[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 53 (Tuesday, March 19, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16871-16875]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-06260]


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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 2013 and references the current 2013 
Health and Human Services ``Poverty Guidelines.''

DATES: This notice is effective March 19, 2013.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR QUESTIONS ON LLSIL: Please contact Samuel 
Wright, Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, 
200 Constitution Avenue NW., Room S-4526, Washington, DC 20210; 
Telephone: 202-693-2870; Fax: 202-693-3015 (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 Jennifer Kemp, Department of Labor, Employment 
and Training Administration, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Room N-4464, 
Washington, DC 20210; Telephone: 202-693-3377; 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 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 24, 2013 (Volume 78, Number 16), pp. 
5182-5183. The HHS 2013 Poverty guidelines may also be found on the 
Internet at http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/13poverty.cfm. ETA plans to 
have the 2013 LLSIL available on its Web site at http://www.doleta.gov/llsil/2013/.

[[Page 16872]]

    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 2012 updates to the LLSIL in the Federal Register 
of March 28, 2012, at Vol. 77, No. 60 pp. 18865-18869. This notice 
again updates the LLSIL to reflect cost of living increases for 2012, 
by calculating the percentage change in the most recent 2012 Consumer 
Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for an area to the 2011 
CPI-U, and then applying this calculation to each of the March 28, 2012 
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
Virgin Islands

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
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 2012 figures were updated 
from the 2012 ``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 2012. 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 2012 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 italicized. 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/2013/. 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 area. 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 LLSIL 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

[[Page 16873]]

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.

Appendix A

    Table 1--Lower Living Standard Income Level (for a Family of Four
                         Persons) by Region \1\
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                    2013
                  Region \2\                      adjusted    70 percent
                                                   LLSIL        LLSIL
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northeast:
    Metro.....................................      $41,250      $28,875
    Non-Metro \3\.............................       39,404       27,583
Midwest:
    Metro.....................................       36,392       25,475
    Non-Metro.................................       35,183       24,628
South:
    Metro.....................................       35,131       24,592
    Non-Metro.................................       34,730       24,311
West:
    Metro.....................................       39,606       27,724
    Non-Metro \4\.............................       38,393       26,875
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\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\
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                    2013
                    Region                        adjusted    70 percent
                                                   LLSIL        LLSIL
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alaska:
    Metro.....................................      $46,913      $32,839
    Non-Metro \2\.............................       48,173       33,721
Hawaii, Guam:
    Metro.....................................       50,941       35,658
    Non-Metro \2\.............................       51,428       36,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\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\
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                    2013
     Metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs)        adjusted    70 percent
                                                   LLSIL        LLSIL
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Anchorage, AK.................................      $48,086      $33,660
Atlanta, GA...................................       33,008       23,106
Boston--Brockton--Nashua, MA/NH/ME/CT.........       44,231       30,962
Chicago--Gary--Kenosha, IL/IN/WI..............       37,641       26,349
Cincinnati--Hamilton, OH/KY/IN................       35,610       24,927
Cleveland--Akron, OH..........................       37,425       26,198
Dallas--Ft. Worth, TX.........................       33,338       23,337
Denver--Boulder--Greeley, CO..................       37,286       26,100
Detroit--Ann Arbor--Flint, MI.................       34,960       24,472
Honolulu, HI..................................       51,856       36,300
Houston--Galveston--Brazoria, TX..............       32,109       22,476
Kansas City, MO/KS............................       34,261       23,983
Los Angeles--Riverside--Orange County, CA.....       41,692       29,185
Milwaukee--Racine, WI.........................       35,522       24,865
Minneapolis--St. Paul, MN/WI..................       35,608       24,926
New York--Northern NJ--Long Island, NY/NJ/CT/        43,731       30,612
 PA...........................................
Philadelphia--Wilmington--Atlantic City, PA/NJ/      39,694       27,786
 DE/MD........................................
Pittsburgh, PA................................       43,489       30,443
St. Louis, MO/IL..............................       33,741       23,619
San Diego, CA.................................       45,363       31,754
San Francisco--Oakland--San Jose, CA..........       42,606       29,824
Seattle--Tacoma--Bremerton, WA................       43,060       30,142
Washington--Baltimore, DC/MD/VA/WV \2\........       44,522       31,165
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\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 2013 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

[[Page 16874]]

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 is italicized. 
Individuals from these size families may consult the 2013 HHS poverty 
guidelines found on the Health and Human Services Web site at http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/13poverty.cfm 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
     8,319       13,635      18,723      23,106      27,268      31,888
     8,406       13,775      18,908      23,337      27,544      32,209
     8,509       13,941      19,135      23,619      27,874      32,595
     8,634       14,153      19,432      23,983      28,303      33,101
     8,759       14,349      19,693      24,311      28,689      33,551
     8,813       14,439      19,825      24,472      28,878      33,770
     8,857       14,513      19,919      24,592      29,025      33,946
     8,873       14,534      19,953      24,628      29,069      33,994
     8,952       14,673      20,144      24,865      29,345      34,317
     8,977       14,710      20,195      24,926      29,418      34,403
     8,976       14,713      20,197      24,927      29,418      34,403
     9,172       15,034      20,635      25,475      30,061      35,163
     9,400       15,404      21,147      26,100      30,800      36,023
     9,433       15,464      21,223      26,198      30,918      36,154
     9,486       15,552      21,342      26,349      31,097      36,369
     9,677       15,859      21,774      26,875      31,718      37,096
     9,932       16,280      22,349      27,583      32,553      38,064
     9,982       16,357      22,458      27,724      32,715      38,265
    10,008       16,398      22,510      27,786      32,794      38,347
    10,399       17,043      23,391      28,875      34,079      39,851
    10,508       17,219      23,641      29,185      34,439      40,281
    10,742       17,602      24,159      29,824      35,196      41,164
    10,858       17,785      24,419      30,142      35,571      41,598
    10,965       17,968      24,664      30,443      35,929      42,016
    11,022       18,065      24,797      30,612      36,122      42,252
    11,148       18,271      25,086      30,962      36,540      42,729
    11,224       18,394      25,248      31,165      36,782      43,016
    11,438       18,737      25,725      31,754      37,474      43,827
    11,828       19,377      26,605      32,839      38,754      45,326
    12,123       19,867      27,268      33,660      39,726      46,452
    12,145       19,896      27,317      33,721      39,793      46,535
    12,844       21,041      28,889      35,658      42,080      49,216
    12,964       21,245      29,162      36,000      42,482      49,682
    13,073       21,418      29,403      36,300      42,835      50,101
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Appendix E

Table 5: Updated 2013 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 2013 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.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
 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
    11,885       19,478      26,747      33,008      38,955      45,554
    12,009       19,679      27,012      33,338      39,349      46,013
    12,156       19,915      27,336      33,741      39,820      46,564
    12,334       20,218      27,760      34,261      40,433      47,287
    12,512       20,498      28,134      34,730      40,984      47,930
    12,590       20,627      28,322      34,960      41,255      48,243
    12,653       20,732      28,456      35,131      41,464      48,494
    12,676       20,763      28,504      35,183      41,527      48,563
    12,788       20,961      28,777      35,522      41,921      49,024
    12,824       21,014      28,850      35,608      42,026      49,148
    12,823       21,018      28,853      35,610      42,026      49,147
    13,103       21,478      29,479      36,392      42,944      50,232

[[Page 16875]]

 
    13,429       22,006      30,210      37,286      44,000      51,461
    13,476       22,091      30,318      37,425      44,169      51,648
    13,552       22,217      30,489      37,641      44,424      51,955
    13,824       22,655      31,105      38,393      45,312      52,994
    14,188       23,257      31,927      39,404      46,504      54,377
    14,259       23,368      32,083      39,606      46,736      54,664
    14,298       23,425      32,157      39,694      46,848      54,782
    14,856       24,348      33,416      41,250      48,684      56,930
    15,011       24,599      33,773      41,692      49,198      57,544
    15,346       25,146      34,513      42,606      50,280      58,806
    15,511       25,408      34,884      43,060      50,816      59,425
    15,664       25,669      35,235      43,489      51,327      60,023
    15,746       25,808      35,424      43,731      51,603      60,359
    15,926       26,101      35,838      44,231      52,201      61,042
    16,035       26,277      36,069      44,522      52,546      61,452
    16,340       26,767      36,750      45,363      53,534      62,610
    16,897       27,681      38,007      46,913      55,362      64,751
    17,319       28,381      38,955      48,086      56,751      66,361
    17,350       28,423      39,024      48,173      56,847      66,479
    18,349       30,058      41,270      50,941      60,115      70,308
    18,520       30,350      41,661      51,428      60,688      70,974
    18,676       30,598      42,004      51,856      61,193      71,573
------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Signed at Washington, DC, this 11th day of March, 2013.
Jane Oates,
Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training.
[FR Doc. 2013-06260 Filed 3-18-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-FT-P