United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 2006-05-04 monographic deposited born digital 22 p. GA 1.13:GAO-06-696T https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-06-696T P0b002ee18038b782 f:d06696t DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-28 GAOREPORTS-GAO-06-696T machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-GAO-06-696T GAO-06-696T Federal/state relations Fraud Income maintenance programs Overpayments Performance measures Program abuses Program evaluation Program management Reemployment State-administered programs Unemployment compensation programs Unemployment insurance DOL Unemployment Insurance Program Testimony A53319 Unemployment Insurance (UI) has been a key component in ensuring the financial security of America's workforce for over 70 years. In fiscal year 2004, UI covered about 129 million wage and salary workers and paid about $41 billion in benefits to nearly 9 million workers who lost their jobs. The Department of Labor (Labor) and states have a shared responsibility to enhance UI program performance by ensuring that only eligible individuals receive benefits while on the UI rolls and fostering reemployment. Labor's Office of Inspector General and others have found that aspects of UI may be vulnerable to fraud and improper payments, and despite the size and scope of UI, there has been little national information to fully assess states' efforts to foster reemployment. This testimony draws upon results of several GAO reports on (1) Labor's efforts to identify, estimate, and prevent improper benefit payments and (2) federal and state efforts to help speed UI claimants' return to work. We are not making new recommendations at this time. Labor generally agreed with the UI findings in our referenced reports, but took issue with our recommendation that the Secretary work with states to consider collecting more comprehensive information on UI claimants' services and outcomes. We continue to believe this information is needed. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-06-696T/html/GAOREPORTS-GAO-06-696T.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-06-696T/pdf/GAOREPORTS-GAO-06-696T.pdf GAO-06-696T https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-06-696T Testimony GAO-06-696T; Unemployment Insurance: Enhancing Program Performance by Focusing on Improper Payments and Reemployment Services; Federal/state relations Fraud Income maintenance programs Overpayments Performance measures Program abuses Program evaluation Program management Reemployment State-administered programs Unemployment compensation programs Unemployment insurance DOL Unemployment Insurance Program