UI Integrity / Improper PaymentsJoint Federal/State Task Force

State Presentation:

NORTH DAKOTA

October 18, 2011

Areas of National Focus:

Benefit Year Earnings (BYE): Root Causes Identified:

Agency Causes Insufficient resources

Claimant Causes Unreported/Under Reported Earnings Misunderstanding as to how and when to report Untimely responses to inquiries

Employer Causes Wrong period reported Incorrect reporting of employee information Untimely responses to inquiries

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Areas of National Focus:

Benefit Year Earnings (BYE):

Planned action(s) to address: Increase education to claimants and employers Modify existing processes to increase clarity to

external customers Rewrite Interactive Voice Response (IVR) System Improve methods to acquire information more timely Converse with DOL regarding increased access to

NDNH data warehouse Apply for funding to receive and create

effective tools (ie: trend reports)

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Areas of National Focus:

Benefit Year Earnings (BYE):

Principal milestones: Implement Updated Interactive Voice Response (IVR)

System Create measuring and reporting tools Analysis of data to determine patterns Increased access to NDNH data warehouse

The resulting milestones listed above will be integrated into continuous improvement plans, activities and presentations

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Areas of National Focus:

Separations (SEPs): Root Causes Identified:

Agency Causes Timely establishment of issues Insufficient fact finding Reversals / remands of initial determinations

Claimant Causes Misrepresentation of facts Incomplete/missing information Untimely responses Misunderstanding of direction

Employer Causes Incomplete/missing information Untimely or no responses

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Areas of National Focus:

Separations:

Planned action(s) to address: Enhance employer web application for notice of

claim response(s) as IT and agency resources allow

Increase education methods to employers/claimants

Continued training of staff Implement system edit checks for inconsistency in

reporting Implement SIDES

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Areas of National Focus:

Separations:

Principal milestones: Implementation of IVR updates Implementation of SIDES Implementation of internal & external

reporting tools Sufficiently informed external customers

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Areas of National Focus:

Work Search Issues: Root Causes Identified:

Agency Causes Work search indicator improperly set Lack of valid work search verification (Resolved)

Claimant Causes Misunderstanding of a valid work search Improperly reporting work searches Inadequate work search information

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Areas of National Focus:

Work Search Issues :

Planned action(s) to address: Implement timely work search verification process

(Completed) Increase communication to claimant on the

definition of a valid work search

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Areas of National Focus:

Work Search Issues :

Principal milestones: Implementation of IVR updates Decrease in work search issues

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Everybody Owns Integrity

Strategies to Support Owning UI Integrity:

Encourage every staff member Create integrity task force Invite communication between departments and units Encourage staff to provide feedback

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Everybody Owns Integrity

Strategies to Support Owning UI Integrity:

Develop processes Increase tracking systems Increase analysis of data Prioritize IT resources

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Everybody Owns Integrity

Strategies to Support Owning UI Integrity: Maintain management oversight

Provide progress reports Enhance partnerships with Workforce Administration, local

offices, and external agencies Continuous Improvement philosophy and planning

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Communications

Communications Strategies:

To claimants and employers Increase electronic media communication methods Improve existing communication methods Provide frequent reminders Clarify verbal and written direction self-help tools Educate and remind employers of cost control benefits

associated with accurate and timely reporting / responses

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Communications

Communications Strategies, Continued:

To state UI staff Provide periodic feedback meetings Provide progress reports Training of UI staff Integrate integrity initiative with staff performance measures

To the public Newsletters Claimant Guide / Employer Guide updates and website

updates Self help tutorials Public forums Provide periodic updates to JSND Advisory Council

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Oh, and…You Gotta See This!

Killer App: Separation Category Description of Issue – Increase the quality and timeliness of

communication between the agency and our employers while streamlining the process to reduce costs Add the following functionality to JSND employer internet

application Employers can elect to receive electronic notification / reminders of items

that need their attention Separation information – fact finding letters Cross match inquires Work search verifications Quarterly wage / payment reporting Tax due notification Delinquent report / credit / debit notifications

Employers not utilizing SIDES can respond online to fact finding letters Provide online “to do” calendar of task due dates

Provide hyperlinks to documents or reporting tools requiring action

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Killer App

Description of Solution: Enhance our current employer internet application to

incorporate items listed on the previous slide.

Anticipated Results: Electronic notification / reminders are expected to reduce the

rate of appeal reversals by increasing the quality of responses as well as the rate of response

Reminders can be sent to an e-mail address or as text to a cell phone. A reduction in employer and agency cost through reduced

postage, consumables, and staff time Bonus - Additional costs reductions for employer and JSND as any

correspondence can be sent electronically.

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Killer App

Anticipated Results Cont’d Online responses will improve the timeliness and quality of

information received Questions can be marked as mandatory, with edits requiring completion Responses would be sent real time to the issue management system

used by adjudication staff Visual “to do” list provides a monthly view by day listing all

tasks (with links) that an employer needs to complete The “to do” view is expected to increase employer understanding of

requirements as well as provide for better response rates and timeliness

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Killer App

Anticipated Results Cont’d Allowing employers to respond to cross match and work

search verification inquiries online is expected to: Result in a higher response rate Better quality response More timely response Future ability to integrate the response with our benefits system

Automatically set issues and send appropriate fact finding inquiries

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Oh, and…You Gotta See This!

Killer App: Cost / Benefit explanation:

Many of these enhancements would result in an increase in the timeliness of issue detection with enhanced quality responses

Real time online response capability coupled with electronic notification is expected to result in:

Increased response rates More timely issue detection Improved quality responses Less manual intervention by staff

Online responses do not require staff intervention Response is sent directly to the issue management system and EDMS

system Result is a decrease in administrative time / costs due to the streamlining

All of these enhancements work together to improve the integrity of the UI program, both by minimizing overpayments and by lowering administration costs

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Summary and Q&A

“Integrity: Own It!”

Questions?

State Contact for follow-up:

Patrick Brown: pjbrown@nd.gov

Phone: 701/328-1680

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