Current Projects / Available Research

Current Projects

  1. Research Study of Unemployment Exhaustees
  2. Evaluation of the Army Unemployment Compensation for Ex-Military Members (UCX) Claimants Initiative
  3. Short-Time Compensation Employer Survey
  4. Short-Time Compensation Program Study Demonstration and Evaluation (ETA)
  5. Longitudinal Survey of Unemployment Insurance Recipients
  6. Unemployment Insurance Financing Study
  7. Reemployment and Eligibility Assessment Demonstrations
  8. Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act Study

Recently Completed Available Research

  1. Evaluation of the Unemployment Compensation Provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009
  2. Evaluation of the Unemployment Insurance Benefits Program
  3. SUTA Dumping Detection System
  4. Reed Act Distribution Implementation Study
  5. Strengthening the Connection between UI Remote Services and One-Stop Center Services Demonstration Project
  6. Study to Improve Worker Profiling Models
  7. Reemployment and Eligibility Assessment (REA) Study Comparison Group
  8. Evaluation of the Re-Employment and Eligibility Assessment Initiative and Report to Congress on REAs — 2011
  9. Impact of the Re-Employment and Eligibility Assessment Initiative in Nevada

Current Projects

  1. Study of Unemployment Insurance Exhaustees

    Recognizing that learning more about Unemployment Insurance exhaustees might be helpful in formulating UI policy in the future, the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration has contracted with Mathematica Policy Research to conduct an in-depth research study of exhaustees and other long-term unemployed workers. This study will concentrate on individuals who exhausted their benefits during calendar years 2010 through 2012 and will be structured around three sets of research questions:

    1. Questions Related to UI Recipients
      • How many recipients exhausted all available UI benefits?
      • What factors were associated with a higher likelihood of exhaustion? Or with a faster return to work after a UI claim?
      • To what extent was the use of reemployment services associated with the exhaustion of benefits and the return to work?
    2. Questions Related to UI Exhaustees
      • How did household income and the incidence of poverty change as benefits were exhausted?
      • What proportions of exhaustees received assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and Supplemental Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) programs after exhausting benefits?
      • Was the receipt of services associated with better labor market outcomes?
    3. Questions Related to the Long-Term Unemployed
      • How did labor market outcomes differ between UI recipients and nonrecipients with long unemployment durations?
      • Were there differences in the amounts and sources of income between long-term unemployed UI recipients and nonrecipients?
      • How did long-term unemployed UI recipients and nonrecipients compare in the receipt of reemployment services?

    For more information on this project, contact Richard Muller in the Employment and Training Administration at 202-693-3680.


    2. Final Reports for Recently Completed Available Research

    1. Evaluation of the Unemployment Compensation Provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009:To provide evidence of the role and effects of how the unemployment compensation (UC) provisions under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) assisted unemployed workers. To understand the challenges that states faced in the implementation of those provisions.

    2. 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:


    3. 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.

    4. 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.

    5. 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.

    6. Study to Improve Worker Profiling Models: This report discusses several approaches for evaluating the accuracy of worker profiling models, and suggests some best practices in operating and maintaining worker profiling models.

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

    8. 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, states:

      "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.

      Reports:

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

    9. Full Report — Impact of the Re-employment and Eligibility Assessment in Nevada: 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 study was to address the following key questions related to the efficacy of the Nevada REA program: 1) Did REA’s 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?


    All research and evaluation reports sponsored by the Employment and Training Administration can be found here: ETA Research Publication Database