[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 60 (Wednesday, March 28, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18865-18869]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-7377]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration


Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA); Lower Living Standard 
Income Level (LLSIL)

AGENCY: Employment and Training Administration (ETA), Labor.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Title I of WIA (Pub. L. 105-220) requires the U.S. Secretary 
of Labor (Secretary) to update and publish the LLSIL tables annually, 
for uses described in the law (including determining eligibility for 
youth). WIA defines the term ``low income individual'' as one who 
qualifies under various criteria, including an individual who received 
income for a six-month period that does not exceed the higher level of 
the poverty line or 70 percent of the LLSIL. This issuance provides the 
Secretary's annual LLSIL for 2012 and references the current 2012 
Health and Human Services ``Poverty Guidelines.''

DATES: This notice is effective March 28, 2012.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR QUESTIONS ON LLSIL: Please contact Samuel 
Wright, Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, 
200 Constitution Avenue NW., Room S-4231, Washington, DC 20210; 
Telephone: 202-693-2870; Fax: 202-693-33015 (these are not toll-free 
numbers); Email address: [email protected]. Individuals with 
hearing or speech impairments may access the telephone number above via 
Text Telephone (TTY/TDD) by calling the toll-free Federal Information 
Relay Service at 1-877-889-5627 (TTY/TDD).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR QUESTIONS ON FEDERAL YOUTH EMPLOYMENT 
PROGRAMS: Please contact Evan Rosenberg, Department of Labor, 
Employment and Training Administration, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., 
Room N-4464, Washington, DC 20210; Telephone: 202-693-3593; Fax: 202-
693-3110 (these are not toll-free numbers); Email: 
[email protected]. Individuals with hearing or speech impairments 
may access the telephone number above via TTY by calling the toll-free 
Federal Information Relay Service at 1-877-889-5627 (TTY/TDD).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of WIA is to provide workforce 
investment activities through statewide and local workforce investment 
systems that increase the employment, retention, and earnings of 
participants. WIA programs are intended to increase the occupational 
skill attainment by participants and the quality of the workforce, 
thereby reducing welfare dependency and enhancing the productivity and 
competitiveness of the Nation.
    LLSIL is used for several purposes under the WIA. Specifically, WIA 
Section 101(25) defines the term ``low income individual'' for 
eligibility purposes, and Sections 127(b)(2)(C) and 132(b)(1)(B)(v)(IV) 
define the terms ``disadvantaged youth'' and ``disadvantaged adult'' in 
terms of the

[[Page 18866]]

poverty line or LLSIL for State formula allotments. The governor and 
State/local workforce investment boards (WIBs) use the LLSIL for 
determining eligibility for youth and adults for certain services. ETA 
encourages governors and State/local WIBs to consult the WIA 
regulations and the preamble to the WIA Final Rule (published at 65 FR 
49294 August 11, 2000) for more specific guidance in applying LLSIL to 
program requirements. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 
(HHS) published the most current poverty-level guidelines in the 
Federal Register on January 26, 2012 (Volume 77, Number 17), pp. 4034-
4035. The HHS 2012 Poverty guidelines may also be found on the Internet 
at http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/12poverty.shtml. ETA plans to have the 
2012 LLSIL available on its Web site at http://www.doleta.gov/llsil/2012/.
    WIA Section 101(24) defines LLSIL as ``that income level (adjusted 
for regional, metropolitan, urban and rural differences and family 
size) determined annually by the Secretary [of Labor] based on the most 
recent lower living family budget issued by the Secretary.'' The most 
recent lower living family budget was issued by the Secretary in fall 
1981. The four-person urban family budget estimates, previously 
published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), provided the 
basis for the Secretary to determine the LLSIL. BLS terminated the 
four-person family budget series in 1982, after publication of the fall 
1981 estimates. Currently, BLS provides data to ETA, which ETA then 
uses to develop the LLSIL tables, as provided in the Appendices to this 
Federal Register notice.
    ETA published the 2011 updates to the LLSIL in the Federal Register 
of March 21, 2011, at Vol. 76, No. 54, pp. 15343-15348. This notice 
again updates the LLSIL to reflect cost of living increases for 2011, 
by calculating the percentage change in the most recent 2011 Consumer 
Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for an area to the 2010 
CPI-U, and then applying this calculation to each of the March 21, 2011 
LLSIL figures. The updated figures for a four-person family are listed 
in Appendix A, Table 1, by region for both metropolitan and non-
metropolitan areas. Numbers in all of the Appendix tables are rounded 
up to the nearest dollar. Since program eligibility for low-income 
individuals, ``disadvantaged adults'' and ``disadvantaged youth'' may 
be determined by family income at 70 percent of the LLSIL, pursuant to 
WIA Sections 101(25), 127(b)(2)(C), and 132(b)(1)(B)(v)(IV), 
respectively, those figures are listed as well.

I. Jurisdictions

    Jurisdictions included in the various regions, based generally on 
the Census Regions of the U.S. Department of Commerce, are as follows:

A. Northeast

Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New 
York, Pennsylvania Rhode Island, Vermont

B. Midwest

Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, 
Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin

C. South

Alabama, American Samoa, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, 
Florida, Georgia, Northern Marianas, Oklahoma, Palau, Puerto Rico, 
South Carolina, Kentucky, Louisiana, Marshall Islands, Maryland, 
Micronesia, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virgin 
Islands, Virginia, West Virginia

D. West

Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, 
Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming

Additionally, separate figures have been provided for Alaska, Hawaii, 
and Guam as indicated in Appendix B, Table 2.
    For Alaska, Hawaii, and Guam, the year 2011 figures were updated 
from the 2011 ``State Index'' based on the ratio of the urban change in 
the State (using Anchorage for Alaska and Honolulu for Hawaii and Guam) 
compared to the West regional metropolitan change, and then applying 
that index to the West regional metropolitan change.
    Data on 23 selected Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) are also 
available. These are based on annual and semiannual CPI-U changes for a 
12-month period ending in December 2011. The updated LLSIL figures for 
these MSAs and 70 percent of LLSIL are reported in Appendix C, Table 3.
    Appendix D, Table 4 lists each of the various figures at 70 percent 
of the updated 2011 LLSIL for family sizes of one to six persons. 
Because Tables 1-3 only list the LLSIL for a family of four, Table 4 
can be used to separately determine the LLSIL for families of between 
one and six persons. For families larger than six persons, an amount 
equal to the difference between the six-person and the five-person 
family income levels should be added to the six-person family income 
level for each additional person in the family. Where the poverty level 
for a particular family size is greater than the corresponding 70 
percent of the LLSIL figure, the figure is shaded. A modified Microsoft 
Excel version of Appendix D, Table 4, with the area names, will be 
available on the ETA LLSIL Web site at http://www.doleta.gov/llsil/2012/. Appendix E, Table 5, indicates 100 percent of LLSIL for family 
sizes of one to six, and is used to determine self-sufficiency as noted 
at 20 CFR 663.230 of the WIA regulations and WIA Section 
134(d)(3)(A)(ii).

II. Use of These Data

    Governors should designate the appropriate LLSILs for use within 
the State from Appendices A, B, and C, containing Tables 1 through 3. 
Appendices D and E, which contain Tables 4 and 5, which adjust a family 
of four figure for larger and smaller families, may be used with any 
LLSIL designated. The governor's designation may be provided by 
disseminating information on MSAs and metropolitan and non-metropolitan 
areas within the State or it may involve further calculations. For 
example, the State of New Jersey may have four or more LLSIL figures 
for Northeast metropolitan, Northeast non-metropolitan, portions of the 
State in the New York City MSA, and those in the Philadelphia MSA. If a 
workforce investment area includes areas that would be covered by more 
than one figure, the governor may determine which is to be used.
    Under 20 CFR 661.110, a State's policies and measures for the 
workforce investment system shall be accepted by the Secretary to the 
extent that they are consistent with WIA and WIA regulations.

III. Disclaimer on Statistical Uses

    It should be noted that publication of these figures is only for 
the purpose of meeting the requirements specified by WIA as defined in 
the law and regulations. BLS has not revised the lower living family 
budget since 1981, and has no plans to do so. The four-person urban 
family budget estimates series has been terminated. The CPI-U 
adjustments used to update LLSIL for this publication are not precisely 
comparable, most notably because certain tax items were included in the 
1981 LLSIL, but are not in the CPI-U. Thus, these figures should not be 
used for any statistical purposes, and are valid only for those 
purposes under WIA as defined in the law and regulations.

[[Page 18867]]

Appendix A

    Table 1--Lower Living Standard Income Level (for a Family of Four
                         Persons) by Region \1\
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                     2012
                   Region \2\                      adjusted   70 percent
                                                     LLSIL       LLSIL
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northeast
    Metro.......................................     $40,521     $28,365
    Non-Metro \3\...............................      38,745      27,122
Midwest
    Metro.......................................      35,749      25,024
    Non-Metro...................................      34,629      24,240
South
    Metro.......................................      34,578      24,205
    Non-Metro...................................      34,082      23,857
West
    Metro.......................................      38,944      27,261
    Non-Metro \4\...............................      37,530      26,271
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ For ease of use, these figures are rounded to the next highest
  dollar.
\2\ Metropolitan area measures were calculated from the weighted average
  CPI-U's for city size classes A and B/C. Non-metropolitan area
  measures were calculated from the CPI-U's for city size class D.
\3\ Non-metropolitan area percent changes for the Northeast region are
  no longer available. The Non-metropolitan percent change was
  calculated using the U.S. average CPI-U for city size class D.
\4\ Non-metropolitan area percent changes for the West region are based
  on unpublished BLS data.

Appendix B

    Table 2--Lower Living Standard Income Level (for a Family of Four
                Persons), for Alaska, Hawaii and Guam \1\
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                     2012
                     Region                        adjusted   70 percent
                                                     LLSIL       LLSIL
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alaska
    Metro.......................................     $46,311     $32,418
    Non-Metro \2\...............................      47,090      32,963
Hawaii, Guam
    Metro.......................................      50,089      35,062
    Non-Metro \2\...............................      50,272      35,190
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ For ease of use, these figures are rounded to the next highest
  dollar.
\2\ Non-Metropolitan percent changes for Alaska, Hawaii and Guam were
  calculated from the CPI-U's for all urban consumers for city size
  class D in the Western Region. Generally the non-metro areas LLSIL is
  lower than the LLSIL in metro areas. This year the non-metro area
  LLSIL incomes were larger because the change in CPI-U was smaller in
  the metro areas compared to the change in CPI-U in the non-metro areas
  of Alaska, Hawaii and Guam.

Appendix C

    Table 3--Lower Living Standard Income Level (for a Family of Four
                   Persons), for 23 Selected MSAs \1\
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                           2012 adjusted    70 percent
  Metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs)        LLSIL           LLSIL
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Anchorage, AK...........................         $47,469         $33,228
Atlanta, GA.............................          32,617          22,832
Boston--Brockton--Nashua, MA/NH/ME/CT...          43,364          30,355
Chicago--Gary--Kenosha, IL/IN/WI........          37,012          25,908
Cincinnati--Hamilton, OH/KY/IN..........          35,188          24,632
Cleveland--Akron, OH....................          36,836          25,785
Dallas--Ft. Worth, TX...................          32,781          22,947
Denver--Boulder--Greeley, CO............          37,064          25,945
Detroit--Ann Arbor--Flint, MI...........          34,477          24,134
Honolulu, HI............................          51,191          35,834
Houston--Galveston--Brazoria, TX........          32,109          22,476
Kansas City, MO/KS......................          34,261          23,983
Los Angeles--Riverside--Orange County,            40,915          28,641
 CA.....................................
Milwaukee--Racine, WI...................          35,205          24,644
Minneapolis--St. Paul, MN/WI............          35,186          24,630
New York--Northern NJ--Long Island, NY/           42,832          29,982
 NJ/CT/PA...............................
Philadelphia--Wilmington--Atlantic City,          38,992          27,294
 PA/NJ/DE/MD............................
Pittsburgh, PA..........................          42,595          29,817
St. Louis, MO/IL........................          33,341          23,339
San Diego, CA...........................          44,737          31,316

[[Page 18868]]

 
San Francisco--Oakland--San Jose, CA....          41,689          29,182
Seattle--Tacoma--Bremerton, WA..........          42,465          29,726
Washington--Baltimore, DC/MD/VA/WV \2\..          43,606          30,524
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ For ease of use, these figures are rounded to the next highest
  dollar.
\2\ Baltimore and Washington are calculated as a single metropolitan
  statistical area.

Appendix D

Table 4: 70 Percent of Updated 2012 Lower Living Standard Income Level 
(LLSIL), by Family Size

    To use the 70 percent LLSIL value, where it is stipulated for 
the WIA programs, begin by locating the region or metropolitan area 
where the program applicant resides. These are listed in Tables 1, 2 
and 3. After locating the appropriate region or metropolitan 
statistical area, find the 70 percent LLSIL amount for that 
location. The 70 percent LLSIL figures are listed in the last column 
to the right on each of the three tables. These figures apply to a 
family of four. Larger and smaller family eligibility is based on a 
percentage of the family of four. To determine eligibility for other 
size families consult Table 4 and the instructions below.
    To use Table 4, locate the 70 percent LLSIL value that applies 
to the individual's region or metropolitan area from Tables 1, 2 or 
3. Find the same number in the ``family of four'' column of Table 4. 
Move left or right across that row to the size that corresponds to 
the individual's family unit. That figure is the maximum household 
income the individual is permitted in order to qualify as 
economically disadvantaged under the WIA.
    Where the HHS poverty level for a particular family size is 
greater than the corresponding LLSIL figure, the LLSIL figure 
appears in a shaded block. Individuals from these size families may 
consult the 2012 HHS poverty guidelines found on the Health and 
Human Services Web site at http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/12poverty.shtml to find the higher eligibility standard. Individuals 
from Alaska and Hawaii should consult the HHS guidelines for the 
generally higher poverty levels that apply in their States.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Family of    Family of    Family of   Family of   Family of   Family of
    one          two         three       four        five         six
------------------------------------------------------------------------
    $8,098      $13,267     $18,209     $22,476     $26,526     $31,021
     8,221       13,473      18,501      22,832      26,945      31,510
     8,266       13,545      18,592      22,947      27,084      31,671
     8,408       13,775      18,908      23,339      27,544      32,208
     8,595       14,081      19,326      23,857      28,154      32,925
     8,634       14,153      19,432      23,983      28,303      33,101
     8,691       14,239      19,552      24,134      28,480      33,304
     8,718       14,284      19,606      24,205      28,568      33,411
     8,733       14,305      19,639      24,240      28,611      33,459
     8,870       14,536      19,956      24,630      29,070      33,996
     8,870       14,538      19,958      24,632      29,070      33,995
     8,872       14,542      19,964      24,644      29,083      34,011
     9,010       14,769      20,271      25,024      29,530      34,541
     9,285       15,220      20,889      25,785      30,431      35,585
     9,328       15,292      20,985      25,908      30,577      35,761
     9,344       15,313      21,021      25,945      30,617      35,808
     9,459       15,502      21,284      26,271      31,005      36,262
     9,766       16,008      21,975      27,122      32,009      37,428
     9,815       16,084      22,083      27,261      32,169      37,625
     9,832       16,108      22,112      27,294      32,214      37,669
    10,215       16,742      22,978      28,365      33,476      39,146
    10,312       16,898      23,200      28,641      33,797      39,530
    10,511       17,224      23,639      29,182      34,439      40,278
    10,708       17,540      24,081      29,726      35,080      41,024
    10,739       17,599      24,157      29,817      35,190      41,152
    10,795       17,694      24,287      29,982      35,379      41,383
    10,930       17,912      24,595      30,355      35,824      41,892
    10,994       18,016      24,729      30,524      36,026      42,132
    11,280       18,478      25,370      31,316      36,957      43,222
    11,676       19,128      26,263      32,418      38,256      44,744
    11,872       19,449      26,703      32,963      38,898      45,489
    11,968       19,612      26,919      33,228      39,216      45,856
    12,629       20,689      28,406      35,062      41,377      48,393
    12,673       20,768      28,507      35,190      41,527      48,565
    12,905       21,144      29,026      35,834      42,286      49,458
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Appendix E

Table 5: Updated 2012 LLSIL (100 Percent), by Family Size

    To use the LLSIL to determine the minimum level for establishing 
self-sufficiency criteria at the State or local level, begin by 
locating the metropolitan area or region from Table 1, 2 or 3. Then 
locate the appropriate region or metropolitan statistical area and 
then find the 2012 adjusted LLSIL amount for that location. These 
figures apply to a family of four. Locate the corresponding number 
in the family of four in the column below. Move left or right across 
that row to the size that corresponds to the individual's family 
unit. That figure is the minimum figure that States must set for 
determining whether employment leads to self-sufficiency under WIA 
programs.

[[Page 18869]]



------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Family of    Family of    Family of   Family of   Family of   Family of
    one          two         three       four        five         six
------------------------------------------------------------------------
   $11,569      $18,953     $26,013     $32,109     $37,894     $44,316
    11,744       19,247      26,430      32,617      38,493      45,014
    11,808       19,350      26,560      32,781      38,691      45,244
    12,012       19,679      27,012      33,341      39,348      46,012
    12,279       20,116      27,609      34,082      40,220      47,036
    12,334       20,218      27,760      34,261      40,433      47,287
    12,416       20,342      27,931      34,477      40,685      47,577
    12,454       20,406      28,008      34,578      40,811      47,730
    12,476       20,436      28,055      34,629      40,873      47,798
    12,672       20,765      28,508      35,186      41,528      48,565
    12,671       20,769      28,511      35,188      41,528      48,564
    12,674       20,774      28,520      35,205      41,547      48,587
    12,871       21,098      28,958      35,749      42,185      49,344
    13,264       21,743      29,841      36,836      43,473      50,835
    13,325       21,846      29,979      37,012      43,681      51,087
    13,349       21,875      30,030      37,064      43,738      51,154
    13,513       22,146      30,406      37,530      44,293      51,803
    13,951       22,868      31,393      38,745      45,727      53,468
    14,021       22,977      31,547      38,944      45,955      53,750
    14,045       23,011      31,588      38,992      46,020      53,813
    14,593       23,917      32,825      40,521      47,823      55,923
    14,731       24,140      33,143      40,915      48,281      56,471
    15,016       24,605      33,770      41,689      49,198      57,540
    15,297       25,057      34,402      42,465      50,114      58,605
    15,342       25,141      34,510      42,595      50,271      58,788
    15,422       25,277      34,695      42,832      50,542      59,118
    15,614       25,589      35,135      43,364      51,177      59,845
    15,705       25,737      35,327      43,606      51,465      60,188
    16,114       26,397      36,243      44,737      52,795      61,746
    16,680       27,326      37,519      46,311      54,652      63,920
    16,960       27,784      38,147      47,090      55,569      64,984
    17,097       28,017      38,455      47,469      56,023      65,509
    18,042       29,556      40,580      50,089      59,110      69,133
    18,104       29,668      40,724      50,272      59,324      69,378
    18,436       30,205      41,465      51,191      60,408      70,654
------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Signed at Washington, DC, this 12th day of March, 2012.
Jane Oates,
Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training.
[FR Doc. 2012-7377 Filed 3-27-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-FT-P