The U.S. House Ways and Means subcommittee on Human Resources held a hearing today entitled “Unemployment Insurance: An Overview of the Challenges and Strengths of Today’s System.” As part of the hearing, Utah’s Unemployment Insurance Division Director Michelle Beebe testified about the successes within Utah’s program and the current challenges states are facing.

“Utah is one of the top states in the country when it comes to having low duration and exhaustion rates, and has one of the healthiest Unemployment Trust Funds,” said Beebe. “Even with our success in re-employment, there are challenges every state is experiencing regarding funding constraints and the partnership with the federal government. States need flexibility to continue along the path of sustainability and innovation.” More...

The U.S. Department of Labor recently released their January-March 2016 quarterly report on the status of the Unemployment Insurance (UI) program. Around the same time, the U.S. Government Accountability Office released a report on customer service within the national UI landscape.  More...

Enhanced detection and data analytics for food stamp fraud saving taxpayers’ money

The arrest of a Little Rock, Arkansas, woman charged with 17 counts of fraud is the culmination of a multi-state and federal investigation initiated by Utah’s Department of Workforce Services Eligibility Services Division.

In early March 2016, the Eligibility Services Division investigations unit and data analytics specialist uncovered an extensive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP or food stamps) fraud case centered in Arkansas. The team acted quickly to notify Salt Lake City’s special agent with the United States Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General (USDA/OIG), and identified possible suspects and began gathering evidence. More...