Justification

Justification for

Non-MATERIAL change FOR OMB Control No. 1205-0132

ET Handbook No. 336, 18th Edition;

Unemployment Insurance (UI) State Quality Service Plan (SQSP)

BACKGROUND:

The SQSP (State Plan) represents an approach to the UI performance management and planning process that allows for an exchange of information between Federal and state partners to enhance the UI program’s ability to reflect their joint commitment to performance excellence and client-centered services. As such, it is the state’s formal plan and schedule for improving performance. ET Handbook No. 336 contains general instructions for the SQSP (See UIPL No. 3-10). This Handbook is designed as a permanent instruction for the planning and budget process and provides states with planning guidelines and instructions for reporting UI financial and staff year information.

NON-MATERIAL CHANGE REQUEST:

Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). The WIOA provides the option for states to include program plans for mandatory one-stop partners and other programs to submit a Combined Plan. States that choose the option to include UI in a WIOA Combined Plan will be required to submit their SQSP, in its entirety, through the Combined Plan process, beginning in April 2016.  Thereafter, states that elect to include UI in the Combined Plan must include the most recently approved complete SQSP by the last business day in October.

The UI SQSP must reflect coordination with other plans, including the WIOA. The plan coordination must be discussed in the SQSP State Plan Narrative. Since the UI SQSP process remains the same, there is no additional burden on the state for the completion of the SQSP. The minimal time it is expected to take a state to incorporate the UI SQSP into the state WIOA Combined Plan and load the plan into the web-based portal for submission has been included with the WIOA ICR.

ET Handbook No. 336 has been revised to include guidance for states that choose to include the UI SQSP into the state WIOA Combined Plan. Appendix IV of the Handbook is new and is being added via the non-material change.

ETA is requesting approval for a non-material change to 1205-0132.