, buyouts, and similar payments not reflective of the AAW’s weekly pay. [(hourly rate × hours worked) × 52]
(ii) Annualized reemployment wages are the product of the AAW’s hourly rate during the first full week of reemployment, multiplied by the number of hours the AAW worked during the first full week of such reemployment, multiplied by 52 [(hourly rate × hours worked) × 52]. If the AAW’s wages from reemployment change during the eligibility period, then the State must recompute the AAW’s annualized wages from reemployment at the new hourly wage and must likewise recompute the appropriate RTAA payment as required by § 618.515(d). The computation of annualized wages from reemployment excludes employer-paid health insurance premiums and employer pension contributions, as well as bonuses, severance payments, buyouts, and similar payments not reflective of the AAW’s weekly pay.
(3) Annualized wage differential for initial eligibility of an AAW employed less than full-time. This amount, for an AAW employed at least 20 hours per week and enrolled in TAA approved training, is the annualized wages as computed under paragraph (a)(2) of this section multiplied by the ratio of the AAW’s number of weekly hours of reemployment to the AAW’s number of weekly hours of employment at the time of separation, but in no case more than 50 percent.
(4) Adjustment to total amount of RTAA benefits for AAWs who received TRA. A State must adjust of the maximum RTAA benefit for an RTAA-eligible AAW who has received TRA. The RTAA-eligible AAW may receive up to the adjusted RTAA benefit as described in this section within the eligibility period as provided in § 618.510(b). RTAA eligibility is terminated once the AAW reaches either the number of weeks permitted pursuant to § 618.510 or the adjusted RTAA benefit. The adjusted RTAA benefit is calculated by subtracting the number of TRA paid weeks from the 104-week RTAA eligibility period to determine the percentage of reduced weeks that payments may be made. The maximum payable benefit of $10,000 is then reduced by the same percentage. Once the reduction in RTAA payable weeks and the reduction in the RTAA total payable are reduced by the same percentage, they become the new maximum number of payable weeks and maximum payable benefit.
(b) Training and related services. Recipients of RTAA are eligible to receive training approved under subpart F of this part and employment and case management services under subpart C of this part.
(c) Job search and relocation allowances. Recipients of RTAA are eligible to receive job search and relocation allowances under subpart D of this part, subject to the eligibility requirements and rules of subpart D.
(d) HCTC. Recipients of RTAA are eligible to apply for or claim the HCTC, if available.
(e) TRA. Once an AAW has received a payment under RTAA, the AAW is no longer eligible for TRA under the same petition. Receipt of TRA prior to RTAA will result in a reduction of RTAA benefits as described at paragraph (a)(4) of this section.
§ 618.525 Determinations, redeterminations, and appeals.
(a) Determinations, redeterminations, and appeals. States must apply the requirements of §§ 618.820 (determinations of eligibility; notices to individuals) and 618.828 (appeals and hearings), respectively, to all determinations, redeterminations, and appeals under this subpart.
(1) Before issuing a determination or redetermination, the State must verify and document the AAW’s age, reemployment, and wages in determining whether the worker has met eligibility requirements of § 618.505(a).
(2) A determination of eligibility issued to an AAW must include a notice that the benefit amount will be regularly recomputed (as required by § 618.515(d)) and will change if the eligible AAW’s reemployment wages change.
(3) An AAW denied individual eligibility based on nonqualifying reemployment may file a new application for a subsequent reemployment.
(4) A State may approve an RTAA payment retroactively if an AAW becomes reemployed before the Department issues a certification under subpart B of this part, provided that the AAW otherwise meets the eligibility requirements of § 618.505(a).
(b) Recordkeeping requirements. The recordkeeping and disclosure of information requirements of § 618.852 apply to the State’s administration of RTAA.
§ 618.530 Reductions of Reemployment Trade Adjustment Assistance payments; priority of payments.
(a) Ordered child support payments. State laws regarding deductions of payments from UI, TRA, and RTAA must comply with the Social Security Act (SSA). SSA section 303(e)(1) defines child support obligations as only including obligations which are being enforced pursuant to a plan described in section 454 of SSA which has been approved by the Secretary of Health and Human Services under part D of title IV of SSA. SSA does not otherwise permit deductions for alimony or for child support.
(b) Priority of UI payments. RTAA does not fit into priority of payments under UI because RTAA is related to employment, not unemployment. UI and RTAA are two separate programs that operate independently of one another.
Subpart F—Training Services
§ 618.600 Scope.
This subpart sets forth the conditions and procedures under which a trade-affected worker may apply for and receive training to help secure reemployment. Training provided under this subpart must, at a reasonable cost and as quickly as possible, assist a trade-affected worker in obtaining the necessary skills to have a reasonable expectation of reemployment. All else being equal, States should prefer training that replaces 100 percent or more of a trade-affected worker’s wages in adversely affected employment or that qualifies as suitable employment.
§ 618.605 General procedures.
(a) Assessments. The State must ensure and document that every trade-affected worker has an initial assessment and that a comprehensive and specialized assessment is made available, as described in subpart C of this part. If a worker refused to take an assessment, the information necessary to determine eligibility for training must be documented. If a trade-affected worker has an IEP, the assessment results must support the training program set out in the worker’s IEP, as described in subpart C of this part, before an application for training is approved. As with assessments, if a worker refused to develop an IEP, the information necessary to determine eligibility for training must be documented.
(b) Applications. Applications for training, including requests for TAA Program-funded transportation and subsistence payments, must be made to the State in accordance with any policies and procedures established by the State.
(c) Determinations. Decisions on selection for, approval of, or referral of a trade-affected worker to training, including whether to provide TAA Program-funded transportation and subsistence payments, under this subpart, or a decision with respect to any specific training or nonselection, nonapproval, or nonreferral for any reason is a determination to which §§ 618.820 (determinations of eligibility; notices to individuals), 618.824 (liable State and agent State responsibilities), and 618.828 (appeals and hearings) apply.
(d) Training opportunities. (1) The State must explore, identify, and secure training opportunities to ensure trade-affected workers return to employment as soon as possible. States must use all necessary and reasonable means to find alternatives when local training resources cannot adequately train trade-affected workers for reemployment. Training resources may be inadequate when they cannot train workers quickly, or at a reasonable cost, or equip workers with skills that meet the demands of the job market.
(2) When available training is inadequate, TAA Program funds may be used to create customized, group training opportunities in response to a particular dislocation event. Funds may be used for trainings that provide intensive remedial education classes, English language training, or contextualized occupational training, which combines academic and occupational training. These group trainings must adhere to the principles described in § 618.600.
(3) States are required to coordinate with other public and private agencies, in cooperation with local workforce development boards (LWDBs) established under WIOA, to ensure a wide-range of training opportunities are available to trade-affected workers in demand occupations.
(e) Timing of application and approval of training. A trade-affected worker may apply for training and a State may approve training at any time after the certification date on which his or her worker group is certified under subpart B of this part, without regard to whether such worker has applied for or exhausted all rights to any UI to which the worker is entitled.
§ 618.610 Criteria for approval of training.
The State must consult the trade-affected worker’s assessment results and IEP, if available, as described respectively under §§ 618.345 and 618.350, before approving an application for training. Training must be approved for a trade-affected worker if the State determines that all of the criteria in paragraphs (a) through (f) of this section are met:
(a) Criterion 1. There is no suitable employment available for the trade-affected worker.
(1) There is no suitable employment available for a trade-affected worker in either the commuting area or another area outside the commuting area to which the worker intends to relocate, and there is no reasonable prospect of such suitable employment becoming available for the worker in the foreseeable future.
(2) If a training program, or an application for training, is denied under paragraph (a)(1) of this section, the State must document the availability of suitable employment through traditional and real-time labor market information including, but not limited to, projections data, job postings, and job vacancy surveys.
(b) Criterion 2. The trade-affected worker would benefit from appropriate training.
(1) The worker would benefit from appropriate training when training, skills training, or remedial education would increase the likelihood of obtaining employment. Appropriate training should improve the worker’s chances of obtaining employment at higher wages than in the absence of training or place the worker on a pathway to do so.
(2) The worker must have the knowledge, skills, and abilities to undertake, make satisfactory progress in, and complete the training program.
(c) Criterion 3. There is a reasonable expectation of employment following completion of such training. Given the labor market conditions expected to exist at the time of the completion of the training program, a reasonable expectation, fairly and objectively considered, exists that the trade-affected worker is likely to find employment, using the skills and education acquired while in training, upon completion of approved training. The labor market conditions considered must be limited to those in the worker’s commuting area, or in the area where the worker intends to relocate.
(1) “A reasonable expectation of employment” does not require that employment opportunities for the worker be available, or offered, immediately upon the completion of the approved training program. When initially approving such training, there must be a projection, based on labor market information, of employment opportunities expected to exist at the time of completion of the training program.
(2) The State must measure expected job market conditions using pertinent labor market data, including but not limited to job order activity, short-term projections data, job vacancy surveys, business visitation programs, and local and regional strategic plans. This labor market information should be documented in the trade-affected worker’s case file. The State should also work with the LWDBs and their one-stop partners, especially business team members, to understand current labor market conditions and opportunities for work-based learning.
(3) When a worker desires to relocate within the United States, but outside the worker’s present commuting area, upon completion of training, the State must document the labor market information, described in paragraph (c)(2) of this section, for the area of the planned relocation.
(4) A reasonable expectation of employment may exist in a limited demand occupation for a single, trained worker in the worker’s commuting area or in an area to which the worker desires to relocate. A limited demand for such an occupation does not preclude the approval of training in an occupation where the State has determined that there is a reasonable expectation that the worker can secure employment in that occupation. States must verify with businesses in the commuting area or in the area of intended relocation that demand exists for an individual with such training. These efforts must be documented in the trade-affected workers case file. Before approving training in occupations with limited demand, the State must consider the number of individuals currently enrolled in training that are likely to meet that demand before enrolling additional workers in training for that occupation.
(5) A State may approve a training program in an occupation if it finds that there is a reasonable expectation that the training will lead to self-employment in the occupation for which the worker requests training and that such self-employment will provide the worker with wages or earnings at or near the worker’s wages in adversely affected employment.
(6) Training programs that consist solely of OJT or contain an OJT component are not approvable if they are not expected to lead to suitable employment, with the employer providing the OJT, in compliance with section 236(c)(1)(B)(i) of the Act.
(d) Criterion 4. Training is reasonably available to the trade-affected worker. In determining whether training is reasonably available, States must first consider training opportunities available within the worker’s commuting area. States may approve training outside the commuting area if none is available at the time in the worker’s commuting area. Whether the training is in or outside the commuting area, the training program must be available at a reasonable cost as prescribed in paragraph (f) of this section.
(e) Criterion 5. The trade-affected worker is qualified to undertake and complete such training. States must ensure the following:
(1) The worker’s knowledge, skills, abilities, educational background, work experience, and financial resources are adequate to undertake and complete the specific training program being considered.
(2) Any initial assessment, comprehensive and specialized assessment, and IEP developed under subpart C of this part must be consulted to support the trade-affected worker’s ability to undertake and complete the training program.
(3) Where the worker’s remaining available weeks of UI and TRA payments will not equal or exceed the duration of the training program, that the worker will have sufficient financial resources to support completion of the training program within the time limits noted in § 618.615(d). In making this determination, the State must consider:
(i) The worker’s remaining weeks of UI and TRA payments in relation to the duration of the proposed training program;
(ii) Other sources of income support available to the worker, including severance, earnings of other family members, and other family resources;
(iii) Other fixed financial obligations and expenses of the worker and family;
(iv) The availability of Federal student financial assistance or any State-funded student financial assistance or any private funding designated for student financial assistance including, but not limited to, nongovernmental scholarships, awards, or grants; and
(v) Whether or not the worker is employed while attending training.
(4) The State must document whether or not the trade-affected worker has sufficient financial resources to complete the training program that exceeds the duration of UI and TRA payments.
(5) If a worker has insufficient financial resources to complete the worker’s proposed training program that exceeds the duration of UI and TRA payments, then the State must not approve that training program and must instead consider other training opportunities available to the worker.
(f) Criterion 6. Such training is suitable for the trade-affected worker and available at a reasonable cost.
(1) Suitable for the worker. The training program being considered must address the criteria set out in paragraphs (e)(1) and (2) of this section and be determined by the State to be appropriate given the worker’s knowledge, skills and abilities, background, and experience relative to the worker’s employment goal, and criteria set out in paragraph (c) of this section.
(2) Available at a reasonable cost. (i) Costs of a training program may include, but are not limited to, tuition and related expenses (e.g., books, tools, computers and other electronic devices, internet access, uniforms and other training-related clothing such as goggles and work boots, laboratory fees, and other academic fees required as part of the approved training program) as well as supplemental assistance (subsistence expenses and transportation expenses as described in § 618.640(c) and (d)). States must pay the costs of initial licensing and certification tests and fees where a license or certification is required for employment.
(A) The State must ensure and document that the training program costs are reasonable by researching costs for similar training programs, whether it is classroom or work-based training.
(B) Related expenses must be necessary for the worker to complete the training program. Other options should be explored before purchasing equipment or related materials.
(ii) Available at a reasonable cost means that training must not be approved at one provider when, all costs being considered, training better or substantially similar in quality, content, and results can be obtained from another provider at a lower total cost within a similar time frame. Training must not be approved when the costs of the training are unreasonably high in comparison with the average costs of training other workers in similar occupations at other providers. The State may approve a higher cost training if that training is reasonably expected to result in a higher likelihood of employment, employment retention, or greater earnings, or to return the worker to employment in a significantly shorter duration.
(iii) Training at facilities outside the worker’s commuting area requiring transportation or subsistence payments that add substantially to the total cost of the training program may not be approved if other appropriate training is available in the commuting area at a lower cost, unless the exception described in paragraph (f)(2)(ii) of this section applies.
(iv) Approval of training under paragraph (f) of this section (Criterion 6) is also subject to the provisions of § 618.650.
§ 618.615 Limitations on training approval.
(a) One training program per certification. (1) Except as provided under paragraph (d)(4) of this section, no trade-affected worker may receive more than one approved training program under a single certification.
(2) A training program may be amended, as needed, in compliance with § 618.665.
(3) A training program may consist of multiple forms of training, including any or all of the types of training identified in § 618.620, subject to any restrictions or eligibility requirements that may exist.
(b) Full-time or part-time training. A State may approve a training program on a full-time or part-time basis. A trade-affected worker’s approved training program may consist of either part-time or full-time training, or a combination of both. A worker may switch from part-time to full-time training or from full-time to part-time training during the period of the worker’s participation in the program. The training program must be amended each time this occurs, in accordance with § 618.665.
(1) Full-time. Full-time training means that the training is in accordance with the definition of full-time training provided in § 618.110.
(2) Part-time. (i) A State may approve part-time training. Part-time training is any training program that is not full-time in accordance with the established standards of the training provider. The maximum duration for approved training provided in paragraph (d)(3)(i) of this section also applies to part-time training.
(ii) A worker enrolled in part-time training is not eligible for TRA under subpart G of this part, including a worker who ceases full-time training to engage in part-time training. The training approval requirements found in this section also apply to part-time training.
(iii) A worker may participate in part-time training while employed in either part-time or full-time employment.
(iv) The State must clearly inform the worker, before the worker chooses part-time training, that TRA is not available to workers in approved part-time training and that the worker may lose eligibility for the HCTC, if available, while engaged in part-time training.
(v) As provided in § 618.780(b)(1)(i), a worker may not be determined to be ineligible or disqualified for UI, because the worker is enrolled in training approved under § 618.610, including part-time training.
(vi) As further described at § 618.780(b)(1)(ii), State or Federal UI statutes relating to the able, available, or active work search requirements as well as refusal to accept work will not disqualify a worker for UI or other program benefits, during any week of training approved under § 618.610, including part-time training.
(c) Previous approval of training under other law. When a TAA Program petition has been filed by or on behalf of a group of workers but a determination of group eligibility has not been made, training may be approved for a worker under another State or Federal law or other authority. Training approved for a worker under another State or Federal law or other authority is not training approved under § 618.610. After eligibility has been determined, any such training may be approved under § 618.610 (criteria for approval of training), if it meets all of the requirements and limitations of § 618.610 and the other provisions of this subpart. Such approval must not be retroactive for any of the purposes of this part, including payment of the costs of the training and payment of TRA to the trade-affected worker participating in the training, except in the case of a redetermination or decision reversing a training denial as addressed in § 618.828(d), in which case the approval must be retroactive to the date of that denial. Systems must be in place to accommodate a change in funding seamlessly, as appropriate, after TAA Program training program approval is obtained. The cost of training must shift to the TAA Program at the next logical break in training—such as the end of a semester—for workers who become eligible for the TAA Program and whose training is approved under the TAA Program. Training approved under other programs may be amended by the TAA Program to allow a worker additional training in order to meet additional retraining needs identified in the worker’s IEP.
(d) Length of training. The State, in determining whether to approve a training program, must determine the appropriateness of the length of training, as follows:
(1) Time necessary to achieve desired skill level. The training must be of suitable duration to achieve the desired skill level in the shortest possible time, and not in excess of, the limits established in paragraph (d)(3) of this section.
(2) Factors. Factors that may impact the length of training include, but are not limited to, the trade-affected worker’s employment status (full- or part-time) under § 618.630 (Training of reemployed trade-affected workers), the need for supportive services from partner programs, and breaks in training due to class schedules and availability.
(3) Duration. (i) Except as otherwise provided for OJT, apprenticeship, and the exception provided in paragraph (d)(4) of this section, the maximum duration for approvable training under the TAA Program is 130 weeks.
(ii) Only weeks spent in actual training are counted. Scheduled breaks in training, as provided in § 618.760, are not counted.
(iii) If a training program satisfies the duration requirement of paragraph (d)(3)(i) of this section but will extend beyond the period during which TRA is available, the State must determine, under § 618.610(e)(3) (criteria for approval of training), whether the worker has sufficient personal resources (i.e., funds for the worker’s living expenses) to support himself or herself while completing the training, while not requiring the worker to obtain such funds as a condition of training approval. The worker must attest to the State that he or she has sufficient resources to sustain himself or herself while in training.
(4) Exception for certain workers who perform a period of duty in the Uniformed Services. A member of one of the reserve components of the U.S. Armed Forces who serves a period of duty will have the period for training, under paragraph (a)(3) of this section, suspended upon being called up to duty, provided the requirements specified in paragraphs (a)(4)(i) through (iii) of this section are met. Any such reserve component member may either resume training upon discharge from active service for the training period that remained at the time the reservist left the training program to report for active duty, or be allowed to repeat portions of the training if doing so is necessary for completion of the approved training program or, where appropriate, begin a new approved training program. Where the reservist repeats a training program or begins a new training program, the reservist will be entitled to a new 130-week period to complete approved training. To be eligible to resume, repeat, or begin a new approved training program, the reservist must meet the following requirements:
(i) Before completing training under this subpart, the worker has given prior oral or written notice of the active duty service to the State, unless providing such notice is precluded by military necessity or is otherwise impossible or unreasonable.
(ii) The returning service member must apply to the State for training within 90 days following release from active duty service.
(iii) For purposes of the exception in this paragraph (d)(4), period of duty means:
(A) Serves on active duty for a period of more than 30 days under a call or order to active duty of more than 30 days; or
(B) In the case of a member of the Army National Guard of the United States or Air National Guard of the United States, performs full-time National Guard duty under 32 U.S.C. 502(f) for 30 consecutive days or more when authorized by the President or the Secretary of Defense for the purpose of responding to a national emergency declared by the President and supported by Federal funds.
(e) Training outside the United States. A trade-affected worker must not be approved for training under this subpart for any training that is conducted totally or partially at a location outside the United States or if the worker is physically located outside the United States while participating in training. For distance training, this means both the provider and participant must be located within the United States.
§ 618.620 Selection of training program.
(a) Standards and procedures for selection of training. The State must document the standards and procedures used to select training providers and training(s) in which the training program under this subpart will be approved.
(1) In determining the types of training to be approved and provided under the standards, the State should consult with partner agencies, including State partner agencies (e.g., State apprenticeship agencies or Federal Offices of Apprenticeship located in the States), WIOA one-stop partners, local employers, appropriate labor organizations, local educational organizations, the LWDB, State and local apprenticeship programs, local advisory councils established under the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Pub. L. 115-224 (2018), as codified at 20 U.S.C. 2301 et seq.), and postsecondary institutions.
(2)(i) States may choose an eligible training provider (ETP) established under WIOA section 122 without establishing additional standards or procedures under the TAA Program.
(ii) As provided in section 236 of the Act, States must not limit training approved under this section to only programs on the ETP list under title I of WIOA.
(b) Training types. Eligible trade-affected workers must be provided training using either one, or a combination of, the following methods:
(1) Work-based training, such as apprenticeships, OJT, or customized training, may be approved for AAWs. Customized training with the worker’s current employer may only be approved for AAIWs if the training is for a position other than the AAIW’s threatened position. See § 618.655(c)(2). AAIWs must not be approved for OJTs. See § 618.655(c)(1). The State must inform the worker of the potential negative effects of work-based training on TRA and the HCTC, if available; or
(2) Institutional training, including training at public area career and technical education schools, as well as community colleges, may be approved alone or in combination with work-based training. This also includes distance learning, including online training, where a worker may complete all or part of an educational or vocational program in a geographical location apart from the institution hosting the training program, and where the final certificate or degree conferred is equivalent in standard of achievement and content to the same program completed on campus or at another institutional training location.
(i) A provider of the distance learning must be based in the United States for training provided to be approved. In addition, the worker must be physically within the United States when participating in distance learning to remain eligible for benefits under the Act.
(ii) Distance learning is subject to all training approval criteria described in this subpart.
(iii) The State must establish and monitor the milestones of a distance-learning program based on the worker’s IEP, as described in subpart C of this part, if available.
(iv) A worker who does not meet the requirements or milestones of a distance-learning program may be determined to have ceased participation in training, as described in § 618.780(b)(3)(ii).
(3) Higher education includes any training or coursework at an accredited institution, as described in section 102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (20 U.S.C. 1002), including training or coursework for the purpose of obtaining a degree or certification, or for completing a degree or certification that the worker had begun previously at an accredited institution of higher education. Higher education may be approved alone or in combination with work-based training. The distance learning requirements in paragraph (b)(2) of this section also apply to this paragraph (b)(3).
(c) Other training. In addition to the training programs discussed in paragraph (b) of this section, training programs that may be approved under § 618.610 (criteria for approval of training) include, but are not limited to:
(1)(i) Any program of remedial education, including ABE courses and other remedial education courses, ELA courses, and HSE preparation courses.
(ii) Remedial education may occur before, or while participating in, the requested training program;
(2) Career and technical education;
(3) Any training program approvable under § 618.610 for which all, or any portion, of the costs of training the trade-affected worker are paid:
(i) Under any other Federal or State program other than the TAA Program; or
(ii) From any source other than this part;
(4) Any training program provided by a State pursuant to title I of WIOA or any training program approved by an LWDB established under section 102 of WIOA;
(5) Any program of prerequisite education or coursework required by a training provider before advancing to further training; or
(6) Any other training program approved by the State that complies with this subpart.
(d) Advanced degrees. Training programs that will lead to an advanced degree may be approved; however, the time limits described at § 618.615(d)(3) must be met. States may not restrict access to advanced degrees where the other criteria of this subpart are met. All training programs must be evaluated on their individual merit.
§ 618.625 Payment restrictions for training programs.
(a) Funding of training programs. The costs of a training program approved under the Act may be paid:
(1) Solely from TAA Program funds;
(2) Solely from other public or private funds; or
(3) Partly from TAA Program funds and partly from other public or private funds.
(b) No duplication of costs allowed. (1) Any use of TAA Program funds to duplicate the payment of training costs by another source is prohibited.
(2) When the payment of the costs of training has already been made under any other Federal law, or the costs are reimbursable under any other Federal law and a portion of the costs has already been paid under other such Federal law, payment of such training costs may not be made from TAA Program funds.
(3) When the direct costs of a training program approvable under § 618.610 (criteria for approval of training) are payable from TAA Program funds and are also wholly or partially payable from any other source, the State must establish procedures to ensure TAA Program funds will not duplicate funds available from the other source(s). This preclusion of duplication does not prohibit and should not discourage sharing of costs under prearrangements authorized under paragraph (c)(2) of this section.
(c) Cost sharing permitted. (1) TAA Program funds are the primary source of Federal assistance to trade-affected workers, as identified in § 618.804(h)(4). If the costs of training a trade-affected worker can be paid under the TAA Program, no other payment for such costs may be made under any other provision of Federal law.
(2) States may share training costs with authorities administering other non-Federal, State, and private funding sources. Sharing training costs with other Federal sources may only occur if TAA Program funds are not available to cover the total cost of training, as described in paragraph (d)(2)(ii) of this section.
(3) Sharing the future costs of training is authorized where prior costs were paid from another source, but this paragraph (c)(3) does not authorize reimbursement from TAA Program funds of any training costs that were accrued before the date the training program was approved under the TAA Program.
(4) When a mix of TAA Program funds and other funds are used for paying the costs of a training program approved under this subpart, the State must enter into a prearrangement with any entity providing the other source of funds. Any such prearrangement must contain specific commitments from the other authorities to pay the costs they agree to assume and must comply with the nonduplication provisions contained in this part.
(i) Agreements may be entered into on a case-by-case basis to address specific training situations of workers or they may be part of an overall statewide strategy to effectively use and maximize available resources from the TAA Program, workforce development, and other programs.
(ii) Where training costs are shared between the TAA Program and any other funding source, the State must enter into a prearrangement with the other funding source to agree upon the proportion of TAA Program funds and other funds to be used to pay the costs of a training program. A prearrangement must be a specific, binding agreement with the other source(s) to pay the costs they agree to assume, and must be entered into before any TAA Program funds are obligated. If, after TAA Program funds are already committed to a training program, other funds become available to pay for that training, the State may decide to share the costs of the remainder of training program or the State may continue funding the training program in full using TAA Program funds. If the State decides to share the costs, it must enter into a prearrangement with respect to the newly available funds. If the State makes a change to how the training program will be funded going forward, the existing training program must be amended in accordance with § 618.665.
(iii) Before approving any training program under this subpart, which may involve the sharing of training costs under the authority of paragraph (a)(3) of this section, the State must require the worker to enter into a written agreement with the State, under which TAA Program funds will not be applied for or used to pay any portion of the costs of the training the worker has reason to believe will be paid by any other source.
(5)(i) A State may not take into account Federal student financial assistance, including Pell Grants, or any funds provided under any other provision of Federal law that are used for purposes other than the direct payment of training costs, even though they may have the effect of indirectly paying all or a portion of the training costs.
(ii) States must ensure that upon the approval of a training program under this subpart, payments of Federal student financial assistance cease to be applied to the training participant’s tuition or other training-related costs covered by TAA Program funds.
(iii) If payments of Federal student financial assistance or other training allowances from other Federal funding sources were made to the training provider instead of the worker and were applied towards the worker’s approved training costs, the State must deduct the amount of those other payments from the amount of TAA Program funds payable to the training provider in order to prevent duplication in the payment of training costs.
(iv) A worker may use Federal student financial assistance for other expenses, as allowable under applicable rules for such financial assistance.
(6) If the worker’s trade-affected firm agrees to fund all or a portion of the worker’s training costs, the State must, if the training is otherwise approvable, enter into a prearrangement with the firm to assume any unfunded training costs on the worker’s behalf.
(d) No training fees or costs to be paid by trade-affected worker from TAA Program funds. (1) A training program must not be approved if the trade-affected worker is required to reimburse any portion of the costs of such training program from TAA Program funds, or from wages paid under such training program.
(2)(i) A training program must not be approved if the trade-affected worker is required to pay any of the costs of the training program from funds belonging to the worker, including funds from relatives or friends, or from personal or educational loans that will require repayment.
(ii) As required by § 618.940, if the Department determines that the amount of funds necessary to provide Training and Other Activities (TaOA) will exceed the annual cap under § 618.900 in a fiscal year, the Department will promptly inform the States. If a State estimates that it will exceed all available TAA Program training funds (including TaOA funds remaining from current or prior fiscal years) then the State must seek funding from other sources (other than from trade-affected workers), including WIOA national dislocated worker grants under part 687 of this chapter to cover the costs of training approved under § 618.610. To the extent that a State is unable to fund training costs from those other sources, the agency may approve training where the worker pays those unfunded costs. Where the worker chooses to pay those unfunded costs under this paragraph (d)(2)(ii), the State is not liable for paying those costs and must document this prearrangement in the worker’s case file. Where the worker chooses not to pay the unfunded costs, the State must waive the training requirement in § 618.720(g) on the basis that training is not available, in order to preserve any remaining Basic TRA eligibility under § 618.735(b)(3) (waiver of training requirement for Basic TRA).
§ 618.630 Training of reemployed trade-affected workers.
(a) An AAW who obtains new employment and who has been approved for a training program may elect to terminate the employment, reduce the hours worked in the employment, or continue in full- or part-time employment. Such a worker is not subject to ineligibility or disqualification for UI or TRA as a result of such termination or reduction in employment. A worker who continues such full- or part-time employment while a participant in training is considered to be in training under § 618.780(b) (disqualifications). If the worker continues in full- or part-time employment while a participant in an approved training program, the State must inform the worker in writing that such employment may have negative effects on UI and TRA benefit amounts and duration due to income earned from the employment (and also because a worker participating in part-time training is not eligible for TRA), which could also lead to the loss of the HCTC, if available. The State must apply the earnings disregard provisions in subpart G of this part, as appropriate.
(b) An AAW who has been totally separated as described in paragraph (a) of this section may also be eligible for job search and relocation allowances under subpart D of this part.
§ 618.635 Work-based training.
(a) OJT—(1) Description. OJT is work-based training provided under contract with an employer in the public, nonprofit, or private sector to an AAW who is employed by the employer. OJT may be approved if the worker meets the requirements under §§ 618.610, 618.615, and 618.665. The State must determine that the OJT in question:
(i) Can reasonably be expected to lead to suitable employment with the employer offering the OJT;
(ii) Is compatible with the skills of the worker;
(iii) Includes a curriculum through which the worker will gain the knowledge or skills to become proficient in the job for which the worker is being trained; and
(iv) Can be measured by standards or targets that indicate the worker is gaining such knowledge or skills.
(2) Related education. Related skills training provided as part of the OJT contract and sponsored by the employer may be provided in conjunction with the OJT. Such training may be provided at the employment site, or at educational institutions, or other locations. TAA Program funds can be used to pay the OJT participant’s expenses associated with the educational or instructional component (e.g., classroom and distance learning, tools, uniforms, equipment, and books) for an AAW’s participation in an OJT program.
(3) Duration. The OJT contract with the employer must specify the duration of the OJT. The duration of the OJT must be appropriate to the occupational goal for which the AAW is being trained, taking into consideration the skills requirements of the job for which the AAW is being trained, the academic and occupational skill level of the AAW, and the work experience of the AAW, as documented in the worker’s IEP, if available. The duration of the training must be long enough for the worker to become sufficiently proficient in the occupation for which the training is being provided to enable the worker to perform as well as workers in comparable positions within the firm. The OJT:
(i) Must not exceed the specific vocational preparation required for the occupation, as listed on O*NET (www.onetonline.org); and
(ii) Must not exceed 104 weeks in any case.
(4) Exclusion of certain employers. The State may not enter into a contract for OJT with an employer that exhibits a pattern of failing to provide workers receiving OJT from the employer with:
(i) Continued long-term employment as regular employees; and
(ii) Wages, benefits, and working conditions that are equivalent to the wages, benefits and working conditions provided to regular employees who have worked a similar period of time and are doing the same type of work as workers receiving the OJT from the employer.
(5) Reimbursement. (i) Pursuant to the OJT contract, the employer is provided reimbursement of not more than 50 percent of the wage rate of the OJT participant, for the costs of providing the training and additional supervision related to the training.
(ii) The reimbursement for OJT must be limited to the duration of approved training as specified in the OJT contract.
(6) Approval of the costs of OJT. OJT costs for an AAW may be approved by a State only if a determination is made that:
(i) No currently employed individual is displaced (including a partial displacement, such as a reduction in the hours of nonovertime work, wages, or employment benefits) by the AAW;
(ii) Such training does not impair existing contracts for services or collective bargaining agreements;
(iii) In the case of training that would be inconsistent with the terms of a collective bargaining agreement, written concurrence has been obtained from the concerned labor organization;
(iv) No other individual is on layoff from the same or any substantially equivalent job for which the AAW is being trained;
(v) The employer has not terminated the employment of any regular employee or otherwise reduced the workforce of the employer with the intention of filling the vacancy by hiring the AAW;
(vi) The job for which the AAW is being trained is not being created in a promotional line that will infringe in any way upon the promotional opportunities of currently employed individuals;
(vii) The training is not for the same occupation from which the AAW was separated with respect to which the AAW’s worker group is covered under a certification rendered under subpart B of this part;
(viii) The employer has not received payment under the TAA Program or under any other Federal law for any other OJT provided by such employer that failed to meet the requirements of this section or the requirements of the other Federal laws governing employment practices; and
(ix) The employer has not taken, at any time, any action that violated the terms of this section with respect to any other OJT provided by the employer for which the State has made a payment under the TAA Program.
(7) Payment of the costs of OJT. The costs of OJT that are paid from TAA Program funds must be paid in monthly installments.
(8) TRA eligibility during OJT. Under § 618.780(c), an AAW may not be paid TRA for any week during which the worker is in OJT and, therefore, may be ineligible for the HCTC, if available.
(9) RTAA eligibility during OJT. Participants enrolled in OJT may be eligible for RTAA. All the requirements at subpart E of this part must be met.
(10) Use of WIOA funds for OJT. TAA Program funds may be leveraged with WIOA funds to provide a reimbursement rate equal to that allowable under WIOA. See WIOA section 134(c)(3)(H) (29 U.S.C. 3174(b)(3)(H)).
(11) No OJT for AAIWs. The State must not approve OJT for AAIWs.
(b) Customized training. (1) Customized training is designed to meet the special requirements of a single employer or a group of employers. The training may be conducted by a training provider, a single employer, or group of employers.
(2) Customized training must be conducted with a commitment by the employer or group of employers to employ an AAW upon successful completion of the training. For purposes of customized training, a commitment by the employer(s) to employ a worker upon successful completion of the training, as required by section 236(f)(2) of the Act, means that the employer(s) must enter into an agreement with the State that describes the conditions that must be met for successful completion of the training and the expectation of employment after the training is completed.
(3) The employer must pay at least 50 percent for the cost of the training.
(4) For AAIWs, approval is limited to customized training for a position other than their current position in adversely affected employment. See § 618.655(c)(2).
(c) Apprenticeship. Apprenticeship includes registered apprenticeships under the Act of August 16, 1937 (commonly known as the National Apprenticeship Act; 50 Stat. 664, chapter 663; 29 U.S.C. 50 et seq.), as well as other training programs that include a paid work-based learning component and required educational or instructional component that results in the issuance of a recognized postsecondary credential, which includes an industry-recognized credential.
(1) Duration. Apprenticeships are not subject to the 104-week statutory duration of OJT training limit. The length of the paid work-based learning component must not exceed 130 weeks. However, the length of the educational or instructional training component of the apprenticeship may exceed 130 weeks and continue through the scheduled completion of that specific apprenticeship training.
(2) Eligible apprenticeship expenses. TAA Program funds can be used to pay for:
(i) The expenses associated with the educational or instructional component (e.g., classroom and distance learning, tools, uniforms, equipment, and books) for the apprentice; and
(ii) The employer may be reimbursed not more than 50 percent of the apprentice’s regular wage rate for the cost of providing the training and additional supervision related to the work-based learning component provided by the employer.
(3) Exclusion of certain employers. The State may not enter into a contract for apprenticeship with an employer that exhibits a pattern of failing to provide apprentices with successful attainment of an industry-recognized credential or the apprenticeship completion certificate in the case of registered apprenticeship, as issued by the U.S. Department of Labor or State apprenticeship agency.
(4) Approval of the costs of apprenticeship—(i) Registered apprenticeships under the National Apprenticeship Act. Costs for an apprenticeship program may be approved by a State only if the requirements of the National Apprenticeship Act, 29 CFR parts 29 and 30, and Departmental administrative guidance are met.
(ii) Other apprenticeships. Costs for an apprenticeship program may be approved by a State only if a determination is made that:
(A) No currently employed worker is displaced (including a partial displacement, such as a reduction in the hours of nonovertime work, wages, or employment benefits) by the apprentice;
(B) Such training does not impair existing contracts for services or collective bargaining agreements;
(C) In the case of training that would be inconsistent with the terms of a collective bargaining agreement, written concurrence has been obtained from the concerned labor organization;
(D) No other worker is on layoff from the same or any substantially equivalent job for which the apprentice is being trained;
(E) The employer has not terminated the employment of any regular employee or otherwise reduced the workforce of the employer with the intention of filling the vacancy so created by hiring the apprentice;
(F) The job for which the apprentice is being trained is not being created in a promotional line that will infringe in any way upon the promotional opportunities of currently employed workers;
(G) The training is not for the same occupation as the apprentice’s adversely affected employment;
(H) The employer has not received payment under the TAA Program or under any other Federal law for any other apprenticeship provided by such employer that failed to meet the requirements of this section or the requirements of the other Federal laws governing employment practices; and
(I) The employer has not taken, at any time, any action that violated the terms of this section with respect to any other apprenticeship provided by the employer for which the State has made a payment under the TAA Program.
(5) TRA and HCTC eligibility during apprenticeships. Workers enrolled in an apprenticeship program, in most cases, will not be able to access TRA income support due to their income earned through wages, but the State must still make individual determinations on TRA benefits. This could also impact HCTC eligibility, if HCTC is available. States must advise workers considering this training option of these issues.
(6) RTAA eligibility during apprenticeships. AAWs age 50 or older enrolled in an apprenticeship program may be eligible for RTAA under subpart E of this part.
(7) State contract with apprenticeship employer. The State must enter into a contract with the employer that provides the terms and conditions of the apprenticeship.
§ 618.640 Supplemental assistance.
(a) General. Supplemental assistance in the form of subsistence and transportation payments must be provided to a trade-affected worker whose training program has been approved under § 618.610 (Criteria for approval of training), to defray reasonable subsistence and transportation expenses while the worker attends training at a facility outside the worker’s commuting area. The need for such subsistence and transportation payments must be documented on the worker’s IEP, if available, or in the worker’s case file. Subsistence and transportation payments may also be documented on a training approval form, or other such form as the State chooses, to ensure that the supplemental assistance is documented in the worker’s case file.
(b) Applications for supplemental assistance. A trade-affected worker must submit an application for subsistence or transportation payments in accordance with subpart H of this part and processes established by the State. A determination on an application submitted under this section is subject to §§ 618.820 (determinations of eligibility; notices to individuals) and 618.828 (appeals and hearings).
(c) Subsistence payments—(1) General. Subsistence payments must be made for the reasonable costs of meals and incidental expenses, and of separate maintenance, which means maintaining temporary living quarters, when the training facility is located outside the trade-affected worker’s commuting area.
(2) Requirements for subsistence payments. (i) A trade-affected worker must be reimbursed for subsistence only for the period when the worker is not receiving or authorized to receive reimbursement or separate payments for such costs from any other source.
(ii) Subsistence payments must not be made for any day such worker receives a daily commuting transportation payment from TAA Program funds or from any other source, except as specified in paragraph (e) of this section.
(iii) Subsistence payments must not be made for any day of unexcused absence from the training program, as certified by the training provider.
(3) Amount of subsistence payments. The State may make a subsistence payment to a trade-affected worker only for the lesser of:
(i) The worker’s actual per diem expenses for subsistence; or
(ii) 50 percent of the prevailing per diem allowance rate authorized under the FTR (see 41 CFR chapters 300 through 304) for the location of the training facility.
(4) Timing of subsistence payments. The State must make subsistence payments upon a worker’s completion of a week of training, but may advance a subsistence payment for a week if the State determines that such advance is necessary to enable the worker to participate in the approved training.
(d) Transportation payments. A trade-affected worker must be reimbursed for transportation expenses when commuting to and from a training facility located outside the worker’s commuting area. Transportation expenses, funded by the TAA Program, are payable only for the actual days traveled. Mileage eligible for reimbursement is, round-trip, from the first mile outside the boundary of the worker’s commuting area to the location of the training facility.
(1) Transportation payments must not be paid when:
(i) Transportation is arranged and paid for by the State for one or more workers;
(ii) Such payments are being provided under any other law; or
(iii) The worker is authorized to be paid or reimbursed for such expenses from any other source.
(2) The daily transportation payment may not exceed the amount of a daily subsistence payment that would be payable under paragraph (c)(3) of this section if the worker resided temporarily in the area of the training.
(3) In addition, while other forms of transportation may be used, transportation payments to a worker may not exceed the cost per mile at the prevailing personal vehicle mileage rate authorized under the FTR. See http://www.gsa.gov.
(4) A worker must receive transportation payments promptly after completion of a week of approved training, but at a minimum on a monthly basis. These payments also may be made in advance in order to facilitate the worker’s attendance at the training.
(e) When payment can be made for both subsistence and transportation. A trade-affected worker receiving subsistence payments may also receive transportation payments only:
(1) At the beginning of the training that the worker is attending outside the worker’s commuting area and at the end of the training for travel back to the worker’s commuting area; or
(2) When the worker fails, for justifiable cause, as described in § 618.780(b)(3)(iii), to complete the training outside the worker’s commuting area, and must return home before the scheduled end of the training.
(f) Adjustments to subsistence and transportation payment advances. If the State advances subsistence or transportation funds, the State must adjust subsequent subsistence and transportation payments to take into account the amount of the advance that is more or less than the amount that the trade-affected worker is entitled to receive under paragraphs (c) and (d) of this section.
(g) Worker evidence. The trade-affected worker must provide receipts for all lodging, purchased transportation expenses, and meals.
§ 618.645 Voluntary withdrawal from a training program.
(a)(1) The State must advise a trade-affected worker who chooses to withdraw from a TAA approved training program that the withdrawal may, subject to the requirements in subpart H of this part, result in an overpayment.
(2) The State must advise a worker who chooses to withdraw from a TAA approved training program that the withdrawal may, subject to the requirements in subpart G of this part, result in loss of eligibility for TRA.
(b) A trade-affected worker who qualifies for an exception for service in the Uniformed Services, under the criteria set out in § 618.615(d)(4), may voluntarily withdraw from a training program.
(c) A trade-affected worker who ceases participation in training for justifiable cause, as described in § 618.780(b)(3)(iii) (disqualifications), may resume the approved training program.
(d) The trade-affected worker’s eligibility for job search and relocation allowances will not be affected by the decision to withdraw from training. To be eligible for these allowances, the worker must meet all eligibility requirements for these benefits as set forth in §§ 618.410 (job search allowances) and 618.440 (relocation allowances).
(e) If the trade-affected worker obtains suitable employment before training is completed yet remains in his or her training program:
(1) The State must continue funding the approved training program if training benchmarks, described at § 618.660, continue to be satisfactorily met.
(2) The State must consider whether to amend the worker’s training program; and
(3) The State must discuss with the worker whether the training program continues to serve a useful purpose.
§ 618.650 State standards and procedures for establishing reasonable cost of training.
(a) A State is not prohibited from setting a statewide limit or limits for local workforce development areas on the amount of training costs considered reasonable and appropriate for training programs. Any limit(s) must reasonably take into account the costs of training available in the local workforce development areas throughout the State and the expenditure must be prudent under the standards of the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB’s) Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200.404) and its attendant interpretive administrative guidance. Additionally, States must comply with the standards for reasonableness in § 618.610(f)(2), including those permitting States to allow training other than the least-cost option if the extra cost is justified by better trade-affected worker outcomes or a faster return to the workforce. If the State chooses to implement a statewide limit, it must arrive at a reasonable limit based upon training costs throughout the State, recognizing that costs may vary significantly between urban areas and rural areas. The State must also develop and implement a method to exceed the limit(s), which must require the local area to secure State approval, as described in paragraph (b) of this section, before training is approved.
(b) The State must develop transparent standards and procedures that provide for prompt consideration of any request for approval of training costs that exceed the established training cost limit(s) set by the State under paragraph (a) of this section. The review standards developed by the State under this paragraph (b) must allow for approval of costs that exceed the applicable training cost limit when a training program that exceeds the cost limit(s) will provide the most reasonable way of returning a particular trade-affected worker to employment at higher wages—or on a pathway to do so—than in the absence of training.
(c) The State must propose an alternative training program consistent with the reasonable cost criteria, as described at § 618.610, when a training program is not approvable under the established limits and does not meet the requirements in paragraph (b) of this section.
(d) The State must review any limits established under paragraph (a) of this section on an annual basis to determine whether they are still appropriate, and change or end such limits when they no longer reasonably reflect the average cost of training available in the local workforce development areas throughout the State.
(e) Whenever a State establishes, changes, or ends State-established limits on training costs payable under paragraph (a) of this section, the State must provide written notice and full documentation supporting its action to the Department for review.
(f) States are not required to establish a limit on training costs.
§ 618.655 Training for adversely affected incumbent workers.
(a) AAIW training. Pursuant to sections 236(a)(1) and 247(18) of the Act, a State may approve training for an AAIW, or training for a worker before separation occurs. An AAIW may apply for training and a State may approve training at any time after the date on which the AAIW is determined to be individually threatened with layoff without regard to whether such worker has applied for or exhausted all rights to any UI to which the worker is entitled.
(b) Threat of layoff. A State may determine that a worker has been individually threatened with total or partial separation when the worker has received a notice of termination or layoff from employment. Other documentation of a threat of total or partial separation from the firm or other reliable source may be accepted.
(c) Approval of training. Except as specified in this section, the provisions of this subpart extend to AAIWs. The following exceptions to the training approval requirements apply to AAIWs:
(1) The State may not approve OJT under § 618.635(a) for AAIWs.
(2) Customized training for AAIWs under § 618.635(b) may be approved only if the training is for a position other than the AAIW’s adversely affected position.
(d) Disqualification and restrictions. (1) The State must periodically verify that the threat of total or partial separation continues to exist for the AAIW for the duration of the approved training. This may be accomplished by verifying with the AAIW’s employer that the threat of separation still exists before funding each subsequent portion of the training.
(2) Funding of a training program must cease upon the removal of the threat. The AAIW must cease the training upon the conclusion of the most recently funded portion, semester or quarter for which expenses have already been accrued. No additional funding will be available while the threat of separation is removed. Funding may resume for the original training program that had been previously approved upon a determination by the State that the threat of separation has been reestablished, or upon total or partial separation from adversely affected employment, if the requirements under § 618.610 are still met. The AAIW’s approved training program must be amended, as appropriate, in compliance with § 618.665.
(3) The one training program per certification rule, as described under § 618.615, is applicable to AAIWs. Thus, a training program begun prior to separation and while under a threat of layoff constitutes the one allowed training program available to that AAIW.
(4) The duration of training limitations, at § 618.615(d)(3) are applicable to AAIWs.
(5) An AAIW will not be eligible for a new training program when total or partial separation occurs; however, the existing training may be amended under the provisions of § 618.665.
(6) The State must not consider the AAIW’s threatened employment to be suitable employment under § 618.610(a).
(e) Separation from threatened employment. (1) Upon a total or partial separation from threatened employment, an AAIW becomes an AAW under the following conditions:
(i) The separation must occur prior to the expiration of the certification period under which the worker was determined to be threatened; and
(ii) The total or partial separation must be for lack of work.
(2) When an AAIW becomes an AAW under the conditions in paragraph (e)(1) of this section:
(i) The State must amend the worker’s approved training program, as described in § 618.665; and
(ii) The State must determine what other benefits under the TAA Program the worker may now be eligible for, including TRA. Any time spent in training as an AAIW applies to the duration limits contained in § 618.615.
§ 618.660 Training benchmarks.
(a) Requirement for training benchmarks. A State must establish and document training benchmarks, as provided in paragraph (f) of this section, for individual AAWs so that they can meet Completion TRA eligibility requirements, described at § 618.765. The benchmarks must be established when the worker enrolls in an approved training program, so that the State can monitor the worker’s progress toward completing the approved training duration limits established at § 618.615.
(b) Scope of requirement. Training benchmarks must be established for all but short-term training programs.
(c) Measurement against training benchmark. To review the AAW’s progress against the benchmarks, States may request that the training provider provide documentation of the worker’s satisfactory progress, including instructor attestations, progress reports, etc. The case manager may attest to the worker’s progress after consultation with the training provider and the worker.
(d) Must be included in IEP. The training benchmarks must be described in the AAW’s IEP, if available, or otherwise documented in the worker’s case file.
(e) Benchmark qualities. Benchmarks must be flexible enough to allow for some variability, and both practical and measurable enough to allow administration across a broad spectrum of training scenarios.
(f) Review of benchmarks. The State must evaluate and document satisfactory progress against the benchmarks in paragraphs (f)(1) and (2) of this section at intervals of not more than 60 days, beginning with the start of the approved training program:
(1) The AAW is maintaining satisfactory academic standing (e.g., not on probation or determined to be “at risk” by the instructor or training provider); and
(2) The AAW is on schedule to complete training within the timeframe identified in the approved training program.
(g) Actions following failure to meet a benchmark. (1) Upon failure to meet a benchmark, the State must provide a warning to the AAW that his or her eligibility for Completion TRA is in jeopardy. The warning may be provided verbally, in writing, or both, and must be documented in the worker’s case file. In consultation with the worker, the State may amend a worker’s training program as described in § 618.665.
(2) If a worker who has previously failed to meet a benchmark under paragraph (g)(1) of this section fails to meet a benchmark during a subsequent review under paragraph (f) of this section, the State must notify the worker of his or her ineligibility for Completion TRA. The worker may elect to continue in the approved training but will not receive any Completion TRA payments; or the training program must be amended, according to § 618.665, and Completion TRA may resume.
§ 618.665 Amending approved training.
(a) Conditions for amending approved training. The State must, with the cooperation of the trade-affected worker, amend a worker’s approved training program under the following conditions:
(1) The State determines that one or more of these conditions are present:
(i) A course or courses designed to satisfy unforeseen needs of the worker, such as remedial education or new employer skills requirements, are necessary;
(ii) A course or courses added to the training program will enhance and complement the worker’s original training program, such as preparatory courses to obtain an industry-recognized credential, certification, or license that will improve the worker’s chance of being hired;
(iii) Additional assistance such as tutoring or the use of translators would benefit the worker, keep the worker qualified for the training in which he or she is enrolled, and be sufficient for the worker to complete the training program;
(iv) Approval of a longerterm training program that will improve the likelihood of employment upon the completion of such training;
(v) The originally approved training program cannot be successfully completed by the worker;
(vi) The originally approved training program is determined to be of inferior quality;
(vii) Training in another occupation will lead to a greater likelihood of training completion or a better employment outcome, as a result of a change in labor market conditions or the worker’s experience in the originally approved training program, or other similar factor;
(viii) The worker is moving from full-time training to part-time training or from part-time training to full-time training;
(ix) An AAIW has been separated from adversely affected employment and has transitioned to become an AAW, or an AAIW is continuing training after a threat of separation was first removed, then resumed; or
(x) An additional source of funding becomes available for which a prearrangement is required under § 618.625(c)(4).
(2) The combination of time spent in the originally approved training program and the time it will take to complete the amended training program will not exceed the duration of training limit for the type of training included in the training program, as provided at § 618.615(d)(3).
(3) Amending the approved training program occurs before a worker finishes the originally approved training program and prior to the originally scheduled date of completion.
(b) Criteria for amending a training program. The State must determine that the following criteria are met before amending a training program:
(1) Criterion 1: A reasonable expectation of employment following completion of such training continues to exist. Given the labor market conditions expected to exist at the time of the completion of the training program, a reasonable expectation, fairly and objectively considered, exists that the trade-affected worker is likely to find employment, using the skills and education acquired while in training, upon completion of approved training. The labor market conditions considered must be limited to those in the worker’s commuting area, or in the area where the worker intends to relocate.
(i) “A reasonable expectation of employment” does not require that employment opportunities for the worker be available, or offered, immediately upon the completion of the approved training.
(ii) The State must review the expected job market conditions using pertinent labor market data in the worker’s case file to ensure it continues to apply to the amended training program and the worker’s occupational goal as identified on the worker’s IEP, if available, and in the worker’s case file.
(iii) When a worker desires to relocate within the United States but outside the worker’s present commuting area upon completion of training, the State must ensure the labor market information (described in § 618.610(c)(2)) supports the determination that a reasonable expectation of employment continues to exist within the area of the planned relocation. The labor market information must be in the area of planned relocation.
(iv) A reasonable expectation of employment may exist in a limited demand occupation for a single, trained worker in the worker’s commuting area or in the area to which the worker desires to relocate. The State must determine that there continues to be a reasonable expectation that the worker can secure employment in the limited demand occupation.
(v) A State may approve an amended training program in an occupation if it finds that there is a reasonable expectation that the additional training will lead to self-employment in the occupation for which the worker requests training, and that such self-employment will provide the worker with wages or earnings at or near the worker’s wages in adversely affected employment.
(vi) Amended training programs that consist of solely OJT or contain an OJT component are not approvable if they are not expected to lead to suitable employment, with the employer providing the OJT, in compliance with section 236(c)(1)(B)(i) of the Act.
(2) Criterion 2: Training continues to be reasonably available to the worker. In determining whether training continues to be reasonably available to the worker, the State must first consider training opportunities available in the worker’s commuting area. States may approve training outside the commuting area if none is available at the time in the worker’s commuting area. Whether the training is in or outside the commuting area, the amended training program must be available at a reasonable cost as prescribed in paragraph (b)(4) of this section.
(3) Criterion 3: The worker continues to be qualified to undertake and complete such amended training. States must ensure the following:
(i) The worker’s knowledge, skills, and abilities, educational background, work experience, and financial resources remain sufficient to undertake and complete the specific amendment to the training program being considered.
(ii) The initial assessment or comprehensive and specialized assessment, and IEP, if available, developed under subpart C of this part are to be consulted in order to support the trade-affected worker’s ability to undertake and complete the proposed amended training program.
(iii) Where the worker’s remaining available weeks of UI and TRA payments will not equal or exceed the duration of the amended training program, that the worker will have sufficient financial resources to support completion of the training program within the time limits noted in § 618.615(d) (limitations on training approval). In making this determination, the State must consider:
(A) The worker’s remaining weeks of UI and TRA payments in relation to the duration of the proposed amended training program;
(B) Other sources of income support available to the worker including severance, earnings of other family members, and other family resources;
(C) Other fixed financial obligations and expenses of the worker and family;
(D) The availability of Federal student financial assistance or any State-funded student financial assistance or any private funding designated for student financial assistance, including, but not limited to, nongovernmental scholarships, awards, or grants; and
(E) Whether or not the worker is employed while attending training.
(iv) The State must document whether or not the trade-affected worker has sufficient financial resources to complete the amended training program that exceeds the duration of UI and TRA payments.
(v) If a worker has insufficient financial resources to complete the proposed amended training program that exceeds the duration of UI and TRA payments, then the State must not approve that amended training and must instead consider resuming the originally approved training program or other training opportunities available to the worker.
(4) Criterion 4: Such amended training continues to be suitable for the worker and available at a reasonable cost—(i) Suitable for the worker. The amended training being considered must address the criteria set out in paragraph (b)(3) of this section (Criterion 3), this paragraph (b)(4), and be determined by the State to be appropriate given the worker’s knowledge, skills, and abilities, background, and experience relative to the worker’s employment goal, and criteria set out in paragraph (b)(1) of this section (Criterion 1).
(ii) Available at a reasonable cost. (A) Costs of an amended training program may include, but are not limited to, tuition and related expenses (e.g., books, tools, computers and other electronic devices, internet access, uniforms and other training-related clothing such as goggles and work boots, laboratory fees, and other academic fees required as part of the amended training program) as well as supplemental assistance (subsistence expenses and transportation expenses as described in § 618.640(c) and (d)). States must pay the costs of initial licensing and certification tests and fees where a license or certification is required for employment.
(1) The State must ensure and document that the amended training program costs are reasonable by researching costs for similar training programs, whether it is classroom or work-based training.
(2) Related expenses must be necessary for the worker to complete the amended training program. Other options should be explored before purchasing equipment or related materials.
(B) Available at a reasonable cost means that amended training must not be approved at one provider when, all costs being considered, training better or substantially similar in quality, content and results can be obtained from another provider at a lower total cost within a similar time frame. Amended training must not be approved when the costs of the training are unreasonably high in comparison with the average costs of training other workers in similar occupations at other providers. The State may approve a higher cost training if that training is reasonably expected to result in a higher likelihood of employment, employment retention, or greater earnings, or to return the worker to employment in a significantly shorter duration.
(C) Training at facilities outside the worker’s commuting area requiring transportation or subsistence payments that add substantially to the total cost of the amended training program may not be approved if other appropriate training is available in the commuting area at a lower cost, unless the exception described in paragraph (b)(4)(ii)(B) of this section applies.
(D) Approval of amended training under paragraph (b)(4) of this section (Criterion 4) is also subject to the provisions of § 618.650.
Subpart G—Trade Readjustment Allowances
§ 618.700 Scope.
This subpart explains the requirements for eligibility, amounts, and duration of Basic TRA, Additional TRA, and Completion TRA, all of which are income support in the form of cash payments for an AAW.
§ 618.705 Definitions.
(a) For purposes of TRA, an AAW is “participating in approved training” if:
(1) The worker is either attending and taking part in all scheduled classes, required activities, and required events in a given week, or the training provider has excused the worker’s absence or failure to take part in accordance with its written policies.
(2) In the case of distance learning, the worker is either meeting all the requirements of the training provider in a given week in accordance with its rules, regulations, and standards, or the training provider has excused the worker’s failure to meet those requirements in accordance with its written policies.
(b) For purposes of TRA, the term “training allowance” means any assistance or payment, excluding Federal student financial assistance, that can be used for the same purpose as funds for the costs of training covered by the TAA Program, and that is given or paid directly to the AAW.
(c) For purposes of TRA, the term “adversely affected employment” includes employment at a successor-in-interest, and such wages reported to the State or received by an AAW from a successor-in-interest are included as wages under § 618.720(c).
§ 618.710 Categories of Trade Readjustment Allowances.
(a) Basic TRA. Basic TRA is payable to an AAW who meets the requirements of § 618.720. Basic TRA is payable for weeks of unemployment after the worker meets the criteria for exhaustion of UI under § 618.720(e) and, consistent with § 618.725, for weeks of unemployment during which the worker either is enrolled in, is participating in, or has completed approved training, or has received a waiver of the training requirement under § 618.735.
(b) Additional TRA. Additional TRA is payable to an AAW who meets the requirements of § 618.760. Additional TRA is payable only for weeks of unemployment during which the worker is participating in approved training.
(c) Completion TRA. Completion TRA is payable to an AAW who meets the requirements of § 618.765. Completion TRA is payable only for weeks of unemployment during which the worker is participating in approved training. Completion TRA is payable only after the worker has exhausted all rights to Basic and Additional TRA.
§ 618.715 Applications for Trade Readjustment Allowances and payment.
(a) Timing of applications. (1) An initial application for TRA must be filed after certification of the appropriate worker group has been made.
(2) An application for TRA must be filed within the time limit applicable to claims for regular compensation under the applicable State law.
(b) Applicable procedures. Applications must be filed in accordance with this subpart and on forms furnished to AAWs by the State. The State’s procedures for filing applications for TRA, and for reporting, must be consistent with this part and the Department’s “Standard for Claim Filing, Claimant Reporting, Job Finding, and Employment Services,” Employment Security Manual, part V, sections 5000 through 5004 (appendix A to this part), except that such procedures may allow for the filing and processing of applications by paper, telephone, the internet, or other similar methods as provided for in paragraph (e)(2) of this section.
(c) Treatment of determinations. Determinations on TRA applications are determinations to which §§ 618.820 (determinations of eligibility; notices to individuals), 618.824 (liable State and agent State responsibilities), and 618.828 (appeals and hearings) apply. Copies of such applications for TRA and all determinations by the State on such applications must be included in the AAW’s case file.
(d) Payment of TRA. (1) A State must not make any payment of TRA until a certification is issued and the State determines that the AAW is a member of a worker group covered under the specified certification.
(2) An AAW, if he or she otherwise meets the eligibility requirements of this subpart, including exhaustion of UI, may be entitled to TRA for any week of unemployment that begins on or after the date of the applicable certification.
(3) An AAW may receive only one form of TRA (Basic, Additional, or Completion) for any given week.
(e) Taking of applications. (1) An initial application is required for TRA and a separate application is required for Completion TRA.
(2) Applications may be filed and processed by any means allowed for UI claims in the State.
(3) States must provide notice to the worker when a worker begins receipt of Additional TRA. That notice must include the eligibility requirements under which Additional TRA is payable.
§ 618.720 Qualifying requirements for Basic Trade Readjustment Allowances.
To qualify for Basic TRA for a week of unemployment, an AAW must meet each of the requirements in paragraphs (a) through (g) of this section:
(a) Certification. The AAW must be a member of a worker group certified under subpart B of this part.
(b) Separation. The AAW must have experienced a qualifying separation during the certification period of the certification in paragraph (a) of this section.
(c) Wages and employment. The AAW must meet the following wage and other requirements:
(1) In the 52-week period (i.e., 52 consecutive calendar weeks) ending with the week of the AAW’s total or partial separation from adversely affected employment during the certification period, the worker must have had at least 26 weeks of employment at wages of $30 or more a week in adversely affected employment with a single firm or, where there is more than one subdivision, the appropriate subdivision of that firm. Evidence that the worker meets the requirement in this paragraph (c)(1) must be obtained as provided in § 618.740. Employment and wages covered under more than one certification may not be combined to qualify for TRA.
(2) The categories of weeks in paragraphs (c)(2)(i) through (iv) of this section also must be treated as weeks of employment at wages of $30 or more (for purposes of paragraph (c)(1) of this section), regardless of whether the AAW actually receives any wages during such weeks:
(i) All weeks, up to a maximum of 7 weeks, during which the AAW is on employer-authorized leave for vacation, sickness, injury, maternity, or inactive duty or active duty military service for training;
(ii) All weeks, up to a maximum of 7 weeks, during which the AAW had adversely affected employment interrupted to serve as a full-time representative of a labor organization in the firm or subdivision referenced in paragraph (c)(1) of this section;
(iii) All weeks, up to a maximum of 26 weeks, during which the AAW has a disability compensable under a workers’ compensation law or plan of a State or the United States; and
(iv) All weeks, up to a maximum of 26 weeks, during which the AAW is on call-up for the purpose of active duty in a reserve status in the Armed Forces of the United States, if such active duty is “Federal service” as defined in 5 U.S.C. 8521(a)(1), but not more than 7 weeks, in the case of weeks described in paragraph (c)(2)(i) or (ii) of this section that occur during the active duty. States may waive provisions of this paragraph (c)(2)(iv) consistent with § 618.884.
(d) Entitlement to UI. The AAW must have been entitled to (or would have been entitled to if the worker had applied therefor) UI for a week within the first benefit period.
(e) Exhaustion of UI. The AAW must meet the following requirements:
(1) The AAW must have exhausted all rights to any UI, except additional compensation that is funded by a State and not reimbursed from any Federal funds to which such worker was entitled (or would have been entitled had such worker applied therefor), and not have any unexpired waiting period applicable to the worker for any such UI, except as provided at § 618.720(e)(2).
(2) The AAW may elect to receive TRA instead of UI during any week with respect to which the worker:
(i) Is entitled and is able to receive UI as a result of a new benefit year based on employment in which the worker engaged after establishing TRA eligibility following a total separation from adversely affected employment. The entitlement must be after the first UI benefit period. It must also be based in whole or in part upon part-time or short-term employment in which the worker engaged after the worker’s most recent total separation from adversely affected employment that established such first UI benefit period. This new employment may include the same adversely affected employment; and
(ii) Is otherwise entitled to TRA, except that the AAW need not have exhausted all rights to UI in the new benefit year.
(3) For AAWs meeting the requirements in paragraph (e)(2) of this section, the State must provide the AAW a summary of his or her potential UI benefits and potential TRA benefits in writing and document the AAW’s choice in the case file.
(4) State law governs the status of the UI claim in the second benefit year when the AAW elects to receive TRA instead of UI.
(5) If the AAW elects to receive UI benefits in the second benefit year or any subsequent benefit period thereafter in which the option is available, the AAW must exhaust all UI entitlement before resuming TRA eligibility.
(6) The AAW must have no unexpired waiting period applicable to such worker for any UI.
(f) Extended Benefits (EB) work test. The AAW must be able to work and be available for work, as defined in the EB work test in the applicable State law for UI claimants, and must be furnished a classification and a determination as to his or her job prospects as required by 20 CFR 615.8(d). The EB work test must be met for each week by the means described in this paragraph (f), unless an exception in paragraph (f)(2) of this section applies.
(1) Criteria. The EB work test requirement must be met by:
(i) Registering for work with the State, in accordance with the applicable provisions of State law that apply to EB claimants and that are consistent with part 615 of this chapter;
(ii) Actively engaging in seeking work;
(iii) Furnishing the State with tangible evidence of work search efforts each week; and
(iv) Accepting any offer of suitable work, including those referred by the State.
(2) Exceptions. The able and available requirement and the EB work test requirement in this paragraph (f) do not apply for purposes of TRA eligibility:
(i) When the AAW is enrolled in or participating in approved training;
(ii) During a break in training; or
(iii) With respect to claims for TRA for those weeks of unemployment beginning before the filing of an initial claim for TRA, or for any week that begins before the AAW is notified of coverage by a certification and is fully informed of the EB work test requirements. Before such notification and advice, the worker must not be subject to the EB work test requirements for TRA eligibility purposes, nor to any State timely filing requirement, but must be required to be unemployed and able to work and available for work under State law with respect to any such week except as provided in paragraphs (f)(2)(i) and (ii) of this section for AAWs enrolled in or participating in approved training.
(3) Suitable work. (i) For purposes of this subpart, suitable work means, with respect to a worker, whichever of the following laws is applicable:
(A) Suitable work as defined in the applicable State law for claimants for regular compensation; or
(B) Suitable work as defined in applicable State law provisions consistent with section 202(a)(3) of EUCA.
(ii) Regardless of which of the laws in paragraph (f)(3)(i)(A) or (B) of this section apply, suitable work does not in any case include self-employment or employment as an independent contractor.
(g) Participation in approved training. (1) As a condition for receiving Basic TRA, except as provided for in § 618.730, the AAW, after a total or partial separation from the adversely affected employment within the certification period, and by the applicable deadlines in § 618.725 must:
(i) Be enrolled in training, as defined in subpart A of this part;
(ii) Be participating in approved training (as defined in § 618.705); or
(iii) Have a waiver granted under § 618.735 in effect.
(2) An AAW who has not met the requirements in paragraph (g)(1) of this section may, if otherwise eligible, receive Basic TRA before expiration of the applicable training enrollment deadline in § 618.725. Once the training enrollment deadline is reached, the training requirements in paragraph (g)(1) of this section must be met. Basic TRA payments must cease beginning the first week for which the requirements in paragraph (g)(1) of this section were required but not met.
(3) The requirements in paragraph (g)(1) of this section do not apply to an AAW with respect to claims for Basic TRA for weeks of unemployment beginning before the filing of an initial claim for TRA after publication of the certification of the appropriate worker group as provided in § 618.715(a), nor for any week that begins before the AAW is notified that he or she is covered by a certification and is fully informed of the requirements of this section.
(4) An AAW who meets the participation in approved training requirement in paragraph (g)(1) of this section by the applicable deadlines in § 618.725 may continue to receive Basic TRA after the AAW has completed training, even if such participation in training was on a part-time basis, provided that the worker meets all other eligibility requirements for Basic TRA.
§ 618.725 Training enrollment deadlines.
(a) Training enrollment deadlines. As a condition for receiving Basic TRA, an AAW must meet the participation in approved training requirement in § 618.720(g)(1) no later than the latest of:
(1) The last day of the 26th week after the AAW’s most recent qualifying separation;
(2) The last day of the 26th week after the week in which the certification was issued; or
(3) 45 days after the later of the dates specified in paragraph (a)(1) or (2) of this section, if there are extenuating circumstances that justify an extension of the enrollment period. Extenuating circumstances that justify the 45-day extension are circumstances that would constitute good cause, as established by § 618.730; that is, circumstances under which the AAW acted diligently yet was unable to enroll because of exigent circumstances.
(4) In the case of an AAW who fails to enroll by the date required by paragraph (a)(1), (2), or (3) of this section due to a failure by the State to provide the AAW with timely information regarding the applicable training enrollment deadline, the AAW must be enrolled in training or obtain a waiver by the Monday of the first week occurring 60 consecutive calendar days following the date the worker was properly notified; or
(5) The Monday of the first week occurring 30 consecutive calendar days (or, if the State is closed that last day because that day falls on a weekend or holiday or for any other reason, the next business day) following the day of termination, whether by revocation or expiration or revocation of a waiver under § 618.735.
(b) Exceptions—(1) Extended training enrollment deadline for delayed approval of application for TRA. (i) The training enrollment deadlines of paragraph (a) of this section do not apply where:
(A) A State’s negative determination on an initial application for TRA under § 618.715 has been reversed through redetermination or appeal;
(B) The AAW is unable to meet the training enrollment deadline because of the delay in obtaining the reversal of the negative determination; and
(C) The delay in obtaining the reversal is not attributable to the AAW.
(ii) Where the conditions of paragraph (b)(1)(i) of this section are met, the AAW will have until the last day of the 26th week following the date on which the negative determination was reversed to enroll in training or have a training waiver in effect.
(2) Extended training enrollment deadline for period of duty in military service. If an AAW who is a member of a reserve component of the Armed Forces and has served a period of duty during the AAW’s Basic TRA eligibility period but before enrolling in training, the AAW’s training enrollment deadline will be the last day of the 26th week following the last day of the AAW’s period of duty.
(3) Good cause. The training enrollment deadline may be extended for good cause as provided for in § 618.730.
§ 618.730 Good cause.
(a) States must waive the time limitations with respect to an application for TRA, enrollment in training, or receipt of a training waiver in this subpart if the AAW shows good cause.
(b) Good cause exists if the AAW acted diligently yet was unable to complete in a timely manner the relevant task at issue described in paragraph (a) of this section because of exigent circumstances.
(c) The State must determine good cause on a worker-by-worker basis.
§ 618.735 Waiver of training requirement for Basic Trade Readjustment Allowances.
(a) Waiver for Basic TRA. A State may issue a waiver of the requirement in § 618.720(g) that an AAW be enrolled in or participating in approved training as a condition of Basic TRA eligibility upon a finding that training for such worker is not feasible or appropriate for one or more reasons identified in paragraph (b) of this section. The waiver must contain the information required in paragraph (c) of this section. No waiver of the training requirement is permitted for Additional TRA or Completion TRA eligibility. Waivers must be issued no later than the latest of the applicable deadlines described in § 618.725.
(b) Bases for a waiver. The State, in order to issue a written waiver to an AAW, must conclude after assessing the worker that training is not feasible or appropriate for one or more of the reasons in paragraphs (b)(1) through (3) of this section, which must be cited on the waiver:
(1) Health. The worker is unable to participate in training due to the health of the worker. A waiver granted for this reason does not exempt the worker from requirements relating to the availability for work, active search for work, or refusal to accept work under Federal or State unemployment compensation laws.
(2) Enrollment unavailable. The first available enrollment date for approved training is within 60 consecutive calendar days after the date on which a waiver determination is made or, if later, there are extenuating circumstances, as determined under the criteria in § 618.725(a)(3), that apply to the delay in enrollment in training.
(3) Training not available. Approved training is not reasonably available to the worker from governmental agencies or private sources (which may include area vocational education schools, as defined in section 3 of the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (20 U.S.C. 2302), and employers), or suitable training is not available at a reasonable cost, or no training funds are available.
(c) Contents of a waiver. (1) A waiver issued under this section may not take effect unless it contains, at a minimum, the following information:
(i) The AAW’s name and a unique identifying designation used by the State;
(ii) The name and location of the worker group and the petition number under which the AAW’s group was certified;
(iii) A statement of the reasons why training is not feasible or appropriate for the AAW, citing to one or more reasons identified in paragraph (b) of this section;
(iv) The effective date and expiration date of the waiver;
(v) A statement that the waiver must be revoked immediately upon a determination that the basis or bases for the waiver no longer apply; and
(vi) The signature of an official of the State authorized to grant the waiver, and the signature of the AAW or other evidence of the worker’s acknowledgement of receipt of the waiver.
(2) Waivers and the required signatures may be issued and maintained electronically.
(d) Request for a waiver. States may analyze whether an AAW may qualify for a waiver as part of the AAW’s initial assessment, as described in subpart C of this part. An AAW may also request a waiver from the State before the applicable deadline in § 618.725.
(e) Denial of a waiver. In any case in which a determination is made to deny a waiver under this section, the AAW to whom the denial pertains must be furnished with a notice of the denial of waiver. The notice of denial of waiver must contain, at minimum, the information in paragraphs (c)(1)(i), (ii), and (vi) of this section; the specific reason(s) for the denial; the date of the denial; and notice of the AAW’s appeal rights.
(f) Duration of a waiver. (1) A waiver issued under this section may be for a period not to exceed 6 months, or the AAW’s period of Basic TRA entitlement, whichever ends first;
(2) Notwithstanding the 6-month limitation in paragraph (f)(1) of this section, a State may extend an AAW’s waiver beyond 6 months if:
(i) Training continues not to be feasible or appropriate for such worker for one or more of the reasons described in paragraph (b) of this section; and
(ii) Such worker has not yet exhausted his or her Basic TRA entitlement.
(3) Waivers must be reviewed 3 months after the date on which the State issues the waiver to determine if one or more of the bases in paragraph (b) of this section continue to apply, and every 30 consecutive calendar days thereafter.
(g) Revocation of a waiver. The State must revoke a waiver issued under this section if the waiver criteria are no longer met. The State must notify the AAW of the revocation. The notice of revocation must be appealable and must contain the same information as a denial of waiver issued under paragraph (e) of this section.
(h) Submission of waivers and notices. The State must develop procedures for compiling and reporting on the number of waivers issued and revoked, by reason, and must submit to the Department, only upon specific request, a record or copy of any or all waivers issued under this section together with a statement of reasons for each such waiver, and a record or copy of any or all notices of revocation of waiver issued under this section together with a statement of reasons for each such revocation. The statements of reason required under paragraphs (c)(1)(iii) and (e) of this section, as applicable, fulfill the requirement for a statement of reasons under this paragraph (h). Electronic records and copies are acceptable.
§ 618.740 Evidence of qualification for Basic, Additional, and Completion Trade Readjustment Allowances.
(a) State action. When an AAW applies for Basic, Additional, or Completion TRA, the State having jurisdiction under § 618.820 (determinations of eligibility; notices to individuals) must obtain information necessary to establish:
(1) Whether the AAW meets the qualifying requirements in § 618.720 for Basic TRA, in § 618.760 for Additional TRA, or in § 618.765 for Completion TRA; and
(2) For a partially separated AAW, the average weekly hours and average weekly wage in adversely affected employment.
(b) Insufficient data. If information specified in paragraph (a) of this section is not available from State records or from any employer, the State must require the AAW to submit a signed statement setting forth such information as may be required for the State to make the determinations required by paragraph (a) of this section.
(c) Verification. A statement made under paragraph (b) of this section must be certified by the AAW to be true to the best of the worker’s knowledge and belief and must be supported by evidence including W-2 forms, paycheck stubs, union records, income tax returns, or statements of fellow workers, and must, whenever possible, be verified by the employer.
(d) Determinations. The State must make the necessary determinations on the basis of information obtained under this section, except that if, after reviewing information obtained under paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section against other available data, including agency records, it concludes that such information is not reasonably accurate, it must make the determination on the basis of the best available information.
(e) Timing. The State must follow the established method used for processing regular UI claims. If an employer does not respond within the timeframe established for UI claims, then the State must act on the best available information.
§ 618.745 Weekly amounts of Basic, Additional, and Completion Trade Readjustment Allowances.
(a) TRA amount. The amount of Basic, Additional, or Completion TRA payable for a week of unemployment (including a week of approved training) is an amount equal to the most recent weekly benefit amount of UI (including dependents’ allowances) payable to the AAW for a week of total unemployment preceding the worker’s first exhaustion of UI following the worker’s first qualifying separation, except that:
(1) Where a State calculates a base period amount of UI and calculates dependents’ allowances on a weekly supplemental basis, TRA weekly benefit amounts must be calculated in the same manner and under the same terms and conditions as apply to claimants for UI except that the base amount must not change.
(2) For partially separated workers, the weekly amount of TRA must be calculated as determined under the applicable State law.
(b) Workers who are undergoing training. Any AAW in approved training who is thereby entitled for any week to TRA and a training allowance (as defined in § 618.705) under any other Federal law for the training of workers, will be paid for each week in which the AAW is undergoing approved training, TRA in the amount (computed for each week) equal to the amount computed under paragraph (a) of this section or, if greater, the amount of any weekly allowance for such training to which the AAW would be entitled under any other Federal law for the training of workers, if the AAW applied for such allowance. TRA must be paid in lieu of any payment for training made directly to the AAW to which the AAW is entitled under such other Federal law.
(c) Reductions to the TRA weekly amount. The weekly amount of TRA payable under this section will be reduced (but not below zero) by:
(1) Income that is deductible from UI under the disqualifying income provisions of the applicable State law or Federal UI law, except that in the case of an AAW who is participating in approved training, such income must not include earnings from work for such week that are equal to or less than the most recent weekly benefit amount of the UI payable to the worker for a week of total unemployment preceding the worker’s first exhaustion of UI (as determined for purposes of section 231(a)(3)(B) of the Act).
(2) If the amount of a training allowance as defined in § 618.705 (including a training allowance referred to in paragraph (b) of this section) under any Federal law that the AAW receives for such week is less than the amount of TRA otherwise payable to the AAW for a week, the AAW must, when applying for TRA for the week, be paid TRA in an amount not to exceed the difference between the AAW’s regular weekly TRA amount, as determined under § 618.745(a) (regular allowance), and the amount of the training allowance paid to the AAW for the week.
(3) Except as provided in paragraph (c)(4) of this section, if a training allowance under any Federal law other than the Act, is paid to an AAW for any week of unemployment with respect to which the AAW would be entitled (determined without regard to any disqualification under paragraph (b) of this section) to TRA, if the AAW applied for TRA, each such week must be deducted from the total number of weeks of TRA otherwise payable to the AAW when the worker applies for and is determined to be entitled to TRA. If such training allowance paid directly to the worker for any week of unemployment is less than the amount of TRA to which the AAW would be entitled if the worker had applied for it, the AAW must receive (when the worker applies for and is determined to be entitled to TRA) TRA for such week equal to such difference.
(4) If the training allowance (as defined in § 618.705) referred to in paragraphs (c)(2) and (3) of this section is Federal student financial assistance, then the amount of TRA will not be reduced. In the case of an AAW to whom the Federal student financial assistance is available, the State will rely on prearrangements for the sharing of training costs under § 618.625(c)(2) (payment restrictions for training programs) in order to harmonize the provision of Federal student financial assistance with the worker’s TRA.
(5) Any amount that would be deductible from UI for days of absence from training under the provisions of the applicable State law that applies to AAWs in approved training.
§ 618.750 Maximum amount of Basic Trade Readjustment Allowances.
(a) General rule. Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, the maximum amount of Basic TRA payable to an AAW is the product of 52 multiplied by the TRA weekly amount for a week of total unemployment, calculated under § 618.745(a) (weekly amounts of TRA), reduced by the total sum of UI (except State-funded additional compensation) that the AAW was entitled or would have been entitled to had the worker applied in such worker’s first benefit period.
(b) Exceptions. The maximum amount of TRA determined under paragraph (a) of this section does not include:
(1) The amount of dependents’ allowances paid as a supplement to the base weekly amount determined under § 618.745; or
(2) The amount of the difference between the AAW’s weekly increased allowances determined under § 618.745(b) and such worker’s weekly amount determined under § 618.745(a).
§ 618.755 Eligibility period for Basic Trade Readjustment Allowances.
(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, an AAW is ineligible to receive Basic TRA for any week of unemployment beginning after the close of the 104-week period beginning with the first week following the week in which the AAW’s most recent qualifying separation occurred or after certification, whichever is later.
(b) A State may not count any period during which a judicial or administrative appeal is pending with respect to a denial of a petition filed under subpart B of this part for the purpose of calculating the period of separation described in paragraph (a) of this section. The separation will be deemed as having occurred on the certification date and the Basic TRA eligibility period will begin on the week that follows the certification date.
§ 618.760 Qualifying requirements for, and timing and duration of, Additional Trade Readjustment Allowances.
(a) Qualifying requirements for Additional TRA. An AAW is eligible to receive Additional TRA for any week only if:
(1) The worker meets all qualifying requirements for receipt of Basic TRA in § 618.720; and
(2) Except as provided in § 618.775 for a break in training, the AAW is participating in approved training.
(b) Timing and duration of Additional TRA. Additional TRA is payable for up to 65 weeks during the 78 consecutive calendar week period that:
(1) Immediately follows the last week of entitlement to Basic TRA otherwise payable to the AAW;
(2) Begins with the first week of approved training, if such training begins after the last week described in paragraph (b)(1) of this section; or
(3) Begins with the first week in which such training is approved under subpart F of this part, if such training is approved after the training already has commenced (although Additional TRA or training costs may not be paid for any week before the week in which the TAA approved training was approved).
§ 618.765 Qualifying requirements for, and timing and duration of, Completion Trade Readjustment Allowances.
(a) Qualifying requirements for Completion TRA. An AAW is eligible to receive Completion TRA if such worker meets all qualifying requirements for receipt of Basic TRA in § 618.720 and Additional TRA in § 618.760, and if the eligibility criteria in paragraphs (a)(1) through (3) of this section are met for that week. The requirements in this paragraph (a) are applied at the time the State approves payment for a week of Completion TRA. The eligibility criteria are:
(1) Payment of Completion TRA is necessary for an AAW to complete the approved training described in paragraph (a)(2) of this section.
(2) The AAW is participating in approved training each week that leads to the completion of a degree or industry-recognized credential and the worker’s training program will extend for a period longer than the periods during which Basic and Additional TRA are payable under §§ 618.755 (eligibility period for Basic TRA) and 618.760 (qualifying requirements for, timing and duration of, Additional TRA), and the requested weeks are necessary for the worker to complete training.
(3) The worker-
(i) Has substantially met the performance benchmarks in § 618.660 (training benchmarks) established as part of the approved training under subpart F of this part;
(ii) Is expected to continue to make progress toward the completion of the approved training; and
(iii) Will complete the approved training during the period of eligibility described in paragraph (c) of this section.
(4) If, during the period in which an AAW is eligible to receive Completion TRA, the worker ceases to meet any of the eligibility criteria in paragraphs (a)(1) through (3) of this section, no further Completion TRA is payable to such worker.
(b) Weeks payable. A total of up to 13 weeks of payments are allowable during the period of eligibility described in paragraph (c) of this section.
(c) Eligibility period. Completion TRA may be payable during the period of 20-week consecutive calendar period that begins with the first week in which an AAW files a claim for Completion TRA and seeks compensation for such week, regardless of when the first payment is received. The eligibility period may be extended if justifiable cause exists, in accordance with § 618.770(a).
(d) Start date of Completion TRA. The State must have a process to take applications for Completion TRA. States must not automatically establish the 20-week period for Completion TRA as the week following either expiration of the eligibility period for Additional TRA, or the exhaustion of Additional TRA; filing a claim after either of those first weeks is permitted. Since training that leads to a degree or industry-recognized credential must be completed during the eligibility period described in paragraph (c) of this section, the first week of Completion TRA claimed should be carefully considered in coordination with case management while the AAW’s training program is being developed.
§ 618.770 Special rule for justifiable cause.
(a) The eligibility period during which Basic, Additional, and Completion TRA are payable to an AAW may be extended for justifiable cause, which has the same meaning as good cause in § 618.730.
(b) While the eligibility period for Basic, Additional, and Completion TRA may be extended for justifiable cause as determined by the State, the maximum benefit amount and number of weeks this benefit may be received must not change.
§ 618.775 Payment of Trade Readjustment Allowances during breaks in training.
(a) Basic and Additional TRA are payable to an otherwise eligible AAW during breaks in training (periods within or between courses, terms (quarters or semesters), and academic years) that do not exceed 30 days (counted in accordance with paragraph (b) of this section), only if:
(1) The AAW participated in approved training of this part immediately before the beginning of the break in training;
(2) The break in training was provided in the established schedule of the training provider; and
(3) The AAW resumes participation in the approved training immediately after the break ends.
(b) For the purpose of determining whether a break in training is within the 30-day maximum allowed under this section, all calendar days beginning with the first day of the training break and ending with the last day of the break, as provided in the published schedule of the training provider, must be counted. However, any Saturday, Sunday, or official State or national holiday occurring during the scheduled break in training is excluded from the 30-day count if training normally would not be scheduled in the training program during those days if there was no break.
(c) For Completion TRA, breaks in training are permissible during the 20-week eligibility period. However, payments during breaks in training are not allowed.
§ 618.780 Disqualifications.
(a) General rule. Except as stated in paragraph (b)(1) or (c) of this section and in § 618.832(b)(2) (overpayments; penalties for fraud), an AAW may not be paid TRA for any week of unemployment such worker is or would be disqualified from receiving UI under the disqualification provisions of the applicable State law, including the provisions of the applicable State law that apply to EB claimants and are consistent with EUCA.
(b) Disqualification of trainees—(1) State law inapplicable. A State law may not be applied to disqualify an AAW from receiving UI or TRA because:
(i) Such worker is enrolled in or participating in an approved training program;
(ii) Such worker refuses work to which the State referred such worker because such work either would require discontinuation of approved training or interfere with successful participation in TAA approved training, except that this paragraph (b)(1)(ii) does not apply to an AAW who is ineligible under paragraph (b)(2) of this section;
(iii) Such worker quits work that was not suitable employment and it was reasonable and necessary to quit in order to begin or continue approved training. This includes temporary employment the worker may have engaged in during a break in training;
(iv) Such worker continues full-time or part-time employment while participating in approved training; or
(v) Such worker leaves OJT within the first 30 days because the OJT is not meeting requirements of section 236(c)(1)(B) of the Act.
(2) Disqualifications. An AAW who, without justifiable cause (as described in paragraph (b)(3)(iii) of this section), fails to begin participation (as described in paragraph (b)(3)(i) of this section) in approved training, or ceases participation (as described in paragraph (b)(3)(ii) of this section) in such training, or for whom a waiver is revoked under § 618.735(f) (waiver of training requirement for Basic TRA), may not receive Basic TRA for any week in which such failure, cessation, or revocation occurred. The disqualification will continue for any succeeding week thereafter until the week in which such worker begins or resumes participation in an approved training program. A worker who has justifiable cause (as described in paragraph (b)(3)(iii) of this section) for such failure to begin, or for ceasing, participation in training may receive Basic TRA for any week in which such failure or cessation occurred if the worker otherwise meets the requirements of this subpart. Such failure, cessation, or revocation normally does not change the eligibility periods defined in §§ 618.755, 618.760(b), and 618.765(b) and (c).
(3) Disqualification conditions. For determining the disqualification of trainees for all TAA approved training, the following provisions apply:
(i) Failed to begin participation. A worker will be determined to have failed to begin participation in an approved training program when the worker fails to attend one or more scheduled training classes and other training activities in the first week of the approved training program, without justifiable cause.
(ii) Ceased participation. A worker will be determined to have ceased participation in an approved training program when the worker fails to attend all scheduled training classes and other training activities scheduled by the training provider in any week of the approved training program, without justifiable cause.
(iii) Justifiable cause. For purposes of this section, justifiable cause has the same meaning as good cause under § 618.730, except that good cause for absence also includes an absence excused under a training provider’s written policy.
(c) Disqualification while in OJT. An AAW may not be paid any TRA for any week during which such worker is engaged in OJT, in accordance with § 618.635.
(d) Disqualification while in part-time training. An AAW may not be paid any TRA for any week in which the worker is participating in approved training that is part-time. Part-time training is any approved training that does not meet the definition of “full-time training” as defined in § 618.110.
Subpart H—Administration by Applicable State Agencies
§ 618.800 Scope.
This subpart covers the general administrative requirements a State must follow in providing the benefits and services available under the TAA Program. The requirements in this subpart include: The provision of rapid response and appropriate career services to groups of workers for whom a petition is filed, delivering TAA Program benefits and services to trade-affected workers, assisting in the filing of petitions for those likely to be eligible for benefits under this part, conducting outreach to groups of workers covered under a petition for TAA filed under subpart B of this part, and notifying UI claimants of the TAA Program.
§ 618.804 Agreements with the Secretary of Labor.
(a) Authority. A State or CSA must, before performing any function or exercising any jurisdiction under the Act and this part, execute an Agreement meeting the requirements of the Act with the Secretary.
(b) Execution. (1) An Agreement under paragraph (a) of this section must be signed and dated on behalf of the State or the CSA by an authorized official whose authority is certified by the State Attorney General or counsel for the CSA, unless the Agreement is signed by the Governor or the chief elected official of the State. In the event that a State does not execute an Agreement under paragraph (a) of this section, then section 3302(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (26 U.S.C. 3302(c)(3)) (loss of unemployment tax credits under section 3302(a) and (b)), applies.
(2) A State or CSA must execute an amended Agreement with the Secretary, upon the request of the Secretary, in response to legislative or regulatory changes to the TAA Program.
(3) The Secretary will execute an Agreement on behalf of the United States.
(c) Public access to Agreements. The CSA must make available for inspection and copying, an accurate copy of its Agreement under this section to any individual or organization that requests it. The CSA may furnish copies of the Agreement upon payment of the same charges, if any, as apply to the furnishing of copies of other records of the CSA.
(d) Agent of the United States. A State that has executed an Agreement under this section is an agent of the United States for purposes of receiving applications for and providing payments on the basis provided in this part and must carry out fully the purposes of the Act and this part.
(e) Breach. If the Secretary determines that the State or CSA has not fulfilled its commitments under its Agreement stated in this section, the Secretary may terminate the Agreement. The Secretary must provide the State or CSA reasonable notice and an opportunity for a hearing before the Secretary makes a finding that the State has not fulfilled its commitments under its Agreement. In the event that the Secretary determines the State or CSA has not fulfilled its commitments under its Agreement, section 3302(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (regarding loss of unemployment tax credits under section 3302(a) and (b)), applies.
(f) Review of State and CSA compliance. The Department is responsible for monitoring and reviewing State and CSA compliance with the Agreement entered into under the Act and this section.
(g) Merit staffing. States must comply with the staffing flexibility provisions contained in § 618.890.
(h) Contents. Each Agreement under this section must contain provisions including, but not limited to, the following:
(1) Provisions consistent with the requirements of section 239 of the Act (19 U.S.C. 2311);
(2) Authorization for the State to issue waivers under § 618.735 (waiver of training requirement for Basic TRA) and the requirement that the State submit, upon request, to the Department a copy of each such waiver and, if not already contained within each waiver, a statement of the reasons for such waiver;
(3) The requirement that the State supply data to the Department on national TAA Program performance goals identified in applicable regulations, the Department’s written directives, or any other written means used to communicate such goals; and
(4) Provisions establishing TAA Program funds as the primary source of Federal assistance to trade-affected workers. This means that following certification of a petition under subpart B of this part, the costs for providing services to a worker group should shift from WIOA and other programs to the TAA Program.
(i) Administration absent State Agreement. (1) In any State in which no Agreement under this section is in effect, the Secretary will administer the Act and this part through appropriate arrangements made by the Department.
(2) The Secretary will administer TAA in accordance with this part and the provisions of the applicable State law, except to the extent that such State law is inconsistent with this part, section 303 of SSA (42 U.S.C. 503), or section 3304(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (26 U.S.C. 3304(a)).
(3) The Secretary will provide for a fair hearing for any individual whose application for TAA is denied. A final determination as to eligibility for TAA will be subject to review as provided in 42 U.S.C 405(g), as required by section 240(b) of the Act.
(4)(i) The Department will issue administrative guidance providing additional detail on the operation of the TAA Program within that State.
(ii) Prior to providing administrative guidance, the Department will consult with the Governor, other State agencies, neighboring States, and other organizations to determine how best to ensure access to the TAA Program within that State. Options to administer the program that the Department may consider include, but are not limited to:
(A) Executing an agreement with another State to operate the TAA Program;
(B) Executing an agreement with a qualified organization within the State that adheres to all TAA Program requirements in this part to operate the TAA Program; and
(C) Directly administering the TAA Program.
(j) Program coordination. State agencies providing employment and case management services under subpart C of this part and training under subpart F of this part must, in accordance with their Agreements under this section, coordinate such services and payments with programs and services provided by WIOA and with the State agency administering the State law. Any agency of the State jointly administering such provisions under this Agreement must be considered to be a CSA for purposes of this part.
§ 618.808 State rulemaking.
(a) A State may establish laws, regulations, procedures, or policies, not inconsistent with the Act or this part, or administrative guidance issued by the Department.
(b) The State must submit the exact text of such proposed law, regulation, procedure, or policy, certified as accurate by a responsible official, employee, or counsel of the State, to the Department.
(c) No law, regulation, procedure, or policy proposed under paragraph (a) of this section may become effective unless and until approved by the Department. The Department may grant approval on a temporary basis, not to exceed 90 days, in cases of administrative necessity.
(d) The Department may withdraw approval at any time with reasonable notice of no less than 30 days to a State.
(e) If public notice and opportunity for hearing would be required under State law for adoption of a similar law, regulation, procedure, or policy involving UI or other State or Federal law, the State must provide such public notice and opportunity for hearing.
§ 618.812 Subpoenas.
(a) A State may require by subpoena the attendance of witnesses and production of evidence necessary for use in the determination of an individual’s eligibility for TAA Program services and benefits or to obtain information needed to assist the Department in the petition determination process.
(b) This power includes the ability of the State to subpoena an employer for information necessary to determine whether a certification covers a worker, including the name, address, and Social Security number of the worker.
(c) The State may enforce compliance with subpoenas as provided under State law and, if a State court declines to enforce a subpoena issued under this section, or the State does not attempt a subpoena under State law, the State must petition for an order requiring compliance with such subpoena to the District Court of the United States with jurisdiction over the proceeding.
§ 618.816 Trade Adjustment Assistance Program benefit information and provision of services to workers.
(a) Providing information to workers. State agencies must provide information to each worker who applies for UI about the benefit allowances, training, and other services available under this part, and about the application procedures, and the appropriate filing dates, for such allowances, training, and other services.
(b) Rapid response and appropriate career services. States must ensure that rapid response assistance and appropriate career services, as described in section 134 of WIOA, are made available to members of a group of workers for whom a petition under subpart B of this part has been filed.
(c) Providing reemployment services. (1) For trade-affected workers covered by a certification, States must:
(i) Make available employment and case management services described in subpart C of this part, including testing, counseling, assessment, and placement services; and
(ii) Provide referrals to, assistance in securing of, and approvals of training under subpart F of this part.
(2) If funds provided to carry out this part are insufficient to make such services available, States must arrange to make such services available through other Federal programs.
(d) Petition filing assistance. (1) States must facilitate the early filing of petitions for a group of workers that the State considers are likely to be eligible for TAA Program benefits.
(2) For purposes of paragraph (d)(1) of this section, “likely to be eligible” means the State has a reasonable belief that a certification will be issued for the group of workers based on observations made by State staff; existence of certifications within the same industry, sector, or supply chain; or information or statements from the firm, union, workers, media coverage, or other reports.
(3) States must provide assistance to enable individuals and other entities eligible to file to prepare petitions or applications for program benefits.
(4) Petitions must be filed under paragraph (d)(1) of this section even if the firm, a union, elected officials, or members of the group of workers oppose the filing.
(e) Providing information after issuance of a certification. (1) States must inform the State’s board on vocational and technical education (also called the eligible agency, as defined in 20 U.S.C. 2302(12)) or the equivalent agency in the State and other public or private agencies, institutions, and employers, as appropriate, of each certification issued under subpart B of this part and of projections, if available, of the needs for training under subpart F of this part as a result of such certification.
(2) Upon receipt of a certification issued under subpart B of this part by the Department, the State must provide a written notice through the mail, of the benefits available under this part to each worker known to be covered by the certification when the worker becomes partially or totally separated or as soon as possible after the certification is issued if the worker is already partially or totally separated from adversely affected employment. The State must also provide notice to all workers threatened with separation who may be AAIWs. These notices must contain the following information:
(i) The worker group(s) covered by the TAA certification and the article(s) produced or services rendered as specified in the copy of the certification furnished to the State;
(ii) The name and the address or location of workers’ firm;
(iii) The impact, certification, and expiration dates in the certification document.
(iv) A summary of benefits and services available to the workers;
(v) An explanation of how, when, and where the workers may apply for TAA Program benefits and services;
(vi) The training enrollment deadlines (set forth in § 618.725) for TRA qualification;
(vii) Whom to contact to get additional information on the certification; and
(viii) A Babel notice (a short notice in multiple languages informing the reader that the communication contains vital information and explaining how to access language services to have the contents of the communication provided in other languages).
(3) In order to identify these workers, the State must obtain from the firm, or another reliable source, the names and addresses of all workers who were partially or totally separated from adversely affected employment before the agency received the certification, and of all workers who are thereafter partially or totally separated or threatened with separation within the certification period. Provision of this information may be compelled under the subpoena provisions at § 618.812.
(4) Upon receipt of a copy of a certification issued by the Department affecting workers in a State, the State must publish a notice of the certification in a newspaper of general circulation in areas in which such workers reside. The published notice must include the same information identified in paragraphs (e)(2)(i) through (viii) of this section. The notice may be filed in a print version of the newspaper, or in the online or digital version of the newspaper if it can be reasonably expected to reach the interested parties.
(5) Upon receipt of a copy of a certification issued by the Department, the State must perform outreach to, intake of, and orientation for trade-affected workers covered by the certification with respect to assistance and benefits available under this part.
(6) In addition to the mailed written notice under paragraph (e)(2) of this section, States must also give notice to each worker by at least one method of modern electronic communication reasonably calculated to reach each worker. For example, States may give notice via email to a worker with a known email address, or by text to a worker with a known mobile phone number.
(7) States may also use other modern methods of communication, such as websites and social media, to reach members of certified worker groups.
(f) Specific benefit assistance to workers. States must:
(1) Advise each trade-affected worker, as soon as practicable after the worker is separated from adversely affected employment or, if later, after a certification is issued, or upon notice of the worker’s threatened status, of the benefits and services available under this part, including the qualifying requirements, procedures, and deadlines for applying for such benefits and services.
(2) Perform an intake interview for each trade-affected worker (unless the worker declines the interview) as soon as practicable after the worker is separated from adversely affected employment, after a certification is issued, or upon notice of the worker’s threatened status. The interview must be scheduled in time for the worker to meet the training enrollment deadline set forth in proposed § 618.725(a). During the interview, States must provide information about all of the benefits available under this part.
§ 618.820 Determinations of eligibility; notices to individuals.
(a) Determinations on initial applications. The State whose State law is the applicable State law must, upon the filing of an initial application by an individual, promptly determine the individual’s eligibility for TAA Program benefits under this part and may accept for such purposes information and findings supplied by another State.
(b) Determinations on subsequent applications. The State must, upon the filing of an application for payment of TRA, RTAA, subsistence and transportation, job search allowance, or relocation allowance, promptly determine whether the individual is eligible for such payment and, if eligible, the amount of such payment.
(c) Redeterminations. The provision for redeterminations under the applicable State law applies to determinations of eligibility for any benefit under this part.
(d) Use of State law. In making determinations or redeterminations under this section, or in reviewing such determinations or redeterminations under § 618.820, a State must apply the regulations in this part. As to matters committed by this part to be decided under the applicable State law, a CSA, a hearing officer, or a State court must apply the applicable State law and regulations thereunder, including the procedural requirements of the applicable State law or regulations, except that no provision of State law or State regulations on good cause for waiver of any time limit, or for late filing of any claim, will apply to any time limitation referred to or specified in this part, unless such State law or regulation is made applicable by a specific provision of this part. However, States must follow the good cause provision at § 618.730.
(e) Notices to individuals. The State must notify individuals in writing of any determination or redetermination of eligibility to TAA Program benefits. Each determination or redetermination must inform the individual of the reason for the determination or redetermination and of the right to reconsideration or appeal in the same manner as determinations of entitlement to UI are subject to redetermination or appeal under the applicable State law.
(f) Promptness. States must make full payment of TAA Program benefits when due with the greatest promptness that is administratively feasible.
(g) Procedure. Except where otherwise required by the Act or this part, the procedures for making and furnishing determinations, the promptness standards, and written notices of determinations to individuals, must be consistent with the Department’s “Standard for Claim Determinations—Separation Information,” Employment Security Manual, part V, sections 6010 through 6015 (appendix B of this part).
(h) Successor-in-interest. (1) States are authorized to determine whether a firm is a successor-in-interest to a firm named as the employer of a worker group on a determination issued under subpart B of this part.
(2) The factors to be used to determine whether or not there is a successor-in-interest are established in § 618.110.
(3) If, after reviewing the successor-in-interest factors, the State believes that a denial of benefits is warranted, the State must file a new petition requesting an amendment to the certification under § 618.250.
§ 618.824 Liable State and agent State responsibilities.
(a) Liable State. The liable State, as defined in § 618.110, is responsible for:
(1) Making all determinations, redeterminations, and decisions on appeals on all claims for program benefits under this part, including job search and relocation allowances under subpart D of this part; RTAA under subpart E of this part; training under subpart F of this part; subsistence and transportation payments under subpart F of this part; Basic, Additional, and Completion TRA under subpart G of this part; and waivers and revocations of waivers under subpart G of this part;
(2) Providing workers with general program information and assistance under § 618.816;
(3)(i) Providing rapid response assistance and appropriate career services, as described under section 134 of WIOA, to the group of workers in the State covered by the petition upon receiving notice of any such workers for whom a petition is filed.
(ii) This includes making career services authorized under other Federal laws available to the workers covered by the petition to the extent authorized under such laws.
(iii) In certain situations, based on the residency of the group of workers, it may be appropriate for agent States to also be involved in the provision of these services, but in all instances the liable State must be ultimately responsible for ensuring the provision of these services;
(4) Providing information and assistance to trade-affected workers under § 618.816(c) (providing reemployment services), (e) (providing information after issuance of a certification), and (f) (specific benefit assistance to workers) upon receiving a certification issued by the Department with respect to affected workers at a firm or appropriate subdivision in the State;
(5) Providing a list of eligible TAA recipients and eligible RTAA recipients, for HCTC purposes, to the Internal Revenue Service if HCTC is available; and
(6) Assisting in other activities and functions required by the Governor-Secretary Agreement at § 618.804, including assisting the Department in the review of petitions by verifying such information and providing such other assistance as the Department may request.
(b) Agent State. The agent State, as defined in § 618.110, is responsible for:
(1) Providing interstate claimants with general program information and assistance under § 618.816(a) and petition filing assistance under § 618.816(d);
(2) Cooperating fully with and assisting the liable State in carrying out its responsibilities, activities, and functions, including the provision of rapid response and appropriate career services, as needed;
(3) Cooperating with the liable State in taking applications and claims for TAA Program benefits under this part;
(4) Providing employment and case management services, as described in subpart C of this part, to trade-affected workers covered by a certification issued by the Department under this part;
(5) Cooperating with the liable State by providing information that the liable State needs for it to issue determinations, redeterminations, and decisions on appeals on all claims for program benefits under this part, as described in paragraph (a)(1) of this section;
(6) Securing, and paying the cost of, any approved training under subpart F of this part, and payment of subsistence and transportation under subpart F of this part, according to determinations issued by the liable State;
(7) Paying costs under subpart D of this part for job search and relocation allowances; and
(8) Assisting in other activities and functions required by the Agreement under § 618.804, including assisting in the review of petitions by verifying information and providing such other assistance as the Department may request.
(c) Responsibilities under this section. In most instances, the liable State and agent State will be the same State and is responsible for all of the activities and functions described in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section.
§ 618.828 Appeals and hearings.
(a) Applicable State law. Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, a determination or redetermination under this part (other than a determination on the eligibility of a group of workers under subpart B of this part, which is subject to review by the USCIT) is subject to review in the same manner and to the same extent as determinations and redeterminations under the applicable State law, and only in that manner and to that extent. Proceedings for review of a determination or redetermination may be consolidated or joined with proceedings for review of other determinations or redeterminations under the applicable State law where convenient or necessary. The right of appeal and opportunity for fair hearing for these proceedings must be consistent with section 303(a)(1) and (3) of SSA (42 U.S.C. 503(a)(1) and (3)).
(b) Allegations of discrimination. Complaints alleging that a determination or redetermination under this part violates applicable Federal nondiscrimination laws administered by the U.S. Department of Labor must be handled in accordance with the procedures of 29 CFR parts 31, 32, 35, 36, and 38, as applicable, and as provided in § 618.894 (nondiscrimination and equal opportunity requirements).
(c) Appeals promptness. Appeals under paragraph (a) of this section must be decided with a degree of promptness meeting the Department’s “Standard for Appeals Promptness—Unemployment Compensation” (20 CFR part 650). Any provisions of the applicable State law for advancement or priority of UI cases on judicial calendars, or other provisions intended to provide for prompt payment of UI when due, must apply equally to proceedings involving eligibility for TAA Program benefits and services under this part.
(d) Retroactivity. In the case of a redetermination or decision reversing a training denial, the redetermination or decision must be given effect retroactively to the date of issuance of the determination that was subsequently reversed. However, no costs of training may be paid unless such costs actually were incurred for training in which the individual participated. In addition, if a TRA application was filed and denied as a result of the training denial, TRA may only be paid with respect to any week during which the individual was actually participating in the training.
§ 618.832 Overpayments; penalties for fraud.
(a) Determinations and repayment. (1) If a State, the Department, or a court of competent jurisdiction determines that any person has received any payment under this part to which the person was not entitled, including a payment referred to in paragraph (b) of this section, such person is required to repay such amount to the State or the Department, as appropriate, except that the State or the Department must waive such repayment if such State or the Department determines that:
(i) The payment was made without fault on the part of such person; and
(ii) Requiring such repayment would cause a financial hardship for the person (or the person’s household, if applicable).
(2) States must provide persons determined to have received TAA overpayments a reasonable opportunity to demonstrate their eligibility for waiver under the criteria in paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (ii) of this section.
(3) A financial hardship exists if recovery of the overpayment would result in the person’s (or the person’s household’s) loss of or inability to pay for ordinary and necessary living expenses. This determination must take into account the income and resources (including liquid financial resources) reasonably available to the person (and the person’s household).
(4) Fault exists for purposes of paragraph (a)(1)(i) of this section if any of the following criteria are met:
(i) Whether a material statement or representation was made by the person or individual in connection with the application for TAA that resulted in the overpayment, and whether the person knew or should have known that the statement or representation was inaccurate;
(ii) Whether the person failed or caused another to fail to disclose a material fact in connection with an application for TAA that resulted in the overpayment, and whether the person knew or should have known that the fact was material;
(iii) Whether the person knew or should have known that the person or individual was not entitled to the