Narrative: c.

Strategy for providing reemployment assistance to UI claimants and other unemployed individuals: A major component of Maine’s Employment Services focuses on the UI population. Maine’s Bureau of Un–employment Compensation and Bureau of Employment Services are committed to working collaboratively to ensure that unemployed workers are treated as job seekers and not just claimants. Claimants are required to register for Maine’s Job Bank (Maine’s labor exchange system) and to actively use the system to look for work. Both UI and Employment Services are undergoing system transitions that will result in an immediate connection to labor exchange for all UI claimants. Upon implementation of the two systems, a claimant’s work history will be matched with available jobs in Maine’s Job Bank and the claimant will be notified of the job potential during the initial claim. Maine’s UI team is actively involved in decision–making regarding Maine’s new job bank design to ensure it best compliments and enhances efforts to improve claimant job placement rates and reduce average benefit durations. Beginning with implementation of the new job bank, claimants and other job seekers will develop a resume as part of their registration for labor exchange. The resume will be printable for use in job search and it will be added to a resume bank available to employers to search for potential employees. This feature will ensure claimants and other job seekers start their efforts with a professionally appearing resume and an automatic connection to employers in need of workers. Maine is implementing a common triage process to ensure that all visitors to a one–stop are given individual attention, made aware of available services, and referred to appropriate information and/or services. This process centers on information that a one–stop staff will gather from each visitor. Answers to questions will trigger what information, services, and/or referrals are immediately offered. Staff across the state will use the same staff interview guide which was developed with suggestions on how to respond to needs identified during interview. Ex: Need: Identify what career(s) best suited to me. Response: O–Net, CWRI, My Skills My Future, My Next Move, Careerinfonet, Career workshop. All customers will be informed of the menu of services available to them including information on: • Upcoming Job Fairs • Job Search workshops • Job Search tools • Self–Employment • Training/college options/opportunities • Apprenticeship • On The Job Training Information and Referrals • Veteran Services • College Financial Aid Information & FASFA Workshop Referrals • Vocational Rehabilitation • Housing • Child Care • Unemployment Compensation • Temporary Assistance For Needy Families (TANF) • Preparation for Hi–Set Exam • Health Care / Affordable Care Act • General Assistance Program Information & Referrals

The State recently transitioned from delivering Reemployment Eligibility Assessment (REA) to Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment (RESEA) in fifteen of sixteen counties and continues to deliver RES under the Worker Profiling and Reemployment system (WPRS) in one county (Washington). These programs focus on rapid reemployment by providing information and support to learn about the la–bor market and conduct an effective, structured job search. Through continued collaboration between the BUC and the BES one–stops, Employment Services staffers provide targeted claimants with relevant reemployment services and eligibility review assessments to help minimize the length of unemployment. All services are delivered through specific group workshops and one–on–one meetings held at the one–stops. The outcomes include shorter unemployment durations, cost savings to the Unemployment Trust Fund, lower exhaustion rate and a higher reemployment rate than those who do not receive these services. During their first pay week, RESEA participants are selected and notified by the BUC that they are required to attend an initial RESEA orientation. The initial RESEA is comprised of both a group informational session and individual one–on–one which results in an individual Eligibility Review Interview (ERI), the development of an Individual Reemployment Plan (IRP), and a relevant referral. Results of the ERI including potential issues are identified and sent to BUC workers for follow–up and possible adjudication. The Employment Services’ electronic system sends attendance reports to BUC’s electronic systems and individuals who fail to report for the RESEA are automatically issued fact–findings. The ERI serves to protect program integrity and focus the claimants on their responsibilities for receiving benefits, but stops short of getting them reemployed faster. Maine’s RESEA program expands the ERI process, to include the evaluation of the participant’s reemployment efforts and the provision of tools and information to hone and refine their work search strategy and action plan. Through the RESEA process, participants gain an introduction to a broad array of one–stop services including: • Staff assistance in acquiring needed services; • Counseling in career decision–making and higher learning; • Common intake and eligibility determinations for Workforce Investment Act and other programs; • Access to job related computer applications, such as key boarding, word processing, and computer boot camp; • Information about Maine Labor Laws; • Information on how to access one–stop services including supportive services, career counseling, and training; • Access to Maine’s Job Bank, and other internet–based job search tools; • Core assessments that link vocational aptitudes and abilities to jobs.