Employment and Training Administration – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Pursuant to Section 10 (a)(2) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) (Pub. L. 92-463), as amended, and Section 166 (h)(4) of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) [29 U.S.C. 2911(h)(4)], notice is hereby given of the next meeting of the Native American Employment and Training Council (Council), as constituted under WIA.

Announcement regarding states triggering ``off'' in the Emergency Unemployment Compensation 2008 (EUC08) program and the Federal State Extended Benefits (EB) Program. The Department of Labor produces trigger notices indicating which states qualify for both EB and EUC08 benefits, and provides the beginning and ending dates of payable periods for each qualifying state. The trigger notices covering state eligibility for these programs can be found at: https://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/claims arch.asp. The following changes have occurred since the publication of the last notice regarding states' EB and EUC08 trigger status: Based on data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics on January 24, 2012 the three month average, seasonally-adjusted total unemployment rate (TUR trigger) for Texas fell below the 8.5% threshold to remain ``on'' Tier Four of the EUC08 program. The 13-week mandatory ``on'' period for Texas in Tier Four of the EUC08 program concluded on March 10, 2012. As a result, the week ending March 10, 2012 was the last week in which EUC claimants in Texas could exhaust Tier 3, and establish Tier 4 eligibility. With this change, the maximum potential entitlement in Texas for the EUC08 program decreased from 53 weeks to 47 weeks. Under the phase-out provisions, claimants can receive any remaining entitlement they have in Tier 4 after March 10, 2012. Based on data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics on March 13, 2012, the TUR triggers for Minnesota and Utah fell below the 6% threshold to remain ``on'' in Tier 3 of the EUC08 program. As a result, the current maximum potential entitlement in both of these states in the EUC08 program will decrease from 47 weeks to 34 weeks. The week ending April 7, 2012 will be the last week in which EUC08 claimants in these states can exhaust Tier 2, and establish Tier 3 eligibility. Under the phase-out provisions, claimants in these states can receive any remaining entitlement they have in Tier 3 after April 7, 2012. Based on data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics on March 13, 2012, the TUR triggers for Alabama, Idaho, and Ohio fell below the 8.5% threshold to remain ``on'' in Tier 4 of the EUC08 program. As a result, the current maximum potential entitlement in these states for the EUC08 program will decrease from 53 weeks to 47 weeks. The week ending April 7, 2012 will be the last week in which EUC claimants in these states can exhaust Tier 3, and establish Tier 4 eligibility. Under the phase-out provisions, claimants in these states can receive any remaining entitlement they have in Tier 4 after April 7, 2012. Based on data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics on March 13, 2012, the TUR trigger for Kansas fell to 6.3%, below the 6.5% threshold to remain ``on'', and triggering them ``off'' of the EB program with the week ending March 17, 2012. The payable period for Kansas in the EB program will conclude with the week ending April 7, 2012. Based on data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics on March 13, 2012, the TUR triggers in Colorado, Texas, and West Virginia fell below the 8.0% threshold required to remain ``on'' in a high unemployment period (HUP) for EB. Claimants in these states will remain eligible for up to 20 weeks of benefits through April 7, 2012, but starting April 8, 2012, the maximum potential entitlement in the EB program for these states will decrease from 20 weeks to 13 weeks. Based on data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics on March 13, 2012, as well as revisions to prior year data released on February 29, 2012, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Missouri, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Wisconsin no longer meet one of the criteria to remain ``on'' in EB, having their current TUR triggers be at least 110% of one of the trigger rates from a comparable prior period in one of the three prior years. This triggers these states ``off'' of the EB program with the week ending March 17, 2012. The payable period in these states for the EB program will conclude with the week ending April 7, 2012. Information for Claimants

The Department of Labor (Department), as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a pre-clearance consultation to provide the public and Federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A). The Department undertakes this consultation to ensure that requested data can be provided in the desired format, reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized, collection instruments are clearly understood, and the impact of collection requirements on respondents can be properly assessed. Through this notice, the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) is soliciting comments concerning the revision of the approved information collection, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Control Number 1205-0457, containing ETA Form 9127Foreign Labor Certification Quarterly Activity Report and instructions. The ETA Form 9127 solicits information from State Workforce Agencies (SWAs) who are recipients of foreign labor certification grants about program-related activities performed by SWA staff in accordance with the specific fiscal year annual plans. This information collection is set to expire on May 31, 2012.

This notice announces listening sessions designed to gain input from employers, labor organizations, State workforce agencies, and relevant program experts on the implementation of provisions of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 related to Short Time Compensation (STC) and Self Employment Assistance (SEA) programs. Specifically the Department of Labor (Department) is interested in hearing from stakeholders on the following issues: Model State legislation to support implementation of the two programs; Guidance and technical assistance to States; and Reporting requirements. Times and Dates: The listening sessions for the STC and SEA programs are as follows:

The U.S. Department of Labor (Department or DOL), Employment and Training Administration (ETA), announces the availability of approximately $20 million in grant funds authorized by the Workforce Investment Act to serve juvenile offenders, ages 14 and above, in high- poverty, high-crime communities. The purpose of these grants is to improve the long-term labor market prospects of these youth. These grants will be awarded through a competitive process open to organizations with the capacity to implement multi-site, multi-state projects. The Department expects to award four grants of $5 million each to cover a 32-month period of performance that includes up to 6 months of planning and a minimum of 26 months of operation. DOL will require grantees to competitively select local sub-grantees to operate the program in a minimum of three high-poverty, high-crime communities in at least two states. The complete SGA and any subsequent SGA amendments in connection with this solicitation are described in further detail on ETA's Web site at https://www.doleta.gov/grants/ or on https://www.grants.gov. The Web sites provide application information, eligibility requirements, review and selection procedures, and other program requirements governing this solicitation.

The Employment and Training Administration (ETA), U.S. Department of Labor announces a grant competition for national grantees funded under the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) authorized under title V of the Older Americans Act (OAA) as amended in 2006, Public Law 109-365. Approximately $346,000,000 in grant funds will be available for national grantees. SCSEP grant funds are awarded to states and territories, and to competitively-chosen national grantees. This funding opportunity is for national grantees. SCSEP is the only Federally-sponsored employment and training program targeted specifically to unemployed low-income older individuals who want to enter or re-enter the workforce. Program participants receive work experience at local public or non-profit agencies and are paid the higher of the Federal, State, or local minimum wage, or the prevailing wage for similar employment, for approximately 20 hours per week while in community service and other job training (OAA Amendments Sec. 502(b)(1)(J); 20 CFR 641.565(a)). The dual goals of the program are to promote useful opportunities in community service job training and to move SCSEP participants into unsubsidized employment, where appropriate. The complete SGA and any subsequent SGA amendments, in connection with this solicitation are described in further detail on ETA's Web site at https://www.doleta.gov/grants/ or on https://www.grants.gov. The Web sites provide application information, eligibility requirements, review and selection procedures and other program requirements governing this solicitation.

Under the Department of Labor's (we or the Department) H-2A temporary labor certification program, Adverse Effect Wage Rates (AEWRs) are the minimum wage rates the Department has determined must be offered and paid by employers to H-2A workers and workers in corresponding employment for a particular occupation and area such that the wages of similarly employed United States (U.S.) workers will not be adversely affected. 20 CFR 655.100(b). AEWRs are derived from the Farm Labor Survey (FLS) issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). In the interest of government transparency, we are publishing this document to announce a non-material change in the frequency of establishment surveys under the FLS (and its accompanying publication) beginning in 2012.