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Enhancing UI Integrity: Strategies to Reduce Improper Payments in Iowa

This presentation outlines the root causes of improper payments in Iowa’s unemployment insurance (UI) system and identifies targeted actions to enhance integrity. Key areas of focus include Benefit Year Earnings, Separations, Work Search issues, and specific state-related problems. Strategies include improving claimant education on fraud penalties, reforming processes to encourage accurate wage reporting, and enhancing communication among staff and claimants. Milestones are set for training and implementing systems to monitor claims effectively. This initiative aims to significantly reduce improper payments and improve service delivery.

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Enhancing UI Integrity: Strategies to Reduce Improper Payments in Iowa

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  1. UI Integrity / Improper PaymentsJoint Federal/State Task Force State Presentation: IOWA October 14, 2011

  2. 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

  3. 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

  4. 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

  5. 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

  6. 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

  7. 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

  8. 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

  9. 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

  10. 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

  11. 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

  12. 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

  13. 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

  14. Summary and Q&A “Integrity: Own It!” • Questions? • State Contact for follow-up: Matt Mardesen: Matthew.Mardesen@iwd.iowa.gov Phone: 515-281-5792

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