Elimination of the initial interstate unemployment claim form IB-1

CLASSIFICATION
   EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION                 Unemployment Insurance
               ADVISORY SYSTEM                            CORRESPONDENCE SYMBOL
          U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR                        OUI/DUIO
             Washington, D.C. 20210                       DATE
                                                          August 30, 2024


ADVISORY:        UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE PROGRAM LETTER NO. 18-24

TO:              STATE WORKFORCE AGENCIES

FROM:           JOSÉ JAVIER RODRÍGUEZ
                Assistant Secretary

SUBJECT:        Elimination of the Interstate Benefits (IB) Initial Interstate Claim Form, IB-1

1. Purpose. To advise states of the elimination of Initial Interstate Claim Form IB-1.

2. Action Requested. State Workforce Agency (SWA) Administrators are requested to share
   the information provided in this Unemployment Insurance Program Letter (UIPL) with
   appropriate IB and Unemployment Insurance (UI) claims taking staff.

3. Summary and Background.

   a. Summary – Form IB-1 was required when paying (Liable) states did not have the
      capability to allow remote (e.g., online or telephone) UI applications to be filed by
      individuals living in a different (Agent) state. All states have now implemented remote
      claims taking solutions, rendering Form IB-1 obsolete. The functionality will be removed
      during continuing modernization efforts of the UI Interstate Connection Network
      (ICON). No state action is required for this change.

   b. Background – According to Employment and Training (ET) Handbook 392, Appendix A,
      Handbook for Interstate Claimstaking, Form IB-1 was used to file an interstate initial
      (new, additional or reopen) claim for UI benefits. The Agent state used Form IB-1 to
      document all necessary employment and wage information from an individual filing a UI
      claim while residing in the Agent state. The Agent state then transmitted this information
      via ICON (or occasionally by mail) to the Liable state to establish, activate, or transfer a
      claim.

       As states continue to modernize UI systems, all states and territories have reported the
       capability to accept UI applications online or by telephone. As a result, Form IB-1 is no
       longer a necessary component of the interstate claims taking process.

4. Guidance. States are advised that IB-1 functionality is being removed from the ICON
   systems as they continue to undergo modernization. There is no change to definitions related
   to interstate, intrastate, and commuter claims on Employment and Training Administration
   (ETA) UI Required Reports. States are not required to take any further action.
   RESCISSIONS                                             EXPIRATION DATE
   None                                                    Continuing

   Revisions are pending to ET Handbook No. 392, 2nd Edition, Appendix A, Handbook for
   Interstate Claimstaking and ET Handbook No. 399, Interstate Arrangement for Combining
   Employment and Wages to reflect this change. ETA will announce when the revisions are
   completed.

5. Inquiries. Please direct inquiries to the appropriate ETA Regional Office.

6. References.

   •   ET Handbook No. 392, Second Edition, Appendix A, Handbook for Interstate
       Claimstaking, https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/advisories/handbooks/et-handbook-no-
       392.
   •   ET Handbook No. 399, Interstate Arrangement for Combining Employment and Wages,
       https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/advisories/handbooks/et-handbook-no-399.

7. Attachment(s). Not Applicable.