Unemployment Insurance Program Letter No. 28-20, Change 3: Extension of Time to Submit Request for Funding under Grant Opportunity Announced in Unemployment Insurance Program Letter (UIPL) No. 28-20, Change 2

Summary

Unemployment Insurance Program Letter No. 28-20, Change 3, dated September 17, 2021, from Acting Assistant Secretary Lenita Jacobs-Simmons of the Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration, extends to October 31, 2021 the deadline for states to submit an SF-424 for grants for fraud detection and prevention, identity verification and overpayment recovery in the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) programs. UIPL No. 28-20, Change 2, issued August 11, 2021, had set a deadline of September 13, 2021. The letter says states may need additional time to review that guidance and develop an SF-424. Allowable uses include identity verification and fraud detection solutions ordered through the Department's identity proofing Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPAs). All other information in Change 2 remains the same.

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CLASSIFICATION
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION Unemployment Insurance
ADVISORY SYSTEM CORRESPONDENCE SYMBOL
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR OUI/DPM
Washington, D.C. 20210 DATE
September 17, 2021

ADVISORY: UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE PROGRAM LETTER NO. 28-20,
Change 3

TO: STATE WORKFORCE AGENCIES

FROM: LENITA JACOBS-SIMMONS
Acting Assistant Secretary

SUBJECT: Extension of Time to Submit Request for Funding under Grant Opportunity
Announced in Unemployment Insurance Program Letter (UIPL) No. 28-20,
Change 2.

1. Purpose. The purpose of this UIPL is to advise states that the deadline for submitting an SF-
424 for grants to assist states with fraud detection and prevention, including identity
verification and overpayment recovery activities, in the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance
(PUA) and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) programs, is
extended to October 31, 2021.

2. Action Requested. The U.S. Department of Labor’s (Department) Employment and
Training Administration (ETA) requests that State Workforce Agency Administrators
provide information contained in this UIPL to appropriate staff.

3. Summary and Background.

a. Summary – On August 11, 2021, the Department issued UIPL No. 28-20, Change 2,
advising states of the availability of funding for fraud detection and prevention, identity
verification, and overpayment recovery activities in the PUA and PEUC programs. In
that UIPL states were advised that SF-424 requests for grants should be submitted no
later than September 13, 2021. The Department has determined that states may need
additional time to submit SF-424s, and is extending the deadline to October 31, 2021.

b. Background – The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was
enacted on March 27, 2020, (Public Law (Pub. L.) 116-136) and created new temporary
unemployment benefit programs, including PUA and PEUC. These programs extended
unemployment benefits and provided unemployment benefits to individuals who were not
typically eligible to obtain benefits (e.g., individuals who were self-employed). See UIPL
No. 14-20. The CARES Act was subsequently amended by the Continued Assistance for
Unemployed Workers Act of 2020 (Continued Assistance Act) (Pub. L. 116-260) and the
American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) (Pub. L. 117-2), both of which further
amended and extended the CARES Act programs. See UIPL Nos. 09-21 and 14-21,

RESCISSIONS EXPIRATION DATE
None Continuing
respectively. With each new enactment, states were required to modify their computer
systems and service delivery processes, as well as to notify individuals of changes to
eligibility requirements for the PUA and PEUC programs. Addressing both eligibility
fraud and identity fraud remain a top priority for the Department and the entire
unemployment compensation (UC) system. As discussed in UIPL Nos. 23-20, 28-20,
and 28-20, Changes 1 and 2, ETA strongly encourages states to adopt an array of
solutions and techniques to detect and fight fraud, have robust strategies in place to verify
the identity of individuals applying for unemployment benefits, and strengthen efforts to
recover overpayments, including fraudulently paid UC benefits.

4. Guidance. Section 5.c. of UIPL No. 28-20, Change 2, provides instructions for applying for
a grant under this opportunity. One of the allowable uses for these funds is to procure,
implement, and pay reoccurring subscription costs and/or ongoing maintenance costs of
identity verification and fraud detection solutions, including using funds to pay for services
provided through an order for a state issued by the Department against one of the
Department’s identity proofing Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPAs). The Department
plans to issue instructions to states on the BPAs and the procedures for the Department to
issue orders under those BPAs, in accordance with federal procurement regulations.

The Department has determined that states may need additional time to review UIPL No. 28-
20, Change 2, and to develop an SF-424 in response to the solicitation. Therefore, the
Department is extending the deadline for submission of the SF-424 to October 31, 2021. All
other information in UIPL No. 28-20, Change 2, remains the same.

5. Inquiries. Please direct inquiries to COVID-19@dol.gov with a copy to the appropriate ETA
Regional Office.

6. References.

 American Rescue Plan Act, Pub. L. 117-2, enacted March 11, 2021;
 Continued Assistance for Unemployed Workers Act, Pub. L. 116-260, enacted December
27, 2020;
 CARES Act, Pub. L. 116-136, enacted March 23, 2020;
 UIPL No. 14-21, American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) – Key Unemployment
Insurance (UI) Provisions, issued March 15, 2021,
https://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?DOCN=5669;
 UIPL No. 09-21, Continued Assistance for Unemployed Workers Act of 2020 (Continued
Assistance Act) – Summary of Key Unemployment Insurance (UI) Provisions, issued
December 30, 2020, https://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?DOCN=3831;
 UIPL No. 28-20, Change 2, Additional Funding to Assist with Strengthening Fraud
Detection and Prevention Efforts and the Recovery of Overpayments in the Pandemic
Unemployment Assistance (PUA) and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment
Compensation (PEUC) Programs, as well as Guidance on Processes for Combatting
Identity Fraud, issued August 11, 2021,
https://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?DOCN=7207;

2
• UIPL No. 28-20, Change 1, Additional Funding for Identity Verification or Verification
of Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) Claimants and Funding to Assist with
Efforts to Prevent and Detect Fraud and Identity Theft as well as Recover Fraud
Overpayments in the PUA and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation
(PEUC) Programs, issued January 15, 2021,
https://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?DOCN=9897;
• UIPL No. 28-20, Addressing Fraud in the Unemployment Insurance (UI) System and
Providing States with Funding to Assist with Efforts to Prevent and Detect Fraud and
Identity Theft and Recover Fraud Overpayments in the Pandemic Unemployment
Assistance (PUA) and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC)
Programs, issued August 31, 2020,
https://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?DOCN=8044; and
• UIPL No. 14-20, Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act of 2020 -
Summary of Key Unemployment Insurance (UI) Provisions and Guidance Regarding
Temporary Emergency State Staffing Flexibility, issued April 2, 2020,
https://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?DOCN=3390.

7. Attachment(s). None.

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