American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and Unemployment Compensation

About

The Office of Unemployment Insurance Modernization (OUIM) was created in 2021 as a temporary office to support strategic planning and management across all UI modernization activities, including the American Rescue Plan Act funding. As of September 2024, the responsibility for managing and executing UI modernization has transitioned from OUIM to Employment and Training Administration (ETA). For additional updates on Unemployment Insurance, visit https://oui.doleta.gov/unemploy/

The ARPA page is dedicated to sharing the latest information related to Unemployment Compensation and ARPA projects focused on improving Timeliness and Backlog, Fraud Prevention and Detection and Equitable Access, including resources related to Tiger Team engagements. The Secretary created the OUIM to provide strategic oversight and resource management, and to coordinate implementation across DOL agencies. Grant funding is administered through ETA.

Below are just a few examples of improvements being made through ETA grant funding:

The Department has made available $240 million in fraud-prevention and overpayment recovery grants to states, including $140 million in anti-fraud grants and $100 million in new grants to strengthen identity verification and other integrity controls. The Department has launched its National Identity Verification Offering as public options to states for claimants to verify their identity online through the U.S. General Services Administration’s (GSA) (Login.gov) and/or in-person through the U.S. Postal Service.
The Department is providing approximately $200 million for individual states to receive up to $11.25 million to invest in IT project(s) that address at least one of the following categories that support modular and evidence-driven approaches to modernization that increase the agility and resiliency of UI systems: Cloud Migration, Modular and Application Programming Interface (API)-driven Approaches, and Measurably Improving the Customer Experience (CX).
$114 million in "Tiger Team" implementation funding will help states identify risks, implement fraud-prevention solutions, and identify operations and technology improvements that facilitate timely processing of claims and equitable access to benefits.
$260 million allocated for equity enhancements, including building more accessible websites for people with disabilities, those who live in rural areas, those with limited literacy or who speak languages other than English.
The Office of Unemployment Insurance Modernization is piloting new technologies with states to improve the UI customer experience, along with sharing promising practices in areas like plain language, automation, and claims status portals.