Located in:
- Unemployment Insurance (UI)
(OMB Control Number: 1205-0132)
The Unemployment Insurance (UI) program requires a State Quality Service Plan (SQSP) on a 2-year planning cycle that is a condition of receipt of administrative funding to administer the program. The SQSP is the State’s 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. A formal two-year SQSP is submitted biennially. On the off years, States may be required to modify the SQSP with additional corrective action plans and narrative if they are failing any new performance measures, and they are required to provide updated budget documents, certifications, and assurances. ETA Handbook No. 336, 18th Edition provides detailed guidance for the preparation and submittal of the SQSP and supplemental guidance is provided in an annual UIPL, issued as UIPL 15-19 for the FY 2020 SQSP. The Social Security Act (SSA) sections 302 and 303 authorize the Secretary of Labor to provide funds to administer the UI program and govern the expenditure of those funds. States that choose the option to include UI in a WIOA Combined State Plan will be required to submit their SQSP through the Combined State Plan process. The SQSP must be prepared in accordance to the instructions in ET Handbook 336, 18th Edition and there are no changes to the established SQSP cycle if a State chose to submit their SQSP through the Combined State Plan process.
- a. Contents of a Complete UI SQSP Package
A complete UI SQSP package includes the following documents, as described in Chapter 1, ETA Handbook 336, 18th Edition:
- a. Contents of a Complete UI SQSP Package
a. 3. The State Plan Narrative
State Plan Narrative is a vital element of the SQSP that provides a vehicle for sharing with the Federal partner State-specific efforts that affect the administration of the UI Program. The State Plan Narrative allows the State to describe in a single narrative: a) State performance in comparison to the Government Performance Review Act goals; b) actions planned to correct deficiencies regarding UI programs, UI program reviews and reporting requirements; and c) results of customer satisfaction surveys (optional).
Current Narrative:
State Quality Service Plan
State Plan Narrative
Idaho – FY 2021-2022
A. Overview
1.The Idaho Department of Labor’s priorities for the FY 2021-2022 SQSP include:
a. The timely and accurate payment of UI benefits in concert with the implementation of the new programs authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.
b. An overall integrity goal of reducing the number of improper payments and the prevention, detection, and recovery of improper and fraudulent payments.
c. Continuous business process analysis in all areas of UI to improve program performance with technology.
d. Improve state capacity to administer and operate the UI program effectively and efficiently.
e. To provide adjudication and claims processing performance that meets the standards established by USDOL.
f. To assist and improve the timely reemployment of UI claimants with continued use of the Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment (RESEA) program.
Prior to the Pandemic, Idaho’s UI Division underwent a major process analysis and deployed a modernized UI Tax and & Benefits system. Those initiatives have shaped the current structure and processes in all areas of UI. The initiatives helped IDOL develop a strategic plan for the reorganization of the UI Division that allowed for consistency in planning, training, & and UI delivery. The events of this year have proven that the initiatives undertaken at that time have been instrumental in allowing the department to implement the new programs required under the CARES Act. The modernized system has improved UI operations by providing user-friendly graphical interfaces, significant automation, and real-time claim processing.
Idaho has reduced the number of field offices from 25 to 11 and provides remote services to more communities shifting focus to demand driven Employment Services and WIOA activities. Idaho continues to utilize lean processes to reduce inefficiencies and eliminate redundancies.
Due to the increase in unemployment insurance activity brought on by the pandemic, the department has significantly increased the number of UI staff.
2. Idaho’s performance remains strong considering the continued reductions in base funding levels over the past years.
Idaho has met or exceeded most of the ALP’s for all measures in tax, benefits, and appeals. Idaho ranks very high in first pay timeliness, effective audit measures, and lower authority appeals and is above the average in most other areas.
Idaho has six issues that are included in the 2021-2022 SQSP Corrective Action Plan(s). All of the issues are minor and the plans to correct the deficiencies are included in the 2020-2021 SQSP Quarterly Reporting Workbook.
In the area of Integrity, Idaho meets or exceeds all but one of the core measures. The core measure that has been a problem is the improper payment rate, which for 2019 is listed as 13.25%, a full 3.25% over the benchmark of 10%. During the second half of 2019, IDOL modified the work search criteria to include recommendations from both NASWA and USDOL. Because of those modifications, Idaho’s improper payment rate for the year ending March 31, 2020, dropped to 8.9%. IDOL will continue making improvement in the areas that effect the improper payment rate.
Idaho was continuing to make progress on Data Validation but that work stopped with the advent of the CARES Act programs. Work on data validation will commence once programmatic changes stabilize.
The BAM population variances have undergone significant work over the past few years and for the most part are always in tolerance. We recently had one quarter get out of balance on the monetary and the corrective action is included in the CAP.
Idaho has met or exceeded all USDOL GPRA goals.
Idaho has used past supplemental budget requests to enhance IT security and to carry out many of the integrity efforts with respect to identity theft and fictitious employer schemes. Idaho will actively participate in the SBR process when funding is available. If Idaho is awarded funds in accordance with UIPL 28-20, in addition to staffing, Idaho will focus on increased integration between IDH and Idaho’s fraud detection systems.
Due to the inclusive organizational structure of the Idaho Department of Labor, coordination within the department with other plans is a common practice. The department’s Workforce Development Division administers the Employment Services and WIOA. UI Adjudication and Claims Processing has been consolidated with UI Compliance into one UI division. This change has allowed closer coordination between the RESEA and WIOA as field management staff is no longer required to oversee UI Functions. These changes continue to enhance Idaho’s ability to meet the employment needs of the employer community. In addition, claimants are directed during the claims process to utilize the IDOL reemployment services offered in our 11 field offices located statewide.
The Idaho Department of Labor is the administrative entity for unemployment insurance, employment security and Labor Market Information and is also the WIOA Adult, Dislocated Worker and Youth service provider in each of the 11 One-Stop centers. Collaboration and connectivity is inherent and will ensure claimant access to the full array of services. Career center staff have the skills to provide a comprehensive One-Stop service orientation and assessment and are able to provide claimants with the information, tools and technology to build quality work search and career development plans Idaho has exceeded the performance measure of 72% for Facilitating Reemployment with a score of 84.6%.
B. Federal Emphasis (GPRA)
1. Idaho has met all GPRA measures
a. First Pay Promptness – 95.73%
b. Detect Benefit Overpayments – 91.80%
c. Establish Tax Accounts Promptly – 91.50%
2. Idaho will continue to provide adequate administration to achieve the GPRA goals and targets in FY2019-2020.
Program Review Deficiencies
a. Idaho did participate in program reviews during the prior period.
b. Idaho will continue to participate in the reviews when requested.
D. Program Deficiencies
Tax Quality Part A and B- There were two quality issues discovered in the last TPS audit. The deficiencies identified in the audit are in the areas of successor status and collections. Steps have been taken to correct the problems and they are outlined in the corrective action plan-reporting workbook.
E. Reporting Deficiencies
The ar227 report for the 2nd quarter 2020 is late – the changes required by the CARES Act require changes to the ETA227 report and work on this is underway. Idaho takes reporting seriously and we will strive to ensure timely submission of all reports.
F. Customer Service Surveys (optional)
The department has not completed formal customer service surveys this past performance year.
G. Other
The Idaho Unemployment Insurance Division has significantly streamlined initial claims processing as well as increasing the use of technology to enhance integrity efforts.
Idaho was one of the pilot states in the Suspicious Actor Repository project (SAR)/Integrity Data Hub and as of April of 2017, matches 100% of all new and continued claims against the Integrity Data Hub database.
Idaho participated as one of the pilot states in the UI Self-Assessment project and now that that project is complete, Idaho has completed the self-assessment and is now working on year two.
Idaho has no requests for technical assistance at this time.
H. Assurances:
The Idaho Department of Labor certifies we will comply with the assurances listed below:
a. Assurance of Equal Opportunity (EO).
b. Assurance of Administrative Requirements and Allowable Cost Standards.
c. Assurance of Management Systems, Reporting, and Recordkeeping.
d. Assurance of Program Quality.
e. Assurance on Use of Unobligated Funds.
f. Assurance of Prohibition of Lobbying Costs (29 CFR Part 93).
g. Drug Free Workplace (29 CFR Part 98).
h. Assurance of Contingency Planning:
Information Technology (IT) Contingency Plan Implemented: In March 2006, the Idaho Department of Labor published a major release of its Disaster Recovery Plan which is the basis for the plan in its current state.
IT Contingency Plan Reviewed/Updated: The plan is reviewed annually, particularly since the State of Idaho requires the Idaho Department of Labor to coordinate its contingency plan efforts with the Idaho Office of Emergency Management. The plan was reviewed and updated in March 2021 and will be reviewed annually again in March 2022.
IT Contingency Plan Tested: The Idaho Department of Labor’s most recent test of contingency recovery procedures was conducted in June 2021. In addition, a tabletop training exercise is scheduled for November 2021.
The Idaho Department of Labor certifies the state will comply with the assurances listed below:
i. Assurance of Conformity and Compliance.
Idaho Department of Labor assures that it complies in all areas of Conformity and Compliance.
j. Assurance of Automated Information Systems Security.
Idaho Department of Labor assures that it complies in all areas of Automated Information Systems Security.
Risk Assessment Conducted: In October 2021, the Idaho Department of Labor began a qualitative and quantitative risk analysis. This is scheduled for completion in early 2022.
System Security Plan Reviewed/Updated: In August 2019, the Department of Treasury, Internal Revenue Service, Department of Safeguards, preformed their triennial IRS Publication 1075 audit of the Department during which a review of Risk Assessment and System Security Plan was conducted.
k. The Idaho Department of Labor certifies we will comply with the Assurance of Confidentiality.