2. National UI Director’s Conference and IT/Legal Issues Forum October 2016 Inspiring Innovation
Technology=anything that can ding, whistle, beep or make noise.

3. “Unemployment Insurance in the One-Stop under Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act”

4. Connecticut Department of Labor Situation
In CY 2015, 204,000 initial claims filed; 2.2 million weekly / certified claims, $630 million dollars paid
$340 average weekly benefit and 17.2 weeks average duration
$616 (max) weekly benefit rate effective October 2, 2016

5. Unemployment Insurance Program Letter No. 20-15, August 13, 2015
WIOA Career Services Include Providing “Information and Assistance” Regarding the Filing of a UI Claim
Specifically: “In the context of providing assistance with UI claims, “meaningful assistance” means having staff well-trained in UI claims-filing assistance, if requested, or if the individual is identified as needing the service due to barriers such as limited English proficiency, disabilities, or other barriers.”
“Meaningful assistance may be provided by appropriate staff in-person, by telephone or other technology, including computer access.”

6. Connecticut Department of Labor WIOA-UI Plan
Put UI personnel back into the American Job Centers (AJCs)
Recruited from existing UI staff, and placed one UI expert in each of the comprehensive AJCs in December 2015
Training, training, and more training
Remembering how to interact with in-person contact
Identify special needs and know how to provide service
Know what is available in AJCs, Partners, and other external sources

7. Connecticut Department of Labor WIOA-UI Plan
UI Assistance with an emphasis on re-employment assistance
Referrals to DOL Employment Services (ES) and Partners within the Workforce Development Boards throughout region and State of Connecticut
UI referrals to re-employment services are documented, and best attempts to capture successes (training and employment)

8. Connecticut Department of Labor WIOA-UI Plan
UI Assistance - understand what is available to our customers within the AJC ES and Partners
Referrals are to designated personnel, UI assistance knows the personnel attached to each service
On-going Customer Service training, including special needs training
Each regional UI rep supports the other, working as a team to provide State-wide updates (training and employment opportunities), best practices and lessons learned
Regional UI reps considered the ‘pioneer’ group, as they brought back the UI in-person assistance (a fifteen year void)

9. Connecticut Department of Labor WIOA-UI Plan
Each regional UI rep will assist customers by:
Providing guidance for “how” to file for UI (by Internet and/or telephone)
Answering all UI questions (reps have direct communication lines to call-center supervisors for support and assistance with difficult cases)
Processing claimant appeals to Appeals Division, and offer guidance and support with process
Provide program information about Apprenticeship, TRADE, Work Share, and other

10. Connecticut Department of Labor WIOA-UI Plan
Considered an Unemployment Insurance and Employment Service Partnership:
Referral documents developed to support customer service design / delivery
UI Rep provides referrals to ES and Partner supervisor, assigning customer to best resource
ES and Partner provide information about referral back to UI rep, through an electronic case management system
Supervisors and management listen to front-line staff (UI rep) for continuous improvement

11. Connecticut Department of Labor WIOA
Each regional UI rep additional daily responsibilities:
Review, address, and respond to customer and other electronic communications
Support call-center activity (IE: backfield work), effort to reduce call waiting time
Support Re-Employment Services and Eligibility Assessment (RESEA) program; reviews customer documents for completion and other program requirement (prior to orientation)

12. Connecticut Department of Labor WIOA
Each regional UI rep is expected to serve about ten thousand UI customers each year
All UI customers are served with “meaningful assistance”
Each regional rep is supported by DOL management, maintain direct communication for assistance, current activities, new policies / procedures, etc.

13. Connecticut Department of Labor WIOA
WIOA created an opportunity for states to assess their UI program delivery in the AJCs
CTDOL modified the UI program to include in-person UI “meaningful assistance”
Each regional rep is ‘well received’ by AJC DOL and Partners; it is a welcoming environment
UI representation in the AJCs brings in additional foot traffic, which offers customers the opportunity to learn about re-employment and training services available to them

14. Connecticut Department of Labor WIOA
WIOA created an opportunity to better serve the UI customer
CTDOL partnership with the AJCs re-employment and training services provides opportunities to:
Improve access to the unemployment insurance program
Improve UI program integrity
Offer employment training and re-employment services
Reduce UI benefit durations, improve trust fund solvency
Reduce employer UI tax burden

15. WIOA created an opportunity to better serve the UI customer

16. THANK YOU!