Temporary Army letter substitution for DD Form 215

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE PROGRAM LETTER NO. 36-97

Subject: UCX -- U.S. Army's Use of an Official Letter in Lieu of a DD Form 215.

Purpose: To advise State Employment Security Agencies (SESAs) of a temporary procedure allowing the U.S. Army to send to SESAs a copy of an official letter to the Army Personnel Center (ARPERCEN) to use in lieu of a DD Form 215 as an official military document to [truncated in official listing].

References: 20 CFR 614.2(j) and 614.21-614.23; and ET Handbook No. 384, Second Edition.

Background: The Department of Labor was recently advised by the U.S. Army that when information contained on a DD Form 214 is incorrect it sends an official letter to ARPERCEN requesting that a DD Form 215 (change to the DD Form 214) be issued. The Department was also advised that due to the severe understaffing at ARPERCEN, it is taking 6-8 months for ARPERCEN to issue a DD Form 215. Consequently, the U.S. Army has been sending a copy of the letter that is sent to ARPERCEN to the SESAs to use as an official military document in lieu of a DD Form 215 to enable the SESAs to make timely and accurate UCX eligibility determinations. The Department understands that several SESAs have accepted this letter as an official military document and have made UCX eligibility determinations based on this letter. The Department was unaware of this procedure that was initiated by the U.S. Army until a SESA informed the U.S. Army that this procedure was in conflict with procedures contained in ET Handbook No. 384, Second Edition and had not been sanctioned by the Department. Consequently, the U.S. Army wrote the Department and asked permission to use this new procedure. The Department has reviewed this matter and contacted the U.S. Army to ascertain the reasons for the problem and remedial actions the U.S. Army will take to rectify the delays in issuing new DD Form 214's or DD Form 215's. In light of this situation, the Department is implementing the temporary procedure contained in this UIPL.

Temporary Procedure: The Department has agreed to allow the U.S. Army to continue to use this new procedure on a temporary basis for 6 months, effective July 21, 1997. In the meantime, the U.S. Army has agreed to resolve its workload problem during this 6-month period at ARPERCEN to enable it to respond to the backlog of DD Form 215 requests in a timely manner. In order to comply with the requirements at 20 CFR 614.21(a) and 614.2(j), the U.S. Army will send a copy of "Request for Issuance of DD Form 215" letter on official letterhead to the ex-servicemember.

Instruction: SESAs should accept the U.S. Army's "Request for Issuance of DD Form 215" letter on official letterhead, as final and conclusive and in compliance with 20 CFR 614.23. SESAs should make this new temporary procedure effective for 6 months beginning on July 21, 1997. The Department will review this temporary procedure, and the U.S. Army's actions to remedy the delay in issuing DD Form 215's, and will issue further instructions on this matter before the expiration of this 6-month period. This temporary procedure is only applicable to the U.S. Army.

Action Required: SESA Administrators should provide the above information to appropriate staff members.

ETA lists a sample U.S. Army letter as an attachment and directs readers to its Office of Regional Management for a copy; no attachment file is provided on the official listing.