Current Projects / Available Research

Current Projects

  1. Evaluation of the Unemployment Compensation Provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
  2. Research Study of Unemployment Exhaustees
  3. Evaluation of the Army Unemployment Compensation for Ex-Military Members Claimants Initiative
  4. Short-Time Compensation Program Study — Employer Survey

Recently Completed Available Research

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


1) Evaluation of the Unemployment Insurance Compensation Provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

In September of 2010 a contract was awarded to Mathematica Policy Research, in conjunction with the Urban Institute, to conduct an evaluation of the Unemployment Compensation (UC) provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).

The evaluation’s overarching objective is to determine the overall efficiency and effectiveness of the UC-related provisions in ARRA. In particular, the project will address important questions relating to Extended Benefits (EB) and benefits that became available through the Emergency Unemployment Compensation Act of 2008, such as: How well did the expansions included under ARRA and related programs meet the needs of unemployed workers during the recent recession? How did these expansions and programs affect workers, labor supply, and other decisions? How did the ARRA financial incentives for states affect their EB-related policy decisions, especially those related to the sequencing of EB? What administrative difficulties did states encounter in providing EUC08 benefits and related enhancements to claimants over the course of the recession?

Similarly, this project we will address questions related to the UC modernization incentives and other provisions under ARRA, to answer questions such as: What factors led states to adopt specific modernization features? What factors provided the greatest deterrents to such adoptions? How difficult was it for states to adjust their existing UC laws and procedures? In the end, how much change actually resulted from the modernizations? How did the various modernization initiatives affect the pool of potentially eligible workers?

To answer these questions, the contractors plan to use UC program data, quarterly wage data, a survey of UC recipients, a survey of UC administrators, site visits, and publicly available data about states UC laws and state-level program characteristics. The contractor will also convene a chosen group of analysts to provide technical assistance. A final report is due in the spring of 2014.

More information on this project can be found at http://www.dol.gov/asp/evaluation/ongoing/ARRAUI.htm , or by contacting Jonathan Simonetta at (202) 693-5085.

2) 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 at (202) 693-3680.

3) Evaluation of the Army Unemployment Compensation for Ex-Military Members Claimants Initiative

This study is a collaborative effort between the Employment and training agency, Veterans Administration, and the Chief Evaluator’s Office, to evaluate the Army Unemployment Compensation for Ex-military members (UCX) in a sample of states that received recent ETA grants to develop innovative practices for this population. The evaluation will examine the extent to which both individual projects and the overall objectives of the initiative were achieved. It will also document the project activities undertaken for possible replication in other states. The evaluation will answer specific questions related to how veterans receive services through the Army UCX Claimants Initiative, as well as broader questions related to how veterans receive services in American Job Centers, their characteristics, service receipt, and employment outcomes.

4) Short-Time Compensation Program Employer Survey

The purpose of this study is to gain a better understanding of the use and response of employers to the Short-Time compensation program (STC) - through a survey of employers together with a baseline analysis of program. The Department signed a contract with Impaq International to complete this work within thirty-six months.

STC programs are voluntary programs that enable employers to temporarily cut costs by reducing employees’ weekly hours in lieu of laying-off employees. In 2012, the President signed the middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (http://www.ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/jobcreact.asp), which contains several provisions concerning STC. Among other things, it provides 100 percent Federal reimbursement of certain STC benefit costs paid by states operating an STC program (consistent with Federal law) for up to 3 years and provides grants to states for STC program implementation, administration, enrollment and outreach.

For more information on this project contact Jonathan Simonetta at (202) 693-5085.

Final Reports for Recently Completed Projects:

A) 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.

B) 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. The full text of the report can be found here: http://wdr.doleta.gov/research/keyword.cfm?fuseaction=dsp_resultDetails&pub_id=2361&mp=y.

C) 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. A final report is available at: http://www.workforceatm.org/articles/template.cfm?results_art_filename=Reed2008.htm.

D) 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. This report is available at: http://wdr.doleta.gov/research/keyword.cfm?fuseaction=dsp_resultDetails&pub_id=2396&mp=y.

E) Study to Improve Worker Profiling Models: The report discusses several approaches for evaluating the accuracy of worker profiling models, and suggests some best practices in operating and maintaining worker profiling models. The full text of the report can be found here:http://wdr.doleta.gov/research/keyword.cfm?fuseaction=dsp_resultDetails&pub_id=2346&mp=y.

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

G) 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, contains the following language:

"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.

Report(s):

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

H) Impact of the Re-employment and Eligibility Assessment in Nevada

This is a 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 present study is to address the following key questions related to the efficacy of the Nevada REA program: 1) did REA 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? http://wdr.doleta.gov/research/FullText_Documents/ETAOP_2012_08_REA_Nevada_Follow_up_Report.pdf

To access all research and evaluation reports sponsored by the Employment and Training Administration access: http://wdr.doleta.gov/research/keyword.cfm