Use of merged DD-214 forms for ex-servicemember unemployment claims

U.S. Department of Labor
Employment and Training Administration
Washington, D.C. 20210
Classification: UI
Correspondence symbol: TEUMI
Issue date: July 10, 1990
Rescissions: None
Expiration date: July 31, 1991
Directive: UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE PROGRAM LETTER 36-90
To: ALL STATE EMPLOYMENT SECURITY AGENCIES
From: DONALD J. KULICK, Administrator for Regional Management
Subject: Merged DD Forms 214

1. Purpose: To inform State Employment Security Agencies (SESAs) of merged DD Forms 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, issued by the military branches of the Department of Defense (DOD) that may be presented by claimants when filing for unemployment compensation under the Unemployment Compensation for Ex-servicemembers (UCX) Program.

2. Reference: Unemployment Insurance Program Letter (UIPL) Nos. 38-89 and 3-90; DOD Instruction Number 1336.1; and Chapter IV of ET Handbook No. 384.

3. Background: Several SESAs have informed ETA Regional Offices of problems associated with processing UCX claims. Specifically, States have received from claimants, DD Forms 214 issued by the Army which appeared to combine both members copy 1 and copy 4 on the same form. In addition, another State received DD Forms 214 from claimants filing UCX claims that were issued by the Army, Navy and Marines in which member copy 1 and service copy 2 had been combined on the same form.

4. Information: The issuance of these combined forms was highly unusual and not in accordance with existing DOD instructions. Usually, copies 1 and 4 of DD Forms 214 are issued individually as separate documents to servicemembers upon separation from the military service and copy 2 is sent to the service branch. National Office staff contacted the DOD personnel to investigate this situation to determine whether there has been a change in format and composition of the DD Form 214 or whether the combined forms were issued in error.

A recent revision to the DD Form 214 by DOD altered the format of the DD Form 214 sets. Previously, the initial page, copy 1, was shorter than subsequent pages, copies 2 through 8, since copy 1 contains only items 1 through 22 and copies 2 through 8, items 1 through 30. In the new DD Form 214 sets, all pages are the same length with a perforation after item 22 on copy 1. After completion, the bottom section of copy 1 is supposed to be removed and discarded before issuance to the separating servicemember.

A number of the initial supply of the new DD Forms 214 inadvertently were not perforated. The Fort Dix, New Jersey Separation Center received such a supply and they mistakenly issued copy 1 without removing the bottom of the sheet producing a copy 1 with items 23 through 30 printed in a blank section below copy 1.

Merged copy DD Forms 214, such as copy 1 and 2 or copy 1 and 4, occur when someone removes the bottom perforated portion of copy 1 of the DD Form 214 (below item 22) and photocopies it with another copy of the DD Form 214 behind copy 1.

5. Instructions: Please follow the instructions as indicated in UIPL 3-90 on the acceptance and use of various DD Form 214 copies by SESAs. As indicated in that UIPL, DD Form 214 is a mulitcopy form with 8 copies to a set. Consequently, SESAs may use other copies of DD Form 214 in lieu of Copy No. 4 to determine UCX eligibility if appropriate. Copy No. 1 of DD Form 214 normally cannot be used for making UCX eligibility determinations because it does not provide the “character of service”, and other information needed for the determination. However, in instances where there are merged copies of DD Form 214 as described earlier, a SESA may use the merged copy after verification is made with the Louisiana Claims Control Center (LCCC) as to the validity of the information reported and the LCCC provides the SESA a copy 5. If the LCCC has no record of the ex-servicemember’s military service or cannot otherwise obtain it, the SESA should use the Form ETA B-43 to contact the military and request verification of the DD Form 214 information under normal procedures provided in Chapter II of ET Handbook No. 384.

6. Action Required: Administrators should provide the above instructions to appropriate staff.

7. Inquiries: Direct inquiries to the appropriate Regional Office.