Removal of language from six earlier unemployment insurance letters

CLASSIFICATION
   EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION              Unemployment Insurance
               ADVISORY SYSTEM                         CORRESPONDENCE SYMBOL
          U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR                     OUI/DUIO
             Washington, D.C. 20210                    DATE
                                                       December 16, 2025


ADVISORY:      UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE PROGRAM LETTER NO. 02-26

TO:            STATE WORKFORCE AGENCIES

FROM:          LORI FRAZIER BEARDEN
               Acting Assistant Secretary

SUBJECT:       Removal of Language from Summary and/or Background Sections in Active
               Guidance to Align with Executive Order (EO) 14148

1. Purpose. To remove certain language from the Summary and/or Background sections of
   Unemployment Insurance Program Letter (UIPL) No. 16-20, Change 6; UIPL No. 16-20,
   Change 7; UIPL No. 16-20, Change 8; UIPL No. 28-20, Change 2; UIPL No. 28-20, Change
   4; and UIPL No. 20-21, Change 1 to align with EO 14148.

2. Action Requested. The U.S. Department of Labor’s (the Department) Employment and
   Training Administration (ETA) requests that State Workforce Agency Administrators
   provide information contained in this UIPL to the appropriate state staff.

3. Summary and Background.

   a. Summary – This UIPL removes certain language from the Summary and/or Background
      sections of UIPL No. 16-20, Change 6; UIPL No. 16-20, Change 7; UIPL No. 16-20,
      Change 8; UIPL No. 28-20, Change 2; UIPL No. 28-20, Change 4; UIPL No. 20-21,
      Change 1. The Department takes this action for compliance considerations with current
      Administration guidance and orders.

   b. Background – On January 20, 2025, the President signed EO 14148, titled “Initial
      Rescissions of Harmful Executive Orders and Actions”. That executive order revoked
      previous executive orders, including Presidential Document, Executive Order 13985,
      issued January 20, 2021, titled “Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved
      Communities Through the Federal Government” (EO 13985).
4. Guidance. Pursuant to the revocation of EO 13985, the Department is removing:

          from UIPL No. 16-20, Change 6; UIPL No. 16-20, Change 7; UIPL No. 16-20,
          Change 8; UIPL No. 28-20, Change 2; UIPL No. 28-20, Change 4; UIPL No. 20-21,
          Change 1:


  RESCISSIONS                                           EXPIRATION DATE
  None                                                  Continuing

      a. any language in the Summary or Background sections promoting or emphasizing the
         importance of program equity or equitable access, including but not limited to, sub-
         sections titled, “Importance of Equity and Program Integrity” and “Promoting
         Program Equity”; and

      b. any reference to EO 13985.

5.    Inquiries. States should direct inquiries to the appropriate ETA Regional Office.

6.    References.
      • Executive Order 14148 of January 20, 2025, 90 FR 8237,
         https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/01/28/2025-01901/initial-
         rescissions-of-harmful-executive-orders-and-actions;
      • UIPL No. 16-20, Change 6, Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) Program:
         Updated Operating Instructions and Reporting Changes, issued September 3, 2021,
         https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/advisories/unemployment-insurance-program-
         letter-no-16-20-change-6;
      • UIPL No. 16-20, Change 7, Supplemental Budget Request (SBR) Opportunity for
         Additional Administrative Costs under the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance
         (PUA) Program, issued October 21, 2022,
         https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/advisories/uipl-no-16-20-change-7;
      • UIPL No. 16-20, Change 8, Extension of Time to Submit Request for Funding under
         Grant Opportunity Announced in Unemployment Insurance Program Letter (UIPL)
         No. 16-20, Change 7, issued January 23, 2023,
         https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/advisories/uipl-16-20-change-8;
      • UIPL No. 28-20, Change 2, Additional Funding to Assist with Strengthening Fraud
         Detection and Prevention Efforts and the Recovery of Overpayments in the Pandemic
         Unemployment Assistance (PUA) and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment
         Compensation (PEUC) Programs, as well as Guidance on Processes for Combatting
         Identity Fraud, issued August 11, 2021,
         https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/advisories/unemployment-insurance-program-
         letter-no-28-20-change-2;
      • UIPL No. 28-20, Change 4, Support for States to Resolve Outstanding Items from the
         Expired Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act
         Unemployment Compensation (UC) Programs, Including Additional Funding to
         Assist States with Reporting and Detection and Recovery of Overpayments, issued
         July 22, 2022, https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/advisories/uipl-no-28-20-change-4;
      • UIPL No. 20-21, Change 1, Additional State Instructions for Processing Waivers of
         Recovery of Overpayments under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security
         (CARES) Act, as Amended, issued February 7, 2022,
         https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/advisories/unemployment-insurance-program-
         letter-no-20-21-change-1;

    7.   Attachment(s). N/A.