DIRECTIVE	:	UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE PROGRAM LETTER NO. 29-01
TO	:	STATE EMPLOYMENT SECURITY AGENCIES
FROM	:	GRACE A. KILBANE Administrator Office of Workforce Security
SUBJECT	:	Training Seminars for State Employment Security Agency (SESA) Benefit Accuracy Measurement (BAM) Staff on BAM Case Investigations

1. Purpose. To announce Fiscal Year 2001 training seminars for SESA/BAM Investigators.

2. References. Unemployment Insurance Program Letter (UIPL) No. 10-01, dated November 23, 2000; and UIPL No. 22-01, dated February 23, 2001.

3. Background. ET Handbook No. 395 requires SESAs to draw weekly samples of paid and denied intrastate and interstate claims, and to conduct in-depth investigations of the sampled cases. Each of these cases represents a large number of payments in the population, so it is very important that SESA staff adhere to methodology prescribed in the Handbook to ensure the data are collected properly and coded accurately for entry into the BAM automated data base. The revised version of Handbook No. 395, which reflects the addition of denied claims and interstate paid claims to BAM, will be distributed at the training seminars. The introduction of Denied Claims Accuracy (DCA) cases to the SESA investigative process will require application of BAM methodology in the conduct of these investigations. Also, staff turnover and attrition within States continues to cause an influx of new or inexperienced investigators nationwide. Continuing changes in State Unemployment Insurance (UI) operations due to telephone and other electronic filing methods are occurring, and these changes require certain modifications to the BAM methodology. To address the needs of the more recent hires, as well as existing BAM staff, the Department of Labor is offering training for investigators to ensure continued validity of the data collected.

4. FY 2001 BAM State Investigator Training Seminars. The Department of Labor has scheduled two training seminars in FY 2001 for BAM staff who are responsible for conducting the investigations. Seminar size will be limited to no more than 25 participants each to permit comprehensive discussion. Selection will be on a first-come, first-served basis. The two training seminars are scheduled as follows:

   Date	Location	Hotel Deadline
   August 14 - 17, 2001	Washington, D.C.	July 13, 2001
   August 28 - 31, 2001	Tempe, Arizona	July 27, 2001

5. Costs. The SESAs will be responsible for travel and per diem costs for State staff to attend the training sessions.

6. Logistics. The attached sheets provide information on location, hours, hotel arrangements, and ground transportation for the upcoming training seminars. A separate sheet is provided for each seminar.

7. Action Required. State Administrators are requested to (1) notify appropriate State staff of the upcoming BAM training seminars and (2) provide Regional Office (RO) staff with the name, title, and session preference of each SESA nominee by June 15, 2001. ROs will advise nominees of their acceptance by June 30, 2001. Reservations should be made with the applicable hotel by the deadlines indicated above.

8. Inquiries. Direct any questions to the appropriate RO.

9. Attachments.