UIPL 12-25.pdf

EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION

ADVISORY SYSTEM

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Washington, D.C. 20210

CLASSIFICATION

Unemployment Insurance

CORRESPONDENCE SYMBOL

OUI/DL

DATE

June 10, 2025

RESCISSIONS

None

EXPIRATION DATE

Continuing

ADVISORY:

TO:

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE PROGRAM LETTER NO. 12-25

STATE WORKFORCE AGENCIES

FROM: LORI FRAZIER BEARDEN

Acting Assistant Secretary

SUBJECT: Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Funding Allotments and Operating Guidance for

Unemployment Insurance (UI) Reemployment Services and Eligibility

Assessments (RESEA) Grants

1. Purpose. To provide guidelines for the FY 2025 UI RESEA grants and to invite State

Workforce Agencies to submit RESEA State Plans.

2. Action Requested. The U.S. Department of Labor’s (Department’s) Employment and

Training Administration (ETA) requests state agency administrators to provide information contained in this Unemployment Insurance Program Letter (UIPL) to appropriate staff. This information should be shared with staff working in the following program areas, as well as other relevant staff: the UI program; workforce programs administered under the Workforce

Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), including the Wagner-Peyser Act-funded

Employment Service (ES); and workforce information/labor market information programs.

Each state requesting funding to continue a current RESEA program or to implement a new

RESEA program during FY 2025 must submit an RESEA State Plan. The submission must contain all required information described in this UIPL and be submitted via https://www.grants.gov/ by Thursday, July 10, 2025.

3. Summary and Background.

a. Summary – This UIPL provides general operating guidance for the RESEA program for

FY 2025: (a) definitions for RESEA-specific terms; (b) funding details, including the base-funding formula for state grants, outcome payments, and evaluation set-aside costs;

(c) program design requirements; (d) program operations, including the involvement of

UI agency staff and performance reporting requirements; (e) evidence-based interventions and evaluation requirements; and (f) the RESEA State Plan submission process.

This UIPL is published concurrently as a Training and Employment Guidance Letter

(TEGL No. 14-24). The jointly issued UIPL and TEGL reflect the shared https://www.grants.gov/ responsibilities across UI and workforce programs in conducting RESEA activities. The content in these guidance documents is identical other than non-substantive changes to formatting.

b. Background – Since 2005, the Department and participating state UI agencies have leveraged the voluntary UI Reemployment and Eligibility Assessment (REA) program and its successor, the voluntary RESEA program, to address individual reemployment needs of unemployment compensation (UC) claimants and to prevent and detect UC improper payments. Because there is strong evidence that these types of reemployment programs and service delivery strategies are effective, they remain a high priority for the

Department. The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, Public Law 115-123 (BBA), enacted on

February 9, 2018, included amendments to the Social Security Act (SSA) creating a permanent authorization for the RESEA program. The RESEA provisions are contained in Section 30206 of the BBA, enacting new Section 306, SSA. The permanent RESEA program includes phased implementation that spans several years, as explained in UIPL

No. 13-21, Section 3.b.

The purposes of the RESEA program are identified in Section 306(b), SSA:

(1) To improve employment outcomes of UC recipients and reduce the average duration of UC receipt through employment;

(2) To strengthen program integrity and reduce improper UC payments through the detection and prevention of such payments to ineligible individuals;

(3) To promote alignment with WIOA’s broader vision of increased program integration and service delivery for job seekers, including UC claimants; and

(4) To establish RESEA as an entry point for UC claimants into other workforce system partner programs.

Beginning in FY 2023, states must, as required by Section 303(c)(2), SSA, dedicate a percentage of their RESEA funding to evidence-based interventions with a high or moderate causal evidence rating that improve employment and earnings outcomes for

RESEA participants. For FYs 2025 and 2026, the required high or moderate evidence-based percentage is 40 percent, an increase from the FYs 2023 and 2024 level of 25 percent. During FY 2025, states may continue to reference REA studies with a high or moderate causal rating to meet the 40 percent evidence-based requirement. In FY 2027, the required high or moderate evidence-based percentage will increase to the permanent level of 50 percent.

4. Guidance.

a. Definitions. To reflect the increased opportunity for innovation provided by the permanently authorized RESEA program, and to assist states in conducting RESEA planning and performance reporting, several definitions were introduced in FY 2020 that will continue, unchanged, in FY 2025. These definitions identify minimum levels of service delivery. States are strongly encouraged to identify and integrate additional services that respond to UC claimants’ reemployment needs.

i. Initial RESEA. – The term “initial RESEA” refers to the first meeting between a

RESEA service provider and a UC claimant who responded to an official notification of selection and required participation in RESEA services. As described in Section

4.d.ii. of this UIPL, every RESEA participant must be scheduled an initial RESEA.

A. Minimum requirements for an initial RESEA. The initial RESEA is considered “completed” when, at a minimum, all the following services have been provided:

(1) A UC eligibility review that is conducted on a one-on-one basis, including review of work search activities (if the work search requirement has not been waived for the claimant) and referral to adjudication if an issue or potential issue(s) is identified;

(2) Customized labor market and career information based on an assessment of the claimant’s needs;

(3) Co-enrollment in the Wagner-Peyser Act-funded ES program;

(4) Support, to the extent needed, for the claimant in the development of an individual reemployment plan tailored to the claimant’s needs; and

(5) Referral and information provided for additional reemployment services, and other American Job Center services, resources, and trainings (as appropriate).

The above list identifies the minimum requirements for an initial RESEA.

States may add additional activities or services as part of their initial RESEA meeting respective service delivery design. Additional information and requirements on RESEA services are found in Sections 4.c. of this UIPL.

ii. Subsequent RESEA. States will determine the extent to which they require any subsequent RESEAs as part of their service delivery model in addition to referrals to reemployment services. The term “subsequent RESEA” refers to any follow-on

RESEA meetings.

A. Minimum requirements for a subsequent RESEA. The subsequent

RESEA is considered “completed” when, at a minimum, all of the following services have been provided:

(1) A UC eligibility review that is conducted on a one-on-one basis, including review of work search activities (if such activities have not been waived) and referral to adjudication if an issue or potential issue(s) is identified;

and

(2) Review of the claimant’s activities to determine if additional assistance is needed to support the claimant’s return to suitable work at the earliest possible date. Additionally, if the claimant is required to search for work as a condition of UC eligibility, the state should provide any additional assistance necessary to support the claimant’s compliance with the state’s work search requirements.

States have the opportunity for significant innovation in their service-delivery design. This includes the extent to which they require subsequent RESEA sessions, how many subsequent RESEAs to provide, and identifying the most effective method in making referrals to additional reemployment services.

iii. Reemployment Services. States must develop processes to refer RESEA participants to reemployment services, including those services provided using

RESEA funding, and those provided through other programs. In support of RESEA’s goal of greater alignment with WIOA, reemployment services include, but are not limited to, activities identified as career services under Section 134(c)(2), WIOA, and further detailed at 20 CFR 678.430.

Each state will identify the types and quantity of reemployment services provided but must ensure that its respective RESEA program design and the services provided supplement, rather than supplant, federal, state, and local public funds that would otherwise be expended on reemployment services in the absence of a RESEA program.

iv. Remote Services. Remote services are the provision of RESEA activities, including the initial and subsequent RESEA, using person-to-person technologies such as

Teams, Zoom, FaceTime, or other similar applications, to directly connect a RESEA staff member with a RESEA participant or, in some circumstances, a group of

RESEA participants. The level and timeliness of these remote services must be comparable to the assistance staff would have provided in-person. States may provide RESEA services via telephone only in instances where in-person or person-to-person technologies are not available.

v. Virtual Services. Virtual services are technology-based resources that allow portions of the RESEA sessions to be automated and accessed through self-service methods that do not require the direct engagement of RESEA staff members. Examples of virtual service tools include pre-recorded orientations to American Job Center services, and online registration and assessment tools that assist a UC claimant in preparing for the initial RESEA. These virtual service delivery tools should be designed to increase RESEA program efficiencies, including to: (1) enhance the participants’ experience with RESEA services; (2) complement the resources and services provided during the initial RESEA or subsequent RESEA; and (3) significantly expand the number of UC claimants who can be served under the

RESEA program.

vi. Training. In the context of RESEA, training includes training services identified under Section 134(c)(3), WIOA, and 20 CFR 680.200, as well as any other training program approved by the state’s UI agency. It is expected that training resulting from a RESEA referral will align with the statutory purposes of RESEA by making use of available labor market information, business services, and other resources to directly link the training to a specific job or in-demand occupation. RESEA funds may not be used to support training activities.

b. Funding. The following section describes: (i) funding availability; (ii) the base-funding formula for state grants; (iii) allowable uses of these state grants; (iv) removal of administrative cost limitations; (v) evaluation set-aside funds; (vi) a note on the average costs of Initial RESEAs and Subsequent RESEAs; and (vii) the period of performance for these state grants. Allowable costs may not exceed the state’s formula allocation, as provided in Attachment I.

i. Funding Availability. The awards presented in this UIPL are subject to the availability of Federal funds. The amounts identified in Attachment I are based on the FY 2025 funding level of $388,000,000 as identified in the Full-Year Continuing

Appropriations and Extension Act, 2025, enacted on March 15, 2025, Public Law

119-4. The funding level is distributed across three funding streams:

eighty-nine (89) percent ($345,320,000) awarded to states via the base-funding formula (see Section 4.b.i. of this UIPL);

ten (10) percent ($38,800,000) awarded to states for outcome payments (see Section

306(f)(2), SSA); and one (1) percent ($3,880,000) reserved by the Department to conduct research and provide technical assistance (see Section 306(f)(3), SSA).

Grant recipients may be required to revise budget documents prior to award execution to account for discrepancies among estimated funding availability, funding requests, and actual award amounts.

ii. Base-Funding Formula for State Grants. The Department began in FY 2021 to determine each state’s maximum RESEA base award using a formula allocation based on the state’s Insured Unemployment Rate (IUR) and the size of its civilian labor force. The final RESEA base funding allocation formula was published in the

Federal Register on August 8, 2019 (84 Fed. Reg. 39,018). Following the

Congressional notification process in Section 303(g), SSA, the Department made a series of temporary formula modifications to the implementation of the RESEA base-funding formula and notified Congress of a permanent modification to the

Department’s methodology for calculating states’ carryover balances that are used to determine states’ RESEA base formula allocations. An explanation of base-funding formula carryover changes is provided in Section 4(b)(i)(C) of this UIPL .

Attachment I provides state-level formula allocations of RESEA base funding. Grant recipients may be required to revise budget documents prior to award execution to account for discrepancies among estimated funding availability, funding requests, and actual award amounts.

The formula allocation includes provisions intended to stabilize funding from year to year, and to incentivize the timely expenditure of RESEA funds. These include a hold harmless provision, minimum funding clause, and carryover threshold.

A. Hold harmless. In FY 2025, each state will receive no less than an amount equal to at least 95 percent of its FY 2024 allotment.

B. Minimum funding. No state will receive an amount equal to less than 0.28 percent of the total available funding for FY 2021 RESEA’s base-funding level, which is $498,400.

C. Carryover Limits. Carryover threshold provision – If a state has an existing balance of up to 30 percent of its previous year’s award, the state may carry that amount over from one year to the next. However, a state carrying an amount in excess of 30 percent will have any amount in excess of the 30 percent reduced from its subsequent year’s allocation, and the resulting additional resources will be included in the distribution to states that are under the 30 percent threshold.

The RESEA base funding allocation formula published on August 8, 2019, allowed a state, to ensure states’ timely expenditure of RESEA funding, to carry over up to 30 percent of its previous FY’s grant award into the new FY.

In FYs 2021 and 2022, the Department, applied the Congressional notification process described in Section 306(g), SSA, to delay implementation of the carryover provision to FY 2023 at a temporarily increased carryover limit of

60 percent. The enhanced carryover limit was a result of the impact the

COVID-19 pandemic had on many states’ operations of the RESEA program.

On December 11, 2023, again using the authority and notification process in

Section 306(g), SSA, ETA informed Congress of the additional modifications to the implementation of the carryover threshold provision; the change took effect on March 10, 2024. Training and Employment Notice (TEN) No. 23-

22 clarified that the impact of a reduction resulting from the carryover limit would occur in the year following the occurrence of the carry-over.

Beginning in FY 2024, the permanent 30 percent carryover threshold was implemented, and the Department’s carryover assessments now include both initial state base funding and any additional base funding allocations (i.e., “end of year funding”). Outcome Payments, awarded under Section 306(f)(2), SSA, will continue to be excluded from carryover balance assessments.

Carryover Provision Table

Upcoming

State Plan

Year

*Carryover Assessed for awarded Grant Year

(includes initial base funding and end of year funding).

Assessing the funding

Expended as of

Maximum

Carryover

Percentage

FY 2025 **FY 2022 9/30/2024 30 percent

FY 2026 FY 2023 9/30/2025 30 percent

FY 2027 FY 2024 9/30/2026 30 percent

FY 2028 FY 2025 9/30/2027 30 percent

* Outcome Payments will NOT be included in your carryover calculations.

** FY 2022 did not include “End of Year Funding” in the carryover calculations.

iii. Allowable Use of Funds. When a state applies for RESEA funding, the state is agreeing to integrate the RESEA program with other workforce partner programs, including services funded under WIOA and the Wagner-Peyser Act, and to co-enroll all RESEA participants into the ES program. RESEA funds must be used to support states in providing initial RESEAs, subsequent RESEAs (where determined appropriate by the state), and reemployment services (where determined appropriate by the state).

These funds must supplement the level of Federal, state, and local public funds that are already expended to provide reemployment services and eligibility assessments to individuals receiving UC. Thus, only reemployment or other service costs that are a direct result of a claimant’s participation in the RESEA program may be reimbursed using RESEA funds.

RESEA funds may not supplant UI grant funds devoted to other state UI program enforcement or program eligibility review activities. This includes Federal, state, or local funds devoted to providing reemployment services to UC claimants. Moreover, RESEA funds may not be used to pay for training services, or to purchase or pay for licenses for an assessment tool (e.g., the Transferable Occupation Relationship

Quotient). Funding for RESEA state staff may not be obligated for use at a future date, and the obligation may only occur at the time the staff performs services on the project.

iv. Administrative Cost Limitations. Beginning in FY 2017, ETA limited RESEA administrative costs to a specific percentage of each state’s annual grant award.

These limits were intended to align RESEA with other similarly sized discretionary grants. The Department removed such limitations beginning in FY 2022.

The removal of this limit reflects changes to the RESEA program including, among others, its permanent authorization and potential growth in future years. ETA intends for this change to incentivize states to grow their RESEA program. Growing the program may include increasing permanent RESEA staffing and supporting other resources necessary for expanding RESEA’s capacity to serve a larger percentage of

UC claimants. ETA will continue to review RESEA state plan submissions and perform routine monitoring to ensure administrative costs are reasonable and limited to supporting RESEA, and state spending is aligned with the approved FY 2025

RESEA state plans.

v. Evaluation Set-Aside Funds. Beginning in FY 2023, states have been required to link a percentage of their RESEA funding to evidence-based components with a high or moderate causal rating that show a demonstrated capacity to improve employment and earnings outcomes for program participants. This percentage will incrementally increase through FY 2026. For FY 2025, states must demonstrate that 40 percent of the RESEA grant award is used for interventions with a causal rating of high or moderate. States must continue to conduct such evaluations to build the necessary evidence to support successful RESEA programs and interventions in the future.

Section 306(d), SSA, allows states to use up to 10 percent of their RESEA grant funds (including the base grant, outcome payment amount, and subsequent base funding formula allocation (when applicable)) to conduct or commission evaluations of interventions and service delivery strategies used in carrying out their RESEA programs. If a state finds that the evaluation funding from a single year is insufficient to conduct a rigorous evaluation needed to build evidence-based strategies, the state is encouraged to explore multi-year funding strategies, and/or collaborate and pool its funds with other states. Additional detail is provided in Section 4.e. of this UIPL.

The evaluation costs must be reported quarterly in the comment section of the ETA-

9130 Financial Report, which is available at https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/grants/management/reporting.

As states approach completing evaluation(s), states must begin planning for evaluation reports and documenting information collected and lessons learned from the evaluation. To be included in the national RESEA evidence-base, states must document the interventions/deliveries being tested, the context of the evaluation, and document impact analysis with significant statistical detailed information. Additional information can be found in the Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment

(RESEA) Evaluation Toolkit. Updated RESEA evaluation and evidence resources are available in WorkforceGPS.

Please see Attachment VI: RESEA Program Evaluation Reports Appendix, for more details regarding recommendations for consistent study reporting.

https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/grants/management/reporting https://www.dol.gov/resource-library/reemployment-services-and-eligibility-assessments-resea-evaluation-toolkit https://www.dol.gov/resource-library/reemployment-services-and-eligibility-assessments-resea-evaluation-toolkit https://rc.workforcegps.org/resources/2016/10/03/06/29/~/link.aspx?_id=472F42AAE3FD4A159CBCC374AAA36CCB&_z=z

vi. Average Cost of Initial RESEAs and Subsequent RESEAs. States have the opportunity to innovate in designing their RESEA programs and the types of service delivery strategies and interventions permitted (see Section 4.e.ii of this UIPL regarding evaluation of such activities). Previous funding limits regarding the average cost of each Initial RESEA and Subsequent RESEA were removed in FY

2020. However, states must continue to report information about these costs in the

RESEA State Plan for program management and technical assistance purposes.

A. Reporting instructions for RESEA State Plan. Report under Element 9, Completed Initial RESEA Staffing and Time, and Element 10, Completed

Subsequent RESEA Staffing and Time.

B. Reporting instructions for ETA 9128. Average costs of Initial and

Subsequent RESEAs are not reported on the ETA 9128.

vii. Period of Performance for State Grants. For operational purposes, states are strongly encouraged to continue designing and operating their RESEA programs based on a calendar year schedule. However, the period of performance for FY 2025

RESEA funds will be January 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026. FY 2025 funding must be obligated by September 30, 2026, and liquidated by December 31, 2026. If a state needs additional time to obligate or liquidate funds, the state must seek approval to modify its grant request. Section 4.f.iv. of this UIPL provides instructions for requesting grant modifications.

c. Program Design. The following section describes: (i) UC claimant populations that are covered by the RESEA program; (ii) the intersection of the RESEA and Worker Profiling and Reemployment Services (WPRS) programs; (iii) ensuring participant confidentiality in group sessions; (iv) required RESEA services; (v) integration with WIOA, Wagner-

Peyser, and other workforce-funded services; and (vii) additional resources to support program implementation.

i. Covered Populations. States are strongly encouraged to increase the percentage of

UC claimants that are selected for RESEA. The Building on Reemployment

Improvements to Deliver Good Employment for Workers Act, Public Law 118-120

(BRIDGE Act), enacted on November 25, 2024, makes the expanded eligibility included in previous annual appropriations a permanent component of the RESEA program. Specifically, the BRIDGE Act expands RESEA eligibility in Section

306(a), SSA, to include all claimants for regular compensation, including claimants referred to reemployment services as described in Section 303(j), SSA. Refer to

Section 4.c.ii. of this UIPL for additional details on the population of UC claimants identified in accordance with Section 303(j), SSA.

Historically, states were directed to exclude from RESEA selection those UC claimants who have a definite return-to-work date, who secure work only through a union hiring hall, or who are in approved training. Beginning in FY 2020 and continuing into FY 2025, states have been permitted to expand RESEA services to these populations if doing so aligns with the four purposes of the RESEA program identified in Section 3.b. of this UIPL and applicable state laws.

If a state later identifies capacity to expand RESEA services beyond the target population identified in its approved RESEA State Plan, the state may request a modification to its program to include additional populations of recipients of regular

UC. Section 4.f.iv of this UIPL provides instructions for requesting grant modifications.

ii. Intersection of the RESEA and Worker Profiling and Reemployment Services

(WPRS) Programs. Section 303(j), SSA, requires that states evaluate all new UC claimants to identify those who are most likely to exhaust UC, refer such individuals to reemployment services, and collect follow-up information related to employment outcomes for these individuals; this is known as the WPRS program. See UIPL No.

41-94 for additional details on WPRS program requirements.1

A state that is selecting UC claimants identified as most likely to exhaust UC in accordance with Section 303(j), SSA, for participation in the RESEA program will have met the WPRS requirements and does not need to provide a separate WPRS program. Additionally, a state that includes these UC claimants identified in accordance with Section 303(j), SSA, along with other UC claimant populations will also have met the WPRS requirements if both of the following conditions are satisfied: (1) claimants selected in accordance with Section 303(j), SSA, are provided priority over the other populations; and (2) RESEA services are provided statewide.

States that select UC claimants for participation in the RESEA program in accordance with Section 303(j), SSA, but do not provide RESEA statewide, must continue to provide a WPRS program in areas not served by RESEA. Additionally, states that do not serve individuals identified as most likely to exhaust in accordance with Section

303(j), SSA, as part of their RESEA program must operate a separate WPRS program to serve these claimants. States operating separate WPRS programs under Section

303(j), SSA, may not use funds appropriated for RESEA activities to administer a

WPRS program.

A. Resources to strengthen state data analytics in identifying UC claimants who are most likely to exhaust UC. For states that use the WPRS program as their approach to selecting RESEA claimants, having a strong data analytics model to identify claimants filing new UC claims who are most likely to exhaust UC from those new claims is important so that states can maximize their resources in serving those who would most likely benefit from this investment. States seeking

1 As stated in Section 8.c.(1) of UIPL No. 41-94, when identifying UC claimants that are most likely to exhaust UC, states must not produce results that discriminate in violation of any Federal or state law, or which otherwise unfairly favor some claimants over those similarly situated with respect to their need for reemployment services. The

Department has advised states that they may not use the following characteristics in their selection process: age, race, ethnic group, sex, color, national origin, disability, religion, political affiliation or belief, and citizenship.

assistance with this data analytics model may reference TEN No. 37-15 or contact

OUI.RESEA@dol.gov.

B. Reporting instructions for RESEA State Plan. Element 17 of the RESEA state plan, Selection of RESEA Participants (see Attachment II of this UIPL), collects information about the profiling models.

iii. Ensuring RESEA Participant Confidentiality in Group Sessions. The name of a

UC claimant, along with the fact that the individual filed a claim for UC, is UC information and subject to UC confidentiality requirements. Many states conduct portions of their RESEA services in group settings to expand RESEA availability to additional UC claimants and more efficiently utilize their RESEA staff. States that incorporate group RESEA services must ensure necessary policies and procedures are in place to safeguard confidential UC information, including the identity of RESEA participants. Examples of such policies may include but are not limited to: not requiring participants to be on camera and/or display their full name during a group video call; conducting any identity verification or attendance confirmation in an individual and private manner; securing signed informed consent agreements prior to

RESEA group orientations; and offering alternatives, such as individual sessions.

iv. Required RESEA Services. Two of the primary goals for the RESEA program are to reduce duration of UC receipt through improved employment outcomes and ensure that individuals claiming UC continue to meet eligibility requirements. To support these goals, every RESEA participant must be scheduled for an initial RESEA. States may choose to also include a combination of subsequent RESEAs and reemployment services. Initial RESEA, subsequent RESEA, and reemployment services are defined in Section 4.a. of this UIPL.

v. Integration with WIOA, ES, and Other Workforce-Funded Services. One of the statutory goals of the RESEA program is to serve as an entry point for individuals receiving UC into other workforce system partner programs. State RESEA programs must support this goal by ensuring that the RESEA program is integrated into the workforce system broadly to enable RESEA participants access to the full range of services offered through the state’s one-stop delivery system. States are particularly encouraged to consider how RESEA can be integrated with other programs serving dislocated workers including, but not limited to, the ES program (co-enrollment is required with the ES program as described in Section 4.d.iv of this UIPL), Dislocated

Worker Grants, Registered Apprenticeship, Jobs for Veterans State Grants, and the

WIOA Adult and Dislocated Worker programs. Appropriate memoranda of understanding (MOUs) must be in place among state UI and workforce agencies that are responsible for conducting RESEA tasks as described in the state’s approved

RESEA State Plan.

vi. Additional Resources to Support Program Implementation. States are encouraged to visit the Department’s Reemployment Connections Resource Page at https://rc.workforcegps.org/ for an inventory of active RESEA guidance, technical mailto:OUI.RESEA@dol.gov https://rc.workforcegps.org/ assistance resources, recorded webinars, and other tools to assist with RESEA planning, performance reporting, evidence-building and service delivery.

d. Program Operations. The following section describes: (i) the required engagement of

UI staff in RESEA program operations; (ii) claimant participation in RESEA activities and rescheduling; (iii) the communication feedback loop with UI staff for adjudication activities; (iv) the requirement that claimants be co-enrolled in the ES program; and (v) state performance reporting.

i. Required Engagement of UI Staff. UI staff members must be engaged in the administration of the RESEA program. At a minimum, this engagement must include:

• Participating in the planning, administration, and oversight of the RESEA program;

• Providing all appropriate staff training on UC eligibility requirements;

• Ensuring the ETA 9128 Workload Report, ETA 9129 RESEA Outcomes

Report, ETA 9130i Financial Report, and ETA 9178 Narrative Report are completed accurately and submitted to the Department on time; and

• Conducting eligibility determinations and redeterminations resulting from issues identified through RESEA participation.

ii. Claimant Participation in RESEA Activities and Rescheduling. Once a state notifies claimants of their selection to participate in the RESEA program, participation is a mandatory condition of UC eligibility. This includes: (1) the initial

RESEA; (2) any subsequent RESEAs; and (3) any reemployment services to which claimants are referred.

A claimant who contacts the appropriate agency before the RESEA appointment and requests to change the scheduled RESEA date or time for good reason, such as scheduled job interviews, should be accommodated within reason. Many states are developing or have already implemented self-scheduling of RESEA sessions. The

Department strongly encourages states to use this option due to its efficiency and proven ability to increase program participation and decrease no-show rates. States utilizing this strategy need to develop policies that prevent excessive rescheduling that substantially delays or allows a claimant to circumvent participation in RESEA activities.

To mitigate instances of excessive rescheduling, some state UC laws provide that UC be denied for failure to report as directed until the individual actually reports. The

Department issued UIPL No. 01-16 to remind states of the requirements of Federal law pertaining to protecting individual rights in state procedures. As discussed in

Section 4.h. of UIPL No. 01-16: “If an individual fails to report as required, the state may apply (subject to any applicable procedural protections for individuals) its law’s provisions on ineligibility for UC due to failure to report until the individual complies with the reporting requirement.” States are advised that an individual may not be found ineligible for UC for failure to report for any week in which no services were available.

iii. Required UC Feedback Loop and Adjudication. RESEA staff must document and refer all failures to report or participate in any required aspect of the RESEA program, and all potential eligibility issues, to the state UI agency for adjudication under the applicable state law. A feedback loop allowing secure and timely communication between RESEA staff and the UI agency is required.

iv. Required Co-Enrollment in ES Program. The Department requires that RESEA participants be co-enrolled in the Wagner-Peyser Act-funded ES program as part of the initial RESEA. This is to promote the integrated service delivery described in

Section 4.c.v of this UIPL. This practice also supports capturing RESEA program outcome information through the Workforce Integrated Performance System (WIPS) to streamline WIOA and Wagner-Peyser Act reporting.

As part of this enrollment, each RESEA participant must be appropriately identified in ES case management and performance reporting systems as “referred by RESEA.”

Given the structure of the state’s workforce system, co-enrollment in WIOA

Dislocated Worker or other available programs may also be appropriate but is not a requirement of this grant.

v. Performance Reporting. There are three mechanisms under which RESEA performance will be monitored. This includes RESEA performance reporting measures obtained from the WIPS, the state’s submission of their quarterly ETA 9128 and ETA 9129 reports, and the state’s Quarterly Narrative Progress Report (ETA

9178).

A. RESEA Performance Reporting. To support employment goals for UC claimants and the vision of WIOA for a set of primary indicators of performance to be used across workforce development programs, the following measures will assess state performance related to employment and earnings:

(1) Reemployment rate in the 2nd quarter after program exit quarter for

RESEA program participants;

(2) Median earnings in the 2nd quarter after program exit quarter for RESEA participants; and

(3) Reemployment rate for all UC-eligible participants in the 2nd quarter after program exit quarter.

The data to support these performance measures will be derived from the

WIPS. There is no additional reporting burden to states. See UIPL No. 07-21 for additional details.

B. ETA 9128 and ETA 9129. Performance reporting for FY 52025 consists of the ETA 9128, Reemployment and Eligibility Assessment Workload, and

ETA 9129, Reemployment and Eligibility Assessments Outcomes; Office of

Management and Budget (OMB) Control No. 1205-0456, expiration date

December 31, 2025. All RESEA-related performance reports are due on the

20th day of the second month following the end of the reporting quarter.

Additional information and cell definitions are provided in Employment and

Training (ET) Handbook No. 401, 5th Edition, and UIPL 09-24, Revisions to the ETA 9128 Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment (RESEA)

Workload Quarterly Report (OMB Control No. 1205-0456).

A state UI staff member(s) must be available and involved in the RESEA functions, including reporting. Each quarter, prior to submission, the ETA

9128 Workload report must be reviewed by UI staff member(s) for accuracy and ensure timely submission no later than the 20th day of the second month following the quarter of reference. A member of the state’s RESEA team, preferably the RESEA program lead, must be included in the review process.

See section 4.d.i. of this UIPL.

Additionally, the ETA 9128 RESEA Workload report was revised to capture subsequent data (items 2a, 3a, and 15a) and adjust failure to report rates to account for individuals selected for RESEA who, before the initial RESEA appointment, were determined to be incorrectly selected or ineligible for

RESEA participation (item 1a). These revisions are further discussed in UIPL

No. 09-24, published on March 7, 2024.

As stated in UIPL No. 09-24, states were expected to fully implement the revised ETA 9128 Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessments

Workload report no later than February 20, 2025. This includes states that do not conduct subsequent RESEA meetings that will report using ETA 9128 items 1a, 2a, 3a, and 15a.

C. Quarterly Narrative Progress Report (ETA 9178). States must complete the Quarterly Narrative Progress Report (ETA 9178); OMB Control No.

1205-0517, expiration date May 31, 2027. States must submit the ETA 9178 to their ETA Regional Office no later than the 20th day of the second month following the end of the reporting quarter. In the context of RESEA, the ETA

9178 is used to capture information about RESEA activities identified in the state’s approved state plan but not reflected in required quarterly activity reports. Additional information about the ETA 9178 is provided in UIPL No.

05-19.

e. Evidence-Based Interventions and Strategies and Evaluation Requirements.

Interventions and service delivery strategies funded by RESEA grant funds must demonstrate the program’s ability to reduce the average number of weeks participants receive UC by improving employment outcomes, as set out in Section 306(c)(1), SSA.

Beginning in FY 2023, a growing percentage of RESEA funds must be used to support only those interventions and service delivery strategies with a “high” or “moderate” causal evidence rating.

This section discusses: (i) a tiered evidence approach; (ii) expectations for conducting evaluations; (iii) opportunities for states to partner on impact evaluations; (iv) leveraging evidence across states; and (v) additional technical assistance available to states.

i. Tiered Evidence Approach. The phrase “tiered evidence” refers to a policy tool that ties funding to strategies with evidence, to encourage the use of interventions or service delivery strategies that have strong evidence of success, and to test promising new interventions and service-delivery strategies. Section 306(c), SSA, includes this tiered evidence approach for the RESEA.

The goals of using tiered evidence are to ensure that each state: (1) employs RESEA interventions and service delivery strategies that, based on rigorous evaluations, are known to reduce UC duration through improved employment outcomes for participants; and (2) evaluates its RESEA interventions and service delivery strategies to add to the evidence base and advance continuous improvement of RESEA services.

ETA provided preliminary guidance regarding the evidence-based strategies and evaluation provisions in UIPL No. 07-19. Building on this, UIPL No. 01-20 (also issued as TEGL No. 06-19) provided further information on the RESEA evidence-based requirements including:

• a description of how the Department rates a study’s evidence quality through its Clearinghouse for Labor Evaluation and Research (CLEAR);

• the standards for rating RESEA intervention effectiveness and relevant interventions that currently meet those standards;

• RESEA components that are in need of expanded evidence; and

• potential evaluation approaches and strategies for carrying out evaluations.

These documents also identify resources on existing evidence and can help states initiate rigorous high-quality evaluations.

ii. Evaluation and Evidence-Base Expectations for FYs 2024-2027. States must align their FY 2025 RESEA State Plans and program design with the evaluation and evidence-based requirements and guidance identified in UIPL No. 01-20.

A. Existing evidence. The Department currently allows states to meet the requirements of Section 306(c), SSA, by applying evidence that demonstrates the effectiveness of three intervention categories: the REA program (High

Causal Rating), Job Search Assistance (JSA) Services (Moderate Causal

Rating), and Profiling interventions (Moderate Causal Rating). These categories are discussed in more detail in Section 9 of UIPL No. 01-20.

The REA program was replaced by the RESEA program in FY 2015 (see

UIPL No. 13-15). Permission for states to rely on the REA intervention category (and the related causal evidence that supports its “high” effectiveness rating) to meet RESEA requirements is temporary and will be phased out and replaced by new, more precise intervention categories as more RESEA evidence becomes available. This phasing-out reflects structural differences between the REA and RESEA programs and the inherently evolving nature of an evidence-based program design, where programs continually adapt based on available evidence to improve program results. The timeframe for the final phasing-out of the REA intervention category will be announced in future guidance.

B. Building future evidence to support whole program service delivery and components of service delivery. RESEA program components that were not evaluated in previous impact studies should be under evaluation to develop the evidence base necessary to satisfy future RESEA tiered-evidence program requirements. To meet future evidence-based requirements, all states are expected to continue to conduct RESEA evaluations.

To date, the majority of states have reported that they are pursuing whole program evaluations of RESEA. The Department recognizes the value of whole program evaluations and supports states’ ongoing efforts. Additionally, causal evidence on RESEA program components will be necessary to meet future RESEA requirements. Moving forward, the Department strongly encourages states to develop new evaluations or to modify current evaluations to build causal evidence on specific RESEA components as well. The

Department’s expectation is for states to continue to build and develop the

RESEA evidence base by identifying new interventions and service strategies or evaluating current interventions, including those previously identified in

REA studies. Given the dynamic nature of economic conditions and labor exchange activities, evaluations represent a key component in continuous learning, program improvements, and evidence building.

C. Evidence-based funding requirements. Beginning in FY 2025, states must devote at least 40 percent of their RESEA funds to interventions with a high or moderate causal evidence rating that shows demonstrated capacity to improve employment and earnings outcomes for program participants. The

40 percent minimum funding level will continue into FY 2026 and will increase to the permanent 50 percent level after FY 2026. The chart below provides an implementation timetable for the available RESEA evidence base.

Attachment II of this UIPL, Elements of an Unemployment Insurance (UI)

Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment (RESEA) Grant State

Plan, has been revised to include a new Element 22i. that will be used to capture information responding to this new requirement.

Implementation Timetable for RESEA Evidence-base by Fiscal Year

Fiscal Years Required Percentage of RESEA Funds Dedicated to

Program Components with a High or Moderate Causal

Evidence Rating

FY 2022 None

FYs 2023-2024 25% of RESEA award

FYs 2025-2026 40% of RESEA award

After FY 2026 50% of RESEA award

iii. State Partnering on Impact Evaluations. As part of evaluation planning and implementation, states are strongly encouraged to explore potential evaluation partnerships with other states with a goal of conducting a single evaluation that would answer research questions and build evidence on RESEA programs for all involved states. These partnerships could allow for increased efficiencies, pooling of resources, and larger sample sizes necessary to collect evidence at a program component level. For assistance locating potential partner states, please contact the

Department’s RESEA Evaluation Technical Assistance (TA) Help Line at

RESEA@abtassoc.com.

iv. Evaluation Technical Assistance. The Department is committed to the ongoing improvement of RESEA programs by generating evidence that can inform each state’s program design and development. To assist each state with this evidence-building process, ETA has been working closely with the Department’s Chief

Evaluation Office to provide a wide range of evaluation technical assistance through a combination of general resources, such as webinars, toolkits, and customized technical assistance that is tailored to the unique needs of a specific state.

A. Ad-hoc customized RESEA evaluation technical assistance. States may contact the Evaluation TA Help Line at RESEA@abtassoc.com to request ad-hoc customized evaluation technical assistance. Available customized technical assistance includes but is not limited to:

• Technical advice on evaluation designs that meet CLEAR high or moderate evaluation standards (See Section 4.e.i. of this UIPL);

• Technical and logistical advice on evaluation implementation, including challenges that may occur after an evaluation begins;

• Tips for procuring an independent, third-party evaluator;

• Help with research questions and determining appropriated evaluation design;

• Assistance in identifying other states interested in conducting multi-state evaluations and assisting in laying the groundwork for those partnerships;

• Information on specific RESEA evaluation topics (e.g., how to implement random assignments in your information systems, staff training on how to implement random assignments, and more);

mailto:RESEA@abtassoc.com

• Assistance with data-related questions and issues, such as data access or quality issues, identifying fields relevant to service delivery and the evaluation; and

• Support with meeting CLEAR’s standards.

B. Role of the Department’s Clearinghouse. As described in Section 6 of

UIPL No. 01-20, the Department will leverage CLEAR to identify evaluations in the evidence base that are relevant to the RESEA program and determine which impact studies have high, moderate, or low causal evidence ratings. As more causal evidence becomes available, it is the Department’s intent that

CLEAR’s RESEA intervention categories will be updated and become more precise over time, so states can use the best available evidence to improve programs for their participants.

To facilitate this evolution, the Department anticipates that CLEAR will conduct periodic systematic evidence reviews to find, summarize, and rate reemployment studies and related RESEA interventions. To do this, it is important that states and their independent evaluators make RESEA program evaluation reports publicly available. States and their evaluators are invited to notify CLEAR when and where new studies are publicly posted, by contacting

CLEAR at https://clear.dol.gov/reemployment-services-and-eligibility-assessments-resea.

f. RESEA State Plan Submission. This section discusses: (i) the RESEA State Plan package; (ii) what happens with disapproved State Plans; (iii) available technical assistance during the grant submission process; and (iv) the process for requesting a grant modification. Additional information on Uniform Guidance, standard terms and conditions, and other grant resources is available at ETA Grant Resources, https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/grants/resources.

Each state must submit a plan that outlines how the state intends to conduct its RESEA program, as required under Section 306(e), SSA, to receive RESEA grant funds. Plans must be submitted via https://www.grants.gov/ by Thursday, July 10, 2025. States are encouraged to coordinate with all those involved in completing the RESEA State Plan, to ensure timely submission.

As part of the timely submission and review process, each state must provide all required and correctly completed RESEA State Plan documents as described below. Incomplete submissions or submissions needing more clarification will be returned requesting additional information be provided. Clarification requests must be met, as the RESEA

State Plan is the application for FY 2025 RESEA grant awards and will also serve as part of the state’s final grant agreement. States refusing to provide necessary clarification will be disapproved.

i. RESEA State Plan Package. Each state’s submission must consist of the following documents:

https://clear.dol.gov/reemployment-services-and-eligibility-assessments-resea https://clear.dol.gov/reemployment-services-and-eligibility-assessments-resea https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/grants/resources https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/grants/resources

A. RESEA State Plan Template: The State Plan Template was revised in FY

2023 and includes the addition of elements to collect information specific to subsequent RESEA sessions, and an evaluation chart to better support states in meeting the requirement to devote a specific percentage of their RESEA funding to evidence-based components…