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UI Integrity / Improper Payments Joint Federal/State Task Force. State Presentation: IOWA. October 14, 2011. Areas of National Focus:. Benefit Year Earnings (BYE): Root Causes Identified: Agency Causes Failure to properly investigate earnings in a timely manner
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UI Integrity / Improper PaymentsJoint Federal/State Task Force State Presentation: IOWA October 14, 2011
Areas of National Focus: • Benefit Year Earnings (BYE): Root Causes Identified: • Agency Causes • Failure to properly investigate earnings in a timely manner • Failure to educate claimants on penalties of fraud • Claimant Causes • Failure to report or incorrectly report wages • Failure to notify when return to work • Week claim vs. week earned • Employer Causes • Incorrect week/wage reporting
Areas of National Focus: • Benefit Year Earnings (BYE): Planned action(s) to address: • Encourage employer use of the electronic verification system for cross match purposes • Milestone: January 2012 • Issue press releases, create a fraud link on our website, and post signs in the offices about penalties in order to discourage fraudulent activities • Milestone: November 2011 • Implement the NDNH in our weekly filing system to encourage wage reporting • Milestone: Early/Mid 2012 3
Areas of National Focus: • Separations (SEPs): Root Causes Identified: • Agency Causes • Incorrectly adjudicated decisions • Failure to gather enough information in fact finding hearing • Claimant Causes • Incorrect separation reason reported when filing • Employer Causes • Timeliness of protests • Failure to respond • Quality of responses 4
Areas of National Focus: • Separations: • Planned action(s) to address: • Assess staff and implement Go To Trainings • Milestones: Assessment (May 2011), Develop (June 2011), Train (August 2011-ongoing) • Collaborate with the appeals sections to improve adjudication (mini BTQ) • Milestone: October 2011-ongoing • Improve the UI claims application with more separation options • Milestones: Development and testing complete by December 2011 • Agency phone number will no longer show up as “unavailable” on caller ID • Milestone: December 2011 • Implement SIDES • Milestones: Testing (July 2012) and Go Live (August 2012) 5
Areas of National Focus: • Work Search Issues: Root Causes Identified: • Agency Causes • Failure to investigate work search issues due to staff reductions. • Claimant Causes • Failure to complete the number of job searches that is required. 6
Areas of National Focus: • Work Search Issues : • Planned action(s) to address: • Claimants are required to input specific job contacts on weekly claim filing • Easier for agency to investigate • Claimant accountability • Milestone: April 2012 7
State-Specific Issues • Issue 1: Dependency Errors • Root cause(s) identified: • Lack of correct knowledge of staff • Lack of knowledge of claimants • Planned action(s) to address issue • Educate staff with quick reference guides • Milestone: November 2011 • Change application to include a more clear message about who can be claimed • Milestone: April 2012 • Collect more information about dependents • Milestone: April 2012
State-Specific Issues • Issue 2: Second Benefit Year Disqualifications • Root cause(s) identified: • Lack of communication between field staff and service center • System failure to properly identify and lock claims • Planned action(s) to address issue • Open communication and notify employee of errors • Milestone: immediately • Create new criteria for kick-outs for educated staff to work. • Milestone: November 2011
State-Specific Issues • Issue 3: Able & Available Issues • Root cause(s) identified: • Failure to register for work • Planned action(s) to address issue • Claimant must register for work before submitting UI application • Milestone: November 2011
Everybody Owns Integrity • Strategies to Support Owning UI Integrity: • Encourage and educate every staff member to understand how their jobs connect to UI integrity. • Global E-Mails/Newsletters • Staff meetings • Develop processes that encourage staff to recommend solutions to reduce improper payments • Open door policy • Quarterly staff meetings • Implement and maintain management oversight. • Weekly management meetings
Communications • Communications Strategies: • To claimants, employers, and public: • Press Releases on fraud prosecutions • Fraud link on agency website • Update Workers Guide with integrity message • “Lunch and Learns” with employers • To state UI staff: • Global E-mails and meetings • Integrity Training • To state leaders: • Propose legislative change that could reduce overpayments
Oh, and…You Gotta See This! • Killer App: • Description of Issue: • To be announced during the final presentation • Description of Solution: • XXX • Anticipated results: • Timeliness, accuracy, etc. improved by XX • Improper payment reduction: xx% • Cost / Benefit explanation: • XXX • Increased notification of BAM findings • Increased supervisory monitoring of pending due dates • Increased supervisory claim processing reviews
Summary and Q&A “Integrity: Own It!” • Questions? • State Contact for follow-up: Matt Mardesen: Matthew.Mardesen@iwd.iowa.gov Phone: 515-281-5792