Employment and Training Administration – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The U.S. Department of Labor (Department) is issuing this final rule to amend its regulations governing combined-wage claims filed under the Federal-State Unemployment Compensation (UC) program. Most significantly, this final rule amends the definition of ``paying State.''

The Employment and Training Administration published a document in the Federal Register on October 10, 2008, announcing the availability of funds and solicitation for grant applications (SGA) for Community-Based Job Training Grants to be awarded through a competitive process. This notice is the first amendment to the SGA and it amends the date for the Virtual Prospective Applicant conference that will be posted on ETA's Web site at https://www.doleta.gov/business/Community- BasedJob TrainingGrants.cfm. Supplemental Information Correction: The Virtual Prospective Applicant Conference has been changed from Friday, October 24, 2008 at 1 p.m. Eastern Time to Tuesday, October 28, 2008 at 1 p.m. Eastern Time.

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL or Department), Employment and Training Administration (ETA) announces the availability of approximately $47 million in grant funds for YouthBuild Grants. YouthBuild Grants will be awarded through a competitive process. Grant funds will be used to provide disadvantaged youth with: The education and employment skills necessary to achieve economic self- sufficiency in occupations in high demand and postsecondary education and training opportunities; opportunities for meaningful work and service to their communities; and opportunities to develop employment and leadership skills and a commitment to community development among youth in low-income communities. As part of their programming, YouthBuild grantees will tap the energies and talents of disadvantaged youth to increase the supply of permanent affordable housing for homeless individuals and low-income families and to help youth develop the leadership, learning, and high-demand occupational skills needed to succeed in today's global economy. DOL hopes to serve approximately 2,900 youth participants during the first year of the grant, with projects operating in approximately 90-100 communities across the country. Under this announcement, DOL will be awarding grants to organizations to oversee the provision of education and employment services to disadvantaged youth in their communities. Each applicant should indicate the proposed number of participants to be served based on an average annual cost of between $15,000$18,000. This solicitation provides background information and describes the application submission requirements, outlines the process that eligible entities must use to apply for funds covered by this solicitation, and outlines the evaluation criteria used as a basis for selecting grantees.

This notice announces a change in benefit period eligibility under the EB Program for North Carolina. The following change has occurred since the publication of the last notice regarding the State's EB status: Based on data reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics on September 19, 2008, North Carolina's 3-month seasonally adjusted total unemployment rate rose to the 6.5 percent threshold and exceeded 110 percent of the corresponding rate in the prior year. This causes North Carolina to be triggered ``on'' to an EB period beginning October 5, 2008.

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), Employment and Training Administration (ETA) announces the availability of approximately $5 million to fund demonstration grants that target the employment and training needs of young parents. The Young Parents Demonstration program is to provide educational and occupational skills training leading to family economic self-sufficiency to both mothers and fathers, and expectant mothers ages 16 to 24. Projects funded will be encouraged to serve young parents in high-risk categories, including those who are court-involved, in the child welfare or foster care system, homeless, or victims of child abuse. This solicitation provides background information and describes the application submission requirements, outlines the process that eligible entities must use to apply for funds covered by this solicitation, and details how grantees will be selected.