§ 652.8 - Administrative provisions.

§ 652.8 Administrative provisions.

Cross Reference

Link to an amendment published at 88 FR 82725, Nov. 24, 2023.

(a) Administrative requirements. The Employment Security Manual is not applicable to funds appropriated under the Wagner-Peyser Act. Except as provided for in paragraph (f) of this section, administrative requirements and cost principles applicable to grants under this part are as specified in 2 CFR parts 200 and 2900 which govern the Uniform Guidelines, cost principles, and audit requirements for Federal awards.

(b) Management systems, reporting, and recordkeeping.

(1) The State must ensure that a financial system provides fiscal control and accounting procedures sufficient to permit preparation of required reports, and the tracing of funds to a level of expenditure adequate to establish that funds have not been expended in violation of the restrictions on the use of such funds. (sec. 10(a) of the Wagner-Peyser Act)

(2) The financial management system and the program information system must provide Federally-required records and reports that are uniform in definition, accessible to authorized Federal and State staff, and verifiable for monitoring, reporting, audit and evaluation purposes. (sec. 10(c) of the Wagner-Peyser Act)

(c) Reports required.

(1) Each State must make reports pursuant to instructions issued by the Secretary and in such format as the Secretary prescribes.

(2) The Secretary is authorized to monitor and investigate pursuant to sec. 10 of the Wagner-Peyser Act.

(d) Special administrative and cost provisions.

(1) Neither the Department nor the State is a guarantor of the accuracy or truthfulness of information obtained from employers or applicants in the process of operating a labor exchange activity.

(2) Prior approval authority—as described in various sections of 29 CFR part 97, Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments, and Office of Management and Budget Circular A–87 (Revised)—is delegated to the State except that the Secretary reserves the right to require transfer of title on nonexpendable Automated Data Processing Equipment (ADPE), in accordance with provisions contained in 2 CFR parts 200 and 2900. The Secretary reserves the right to exercise prior approval authority in other areas, after providing advance notice to the State.

(3) Application for financial assistance and modification requirements must be as specified under this part.

(4) Cost of promotional and informational activities consistent with the provisions of the Wagner-Peyser Act, describing services offered by employment security agencies, job openings, labor market information, and similar items are allowable.

(5) Each State must retain basic documents for the minimum period specified below, consistent with 2 CFR parts 200 and 2900:

(i) Work application: 3 years.

(ii) Job order: 3 years.

(6) Payments from the State's Wagner-Peyser Act allotment made into a State's account in the Unemployment Trust Fund for the purpose of reducing charges against Reed Act funds (sec. 903(c) of the Social Security Act, as amended (42 U.S.C. 1103(c)) are allowable costs, provided that:

(i) The charges against Reed Act funds were for amounts appropriated, obligated, and expended for the acquisition of automatic data processing installations or for the acquisition or major renovation of State-owned office building; and

(ii) With respect to each acquisition of improvement of property pursuant to paragraph (d)(6)(i) of this section, the payments are accounted for in the State's records as credits against equivalent amounts of Reed Act funds used for administrative expenditures.

(e) Disclosure of information.

(1) The State must assure the proper disclosure of information pursuant to sec. 3(b) of the Wagner-Peyser Act.

(2) The information specified in sec. 3(b) and other sections of the Wagner-Peyser Act, also must be provided to officers or any employee of the Federal government or of a State government lawfully charged with administration of unemployment compensation laws, ES activities under the Wagner-Peyser Act or other related legislation, but only for purposes reasonably necessary for the proper administration of such laws.

(f) Audits.

(1) The State must follow the audit requirements found at § 683.210 of this chapter, except that funds expended pursuant to sec. 7(b) of the Wagner-Peyser Act must be audited annually.

(2) The Comptroller General and the Inspector General of the Department have the authority to conduct audits, evaluations or investigations necessary to meet their responsibilities under sec. 9(b)(1) and 9(b)(2), respectively, of the Wagner-Peyser Act.

(3) The audit, conducted pursuant to paragraph (f)(1) or (2) of this section, must be submitted to the Secretary who will follow the resolution process specified in §§ 683.420 through 683.440 of this chapter.

(g) Sanctions for violation of the Wagner-Peyser Act.

(1) The Secretary may impose appropriate sanctions and corrective actions for violation of the Wagner-Peyser Act, regulations, or State Plan, including the following:

(i) Requiring repayment, for debts owed the government under the grant, from non-Federal funds;

(ii) Offsetting debts arising from the misexpenditure of grant funds, against amounts to which the State is or may be entitled under the Wagner-Peyser Act, provided that debts arising from gross negligence or willful misuse of funds may not be offset against future grants. When the Secretary reduces amounts allotted to the State by the amount of the misexpenditure, the debt must be fully satisfied;

(iii) Determining the amount of Federal cash maintained by the State or a subrecipient in excess of reasonable grant needs, establishing a debt for the amount of such excessive cash, and charging interest on that debt; and

(iv) Imposing other appropriate sanctions or corrective actions, except where specifically prohibited by the Wagner-Peyser Act or regulations.

(2) To impose a sanction or corrective action, the Secretary must utilize the initial and final determination procedures outlined in paragraph (f)(3) of this section and specified in the administrative provisions at §§ 683.420 through 683.440 of this chapter.

(h) Other violations. Violations or alleged violations of the Wagner-Peyser Act, regulations, or grant terms and conditions except those pertaining to audits or discrimination must be determined and handled processed in accordance with part 658, subpart H, of this chapter.

(i) Fraud and abuse. Any persons having knowledge of fraud, criminal activity or other abuse must report such information directly and immediately to the Secretary, including all complaints involving such matters.

(j) Nondiscrimination and affirmative action requirements. States must:

(1) Assure that no individual be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, subjected to discrimination under, or denied employment in the administration or in connection with any services or activities authorized under the Wagner-Peyser Act in violation of any applicable nondiscrimination law. All complaints alleging discrimination must be filed and processed according to the procedures in the applicable Department of Labor nondiscrimination regulations.

(2) Assure that discriminatory job orders will not be accepted, except where the stated requirement is a bona fide occupational qualification (BFOQ). See , generally, 42 U.S.C. 20002000e–2(e)–2(e), and 29 CFR parts 1604, 1605, 1606, and 1625.

(3) Assure that employers' valid affirmative action requests will be accepted and a significant number of qualified applicants from the target group(s) will be included to enable the employer to meet its affirmative action obligations. ES offices are in compliance with the veteran referral and job listing requirements at 41 CFR 60–300.84.

(4) Assure that employment testing programs will comply with 41 CFR part 60–3 and 29 CFR part 32 and 29 CFR 1627.3(b)(1)(iv).

(5) Nondiscrimination and equal opportunity requirements and procedures, including complaint processing and compliance reviews, will be governed by the applicable Department of Labor nondiscrimination regulations.

[81 FR 56337, Aug. 19, 2016, as amended at 88 FR 82725, Nov. 24, 2023]