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Revised military discharge forms for unemployment claims
Summary ETA told state unemployment insurance agencies how revised military discharge forms affect claims by former service members. States may use DD Forms 214 and 215 to determine eligibility for Unemployment Compensation for Ex-servicemembers, but must not use the new Reserve Component addendum, DD Form 214-1, for that decision. The letter describes changed fields and how states obtain service information.
Document
Federal guidance
Agency
U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (ETA)
Document number
UIPL No. 14-24
Date issued
July 2, 2024
Status
Active
The letter states that it rescinds nothing and has a Continuing expiration designation.
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
July 2, 2024
ADVISORY: UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE PROGRAM LETTER NO. 14-24
TO: STATE WORKFORCE AGENCIES
FROM: JOSÉ JAVIER RODRÍGUEZ
Assistant Secretary
SUBJECT: Announcing revisions to the Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active
Duty (DD Forms 214 and 215) and the New Certificate of Uniformed Service,
Reserve Component Addendum (DD Form 214-1)
1. Purpose. To inform states of changes made by the Department of Defense (DOD) to the DD
Form 214 and 215 (DD-214 and DD-215) series and to provide guidance necessary to
properly administer the Unemployment Compensation for Ex-servicemembers (UCX)
program.
2. Action Requested. The U.S. Department of Labor’s (Department) Employment and Training
Administration (ETA) requests State Workforce Agency (SWA) administrators provide the
information contained in this Unemployment Insurance Program Letter (UIPL) to the
appropriate staff responsible for taking and processing UCX claims.
3. Summary and Background.
a. Summary – This UIPL provides guidance on revisions to the DD-214 and DD-215 series.
The DD-214 serves, among other things, as DOD’s official documentation of the reason
for release or discharge of uniformed service members from active duty. It is used by
states in the determination of eligibility for UCX benefits. The DD-215 is issued if
corrections are required to the DD-214.
On February 17, 2022, the DOD published changes to the DD-214 and DD-215 series.
DOD has advised the Department all military branches are required to transition to the
revised version by February 2025.
In addition to DD Form 214 and 215 updates, the DOD has introduced the DD Form 214-
1 for Reserve Component members. The DOD uses this new form to determine veteran
classification and pension entitlements. States must not use the DD Form 214-1 to
determine UCX benefits entitlements.
RESCISSIONS EXPIRATION DATE
None Continuing
b. Background – The DOD is required by 5 U.S.C.8523 to provide state agencies, or the
Secretary of Labor, information necessary to determine UCX entitlement. This
information is provided on the DD-214 and DD-215. The Department established and
authorized the Federal Claims Control Center (FCCC), managed by the National
Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA), to maintain and disseminate DD-
214 and DD-215 information to states. When initial UCX claims are filed, the DOD
provides states DD-214 and DD-215 information (via the FCCC response process) to be
used to determine entitlement for UCX benefits. A copy of the DD-214 and DD-215 is
also provided to servicemembers when separating from active service.
4. Guidance. The former (2009) version of the DD-214 is comprised of eight (8) pages. It
summarizes the servicemember’s military service, including dates of active-duty service,
character of service, and other relevant information. It serves as proof of military service and
is recognized and accepted by federal, state, and local agencies.
The current (2022) version changes certain field names, introduces additional fields and
reduces the document to four (4) pages: Member, Service, Veterans Administration, and
Department of Labor (as denotated on the bottom right of each page). To reduce the
presence of personally identifiable information (PII) on external documents, DOD also
replaced the field designated for the social security number (SSN) with a “DOD ID
Number”. Authorized state personnel can access examples of the current version of the DD-
214, 214-1, and the DD-215 in the UCX section of the UI Community of Practice found at
the WorkforceGPS website.
The only notable change to the current DD-215 relative to UCX entitlement is the
replacement of the SSN with the DOD ID Number.
The ability of the FCCC to respond to state requests utilizing the SSN is not impacted by
these changes, and the FCCC continues to be the primary source of DD-214 and DD-215
information used by states in the determination of UCX eligibility.
In accordance with ETA guidance in UIPL No. 47-01, all states must verify the availability
of federal-military wages and service with the FCCC (formerly the Louisiana Claims Control
Center (LCCC) as referenced in the UIPL) through the Interstate Connection Network
(ICON) before making a monetary determination for UCX benefits. If the FCCC response
indicates DD-214 information is not available (i.e. Response pending) and the state has
verified the accuracy of its request to the FCCC for such information, the state must
determine UCX eligibility through the affidavit process to ensure a prompt determination of
eligibility. This requires the state to request the servicemember’s copy of the DD-214 from
the ex-servicemember.
Ex-servicemembers should submit the most recent version of their DD-214 (which could be
the 2009 version or the 2022 version) when applying for UCX benefits. State agencies must
explicitly request the ex-servicemember to provide the copy marked as either Member 4 for
the former (2009) version or Service for the current (2022) version. To help states locate the
information necessary to process the affidavit, a comparison table listing the changes to the
DD-214 is included as an attachment to this UIPL. The appropriate Type Record (Type 2 or
Type 3) must be sent to the FCCC when taking assignment of any military service and
wages.
States must also take reasonable measures to verify the identity of the ex-servicemember in
the same manner and to the same extent as others applying for UI benefits and in accordance
with Department guidance.
5. Inquiries. Please direct inquiries to the appropriate ETA Regional Office.
6. References.
• 5 U.S.C. Chapter 85. Unemployment Compensation,
https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid%3AUSC-prelim-title5-
chapter85&edition=prelim;
• 20 CFR Part 609, Unemployment Compensation for Federal Civilian Employees,
https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-20/chapter-V/part-609;
• 20 CFR Part 614, Unemployment Compensation for Ex-Servicemembers,
https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-20/chapter-V/part-614;
• UIPL No. 47-01, Electronic Exchange of Wage and Separation Information for the
Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) and the Unemployment
Compensation for Ex-servicemembers (UCX) Programs, issued on August 30, 2021,
https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/advisories/unemployment-insurance-program-letter-no-
47-01; and
• ET Handbook No. 384, Second Edition, Unemployment Compensation for Ex-
Servicemembers, https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/advisories/handbooks/et-handbook-
no-384-2nd-edition.
7. Attachment(s).
• Attachment I: DD Form 214 Change Comparison.
Attachment I
DD Form 214 Changes Comparison Table
DD Form 214 DD Form 214 Capture
Comments by
2000 (Member 4) 2022 (Service) FCCC
1. Name 1. Name Yes
2. Department, Component and 2. Branch and Component Block Renamed Yes
Branch
3. Social Security Number 3. DOD ID Number Block Renamed Yes
4. Serial Number New
4a. Grade, Rate or Rank 5a. Grade, Rate or Rank
b. Pay Grade b. Pay Grade Yes
5. Date of Birth 6. Date of Birth
7a. Military Service New
Obligation Termination Date
6. Reserve Obligation b. Reserve Status for Block Renamed
Termination Date Obligation
7a. Place of Entry Into Active 8a. Place of Entry Into Active
Duty Duty
b. Home of Record at Time of b. Home of Record at Time of
Entry Entry
8a. Last Duty Assignment and 9a. Last Duty Assignment and
Major Command Major Command
b. Station Where Separated b. Station Where Separated
9. Command to Which 10. Command to Which
Transferred Transferred
10. SGLI Coverage 11. SGLI Coverage
11. Primary Specialty 12. Specialty Block Renamed
12. Record of Service 13. Record of Service
a. Date Entered at this Period a. Date Entered at this Period Yes
b. Separation date this Period b. Separation date this Period Yes
Attachment I
DD Form 214 DD Form 214 Capture
Comments by
2000 (Member 4) 2022 (Service) FCCC
c. NET Active Service this c. NET Active Service this Yes
Period Period
d. Total Prior Active Service d. Total Prior Active Service Yes
e. Total Active Service New
e. Total Prior Inactive Service f. Total Inactive Service Block Renamed
f. Foreign Service g. Foreign Service
g. SEA Service h. SEA Service
i. Initial Entry Training New
h. Effective Date of Pay Grade j. Effective Date of Pay Grade
13. Decorations Medals, 14. Decorations Medals,
Badges, Citations and Badges, Citations and
Campaign Ribbons Awarded or Campaign Ribbons Awarded
Authorized or Authorized
14. Military Education 15. Uniformed Service Block Renamed
Education
15a. Member contributed to Deleted
Post Vietnam Era Veteran's
Educational Assistance
Program
b. High School Graduate or Deleted
Equivalent
16. Days Accrued Leave Paid 16. Days Accrued Leave Paid Yes
17. Member was Provided 17. Member was Provided
Complete Dental Examination Complete Dental Examination
and all Appropriate Dental and all Appropriate Dental
Services and Treatment Within Services and Treatment
90 Days Prior to Separation. Within 90 Days Prior to
Separation.
18. Retirements System New
Option
19. DD214-1 New
18. Remarks 20. Remarks Yes
Attachment I
DD Form 214 DD Form 214 Capture
Comments by
2000 (Member 4) 2022 (Service) FCCC
19a. Mailing Address After 21a. Mailing Address After Yes
Separation Separation
b. Nearest Relative b. Nearest Relative
20. Member Requests copy be 22. Member Requests copy be
sent to____ Director of sent to____ Director of
Veterans Affairs. Veterans Affairs.
21. Signature of Members 23a. Members Signature Block Renamed
Being Separated
b. Date New
Official Authorized to Sign 24. Official Authorized to New numbered
Sign block
a. Name, Grade and Title New
b. Signature New
c. Date New
Special Additional Information Special Additional
Information
23. Type of Separation 25. Type of Separation Yes
24. Character of Service 26. Character of Service Yes
25. Separation Authority 27. Separation Authority
26. Separation Code 28. Separation Code
27. Reentry Code 29. Reentry Code
28. Narrative Reason for 30. Narrative Reason for Yes
Separation Separation
29. Dates of Time Lost During 31. Dates of Time Lost Yes
this Period During this Period
30. Member Requests Copy 4 Deleted
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