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2020 Social Security and federal civilian pension COLAs
Summary ETA informed states that Social Security old-age and survivors annuities and federal civilian pensions would receive 2020 cost-of-living adjustments. It pointed states to the Office of Personnel Management for civilian pension information relevant to unemployment benefit calculations. The figures concern a historical calendar year.
Document
Federal guidance
Agency
U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (ETA)
Document number
UIPL No. 6-20
Date issued
December 23, 2019
Status
Active
ETA’s listing marks this letter Active, and its accessible PDF prints “Rescissions: None” and “Expiration Date: Continuing.” Its cost-of-living information concerns calendar year 2020.
Status last verified October 24, 2026
Topics
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About this page: The full text below is the official document from U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (ETA). Ezel adds the plain-English summary and tracks the document's status. The official source linked on this page is authoritative for any reliance.
CLASSIFICATION
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION Unemployment Insurance
ADVISORY SYSTEM CORRESPONDENCE SYMBOL
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR OUI/DUIO
Washington, D.C. 20210 DATE
December 23, 2019
ADVISORY: UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE PROGRAM LETTER NO. 6-20
TO: STATE WORKFORCE AGENCIES
FROM: JOHN PALLASCH /s/
Assistant Secretary
SUBJECT: Social Security Annuities and Federal Civilian Pensions
1. Purpose. To ensure that states are aware that: 1) the social security survivors and old age
retirement annuities and the Federal civilian pensions annual cost-of-living adjustment
(COLA) will increase for calendar year 2020 and 2) COLA information is located on the U.S.
Office of Personnel Management (OPM) website.
2. Action Requested. State Administrators should provide the information contained in this
Unemployment Insurance Program Letter (UIPL) to appropriate staff.
3. Summary and Background.
Summary. This UIPL provides the website link to the 2020 COLA information and informs
states to make necessary programming adjustments to accommodate the COLA increase.
Background. Each year, OPM posts the COLA information for social security survivors and
old age retirement annuities and Federal civilian pensions on its website. The 2020 COLA
information is located at: https://www.opm.gov/retirement-services/my-annuity-and-
benefits/annuity-payments/#url=Cost-of-Living.
4. Instructions. States that have laws requiring a reduction of the unemployment insurance
(UI) weekly benefit amount by the prorated weekly amount of retired pay and pensions
should program the increase in the COLA amount for 2020 into their UI systems.
5. Inquiries. Please direct all inquiries to the appropriate Regional Office.
6. References. Not Applicable.
7. Attachments. Not Applicable.
RESCISSIONS EXPIRATION DATE
None Continuing
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