Employment and Training Administration 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The following change has occurred since the publication of the last notice regarding the State's EB status: Louisiana's 13-week insured unemployment rate for the week ending February 4, 2006, fell below the 5.0 percent threshold causing Louisiana's EB period that began October 30, 2005, to trigger ``off'' effective February 25, 2006.

The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) of the Department of Labor (Department or DOL) is issuing this Notice to announce: the 2006 AEWRS for employers seeking to employ temporary or seasonal nonimmigrant alien workers to perform agricultural labor or services (H-2A workers) or logging (H-2 logging workers); the allowable charges for 2006, that employers seeking H-2A workers and H-2 logging workers may levy upon their workers when three meals a day are provided by the employer; and the maximum travel subsistence reimbursement which a worker with receipts may claim in 2006. AEWRs are the minimum wage rates the Department has determined must be offered and paid to U.S. and alien workers by employers of H-2A workers or H-2 logging workers. AEWRs are established to prevent the employment of these aliens from adversely affecting wages of similarly employed U.S. workers. The Department announces the AEWRs for 2006. The Department also announces the new rates for 2006, which covered agricultural and logging employers may charge their workers for three daily meals. Under specified conditions, workers are entitled to reimbursement for travel subsistence expenses. The minimum reimbursement is the charge for three daily meals as noted above. The Department also announces the current maximum reimbursement that may be claimed in 2006, by workers with receipts.

In December 2002, the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) began a review of the performance management system for the Unemployment Insurance (UI) program. The review addressed the following topics: (a) The performance measures; (b) the criteria used to gauge success against the measures; and (c) the administration of UI Performs. ETA conducted the review in significant consultation with State Workforce Agencies (SWAs) and indirectly through the National Association of State Workforce Agencies' Subcommittee for UI Performs. ETA contracted with Mathematica Policy Research, Inc. to assist with the data analyses. The review resulted in a recommendation that ETA publish a guidance to streamline the UI performance management system (UI Performs) in the following three significant ways: (1) Reduce the number of performance goals to a few ``core'' measures; (2) utilize the data of the remaining measures for program management with no performance goals; and (3) streamline the State Quality Service Plan narrative. In response, on June 16, 2004, ETA published UIPL No. 21-04, which outlined the proposed changes to UI Perform and invited public comments. (69 FR 33669 (2004)).

The U.S. Department of Labor (the Department), Employment and Training Administration (ETA) announces a grant competition for national grantee funding under the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) authorized under title V of the Older Americans Act Amendments of 2000 (OAA Amendments), Pub. L. 106-501, 42 U.S.C. 3056 and implemented under 20 CFR part 641 (April 9, 2004). These projects will promote part-time work-based training opportunities in local communities for unemployed, low-income individuals who are age 55 and over, and will foster increased prospects for their economic self-sufficiency. SCSEP is the only nationwide Federal program that focuses on training and placing older individuals into community work-based training and unsubsidized employment. The total amount of funds available for this SGA is approximately $341,000,000, or 78 percent of the total appropriation for Program Year (PY) 2006 (July 1, 2006 through June 30, 2007). It is anticipated that no more than 20 awards will be made under this SGA, including at least one award to an Indian and Native American organization and at least one award to an Asian Pacific Islander organization, as required by section 506(a)(3) of the OAA Amendments. Eligible entities include any non-profit organization, Federal public agency, or Tribal organization that has the ability to operate in more than one state and that meets the eligibility and responsibility requirements outlined in 20 CFR part 641 subpart D. The remaining 22 percent of the appropriation is reserved for state formula-funded programs and therefore, is not included in this SGA. The Department is holding a full and open competition in order to provide better services to SCSEP participants, employers, and the communities served by the national grant program. Open competition is not only the preferred vehicle for obtaining new grantees, but in most cases, it is the required vehicle for obtaining new grantees. The Department favors full and open competition because it provides an opportunity to ensure that the best applicants are awarded grants and that the program is administered effectively. The Department held the first competition for national grant funding in PY 2003. As a result of that competition, the Department selected four new national grantees, and made extensive changes to the areas served by the incumbent grantees. These grantees provide diversity in services, including expertise in serving individuals with disabilities and minority populations as well as close connections with One-Stop Career Centers. The Department deems it important to maintain diversity among qualified service providers to the extent possible. The Department is especially interested in organizations that demonstrate a partnership with local One-Stop Career Centers and community colleges and that promote employment through high growth job opportunities. Under this SGA, the Department will be consolidating grantee service areas to increase program effectiveness and achieve economies of scale. Therefore, applicants are required to apply for contiguous locations within a state. Applicants applying as Asian and Pacific Islander and/or Indian organizations, pursuant to section 506(a)(3) of title V of the OAA, are exempt from this contiguousness requirement. The Department reserves the right to negotiate with successful applicants on the final service areas.