1 Presented By: Dr. Jacob BenusDr. Wayne Vroman Project DirectorPrincipal Investigator July 11-13, 2005 The Reemployment Eligibility Assessment (REA) Study Workforce Innovations 2005 Research Showcase

2 In August 2004, ETA announced the availability of funding to support State Workforce Agencies (SWAs) in the implementation of Unemployment Insurance (UI) Reemployment Eligibility Assessment (REA) programs. In March 2005, ETA awarded grant funds to 21 states to pilot the Unemployment Insurance (UI) Reemployment Eligibility Assessment (REA) program. REA program is anticipated to continue in FY2006 at a dollar level yet to be determined by Congress. The Reemployment Eligibility Assessment (REA) Program

3 The REA program provides funds for states to test new REA services that may result in:  More rapid reemployment for UI claimants; and/or  Cost-savings for the state’s UI trust fund. Purpose of the REA Program

4 REA program services include:  In-person interviews (at One-Stops) to assess their continuing eligibility for benefits and need for reemployment services;  Review of UI eligibility;  Provision of labor market information;  Development of a work-search plan; and  Referral to reemployment services and/or training when needed. REA Program Services

5 Report to Congress in March 2007 on whether REA produced:  more rapid reemployment for UI claimants; and/or  cost-savings for states’ UI trust funds. DOL Requirements

6 REAs should be conducted in person and held in One-Stop facilities. SWA must agree to participate in a DOL-funded study of the efficacy of the UI REA initiative. Assessments must include specific topic areas. Program does not have to be implemented state- wide. State Guidelines REA Program

7 DOL selected 9 REA State Research Partners for the REA Study: REA Study 9 States  Minnesota  Washington  Connecticut  North Dakota  South Carolina  California  Nevada  Ohio  Florida Research partners were selected purposefully. REA Study is NOT a national evaluation of REA.

8 DOL contractor (IMPAQ International) will provide selected study states with technical assistance in the following areas:  Administrative Data Reports;  Operational Analyses and Process Studies;  Comparison Methodologies and State-centric experiments; and  Follow-up Data Collection and Analysis. REA Study

9 Technical Assistance Data Collection Data Analysis Detailed Case Studies Operational Procedures Analysis Evaluation Design Claimant Outcomes REA Study Scope of Work (Phase I)

10 Evaluation Design Program Monitoring Technical Assistance Final Report I – January 2007 Final Report II – March 2008 REA Study Scope of Work (Phase II)

11 State-centric studies will include:  Process studies  Impact evaluations State-centric evaluations in 5 of the 9 states: State-centric Studies  Minnesota  Washington  Connecticut  North Dakota  South Carolina

12 Process studies will be based on:  Discussions with REA program administrators;  Analysis of states’ implementation and data collection procedures; and  Analysis of REA program implementation and on-going costs Results of the process studies will be presented in a report – June Process Studies (5 states)

13 Impact studies will be designed in accordance with each state’s design and implementation approach. Where appropriate, the following designs may be used to evaluate REA program impacts:  Experimental design – random assignment to treatment or control group.  Quasi experimental design – identification of an appropriate comparison group. Results of the impact studies will be presented in a report – March Impact Studies (5 states)

14 Sample State Experimental Design

15 At states’ request, IMPAQ may conduct follow-up telephone interviews of selected claimants on behalf of REA-9 states. These follow-up telephone interviews will be designed to collect information on claimants’ return to work (employer, occupation, and wages), or withdrawal from the labor force or other reasons for ceasing to claim UI benefits. The information collected in these interviews will be provided directly to the respective REA-9 states. Claimant Outcomes Follow-up