UI and Reemployment
Provision of Reemployment Services. The workforce system plays a vital role in helping unemployed workers quickly find work, and in helping employers find workers when they are ready to hire. The Recovery Act includes a new, major investment to provide Reemployment Services to Unemployment Insurance (UI) claimants. These funds are in addition to those provided through the Reemployment and Eligibility Assessment program implemented under the UI system, currently in 19 states, and soon to be in others. All states and local areas must develop close partnering relationships between UI and One-Stop services to ensure UI claimants are quickly linked to a local One-Stop in their area to develop and pursue an employment plan. States are urged to leverage all available services to maximize the resources and enhance workers' opportunities to return to the workforce. ETA encourages states to find and share best practices through the online community of practice at www.reemploymentworks.workforce3one.org.
Geographic Solutions' Virtual OneStop systems with the optional UI interfaces module are well suited to this desired integration. ARRA funds might be used to create UI connectors – that is, a file feed or direct connection from a state UI system to Virtual OneStop to:
- Create system registrations. If enough data is transferred, Wagner-Peyser applications, work histories, etc., can be created automatically. The system can send email on registrations created by an UI interface advising of new username, how to log in, how to create resumes (some states require this as part of their work test), and a link to a list of jobs based on their residential address and, if sent, occupation code.
- Update the system to reflect that a first claim check was paid as well as claimant's current status, extended benefit status, or benefits exhausted status.
- Virtual OneStop can offer a UI profiling module that schedules the profiled workers (and/or REA participants) in special orientation and assessment classes. This functionality is closely aligned with the driving goals of ARRA: rapid reemployment and economic stimulation.
- Virtual OneStop can then prepare the 9048 report for clients.