Slow progress towards more secure EBT cards highlights the challenges ahead for states
The U.S. Agriculture Department doesn’t have a timeline for fully moving food assistance accounts to industry-standard chip cards, leaving beneficiaries vulnerable to digital theft.
Inside the Department of Labor’s collaboration with New Jersey to overhaul unemployment programs
A new application for unemployment claims in the Garden State marks the result of a years-long federal effort to help states modernize their jobless aid efforts.
States get streamlined access to Treasury’s Do Not Pay system for unemployment
The move comes as federal agencies work with states to combat the rise in jobless aid fraud following the pandemic.
IRS gears up to launch Direct File pilot
The pilot will only be available on a limited basis to certain taxpayers.
GSA partners with state, local governments on text alert service
The pilot program helps state and local governments notify residents of critical deadlines. Norfolk, Virginia, has already been using the service to remind people about Medicaid reenrollment.
Feds calls on states to reevaluate unemployment benefit accessibility
Access to unemployment has been declining and differs drastically across demographic groups. The Labor Department is urging states and territories to do something about it in new guidance.
Feds hope more data access will improve states’ SNAP delivery
The U.S. Agriculture Department is working to help states address card skimming and other persistent problems in the SNAP program.
The cyber workforce gap is growing
Despite a significant increase in the number of people entering the cyber field in 2023, demand is still far outpacing that supply.
IRS announces 13 states where taxpayers could use its Direct File pilot
Under the pilot program, residents would be able to use the IRS program to file their federal tax returns online for the 2024 tax season. New York and Arizona are developing state-level filing systems.
The money's out the door in nationwide unemployment insurance modernization push
A Labor Department official said efforts to help states modernize their UI systems are trending in the right direction, but funding may be insufficient.
Hawaii’s wildfires led to fast tracking federal identity tools for unemployment claims
Unemployment is on the rise in Maui due in part to the drastic drop in tourism after the devastating wildfires. But the state's rapid deployment of an underutilized federal identity verification tool will help it get benefits to the people who really need it.
Real ID requirements temporarily waived for states' mobile IDs
The coming rulemaking would waive REAL ID Act requirements so that federal agencies can still accept mobile driver's licenses when the law’s implementation starts in 2025.
IRS seeks states’ input on its direct file pilot
States have until Sept. 4 to tell the IRS if they’re interested in participating.
Unemployment insurance modernization takes hit in Congress
The funding reduction is part of the debt ceiling compromise, but the Labor Department says it still plans to focus on helping states combat identity fraud and strengthening the integrity of the UI system.
Want to track pandemic relief spending? Data problems make that difficult, committee says
Tracking pandemic funds required the use of multiple federal, state and local data systems, a group appointed by Congress found. Ultimately, it had to contact state and local entities directly to gain a better understanding and fill data gaps.
Is government culture stifling customer experience innovation?
Risk aversion among government managers is blocking needed improvements to key programs, according to a recent white paper.
What State Unemployment Modernization Pilots Get Right
Pilot programs in two states focusing on identity verification for unemployment systems could set the stage for nationwide modernization.
Biden Will Veto Republican-Led Clawback of Unemployment Funding
The Office of Management and Budget says that the president would veto a Republican proposal to rescind American Rescue Plan Act funding for unemployment if passed by Congress.
Some States May Be Barring the Door to Unemployment Benefits
Nine states are requiring unemployment insurance applicants to verify their identity before submitting applications.
Watchdog Urges States to Use ‘Extreme Caution’ on Facial Recognition
The use of facial recognition in unemployment insurance programs has spread across states, raising concerns from the Labor Department's watchdog about access and privacy.
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