2014 NASWA National UI Directors' Conference and IT/Legal Issues Forum
October 20-23, 2014
Salt Lake City, Utah
Monday, October 20th
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Registration is 1:00 to 7:30 p.m.
5:30 - 7:30 p.m. Take an opportunity to meet new professionals and network with your
colleagues during an evening reception at the Radisson.
Tuesday, October 21st, morning sessions
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Registration is 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
UI Legal Affairs Track, 8:00am to Noon
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Limited English Proficiency (LEP) workshop
Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) Independence workshop
NASWA UI Committee meeting, 8:00am to Noon
NASWA IT Workgroup meeting, 8:00am to Noon
Tuesday - Conference Begins – (12:30 p.m. start)
Opening Plenary Session
Opening ceremony and Utah Welcome
USDOL Update
Economist
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4:15 p.m. – Buses leave for an evening out.
“Creating Connections in the 21st Century”
2014 NASWA National UI Directors' Conference and IT/Legal Issues Forum
October 20-23, 2014
Salt Lake City, Utah
Wednesday, October 22nd - Workshops
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Registration is 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
08:30 – 10:00 a.m.
 3 UI Workshops, IT Workshop, and Legal Issues Workshop
10:30 – Noon
 3 UI Workshops, IT Workshop, and Legal Issues Workshop
Noon to 1:30 Lunch (Speaker and Awards)
1:30 – 3:00 p.m.
 3 UI Workshops, IT Workshop, and Legal Issues Workshop
3:30 – 5:00 p.m.
 3 UI Workshops, IT Workshop, and Legal Issues Workshop
 Legal Issues Workshop
5:30 p.m. – Evening activity is own your own with a conference stipend
Thursday
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Registration is 8:00 to 11:00 a.m.
Closing Plenary Session (starts at 8:00 a.m.)
Reemployment topic
UI Tax topics
Combating UI Fraud (10:00 to 11:15 am)
2015 National UI Meeting
Closing remarks
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Conference Adjourns around Noon on Thursday, October 23, 2014
“Creating Connections in the 21st Century”
2014 NASWA National UI Directors' Conference and IT/Legal Issues Forum
October 20-23, 2014
Salt Lake City, Utah
Conference Agenda
Opening Welcome (Tuesday, October 21st – 12:30 p.m. to 12:50 p.m.)
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Presentation of the Colors, Utah Army National Guard
Singing of National Anthem by Vanessa Lindquist, Utah Department of Workforce
Services
Gary R. Herbert, Governor, State of Utah
Jon S. Pierpont, Executive Director, Utah Department of Workforce Services
U.S. Department of Labor Update (Tuesday, October 21st – 12:50 p.m. to 1:50 p.m.)
As the Great Recession and its many challenges recede, the UI system is now facing a rebuilding
period as a critical American safety net. We need to re-energize and re-focus on strategies to
ensure quality UI administration and customer service; to bring system performance back to prerecession levels; to restore trust fund solvency; to continue to modernize UI IT infrastructure; to
continue efforts to restore program integrity and bring down the UI improper payment rate; and to
ensure that UI claimants have access to quality reemployment services. Ms. Gilbert will provide
an update on the “state of the UI program” and speak about shared federal/state priorities and
strategies to address these important issues.
Presenter: Gay M. Gilbert, U.S. Department of Labor
Two-minute Drill (Tuesday, October 21st – 1:50 p.m. to 2:20 p.m.)
Break (Tuesday, October 21st – 2:20 p.m. to 2:40 p.m.)
Economic Trends and Looking Forward
(Tuesday, October 21st – 2:45 p.m. to 3:45 p.m.)
Dr. Perlich’s presentation will include an insightful discussion on geographical employment and
unemployment trends; characteristics of new jobs versus those that were lost; income inequality;
how age is transforming the labor force and the generational differences that have emerged; and
demographic trends and national shifts in populations.
Presenter: Pamela S. Perlich, Ph.D., University of Utah
(Thursday, October 23rd – 8:00 a.m. to 8:45 a.m.)
There are many ideas about the effective approach for getting individuals off UI benefits and
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Getting UI Claimants back in the Labor Force
2014 NASWA National UI Directors' Conference and IT/Legal Issues Forum
October 20-23, 2014
Salt Lake City, Utah
back to work. Evidence is emerging around investing in reemployment and eligibility
assessments (REA) and reemployment services (RES) as cost-effective tools for
government. Yet, such policies have faced many challenges in the past 25 years. The current
Administration has proposed a doubling of such investments for fiscal year 2015 to nearly $160
million, but what else could be done? Hear about the policies, challenges, evidence and options
for reemploying unemployment insurance claimants that likely would increase their employment,
decrease their unemployment, reduce benefit outlays and cut overpayments.
Presenter: Richard A. Hobbie, Ph.D., Rutgers University
Are 21ST Century Criminals Hacking Your Trust Fund?
(Thursday, October 23rd – 8:45 a.m. to 9:45 a.m.)
Fictitious Employers and Worker Misclassification are old schemes that attempt to defraud the UI
system. Fictitious Employers file illegitimate claims that can go undetected, the cost of which
may not be recovered via the employer tax rate, and end up as a socialized cost borne by all
employers. These claims also affect the claims taking workload. Misclassification is an
illegitimate employer/employee designation that, if undetected, results in lower tax revenue, and
claims for benefits that are more difficult to process, which increases the claims taking workload.
These are not new issues, but there are advancements in the detection and prevention of them.
Our presenters will discuss their “new and improved” methods.
Moderator:
Dennis Morton, Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation
Panelists:
Una Wiley, Washington State Employment Security Department
Michelle Beebe, Utah Department of Workforce Services
Break (Thursday, October 23rd – 9:45 a.m. to 9:55 a.m.)
Combating UI Fraud (Thursday, October 23rd – 10:00 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.)
Jay Rowell, Illinois Department of Employment Security
Panelists:
Ron Marino, New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development
Marco Morales, Illinois Department of Employment Security
Steve Zuelke, Nevada Department of Employment, Training, & Rehabilitation
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It seems that every day there’s news about a major company’s data systems being breached,
exposing consumer data and personal identifying information. With identity theft being one of
the fastest growing crimes in the country, how can states prevent the use of stolen data in the
Unemployment Insurance system? Come listen to the steps being taken by states to prevent fraud
which includes, the use of existing UI databases and commercially available data validation
systems, and using your state’s unemployment data to identify trends in claims that make them
likely to be fraudulent.
2014 NASWA National UI Directors' Conference and IT/Legal Issues Forum
October 20-23, 2014
Salt Lake City, Utah
Closing
Plenary Speakers’ bios
Gay M. Gilbert, Administrator
Office of Unemployment Insurance
Employment and Training Administration
U.S. Department of Labor
Ms. Gilbert joined the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (ETA) in
November 2000 and currently serves as the Administrator of the Office of Unemployment Insurance
overseeing the nation's federal-state Unemployment Insurance program. Previously, she served as the
Administrator for the Office of Workforce Investment in ETA providing federal oversight and leadership
for America's workforce investment system. Prior to joining the U.S Department of Labor, she was a
senior official for the State of Ohio overseeing workforce programs and unemployment insurance for over
ten years. Ms. Gilbert also served as Assistant City Attorney for the City of Columbus, Ohio, and eight
years with the West Virginia Department of Human Services. Ms. Gilbert’s education includes a
Bachelor of Arts, Michigan State University; a Master of Social Work, West Virginia University; and a
Juris Doctor, Ohio State University.
Rich Hobbie, Ph.D., Visiting Scholar
Rutgers University
Dr. Hobbie is a Visiting Scholar at Rutgers University’s John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce
Development. He recently retired as Executive Director with the National Association of State Workforce
Agencies (NASWA) after sixteen years with NASWA. NASWA is an association that provides advocacy
for state workforce agencies' services, and liaison and information exchange with the U.S. Department of
Labor, Congress, states, employers, workers, and the general public on workforce investment programs,
unemployment insurance, trade adjustment assistance, labor exchange services, and labor market
information. During his career, Dr. Hobbie has been Unemployment Insurance Director at NASWA, a
consultant, an Associate Assistant Secretary at the U.S. Department of Labor, staff director of a
subcommittee of the House Committee on Ways and Means of the U.S. Congress and an analyst at the
Congressional Research Service and the Congressional Budget Office. He has served on numerous
boards dealing with social and employment issues. Dr. Hobbie is a Vietnam veteran and earned a Ph.D.
degree from the John Glenn School of Public Affairs at The Ohio State University (OSU) and also has
earned Master of Arts and Bachelor of Arts degrees in economics at OSU.
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Dr. Perlich is a Senior Research Economist in the Bureau of Economic and Business Research at the
University of Utah, where she serves as director of the Utah Community Data Project. The Utah
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Pamela S. Perlich, Ph.D., Senior Research Economist
University of Utah
2014 NASWA National UI Directors' Conference and IT/Legal Issues Forum
October 20-23, 2014
Salt Lake City, Utah
Community Data Project provides frequently updated neighborhood portraits that highlight the great
diversity in Utah’s communities and how these change over time. Prior to joining BEBR, she worked in
the Utah Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget, concentrating on long run economic and
demographic projections. Dr. Perlich has researched, published, and taught on a wide range of topics
over the course of her career. Although trained as an economist, she applies a multidisciplinary approach
to develop data, modeling, and analysis that identifies ongoing demographic, economic and cultural
transformations. The focus of her work is to illuminate these trends and the associated implications for
the future, especially as they impact Utah. She is highly effective in communicating these ideas to a broad
nontechnical audience, including ordinary residents as well as community leaders. Dr. Perlich also
serves on numerous boards and commissions.
Dennis Morton, Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation
Mr. Morton started as a Maryland UI Field Auditor in 1974. From 1977 to 1983 he was the Assistant to
the Director of Contributions. From 1983 to 1989 he was the Chief of General Accounting in the Office
of Finance. From 1989 to May 2013 he was the Director of Contributions. Since May 2013, Mr. Morton
is the Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Maryland UI Division. Education: BA Accounting 1974, Loyola
College, MD; MBA 1983 Loyola College, MD
Michelle Beebe, Utah Department of Workforce Services
Ms. Beebe started with the Utah Unemployment Insurance program in July 2008 as an adjudicator. She
came from the private sector with experience in hotel management, temporary help companies, and
private probation. During her time with UI, she has served as a senior business analyst submitting
federal reports and conducting data analysis, initial adjudication manager, chief of benefits, and chief of
tax. She is currently the assistant director. Ms. Beebe completed her Bachelor's Degree in philosophy
from the University of Utah and is close to finishing a Master's Degree in Public Policy.
Una Wiley, Washington State Employment Security Department
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Ms. Wiley, Deputy Director of Audit and Collections, began her employment with the Washington State
Employment Security Department in 2010 as an Underground Economy Auditor. She has also held
positions as the Audit Coordinator, Unemployment Insurance Tax Administrator, and Deputy Director of
Operations. Ms. Wiley came from the private sector with experience as a corporate accountant and has
owned and operated a successful consulting firm.
“Creating Connections in the 21st Century”
2014 NASWA National UI Directors' Conference and IT/Legal Issues Forum
October 20-23, 2014
Salt Lake City, Utah
Luncheon Agenda
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
Idaho’s Unemployment System (iUS)
See a demonstration of Idaho’s new internet tax and benefit system, iUS, which replaced its mainframe
legacy Unemployment Insurance systems. Hear details about a successful IT project that was on time,
under budget and managed by Idaho's Unemployment Insurance program experts. Learn about the cloud
computing potential of iUS and how this potential could be tapped by other states.
Jay Engstrom, Idaho Department of Labor
John McAllister, Idaho Department of Labor
Mark Mayfield, Idaho Department of Labor
UI State Performance Excellence Awards
The Unemployment Insurance (UI) State Performance Excellence Awards are given to the top
performers nationwide in key areas of state UI operations. The Performance Excellence Awards honor
those states that have attained the best performance across the Nation in key areas of the unemployment
insurance program. The awards reflect the breadth of the UI system and the performance areas most
critical to its success. As outlined in Training and Employment Notice 02-08, changes have been made to
the UI Performance Recognition system beginning with the 2008 performance year. These changes allow
for recognition to the top-performing agency from small states, medium-sized states, and large states.
The Honorees recognized this year have demonstrated top performance in the following categories:
 Timely and high-quality appeals decisions;
 Timely, proper, and high-quality eligibility decisions and benefit payments;
 High quality tax operations
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Gay M. Gilbert, Administrator
U.S. Department of Labor, ETA
Office of Unemployment Insurance
“Creating Connections in the 21st Century”
2014 NASWA National UI Directors' Conference and IT/Legal Issues Forum
October 20-23, 2014
Salt Lake City, Utah
UI Workshop topics Short-Time Compensation (Parleys 1 Room; Wednesday, October 22nd – 8:30 – 10:00 am)
The Short-Time Compensation (STC), Work Share, or Worksharing Programs have been successfully
implemented in more than 20 states. In this panel discussion, we will hear a federal perspective on the
law and funding opportunities to implement and expand STC programs in the states. Attendees also will
hear perspectives from states with existing and new programs on how to implement an STC program,
provisions that work well, and pitfalls to avoid.
Moderator:
Neil Gorrell, Washington Employment Security Department
Panelists:
Suzanne Simonetta, U.S. Department of Labor
Ron Marino, New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development
Faster, Better, Cheaper – Client Communication in a Wired World
(Red Butte Room; Wednesday, October 22nd – 8:30 – 10:00 am)
This session discusses ways that states are adapting to both expanded technological capabilities and
changing customer expectations to enhance their communication with claimants and employers for the
delivery of the unemployment insurance program. We will examine which approaches have proven most
effective and which may hold greater promise for future expansion. Two states will provide specific
examples of how they have changed the methods used to interact with our customers.
Moderator:
Bruce Madson, Ohio Department of Job & Family Services
Panelists:
Erica Von Nessen, SC Department of Employment and Workforce
Julie Smith, Ohio Department of Job & Family Services
UI Director 101
(Parleys 2 Room; Wednesday, October 22nd – 8:30 – 10:00 am)
Are you relatively new to your position as the agency’s UI Director? Then this workshop is for
YOU. Hear from UI Directors with varying levels of experience and what they’d wished someone had
told them when they started. Lessons learned and pitfalls to avoid will be discussed. Listen to some
suggestions in working with your state administration – new Governors and Legislators – in educating
them about UI.
Andy Baldwin, Arizona Department of Economic Security
Panelists:
Josh Richardson, Indiana Department of Workforce Development
Nia Ray, Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations
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Moderator:
“Creating Connections in the 21st Century”
2014 NASWA National UI Directors' Conference and IT/Legal Issues Forum
October 20-23, 2014
Salt Lake City, Utah
Methods for Detecting and Preventing Identity Theft
(Parleys 1 Room; Wednesday, October 22nd – 10:30 am – 12:00 pm)
In an age of telephone and on-line computer applications, how do we know the people we serve are whom
they claim? Frequently we hear about hackers stealing identities to abuse credit or to steal from bank
accounts. These identity thieves are also infiltrating the realm of public assistance in a myriad of ways
including unemployment insurance benefits. As our on-line applications become faster and more
sophisticated, so too are the criminals. In this workshop, panelists will share interesting cases of fraud
and identity theft, how it was detected and their efforts to deter and prevent unemployment insurance
fraud.
Moderator:
Michael Wilkinson, Iowa Workforce Development
Panelists:
Rebecca Buchanan, Nebraska Department of Labor
Daryle Dudzinski, Connecticut Department of Labor
David Eklund, Iowa Workforce Development
On-line filing by Employers and Claimants (Red Butte Room; Wednesday, October 22nd – 10:30 am – 12:00 pm)
Learn how three states have been able to process UI claims and Employer Contribution Reports faster,
more accurately, and with reduced costs through on-line filing. These states can provide insights on
lessons learned and how to implement or improve an effective on-line strategy in your state.
Moderator:
Bill Starks, Utah Department of Workforce Services
Panelists:
Chuck Ross, Texas Workforce Commission
Buddy Tobyas, New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions
Mike Miller, Utah Department of Workforce Services
Preparing Your UI Subject Matter Experts in their Role as Business Analysts
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(Parleys 2 Room; Wednesday, October 22nd – 10:30 am – 12:00 pm)
State UI Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) often find themselves performing the services of business
analysts (BAs) when contributing to a UI IT modernization program. Developing requirements definitions
that reflect the needs of the UI organization is vital in providing an accurate description of work for
vendor solicitations and/or internal developers. Yet, these SMEs may not have been introduced to the BA
skills required to best execute the tasks that are expected of them. The Information Technology Support
Center (ITSC) offers curriculum designed to support states that are planning UI IT Modernization projects
by giving state UI SMEs hands-on experience with techniques for developing and documenting
requirements and for subsequently working with development teams (outsourced or internal). This
workshop introduces UI Directors to the content of a five-day instructor-led Boot Camp for business
analysts that are tailored specifically to the UI community. Come and join a mini-session extracted from
the course that explains the integral role of UI SMEs taking on the role of BAs within the modernization
process and see a sampling of the many of lessons learned and best practices from other states and
2014 NASWA National UI Directors' Conference and IT/Legal Issues Forum
October 20-23, 2014
Salt Lake City, Utah
consortiums that are interspersed within the Boot Camp.
Moderator:
Joe Vitale, NASWA Information Technology Support Center
Panelists:
Paul Hegg, Alaska Department of Labor & Workforce Development
James Danner, Alaska Department of Labor & Workforce Development
Tracy Henchbarger, NASWA Information Technology Support Center
Making BAM Better (Parleys 1 Room; Wednesday, October 22nd – 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm)
This workshop will discuss recent developments in the Benefit Accuracy Measurement (BAM) program.
Hear an update on the recent Mathematica study of the BAM program and the potential to implement
recommendations from that report. Attendees also will hear state perspectives regarding on-the-ground
operations and policy issues regarding BAM measurements.
Moderator:
Neil Gorrell, Washington Employment Security Department
Panelists:
Gay Gilbert, U.S. Department of Labor
Greg Rosenboom, Nebraska Department of Labor
Rebuilding your Airplane’s Engines while still Flying
(Red Butte Room; Wednesday, October 22nd – 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm)
Updating and upgrading your state’s UI computer system may sound simple but it’s like trying to do an
engine build on an airplane while it’s still in the air. The balance between business verses information
technology drivers on projects is critical for achieving a relative smooth lift off on a new UI
system. Some states are pooling scarce administrative funding resources for a consortium approach in
updating their UI computer systems. Attendees will hear about the challenges, successes, and lessons
learned for UI system upgrades from a single state and consortium perspective.
Moderator:
Tobi Cates, Wyoming Department of Workforce Services
Panelists:
Jeffrey Frischmann, Nevada Department of Employment, Training, & Rehabilitation
Andy Baldwin, Arizona Department of Economic Security
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The demand for UI participant wage records to measure program performance has increased markedly in
recent years. Students, workers, employers, educators and policymakers are keenly interested in the labor
market outcomes of graduates from workforce development and postsecondary programs. Given this
greater emphasis on outcomes and accountability, an increasing number of education and training
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UI Data Confidentiality: A Discussion on the Issues Affecting the Increasing Demand for
UI Wage Record Data (Parleys 2 Room; Wednesday, October 22nd – 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm)
2014 NASWA National UI Directors' Conference and IT/Legal Issues Forum
October 20-23, 2014
Salt Lake City, Utah
programs are conducting, or seeking, data matches with UI wage records.
This session will provide an overview of factors driving the demand side for these data, information
about permissible disclosures to public educational entities and the workforce system under Federal
regulations at 20 CFR 603, how WRIS and WRIS II can be used to measure performance without
disclosing personally identifiable information and how states are dealing with the various requests.
Moderator:
Jay Engstrom, Idaho Department of Labor
Panelists:
Rachel Zinn, Workforce Data Quality Campaign
Suzanne Simonetta, U.S. Department of Labor
The Long Arm of the Outlaws: How to detect and prevent inmates from reaching into your
trust fund from behind bars (Parleys 1 Room; Wednesday, October 22nd – 3:30 pm – 5:00 pm)
Detecting fraudulent claims filed by incarcerated individuals has often challenged state UI agencies. We
will learn from states utilizing both the Social Security Administration’s Prisoner Update Processing
System (PUPS) and Appriss's JusticeXchange system to understand the values, benefits, and
shortcomings of each system, and share with your peers some other approaches your state may be
applying.
Moderator:
Benjamin Peirce, Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development
Panelists:
Justin Allen, Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development
Jody McMillan, Utah Department of Workforce Services
Lutfi Shahrani, Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development
Proven and Innovative Reemployment Strategies for UI Claimants
(Red Butte Room; Wednesday, October 22nd – 3:30 pm – 5:00 pm)
Shalonda Sanders, Oklahoma Employment Security Commission
Panelists:
David Gerstenfeld, Oregon Employment Department
Jeff Fitzgerald, Colorado Department of Labor and Employment
Julian Federle, Illinois Department of Employment Security
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Moderator:
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This session showcases combining proven concepts with innovative strategies to connect claimants back
to the workforce. Participants will take a glance at how three states provide reemployment assistance
using different methods while keeping the same end goal of reemploying claimants in sight. Some of
these methods include: Cross training traditional employment service and unemployment insurance
program staff on reemployment strategies, providing early intervention in the claims process along with
reaching out to the long-term unemployed using labor trend analysis techniques, and using a modernized
state labor exchange system automating the work search verification, issue detection, and adjudication
process in order to increase work search activities and compliance.
2014 NASWA National UI Directors' Conference and IT/Legal Issues Forum
October 20-23, 2014
Salt Lake City, Utah
USDOL’s Legislative Training (Parleys 2 Room; Wednesday, October 22nd – 3:30 pm – 5:00 pm)
This workshop will provide a sneak peek at coming attractions in USDOL’s revitalized Legislative
Training initiative. Come see a demonstration of the ITSC Learning Management System, learn about
upcoming webinars and new self-paced and interactive sessions, and hear a state perspective on the new
system from an early-adopter/tester.
Moderator:
Neil Gorrell, Washington Employment Security Department
Panelists:
Suzanne Simonetta, U.S. Department of Labor
Tracy Henchbarger, NASWA Information Technology Support Center
Tracey Rolfson, Idaho Department of Labor
The UI IT Workshop Track will have four workshops.
“Securing Your Unemployment Insurance Data”
(Millcreek Room; Wednesday, October 22nd – 8:30 am – 10:00 am)
As state unemployment insurance and workforce agencies embrace new technology, it is critical that they
understand all of the security implications and how to address them effectively. Handling sensitive data
and preventing data breaches, data loss, avoiding insecure APIs, ensuring sufficient due diligence,
handling federal tax information (FTI), FISMA, authentication and tools and shared technology
challenges in the cloud are just some of the concerns which need to be strategically addressed. Join us at
this workshop where these areas will be identified and addressed to ensure your data is secure.
Moderator:
Lou Ansaldi, NASWA Information Technology Support Center
Panelists:
Mohammed Jalaluddin, MS Department of Employment Security
Amanda Gohl, Xerox State and Local Solutions, Inc.
Dennis Green, Arizona Department of Employment Security
“UI IT Modernization Application Development Models”
(Millcreek Room; Wednesday, October 22nd – 10:30 am – 12:00 pm)
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The focus on this workshop will be to provide insight on current single state and consortia efforts. The
panelists will promote and share successful practices used and lessons learned, during the planning,
scoping and implementation of these modernization efforts. Hear updates on what states and NASWA’s
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UI IT modernization projects are a daunting and vast undertaking for any workforce agency. Generally,
these projects experience significant challenges, whether “going it alone” or partnering with other states
in a consortium-based model. How do states develop cost-effective and flexible systems to meet its
needs, and at the same time, incorporate new technologies, such as cloud computing? With these
challenges, there are opportunities, risks and solutions
2014 NASWA National UI Directors' Conference and IT/Legal Issues Forum
October 20-23, 2014
Salt Lake City, Utah
Information Technology Support Center have experienced and are doing to modernize state UI systems.
Moderator:
Lou Ansaldi, NASWA Information Technology Support Center
Panelists:
David McGlone, MD Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation
Mathew Hankins, MO Department of Labor & Industrial Relations
Thomas Luparello, DC Department of Employment Services
Jody McMillan, Utah Department of Workforce Services
“Reemployment Software Application Tools Demonstration”
(Millcreek Room; Wednesday, October 22nd – 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm)
As part of the UI/ Workforce Connectivity Pilot project funded by USDOL in 2011, NASWA’s
Information Technology Support Center (ITSC) worked with MS, NY and a vendor on the building of an
Integrated Workforce Registration (IWR) system that serves as the entry to all reemployment services,
including job seeker services, training and unemployment insurance. The IWR also provides a single
registration and single sign-on (SSO) tool across all workforce systems. Project partners also
collaborated on building a personalized “Workforce Integrated Profile Page (WIPP),” which provides real
time information on local career center events, job matches, training, labor market information, and both
global and jobseeker specific messaging, UI claim status and other workforce system updates, customized
to the individual jobseeker and state.
Using open source technologies, the IWR and WIPP are customizable, configurable and developed for
potential adoption and use by all states, in either an ITSC cloud-based or state-hosted environment. Join
us at this workshop to see these cool tools in action, currently deployed in MS and NY, being integrated
and implemented in NJ, and planned for adoption in other states. Get your questions answered on how
these applications can work for you and your jobseekers in your existing IT environment.
Moderator:
Tom Kusnirik, NASWA Information Technology Support Center
Panelists:
Sriram Vilayanur, NJ Department of Labor and Workforce Development
“Cloud Feasibility: Is your Head in the Cloud?”
(Millcreek Room; Wednesday, October 22nd – 3:30 pm – 5:00 pm)
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In this workshop we will discuss how cloud computing can work for your Unemployment Insurance
applications, providing insight on the models that can be used, as well as the best way to leverage
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Cloud computing allows for convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable
computing resources (e.g., networks, servers, storage, applications, and services) that can be deployed
quickly and released with minimal management effort or service provider interaction. This cloud model
promotes availability and is composed of five essential characteristics (On-demand self-service, Broad
network access, Resource pooling, Rapid elasticity, Measured Service); three service models (Cloud
Software as a Service (SaaS), Cloud Platform as a Service (PaaS), Cloud Infrastructure as a Service
(IaaS)); and, four deployment models (Private cloud, Community cloud, Public cloud, Hybrid cloud).
2014 NASWA National UI Directors' Conference and IT/Legal Issues Forum
October 20-23, 2014
Salt Lake City, Utah
them. Many of the tools you are currently using through the ITSC: JAZZ, SIDES, OccuCoder, Learning
Management System (LMS) are cloud based applications using various Models. Come and hear how
cloud computing offers the promise of cost savings AND increased IT agility. In addition, we will touch
on security considerations and barriers to entry and exit with Cloud Providers.
Moderator:
Joe Vitale, NASWA Information Technology Support Center
Panelists:
Gay Gilbert, U.S. Department of Labor
Charles LaHeist, Colorado Department of Labor and Employment
The UI Legal Affairs Track will have six workshops.
Federal Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Requirements
(Millcreek Room; Tuesday, October 21st – 8:00 am – 9:30 am)
This workshop session will cover the Federal requirements for individuals accessing public services with
limited English proficiency and strategies for providing effective limited English proficiency services.
Moderator:
Jewell Patricio, Texas Workforce Commission
Panelists:
Marshall Ray, New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions
Joseph Bervid, Iowa Workforce Development
ALJ Independence and Federal-State Issues-Problems and Solutions
(Millcreek Room; Tuesday, October 21st – 10:00 am – 11:30 am)
This workshop will have presentations on state federal issues arising over administrative law judge (ALJ)
independence and the sharing of information along with a USDOL response.
Moderator:
Michael Milwee, DC Retired
Panelists:
Dale Folwell, North Carolina Department of Commerce
Liz Wyman, Maine Department of Labor
Suzanne Simonetta, U.S. Department of Labor
USDOL Discussion
(Blue Spruce Room; Wednesday, October 22nd – 8:30 am – 10:00 am)
Joseph Bervid, Iowa Workforce Development
Panelist:
Gay Gilbert, U.S. Department of Labor
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Moderator:
“Creating Connections in the 21st Century”
2014 NASWA National UI Directors' Conference and IT/Legal Issues Forum
October 20-23, 2014
Salt Lake City, Utah
Emerging Legal Issues in Unemployment Insurance
(Blue Spruce Room; Wednesday, October 22nd – 10:30 am – 12:00 pm)
Suzanne Simonetta, Chief of USDOL's Division of UI Legislation, will address issues regarding federal
laws and state legislative proposals that raise questions of conformity with federal law. The discussion
will include the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014, United States v. Windsor, drug
testing requirements, and the federal outlook.
Moderator:
Joseph Bervid, Iowa Workforce Development
Panelist:
Suzanne Simonetta, U.S. Department of Labor
Preventing the Incarcerated Claimant from Receiving Unemployment Benefits
(Blue Spruce Room; Wednesday, October 22nd – 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm)
This workshop will highlight how to prevent the incarcerated claimant as well as others from claiming
fraudulent unemployment benefits. Pondera Solutions will discuss how it helps to combat fraud, waste
and abuse in government programs by utilizing the power of Google. Appriss will discuss identifying and
preventing overpayments to incarcerated claimants seeking unemployment benefits. Iowa Workforce
Development will discuss the mechanisms utilized to avoid paying fraudulent unemployment benefits to
incarcerated claimants and others.
Moderator:
Kelly Waller, Illinois Department of Employment Security
Panelists:
Richard Boone, Appriss, Inc.
Gary Bateman, Iowa Workforce Development
Jon Coss, Pondera Solutions
UI Integrity – Preventing, Detecting, and Recovering Fraudulent UI Benefits
(Blue Spruce Room; Wednesday, October 22nd – 3:30 pm – 5:00 pm)
This session will focus on the current problems facing agencies in detecting and preventing
unemployment insurance benefit fraud. The discussion will specifically focus on identity theft and what
states are doing to address the issue. Further, the topic will include a discussion on recovering the benefit
overpayment through TOP, prosecution and bankruptcy proceedings.
Katie Thurber, Nebraska Department of Labor
Panelists:
Anne Rugens, Connecticut Department of Labor
Paul Carmona, Texas Workforce Commission
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Moderator:
“Creating Connections in the 21st Century”