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Current Projects / Available Research

Current Projects

1) Evaluation of the Unemployment Compensation Provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

Recently Completed Available Research

A) Evaluation of the Unemployment Insurance Benefits Program

B) SUTA Dumping Detection System

C) Reed Act Distribution Implementation Study

D) Strengthening the Connection between UI Remote Services and One-Stop Center Services Demonstration Project

E) Study to Improve Worker Profiling Models

F) Reemployment and Eligibility Assessment (REA) Study Comparison Group

G) Evaluation of the Re-Employment and Eligibility Assessment Initiative and Report to Congress on REAs-2011

H) Impact of the Re-Employment and Eligibility Assessment Initiative in Nevada



1) Evaluation of the Unemployment Insurance Compensation Provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

In September of 2010 a contract was awarded to Mathematica Policy Research, in conjunction with the Urban Institute, to conduct an evaluation of the Unemployment Compensation (UC) provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).

The evaluation's overarching objective is to determine the overall efficiency and effectiveness of the UC-related provisions in ARRA. In particular, the project will address important questions relating to Extended Benefits (EB) and benefits that became available through the Emergency Unemployment Compensation Act of 2008, such as: How well did the expansions included under ARRA and related programs meet the needs of unemployed workers during the recent recession? How did these expansions and programs affect workers, labor supply, and other decisions? How did the ARRA financial incentives for states affect their EB-related policy decisions, especially those related to the sequencing of EB? What administrative difficulties did states encounter in providing EUC08 benefits and related enhancements to claimants over the course of the recession?

Similarly, this project we will address questions related to the UC modernization incentives and other provisions under ARRA, to answer questions such as: What factors led states to adopt specific modernization features? What factors provided the greatest deterrents to such adoptions? How difficult was it for states to adjust their existing UC laws and procedures? In the end, how much change actually resulted from the modernizations? How did the various modernization initiatives affect the pool of potentially eligible workers?

To answer these questions, the contractors plan to use UC program data, quarterly wage data, a survey of UC recipients, a survey of UC administrators, site visits, and publicly available data about states UC laws and state-level program characteristics. The contractor will also convene a chosen group of analysts to provide technical assistance. A final report is due in the spring of 2013.

For more information on this project contact Jonathan Simonetta (202) 693-5085

Final Reports for Recently Completed Projects:

A) Evaluation of the Unemployment Insurance Benefits Program. This five year study, which ended in February 2010, provided detailed, empirical information on the effectiveness and impact of receiving Unemployment Insurance benefits. The contractor for this study, IMPAQ International, completed works in five separate areas, including: 1) changes in the labor market impacting UI claimants and the program, 2) detailed characteristics of who receives and does not receive UI benefits; 3) macro-economic impacts of the program; and 4) an analysis of the new Reemployment and Eligibility Assessment Initiative (REA). Their completed works can be found here.

B) Development of a SUTA Dumping Detection System: DOL issued a report to Congress titled Evaluation of State Implementation of Section 303(K), Social Security Act -"SUTA Dumping" Final Report. The full text of the report can be found here: http://wdr.doleta.gov/research/keyword.cfm?fuseaction=dsp_resultDetails&pub_id=2361&mp=y.

C) Reed Act Distribution Implementation Study: The Center for Employment Security Education and Research (CESER) conducted a process evaluation of the uses of Reed Act distributions by states. The study reviewed states' implementation, policies, institutional outcomes, and individual state outcomes, and policy consequences. A final report is available at: http://www.workforceatm.org/articles/template.cfm?results_art_filename=Reed2008.htm.

D) Strengthening the Connection between UI Remote Services and One-Stop Center Services Demonstration Project: A demonstration grant to the State of Wisconsin to test new methods of service delivery to enhance the connection between UI Call Centers and One-Stop services. This report is available at: http://wdr.doleta.gov/research/keyword.cfm?fuseaction=dsp_resultDetails&pub_id=2396&mp=y.

E) Study to Improve Worker Profiling Models: The report discusses several approaches for evaluating the accuracy of worker profiling models, and suggests some best practices in operating and maintaining worker profiling models. The full text of the report can be found here:http://wdr.doleta.gov/research/keyword.cfm?fuseaction=dsp_resultDetails&pub_id=2346&mp=y.

F) Evaluation of the Reemployment and Eligibility Assessment (REA) Initiative - "How to Construct a Comparison Group." Technical Assistance Paper August 2008 from Impaq International.

G) Evaluation of the Reemployment and Eligibility Assessment (REA) Initiative and Report to Congress on REA's - 2011

Title I of the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009, Public Law 111-8, Division F, State Unemployment Insurance and Employment Service Operations, contains the following language:

"In addition, $40,000,000 from the Employment Security Administration Account of the Unemployment Trust Fund shall be available to conduct in-person reemployment and eligibility assessments and unemployment insurance improper payment reviews: Provided, That not later than June 30, 2010, the Secretary shall submit an interim report to the Congress that includes available information on expenditures, number of individuals assessed, and outcomes from the assessments: Provided further, That not later than June 30, 2011, the Secretary of Labor shall submit to the Congress a final report containing comprehensive information on the estimated savings that result from the assessments of claimants and identification of best practices."

This report satisfies the requirement for a final report by June 30, 2011.

Report(s):

  1. DOL report to Congress on REAs
  2. REA Study by IMPAQ

H) Impact of the Re-employment and Eligibility Assessment in Nevada

This is a the U.S. Department of Labor asked IMPAQ to extend the study of the Nevada REA program using updated data on UI receipt and wages for REA-eligible claimants who entered the program from July 2009 through December 2009. The objective of the present study is to address the following key questions related to the efficacy of the Nevada REA program: 1) did REA reduce UI benefit duration and UI benefit amounts received? 2) was REA effective in expediting the reemployment of UI claimants? 3) did REA lead to UI Trust Fund savings and, if so, did these exceed REA program costs? http://wdr.doleta.gov/research/FullText_Documents/ETAOP_2012_08_REA_Nevada_Follow_up_Report.pdf

To access all research and evaluation reports sponsored by the Employment and Training Administration access: http://wdr.doleta.gov/research/keyword.cfm