| Page Range | 16217-16223 | |
| FR Document | 2016-06764 |
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 58 (Friday, March 25, 2016)] [Notices] [Pages 16217-16223] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2016-06764] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Employment and Training Administration Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) 2014; Lower Living Standard Income Level (LLSIL) AGENCY: Employment and Training Administration (ETA), Labor. ACTION: Notice. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: Title I of WIOA (Pub. L.113-128) requires the U.S. Secretary of Labor (Secretary) to update and publish the LLSIL tables annually, for uses described in the law (including determining eligibility for youth). WIOA defines the term ``low income individual'' as one who qualifies under various criteria, including an individual in a family with total family income for a six-month period that does not exceed the higher level of the poverty line or 70 percent of the LLSIL. This issuance provides the Secretary's annual LLSIL for 2016 and references the current 2016 Health and Human Services ``Poverty Guidelines.'' DATES: This notice is effective March 25, 2016. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR QUESTIONS ON LLSIL: Please contact Samuel Wright, Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Room C-4526, Washington, DC 20210; Telephone: 202-693-2870; Fax: 202-693-3015 (these are not toll-free numbers); Email address: [email protected]. Individuals with hearing or speech impairments may access the telephone number above via Text Telephone (TTY/TDD) by calling the toll-free Federal Information Relay Service at 1-877-889-5627 (TTY/TDD). For Further Information Or Questions On Federal Youth Employment Programs: Please contact Jennifer Kemp, Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Room N-4464, Washington, DC 20210; Telephone: 202-693-3377; Fax: 202- 693-3113 (these are not toll-free numbers); Email: [email protected]. Individuals with hearing or speech impairments may access the telephone number above via TTY by calling the toll-free Federal Information Relay Service at 1-877-889-5627 (TTY/TDD). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of WIOA is to provide workforce investment activities through statewide and local workforce investment systems that increase the employment, retention, and earnings of participants. WIOA programs are intended to increase the occupational skill attainment by participants and the quality of the workforce, thereby reducing welfare dependency and enhancing the productivity and competitiveness of the Nation. LLSIL is used for several purposes under the WIOA. Specifically, WIOA SEC.3(36) (A)(B)defines the term ``low income individual'' for eligibility purposes, and SEC.127(b)(2)(c), SEC.132(b)(1)(B)(IV),(V)(bb) define the terms ``disadvantaged youth'' and ``disadvantaged adult'' in terms of the poverty line or LLSIL for State formula allotments. The governor and state/local [[Page 16218]] workforce development boards (WDs) use the LLSIL for determining eligibility for youth and adults for certain services. ETA encourages governors and State/local boards to consult the WIOA regulations and the preamble to the WIOA Final Rule for more specific guidance in applying LLSIL to program requirements. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published the most current poverty-level guidelines in the Federal Register on January 25, 2016 (Volume 81, Number 15), pp. 4036-4037. The HHS 2016 Poverty guidelines may also be found on the Internet at https://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty-guidelines. ETA plans to have the 2016 LLSIL available on its Web site at http://www.doleta.gov/llsil. WIOA Section 3(36)(B) defines LLSIL as ``that income level (adjusted for regional, metropolitan, urban and rural differences and family size) determined annually by the Secretary [of Labor] based on the most recent lower living family budget issued by the Secretary.'' The most recent lower living family budget was issued by the Secretary in fall 1981. The four-person urban family budget estimates, previously published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), provided the basis for the Secretary to determine the LLSIL. BLS terminated the four-person family budget series in 1982, after publication of the fall 1981 estimates. Currently, BLS provides data to ETA, which ETA then uses to develop the LLSIL tables, as provided in the Appendices to this Federal Register notice. ETA published the 2015 updates to the LLSIL in the Federal Register of March 27, 2015, at Vol. 80, No.59 pp. 16450-16456. Last year, ETA also published a correction to three Regions in the Federal Register of July 16, 2015 at Vol. 80, No. 136 pp. 42123-42124. These notices again update the LLSIL to reflect cost of living increases for 2015, by calculating the percentage change in the most recent 2014 Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for an area to the 2015 CPI-U, and then applying this calculation to each of the March 27, 2015 LLSIL figures. This year, a Region and several metro areas had a negative CPI-U due mostly to the decline in gas prices. The updated figures for a four-person family are listed in Appendix A, Table 1, by region for both metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas. Numbers in all of the Appendix tables are rounded up to the nearest dollar. Since program eligibility for low-income individuals, ``disadvantaged adults'' and ``disadvantaged youth'' may be determined by family income at 70 percent of the LLSIL, pursuant to WIOA Section 3 (36)(A)(ii) and Section 3(36)(B), respectively, those figures are listed as well. I. Jurisdictions Jurisdictions included in the various regions, based generally on the Census Regions of the U.S. Department of Commerce, are as follows: A. Northeast Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island,Vermont, Virgin Islands B. Midwest Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin, C. South Alabama, American Samoa, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Northern Marianas, Oklahoma, Palau, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Kentucky, Louisiana, Marshall Islands, Maryland, Micronesia, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia D. West Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming Additionally, separate figures have been provided for Alaska, Hawaii, and Guam as indicated in Appendix B, Table 2. For Alaska, Hawaii, and Guam, the year 2016 figures were updated from the 2015 ``State Index'' based on the ratio of the urban change in the state (using Anchorage for Alaska and Honolulu for Hawaii and Guam) compared to the West regional metropolitan change, and then applying that index to the West regional metropolitan change. Data on 23 selected Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) are also available. These are based on annual and semiannual CPI-U changes for a 12-month period ending in December 2015. The updated LLSIL figures for these MSAs and 70 percent of LLSIL are reported in Appendix C, Table 3. Appendix D, Table 4 lists each of the various figures at 70 percent of the updated 2015 LLSIL for family sizes of one to six persons. Because Tables 1-3 only list the LLSIL for a family of four, Table 4 can be used to separately determine the LLSIL for families of between one and six persons. For families larger than six persons, an amount equal to the difference between the six-person and the five-person family income levels should be added to the six-person family income level for each additional person in the family. Where the poverty level for a particular family size is greater than the corresponding 70 percent of the LLSIL figure, the figure is shaded. A modified Microsoft Excel version of Appendix D, Table 4, with the area names, will be available on the ETA LLSIL Web site at http://www.doleta.gov/llsil. Appendix E, Table 5, indicates 100 percent of LLSIL for family sizes of one to six, and is used to determine self-sufficiency as noted at Section 3 (36)(a)(ii) and Section 3 (36)(B),(C)(ii) in WIOA. II. Use of These Data Governors should designate the appropriate LLSILs for use within the State from Appendices A, B, and C, containing Tables 1 through 3. Appendices D and E, which contain Tables 4 and 5, which adjust a family of four figure for larger and smaller families, may be used with any LLSIL designated area. The governor's designation may be provided by disseminating information on MSAs and metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas within the state or it may involve further calculations. For example, the State of New Jersey may have four or more LLSIL figures for Northeast metropolitan, Northeast non-metropolitan, portions of the state in the New York City MSA, and those in the Philadelphia MSA. If a workforce investment area includes areas that would be covered by more than one LLSIL figure, the governor may determine which is to be used. A state's policies and measures for the workforce investment system shall be accepted by the Secretary to the extent that they are consistent with WIOA and WIOA regulations. III. Disclaimer on Statistical Uses It should be noted that publication of these figures is only for the purpose of meeting the requirements specified by WIOA as defined in the law and regulations. BLS has not revised the lower living family budget since 1981, and has no plans to do so. The four-person urban family budget estimates series has been terminated. The CPI-U adjustments used to update LLSIL for this publication are not precisely comparable, most notably because certain tax items were included in the 1981 LLSIL, but are not in the CPI-U. Thus, these figures should not be used for any statistical purposes, and are valid only for those purposes under WIOA as defined in the law and regulations. [[Page 16219]] Appendix A Table 1--Lower Living Standard Income Level (for a Family of Four Persons) by Region \1\ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2015 adjusted 70 percent Region \2\ LLSIL LLSIL ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Northeast: .............. .............. Metro............................... $ 42,164 $ 29,514 Non-Metro \3\....................... 41,826 29,279 Midwest: .............. .............. Metro............................... 36,977 25,884 Non-Metro........................... 35,740 25,018 South: .............. .............. * Metro............................. 35,803 25,062 Non-Metro........................... 35,568 24,898 * West: .............. .............. Metro............................... 41,048 28,734 Non-Metro \4\....................... 40,580 28,406 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ * The South Metro Region and the West Metro and Non-Metro Regions 2015 LLSIL were adjusted. \1\ For ease of use, these figures are rounded to the next highest dollar. \2\ Metropolitan area measures were calculated from the weighted average CPI-U's for city size classes A and B/C. Non-metropolitan area measures were calculated from the CPI-U's for city size class D. \3\ Non-metropolitan area percent changes for the Northeast region are no longer available. The Non-metropolitan percent change was calculated using the U.S. average CPI-U for city size class D. \4\ Non-metropolitan area percent changes for the West region are based on unpublished BLS data. Appendix B Table 2--Lower Living Standard Income Level (for a Family of Four Persons), for Alaska, Hawaii and Guam \1\ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2015 adjusted 70 percent Region \1\ LLSIL LLSIL ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Alaska: Metro \2\........................... $ 47,899 $ 33,529 Non-Metro \3\....................... 52,482 36,737 Hawaii, Guam: Metro............................... 52,587 36,811 Non-Metro \3\....................... 56,028 39,220 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ \1\ For ease of use, these figures are rounded to the next highest dollar. \2\ The CPI-U change was negative. \3\ Non-Metropolitan percent changes for Alaska, Hawaii and Guam were calculated from the CPI-U's for all urban consumers for city size class D in the Western Region. Generally the non-metro areas LLSIL is lower than the LLSIL in metro areas. This year the non-metro area LLSIL incomes were larger because the change in CPI-U was smaller in the metro areas compared to the change in CPI-U in the non-metro areas of Alaska, Hawaii and Guam. Appendix C Table 3--Lower Living Standard Income Level (for a Family of Four Persons), for 23 Selected MSAs \1\ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) 2016 adjusted 70 percent \1\ LLSIL LLSIL ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Anchorage, AK \2\....................... $49,096 $34,367 Atlanta, GA \2\......................... 34,370 24,059 Boston--Brockton--Nashua, MA/NH/ME/CT... 45,346 31,742 Chicago--Gary--Kenosha, IL/IN/WI........ 38,019 26,613 Cincinnati--Hamilton, OH/KY/IN.......... 36,435 25,505 Cleveland--Akron, OH.................... 37,800 26,460 Dallas--Ft. Worth, TX................... 34,141 23,899 Denver--Boulder--Greeley, CO............ 38,913 27,239 Detroit--Ann Arbor--Flint, MI \2\....... 35,202 24,641 Honolulu, HI............................ 53,532 37,473 Houston--Galveston--Brazoria, TX........ 34,842 24,389 Kansas City, MO/KS...................... 35,159 24,612 Los Angeles--Riverside--Orange County, 42,146 29,502 CA \2\................................. Milwaukee--Racine, WI................... 36,705 25,694 Minneapolis--St. Paul, MN/WI............ 36,942 25,859 New York--Northern NJ--Long Island, NY/ 45,008 31,506 NJ/CT/PA \2\........................... Philadelphia--Wilmington--Atlantic City, 40,855 28,599 PA/NJ/DE/MD............................ Pittsburgh, PA.......................... 44,940 31,458 [[Page 16220]] St. Louis, MO/IL........................ 34,557 24,190 San Diego, CA........................... 46,922 32,846 San Francisco--Oakland--San Jose, CA.... 45,389 31,772 Seattle--Tacoma--Bremerton, WA.......... 45,018 31,512 Washington--Baltimore, DC/MD/VA/WV \2\.. 45,551 31,885 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ \1\ For ease of use, these figures are rounded to the next highest dollar. \2\ The CPI-U change was negative. \2\ Baltimore and Washington are calculated as a single metropolitan statistical area. Appendix D Table 4: 70 Percent of Updated 2015 Lower Living Standard Income Level (LLSIL), by Family Size To use the 70 percent LLSIL value, where it is stipulated for the WIOA programs, begin by locating the region or metropolitan area where the program applicant resides. These are listed in Tables 1, 2 and 3. After locating the appropriate region or metropolitan statistical area, find the 70 percent LLSIL amount for that location. The 70 percent LLSIL figures are listed in the last column to the right on each of the three tables. These figures apply to a family of four. Larger and smaller family eligibility is based on a percentage of the family of four. To determine eligibility for other size families consult Table 4 and the instructions below. To use Table 4, locate the 70 percent LLSIL value that applies to the individual's region or metropolitan area from Tables 1, 2 or 3. Find the same number in the ``family of four'' column of Table 4. Move left or right across that row to the size that corresponds to the individual's family unit. That figure is the maximum household income the individual is permitted in order to qualify as economically disadvantaged under the WIOA. Where the HHS poverty level for a particular family size is greater than the corresponding LLSIL figure, the LLSIL figure appears in a shaded block. Individuals from these size families may consult the 2016 HHS poverty guidelines found on the Health and Human Services Web site at https://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty-guidelines to find the higher eligibility standard. Individuals from Alaska and Hawaii should consult the HHS guidelines for the generally higher poverty levels that apply in their States. [[Page 16221]] [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN25MR16.325 [[Page 16222]] [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN25MR16.326 Appendix E Table 5: Updated 2015 LLSIL (100 Percent), by Family Size To use the LLSIL to determine the minimum level for establishing self-sufficiency criteria at the State or local level, begin by locating the metropolitan area or region from Table 1, 2 or 3. Then locate the appropriate region or metropolitan statistical area and then find the 2015 adjusted LLSIL amount for that location. These figures apply to a family of four. Locate the corresponding number in the family of four in the column below. Move left or right across that row to the size that corresponds to the individual's family unit. That figure is the minimum figure that States must set for determining whether employment leads to self-sufficiency under WIOA programs. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Family of one Family of two Family of three Family of four Family of five Family of six ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12,298 20,153 27,662 34,141 40,296 47,121 12,375 20,281 27,850 34,370 40,561 47,433 12,450 20,397 27,997 34,557 40,783 47,691 12,554 20,566 28,227 34,842 41,119 48,087 12,657 20,748 28,488 35,159 41,493 48,527 12,677 20,770 28,518 35,202 41,540 48,577 12,815 20,993 28,813 35,568 41,974 49,087 12,879 21,087 28,953 35,740 42,186 49,333 12,895 21,129 29,000 35,803 42,256 49,421 13,120 21,505 29,522 36,435 43,000 50,285 13,214 21,659 29,735 36,705 43,318 50,658 13,304 21,801 29,931 36,942 43,600 50,989 13,313 21,823 29,953 36,977 43,634 51,039 13,611 22,312 30,622 37,800 44,611 52,166 13,687 22,440 30,794 38,019 44,869 52,476 14,015 22,966 31,528 38,913 45,920 53,705 14,611 23,946 32,877 40,580 47,894 56,013 14,716 24,111 33,098 40,855 48,219 56,385 14,778 24,219 33,252 41,048 48,438 56,654 15,061 24,687 33,890 41,826 49,364 57,720 15,174 24,866 34,140 42,146 49,734 58,170 15,185 24,886 34,156 42,164 49,762 58,190 16,187 26,525 36,410 44,940 53,039 62,025 16,206 26,561 36,458 45,008 53,110 62,122 16,217 26,563 36,470 45,018 53,127 62,128 16,328 26,758 36,741 45,346 53,516 62,580 16,349 26,789 36,767 45,389 53,564 62,646 16,405 26,885 36,902 45,551 53,760 62,872 16,901 27,686 38,013 46,922 55,374 64,762 17,252 28,263 38,805 47,899 56,526 66,111 17,683 28,977 39,773 49,096 57,944 67,755 18,902 30,965 42,515 52,482 61,932 72,425 18,942 31,030 42,604 52,587 62,058 72,580 19,279 31,586 43,361 53,532 63,171 73,885 [[Page 16223]] 20,177 33,065 45,387 56,028 66,117 77,322 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Portia Wu, Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training Administration. [FR Doc. 2016-06764 Filed 3-24-16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4510-FT-P
| Category | Regulatory Information | |
| Collection | Federal Register | |
| sudoc Class | AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106: | |
| Publisher | Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration | |
| Section | Notices | |
| Action | Notice. | |
| Dates | This notice is effective March 25, 2016. | |
| FR Citation | 81 FR 16217 |