COVID-19: ETA Could Have Done More to Ensure States Had Sufficient Staffing to Deliver Timely Pandemic Unemployment Benefits

Date Issued

Friday, November 22, 2024

Submitting OIG

Department of Labor OIG

Agencies Reviewed/Investigated

Department of Labor

Report Number

19-25-002-03-315

Report Type

Audit

Special Projects

Pandemic

Agency Wide

Yes

Number of Recommendations

Questioned Costs

Funds for Better Use

Report updated under NDAA 5274

External Link

Open Recommendations

This report has 4 open recommendations.

Recommendation Number	Significant Recommendation	Recommended Questioned Costs	Recommended Funds for Better Use
001	Yes	$0	$0
We recommend the Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training capture lessons learned from the pandemic and use the information to develop performance standards for prompt payment of UI benefits under temporary UI programs.
002	Yes	$0	$0
We recommend the Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training establish policy that requires officials to issue guidance timely for ETA regional offices to monitor and measure the effectiveness of states' use of staffing to support the implementation of temporary UI programs.
003	Yes	$0	$0
We recommend the Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training establish policy that requires states to develop corrective action plans to address staffing related concerns negatively impacting permanent and temporary UI programs, as identified by regional offices during monitoring reviews.
004	Yes	$0	$0
We recommend the Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training establish policy that requires ETA officials to develop a business case analysis and supporting justification before suspending UI program integrity functions for states to manage workload surges during emergency events.