Training and Employment Guidance Letters:
Federal Register: December 20, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 243)
Notices
Page 79419-79423
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
DOCID:fr20de10-968
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment and Training Administration
Training and Employment Guidance (TEGL) Letter No. 13-10: Fiscal
Year (FY) 2011 State Initial Allocations and the Process for Requesting
Additional Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) Program Reserve Funds
AGENCY: Employment and Training Administration, Labor.
ACTION: Notice.
SUMMARY: The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) of the U.S.
Department of Labor is publishing, for public information, notice of the issuance and availability of TEGL 13-10 entitled, FY 2011 State
Initial Allocations and the Process for Requesting Additional TAA
Program Reserve Funds, signed on November 17, 2010, by Jane Oates,
Assistant Secretary for the Employment & Training Administration.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Chris Meservy, 202-693-2806.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 State Initial Allocations and the Process for
Requesting Additional Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) Program Reserve
Funds 1. Purpose. To provide States with the formula methodology used in developing the FY 2011 initial allocations and to describe the process for requesting additional TAA program reserve funds for training, job search, and relocation allowances. 2. References. The Trade and Globalization Adjustment Assistance
Act of 2009 (TGAAA) (Division B, Title I, Subtitle I of the ``American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009'' (Recovery Act), Public Law
(Pub. L. 111-5) (enacted February 17, 2009); Consolidated Omnibus
Appropriations Act, 2009, Public Law 111-8 (enacted March 11, 2009); the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (Trade Act) (Pub. L. 93-618, as amended); Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) No. 22-08,
``Operating Instructions for Implementing the Amendments to the Trade
Act of 1974 Enacted by the Trade and Globalization Adjustment
Assistance Act of 2009''; Training and Employment Guidance Letter
(TEGL) No. 22-08, Change 1 ``Change 1 to the Operating Instructions for
Implementing the Amendments to the Trade Act of 1974 Enacted by the
Trade and Globalization Adjustment Assistance Act of 2009''; TEGL 6-09,
``Instructions for Implementing the Revised 2010 Trade Adjustment
Assistance Trade Activity Participant Report (TAPR)''; TEGL No. 9-09,
``Fiscal Year 2010 State Initial Allocations and the Process for
Requesting Additional Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) Program Reserve
Funds''; TEGL No. 9-09, Change 1, ``Fiscal Year 2010 Second
Distribution of Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) Training Funds to
States''; 20 CFR Part 618 ``Trade Adjustment Assistance; Merit Staffing of State Administration and Allocation of Training Funds to States;
Final Rule,'' (75 FR 16988- 17002, April 2, 2010); TEGL No. 6-09,
``Instructions for implementing the revised 2010 Trade Adjustment
Assistance Trade Activity Participant Report (TAPR)''. 3. Background. On February 17, 2009, President Obama signed the
Recovery Act into Law. Part of the Recovery Act, the TGAAA reauthorized and made substantial changes to the TAA program. The TGAAA amended
Section 236(a)(2)(A) of the Trade Act to increase the cap on TAA training funds from $220 million to $575 million annually in both FY 2009 and FY 2010 and capped training funds for the first quarter of FY 2011 (October 1, 2010 through December 31, 2010) at $143,750,000, consistent with a projected annual allocation of $575 million under the expected reauthorization of the Act. The TGAAA further amended Section 236(a)(2)(B) and (C) of the Trade Act to:
Require 35, rather than 25 percent of the training funds to be held in reserve;
Provide for a ``hold harmless'' of 25, rather than 85 percent;
Set timelines for the distribution of training funds; and
Establish specific formula factors that the Employment and
Training Administration (ETA) must consider in making those distributions.
The final regulations that govern these provisions, 20 CFR 618.900--618.940, went into effect April 2, 2010, with the publication of 20 CFR 618 ``Trade Adjustment Assistance; Merit Staffing of State
Administration and Allocation of Training Funds to States; Final
Rule.'' Although the Recovery Act reauthorized the TAA program and raised the cap on training funds, it did not appropriate any funds for the TAA program. Rather, the Consolidated Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009, Public Law 111-8, appropriated TAA administrative and program funds to the Federal Unemployment Benefits and Allowances (FUBA) account. The FY 2010 distributions of funds under TEGL 9-09 were FUBA appropriations. The
Page 79420
FY 2011 distributions will also be FUBA appropriations. Therefore, separate tracking and reporting requirements, which apply specifically to Recovery Act funds, do not apply to the TAA funds provided to the
States from this and future FUBA appropriations. However, as discussed in TEGL No. 22-08, the TGAAA established new reporting requirements specific to the TAA program to increase the transparency and accountability of the program. ETA issued additional guidance on those requirements in TEGL No. 6-09, ``Instructions for implementing the revised 2010 Trade Adjustment Assistance Trade Activity Participant
Report (TAPR).'' Funding amounts for each State are based upon TAPR data that each State submits quarterly. 4. FY 2011 TAA Training Fund Distribution Process. As noted above, the TGAAA increased the cap on TAA training funds from $220 million annually to $575 million for both FY 2009 and FY 2010. Under current authorization, this cap is set to expire December 31, 2010 and revert back to the $220 million level. However, there is a possibility that the higher cap will be reauthorized through FY 2011. With this in mind, two attachments have been prepared for this TEGL showing the State
Initial Allocations for FY 2011. The first shows the initial allocations with reauthorization at the $220 million level and the second attachment shows the initial allocations with reauthorization at the $575 million level. For FY 2011, an amount equal to 65 percent of the annual training funds is initially distributed to States by formula and 35 percent will be held in reserve as required by the amendments and 20 CFR 618.910--618.930.
-
TAA Formula Funds: The initial allocation of 65 percent of training funds among the States will follow the four factors set forth in the new Section 236(a)(2)(C)(ii) of the Trade Act and explained in 20 CFR 618.910(f): 1. Trend in number of workers covered by certifications during the most recent four consecutive calendar quarters for which data are available; 2. Trend in number of workers participating in training during the most recent four consecutive calendar quarters for which data are available; 3. Number of workers estimated to be participating in training during the fiscal year; and 4. Estimated amount of funding needed to provide approved training to such workers during the fiscal year.
Factor 1 will be established using the most recent four quarters
(FY 2009 Quarter 4 through FY 2010 Quarter 3) of data for certified workers by State, and the quarters will be weighted 40 percent; 30 percent; 20 percent; and 10 percent, respectively, from the most recent to the earliest quarter. This approach will establish a trend, giving the most recent quarters a greater impact on each factor than an earlier quarter will have.
Factor 2 will be established using the most recent four quarters
(FY 2009 Quarter 4 through FY 2010 Quarter 3) of data for workers participating in training by State, and the quarters will be weighted 40 percent; 30 percent; 20 percent; and 10 percent, respectively, from the most recent quarter to least recent quarter. As with Factor 1, this approach will establish a trend, giving the most recent quarters a greater impact on each factor than an earlier quarter will have.
Factor 3 will be determined by dividing the weighted average number of training participants for the State determined in Factor 2 by the sum of the weighted averages for all States and multiplying the resulting ratio by the projected national average of training participants for the fiscal year, using the estimates underlying ETA's most recent budget submission or update.
Factor 4 will be calculated by multiplying the estimated number of participants in Factor 3 by the average training cost for the State.
The average training cost will be calculated by dividing total training expenditures for the most recent four quarters by the average number of training participants for the same time period.
Once each of the four factors has been determined for each State, under 20 CFR 618.910(f)(3) all four factors will be assigned an equal weight. For FY 2011, the weight will be 25 percent of the total for each factor.
Section 236(a)(2)(C)(iii) of the Trade Act includes a hold harmless feature. The statute now provides that a State's initial allocation be at least 25 percent of the amount the State received in its initial allocation for the prior fiscal year. This requirement is codified at 20 CFR 618.910(c).
ETA will determine the national total and each State's percentage of the national total for each factor. Using each State's percentage of each of these weighted factors, ETA will determine the unadjusted percentage that the State will receive of the amount available for initial allocations. As provided in 20 CFR 618.910(c), (d) and (e), allocations under $100,000 will be removed, and the statutory 25 percent hold harmless factor will be applied, resulting in an adjusted
FY 2011 allocation for the remaining States. If the program is reauthorized at the $575,000,000 level, the percentages for all the
States will total 100 percent of $373,750,000, which is 65 percent of the training cap. If the program reverts back to the $220,000,000 level, the percentages for all the States will total 100 percent of
$143,000,000, which is 65 percent of the training cap.
In those instances where the formula approach would give a State less than $100,000, 20 CFR 918.910(e)(2)(i) provides that that State will not receive any initial allocation, but may, where needed, request
TAA reserve funds in accordance with the procedures described in
Section B. The initial allocations for each State are attached.
-
TAA Reserve Funds: Funds will not be distributed under the funding formula until the funding situation becomes clearer. Until that time, States may request reserve funds. Reserve funds will be distributed to States in accordance with 20 CFR 618.920 on an as-needed basis to provide monies to those States that experience large, unexpected layoffs or otherwise have training needs that are not met by their initial allocation. These funds must be requested using the ETA- 9117 (OMB No. 1205-0275).
In order to be eligible for TAA reserve funds, a State must demonstrate that at least 50 percent of its training funds have been expended or that it needs more funds to meet unusual or unexpected events. A State requesting reserve funds also must provide a documented estimate of expected funding needs through the end of the fiscal year.
That estimate must be based on an analysis that includes at least the following:
The average cost of training in the State;
The expected number of participants in training through the end of the fiscal year; and
The remaining funds the State has available for training.
-
Job Search and Relocation Allowances: States may also request job search and relocation allowances for adversely affected workers who have no reasonable expectation of obtaining suitable employment within their local commuting areas. These funds must also be requested using the ETA-9117 (OMB No. 1205-0275) and may be submitted at any time or in combination with a request for reserve training funds.
-
TAA Program Administration Funds: States will receive an additional 15 percent of all supplemental allocation and reserve funds for program administration, as provided by Section 235A(a)(1) of the
Trade Act. Not more than two-thirds of these additional
Page 79421
funds may be used to cover administrative expenses, and not less than one-third of such funds may be used for the purpose of providing employment and case management services, as provided by Section 235A(a)(2) of the Trade Act. Guidance is provided in TEGL No. 22-08. If the 2009 Amendments expire, this limitation will change, and additional guidance will be provided. The administrative funds will be included each time funds are obligated to States by ETA. The program administration allocations for each State are also included in the attachment.
-
Employment and Case Management Services Funds: Each State that receives FY 2011 TAA funds will receive $350,000 for the purpose of providing employment and case management services to TAA participants, as provided by Section 235A(b)(1) of the Trade Act. A State that does not receive the $350,000 for case management services because it received no initial allocation will receive those funds if it subsequently receives a reserve funding allocation. 5. Recapture of TAA Funds. Consistent with the FY 2011 TAA Annual
Cooperative Financial Agreement, ETA may recapture any funds distributed to any State in the same fiscal year as they were given if it determines that the State will not expend the funds, but only after consultation with, and appropriate notification to, State officials. 6. Action Requested. States will inform all appropriate staff of the contents of these instructions. 7. Inquiries. States should direct all inquiries to the appropriate
ETA regional office. 8. Attachments.
Attachment A: State Initial Allocations for FY 2011 at the
$220,000,000 level.
Attachment B: State Initial Allocations for FY 2011 at the
$575,000,000 level.
Attachment A
State Initial Allocations for FY 2011 $220,000,000 Level
FY 2011
Training
FY 2011
FY 2011 Case
Total FY 2011
State
Initial
Administrative
Management
TAA Initial
Allocation
Allotment*
Funds
Allocation**
Alabama.........................................
$2,773,203
$415,980
$350,000
$3,539,184
Alaska..........................................
0
0
0
0
Arizona.........................................
807,193
121,079
350,000
1,278,272
Arkansas........................................
2,956,424
443,464
350,000
3,749,887
California......................................
4,673,413
701,012
350,000
5,724,425
Colorado........................................
1,057,290
158,594
350,000
1,565,884
Connecticut.....................................
1,084,126
162,619
350,000
1,596,745
Delaware........................................
114,734
17,210
350,000
481,944
District of Columbia............................
0
0
0
0
Florida.........................................
799,174
119,876
350,000
1,269,050
Georgia.........................................
3,579,640
536,946
350,000
4,466,586
Hawaii..........................................
0
0
0
0
Idaho...........................................
1,996,373
299,456
350,000
2,645,829
Illinois........................................
5,588,352
838,253
350,000
6,776,605
Indiana.........................................
7,595,873
1,139,381
350,000
9,085,254
Iowa............................................
1,816,963
272,544
350,000
2,439,507
Kansas..........................................
341,824
51,274
350,000
743,098
Kentucky........................................
3,763,714
564,557
350,000
4,678,271
Louisiana.......................................
529,744
79,462
350,000
959,206
Maine...........................................
1,245,269
186,790
350,000
1,782,059
Maryland........................................
220,446
33,067
350,000
603,513
Massachusetts...................................
3,287,666
493,150
350,000
4,130,816
Michigan........................................
18,264,050
2,739,608
350,000
21,353,658
Minnesota.......................................
2,420,453
363,068
350,000
3,133,521
Mississippi.....................................
946,417
141,962
350,000
1,438,379
Missouri........................................
4,609,803
691,470
350,000
5,651,273
Montana.........................................
960,493
144,074
350,000
1,454,567
Nebraska........................................
318,660
47,799
350,000
716,459
Nevada..........................................
0
0
0
0
New Hampshire...................................
366,032
54,905
350,000
770,937
New Jersey......................................
1,391,302
208,695
350,000
1,949,997
New Mexico......................................
930,741
139,611
350,000
1,420,353
New York........................................
3,338,590
500,788
350,000
4,189,378
North Carolina..................................
13,865,221
2,079,783
350,000
16,295,004
North Dakota....................................
0
0
0
0
Ohio............................................
7,688,620
1,153,293
350,000
9,191,913
Oklahoma........................................
1,125,346
168,802
350,000
1,644,148
Oregon..........................................
4,734,588
710,188
350,000
5,794,776
Pennsylvania....................................
7,878,820
1,181,823
350,000
9,410,643
Puerto Rico.....................................
0
0
0
0
Rhode Island....................................
968,358
145,254
350,000
1,463,611
South Carolina..................................
4,567,349
685,102
350,000
5,602,451
South Dakota....................................
393,323
58,998
350,000
802,322
Tennessee.......................................
3,176,593
476,489
350,000
4,003,082
Texas...........................................
5,094,477
764,172
350,000
6,208,649
Utah............................................
1,025,948
153,892
350,000
1,529,840
Vermont.........................................
155,564
23,335
350,000
528,898
Virginia........................................
2,926,882
439,032
350,000
3,715,915
Washington......................................
3,767,764
565,165
350,000
4,682,929
West Virginia...................................
1,413,424
212,014
350,000
1,975,437
Page 79422
Wisconsin.......................................
6,439,761
965,964
350,000
7,755,725
Wyoming.........................................
0
0
0
0
U.S. Total..................................
$143,000,000
$21,450,000
$15,750,000
$180,200,000
* Each State's administrative allotment represents 15% of its FY 2011 base allocation.
** Each State's Case Management funds of $350,000 are included in the line code of Administration, along with the 15% of Administrative funds in the Notice of Obligation.
*** Each State's allocation represents the sum of its FY 2011 base allocation and administrative allotment.
Attachment B
State Initial Allocations for FY 2011 $575,000,000 Level
FY 2011
Training
FY 2010
FY 2011 Case
Total FY 2011
State
Initial
Administrative
Management
TAA Initial
Allocation
Allotment*
Funds
Allocation**
Alabama.........................................
$7,308,595
$1,096,289
$350,000
$8,754,884
Alaska..........................................
166,759
25,014
350,000
541,773
Arizona.........................................
2,332,435
349,865
350,000
3,032,300
Arkansas........................................
8,166,908
1,225,036
350,000
9,741,945
California......................................
11,117,796
1,667,669
350,000
13,135,465
Colorado........................................
2,904,828
435,724
350,000
3,690,552
Connecticut.....................................
3,186,156
477,923
350,000
4,014,079
Delaware........................................
231,659
34,749
350,000
616,408
District of Columbia............................
0
0
0
0
Florida.........................................
2,631,281
394,692
350,000
3,375,973
Georgia.........................................
8,502,423
1,275,363
350,000
10,127,786
Hawaii..........................................
0
0
0
0
Idaho...........................................
5,034,362
755,154
350,000
6,139,516
Illinois........................................
14,329,249
2,149,387
350,000
16,828,636
Indiana.........................................
20,334,273
3,050,141
350,000
23,734,414
Iowa............................................
6,007,033
901,055
350,000
7,258,088
Kansas..........................................
910,531
136,580
350,000
1,397,111
Kentucky........................................
9,807,523
1,471,128
350,000
11,628,652
Louisiana.......................................
1,414,862
212,229
350,000
1,977,091
Maine...........................................
3,860,776
579,116
350,000
4,789,892
Maryland........................................
545,111
81,767
350,000
976,878
Massachusetts...................................
7,502,560
1,125,384
350,000
8,977,944
Michigan........................................
49,373,714
7,406,057
350,000
57,129,772
Minnesota.......................................
6,864,454
1,029,668
350,000
8,244,122
Mississippi.....................................
2,700,710
405,107
350,000
3,455,817
Missouri........................................
11,354,901
1,703,235
350,000
13,408,136
Montana.........................................
2,705,709
405,856
350,000
3,461,566
Nebraska........................................
704,128
105,619
350,000
1,159,748
Nevada..........................................
132,539
19,881
350,000
502,420
New Hampshire...................................
967,638
145,146
350,000
1,462,784
New Jersey......................................
3,082,822
462,423
350,000
3,895,246
New Mexico......................................
2,416,802
362,520
350,000
3,129,322
New York........................................
9,547,195
1,432,079
350,000
11,329,275
North Carolina..................................
33,781,867
5,067,280
350,000
39,199,147
North Dakota....................................
263,801
39,570
350,000
653,372
Ohio............................................
23,054,232
3,458,135
350,000
26,862,367
Oklahoma........................................
2,494,013
374,102
350,000
3,218,115
Oregon..........................................
13,438,965
2,015,845
350,000
15,804,810
Pennsylvania....................................
18,926,976
2,839,046
350,000
22,116,022
Puerto Rico.....................................
120,790
18,119
350,000
488,909
Rhode Island....................................
2,485,796
372,869
350,000
3,208,666
South Carolina..................................
10,625,910
1,593,887
350,000
12,569,797
South Dakota....................................
1,395,998
209,400
350,000
1,955,398
Tennessee.......................................
6,928,333
1,039,250
350,000
8,317,583
Texas...........................................
12,806,484
1,920,973
350,000
15,077,456
Utah............................................
2,970,371
445,556
350,000
3,765,926
Vermont.........................................
455,515
68,327
350,000
873,842
Virginia........................................
8,174,563
1,226,184
350,000
9,750,747
Washington......................................
10,120,896
1,518,134
350,000
11,989,030
West Virginia...................................
3,641,215
546,182
350,000
4,537,397
Wisconsin.......................................
15,918,544
2,387,782
350,000
18,656,325
Page 79423
Wyoming.........................................
0
0
0
0
U.S. Total..................................
$373,750,000
$56,062,500
$17,150,000
$446,962,500
* Each State's administrative allotment represents 15% of its FY 2011 base allocation.
** Each State's Case Management funds of $350,000 are included in the line code of Administration, along with the 15% of Administrative funds in the Notice of Obligation.
*** Each State's allocation represents the sum of its FY 2011 base allocation and administrative allotment.
Signed: at Washington, DC, this 14th day of December, 2010.
Jane Oates,
Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training.
FR Doc. 2010-31844 Filed 12-17-10; 8:45 am
BILLING CODE 4510-FN-P