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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. 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
Alternate Year – State Plan Narrative
Idaho – FY 2019-2020

a. Overview

  1. The Idaho Department of Labor’s priorities for the FY 2019-20 SQSP include:

    • The timely and accurate payment of UI benefits.

    • An overall integrity goal to reduce the number of improper payments and reduce the number of misclassified workers.

    • Continuous business process analysis in all areas of UI to improve program efficiencies through process and the use of technology.

    • To provide adjudication and claims processing performance that meets the standards established by USDOL.

    • To assist and improve the timely reemployment of UI claimants.

    • To improve program performance through the implementation of various tax and benefit integrity related data mining and enforcement projects.

    • Continuing work on data validation.

      In 2014, Idaho’s UI Division underwent a major Business Process Analysis and deployed a modernized UI Tax and Benefits system.  Those initiatives have shaped the current structure and processes of all UI operations in Idaho. The Business Process Analysis provided a strategic plan for the reorganization of the UI Division that allowed for consistency in planning, training, and UI delivery.   The implementation of the modernized system has improved UI operations by providing user-friendly graphical interfaces, significant automation, and real-time claim processing.

Idaho is currently reducing the number of field offices from 25 to 11.  The restructuring will allow staff to provide remote services to more communities to shift their focus to demand driven Employment Services and WIOA activities.  Idaho continues to utilize the Lean process to reduce inefficiencies and eliminate redundancies.  Idaho is placing UI Navigators in the larger field offices to better serve our customers.

 2.Idaho’s performance remains strong considering the continuing 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 all other areas.

Idaho has six issues that are included in the 2019-2020 Biennial SQSP Corrective Action Plan(s). All of the issues are minor and the plans to correct the deficiencies are included in the 2019-2020 SQSP Alternate Year Quarterly Reporting Workbook.

In the area of Integrity, Idaho received passing scores on all but one of the core measures. The failing score was the improper payment rate, which was .06 percent over the benchmark of 10%. Idaho continues to make improvement in this area and is committed to achieving a reasonable solution.

Idaho continues to make progress on Data Validation and expects to have all populations submitted and passing by the end of this Alternate Year plan.

The BAM population variances have undergone significant work in the 1st quarter of 2018 and all variances are in tolerance.  The discrepancy in the case pulls was a result of pulled cases being determined invalid.  Human error caused the miscount and adjustments were made to prevent future occurrences. All BAM issues are resolved and continuous monitoring is in place to ensure they do not resurface.

Idaho has met or exceeded all USDOL GPRA goals.    

Idaho has used Supplemental Budget Requests to enhance IT security and to carry out many of the integrity efforts with respect to identity theft, fictitious employer schemes, UCFE wage cross matching, and identifying invalid work searches. Idaho will continue to actively participate in the SBR process when funding is available.  

3. 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 – 97.28%
    b. Detect Benefit Overpayments – 64.00%
    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.

C. Program Review Deficiencies

     1. Idaho did have two program reviews during the prior period and in each review, minor discrepancies were identified.  The discrepancies were found in two previously submitted UIDV populations and additional errors were found in a quadrennial onsite TPS review.  The UIDV populations have already been corrected and resubmitted and steps have been taken to correct the TPS failure(s).

    2. Idaho will continue to participate in the reviews when requested.

D.   Program Deficiencies –

Tax Quality Part A and B- There were four quality issues discovered in the last TPS audit. All four have been addressed and are being corrected. Detail regarding New Status, Collections, and Report Delinquency have been addressed and Corrective Action Plans are in place to address these issues.

E.     Reporting Deficiencies -

The ar207 report was late - Idaho was one day late in submitting the ar207 report for the 1st quarter of 2017.  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) and as of April of 2017, matches 100% of all new and continued claims against the SAR 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 sent staff to training sponsored by NASWA’s National Integrity Academy. Idaho also participates in Integrity Center projects.

      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 September 2019 and will be reviewed annually again in September 2020.

IT Contingency Plan Tested:  The Idaho Department of Labor tested the contingency recovery procedures in August 2019.  In addition, a tabletop training exercise was conducted in July, 2018.

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 2016, in concert with the Legislative Services Office, Audits Division, the Idaho Department of Labor conducted an Information Technology Controls/Risk Assessment Review.

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. The next System Security Plan review is due March of 2020.

k. The Idaho Department of Labor certifies we will comply with the Assurance of  Confidentiality.