2014-06748. Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA); Lower Living Standard Income Level (LLSIL)

AGENCY:

Employment and Training Administration (ETA), Labor.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

Title I of WIA (Pub. L. 105-220) requires the U.S. Secretary of Labor (Secretary) to update and publish the LLSIL tables annually, for uses described in the law (including determining eligibility for youth programs). WIA defines “low income individual” to include individuals who received income during a six-month period that does not exceed the higher level of the poverty line or 70 percent of the LLSIL. This issuance provides the Secretary's annual LLSIL for 2014, and also provides a reference to the 2014 Health and Human Services “Poverty Guidelines.”

DATES:

This notice is effective immediately.

For Further Information or Questions on the LLSIL: Please contact Samuel Wright, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Room C-4526, Washington, DC 20210; Telephone: [phone]; Fax: [phone] (neither telephone or fax are toll-free numbers); Email address: [e-mail]. Individuals with hearing or speech impairments may access the telephone number above via Text Telephone (TTY/TDD) by calling the toll-free Federal Information Relay Service at 1-877-889-5627 (TTY/TDD).

For Further Information or Questions on Federal Youth Employment Programs: Please contact Jennifer Kemp, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Room N-4464, Washington, DC 20210; Telephone: [phone]; Fax: [phone] (neither telephone or fax are toll-free numbers); Email: [e-mail]. Individuals with hearing or speech impairments may access the telephone number above via TTY by calling the toll-free Federal Information Relay Service at 1-877-889-5627 (TTY/TDD).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The purpose of WIA is to provide employment assistance through statewide and local workforce investment programs that increase the employment opportunities, retention, and earnings of participants. WIA programs are intended to increase the occupational skills of participants and the quality of the workforce, thereby reducing welfare dependency and enhancing the productivity and competitiveness of the Nation's workforce.

LLSIL is used for several purposes under WIA. WIA Section 101(25) defines the term “low income individual” for eligibility purposes, and Sections 127(b)(2)(C) and 132(b)(1)(B)(v)(IV) define “disadvantaged youth” and “disadvantaged adult” in terms of the poverty line or LLSIL for State formula allotments. The governor and State/local workforce investment boards (WIBs) use the LLSIL for determining eligibility for youth and adults for certain services. ETA encourages governors and State/local WIBs to consult the WIA regulations and the preamble to the WIA Final Rule (65 FR 49294, August 11, 2000) for more specific guidance in applying the LLSIL to program requirements. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published the 2014 poverty-level guidelines in the Federal Register on January 22, 2014 (Volume 79, Number 14), pp. 3593-3594 (available at http://aspe.hhs.gov/​poverty/​14poverty.cfm). ETA provides a hyperlink to the 2014 LLSIL Federal Register and updated LLSIL tables on its Web site at http://www.doleta.gov/​llsil/​2014/​.

WIA Section 101(24) defines LLSIL as “that income level (adjusted for regional, metropolitan, urban and rural differences and family size) determined annually by the Secretary [of Labor] based on the most recent lower living family budget issued by the Secretary.” The Secretary issued the most recent lower living family budget in fall 1981. The four-person urban family budget estimates, previously published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), provided the basis for the Secretary to determine the LLSIL. BLS terminated the four-person family budget series in 1982, after publication of the fall 1981 estimates. Currently, BLS provides data which ETA uses to develop the LLSIL tables, shown in the Appendices to this Federal Register notice.

ETA published the 2013 updates to the LLSIL in the Federal Register of March 19, 2013, at Vol. 78, No. 53, pp. 16871-16875. This notice updates the LLSIL to reflect cost-of-living increases for 2014, by calculating the percentage change in the most recent 2013 Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for an area, and applying this calculation to each of the March 19, 2013 LLSIL figures. The updated figures for a four-person family are listed in Appendix A, Table 1 by region for both metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas. Numbers in all Appendix tables are rounded up to the nearest dollar. Since program eligibility for low-income individuals, “disadvantaged adults” and “disadvantaged youth” may be determined by family income at 70 percent of the LLSIL, pursuant to WIA Sections 101(25), 127(b)(2)(C), and 132(b)(1)(B)(v)(IV), respectively, those figures are listed as well.

I. Jurisdictions

Jurisdictions included in the various regions, based generally on the Census Regions defined by the U.S. Department of Commerce, are as follows:

A. Northeast

Connecticut

Maine

Massachusetts

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New York

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

Vermont

Virgin Islands

B. Midwest

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Michigan

Minnesota

Missouri

Nebraska

North Dakota

Ohio

South Dakota

Wisconsin

C. South

Alabama

American Samoa

Arkansas

Delaware

District of Columbia

Florida

Georgia

Northern Marianas

Oklahoma

Palau

Puerto Rico

South Carolina

Kentucky

Louisiana

Marshall Islands

Maryland

Micronesia

Mississippi

North Carolina

Tennessee

Texas

Virginia

West Virginia

D. West

Arizona

California

Colorado

Idaho

Montana

Nevada

New Mexico

Oregon

Utah

Washington

Wyoming

Additionally, separate figures have been provided for Alaska, Hawaii, and Guam as indicated in Appendix B, Table 2.

For Alaska, Hawaii, and Guam, the year 2014 figures were updated from the 2013 Regional indexes provided by BLS. Data on 23 selected Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) are also available. These are based on annual and semiannual CPI-U changes for a 12-month period ending in December 2013. The updated LLSIL figures for these MSAs and 70 percent of LLSIL are reported in Appendix C, Table 3.

Appendix D, Table 4 lists each of the various figures at 70 percent of the updated 2013 LLSIL for family sizes of one to six persons. Tables 1-3 only list the LLSIL for a family of four, but Table 4 can be used to separately determine the LLSIL for family incomes between one and six persons. For families larger than six persons, add the income level difference between the six-person and the five-person family income levels for each additional person in the family. Where the poverty level for a particular family size is greater than the corresponding 70 percent of the LLSIL figure, the figure is italicized.

Appendix E, Table 5, shows 100 percent of the LLSIL for family sizes of one to six, and is used to determine self-sufficiency as noted at 20 CFR 663.230 of WIA regulation, and Section 134(d)(3)(A)(ii) of WIA. Modified Microsoft Excel tables for both Appendix E, Table 5 (with the area names) and Appendix D, Table 4, with the area names, and the shaded areas where the poverty level is greater than the corresponding 70 percent of the LLSIL figure, is available on the ETA LLSIL Web site at http://www.doleta.gov/​llsil/​2014/​.

II. Use of These Data

Governors should designate the appropriate LLSILs for use within the State from Appendices A, B, or C, containing Tables 1 through 3. Appendices D and E, contain Tables 4 and 5, which adjust a family of four figure for larger and smaller families, may be used with any LLSIL designated area. The governor's designation may be provided by disseminating information on MSAs and metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas within the State or it may involve further calculations. For example, the State of New Jersey has at least four LLSIL figures (Northeast metropolitan area, Northeast non-metropolitan area, and the New York and Philadelphia MSAs). An area may have more than one LLSIL area designation, if a workforce investment area has more than one LLSIL area designation, the governor may determine which is to be used.

Under 20 CFR 661.110, a State's policies and measures for the workforce investment system shall be accepted by the Secretary to the extent that they are consistent with WIA and WIA regulations.

III. Disclaimer on Statistical Uses

Publication of the LLSIL is solely for WIA statutory and regulatory requirements. BLS has terminated the four-person urban family budget estimates series and has not revised the lower living family budget since 1981, and has no plans to do so. The CPI-U adjustments used to update LLSIL for this publication are not precisely comparable, (most notably because certain tax items were included in the 1981 LLSIL, but are not in the CPI-U). Thus, figures in this notice should not be used for any statistical purposes, and are valid only for those purposes under WIA as defined in the law and regulations.

Appendix A

Table 1—Lower Living Standard Income Level ¹ (for a Family of Four Persons) by Region

Region 2	2014 Adjusted LLSIL	70 percent LLSIL
Northeast:
Metro	$41,787	$29,251
Non-Metro 3	41,374	28,962
Midwest:
Metro	36,720	25,704
Non-Metro	35,711	24,998
South:
Metro	38,293	26,805
Non-Metro	35,077	24,554
West:
Metro	42,378	29,665
Non-Metro 4	41,849	29,294
1 For ease of use, these figures are rounded to the next highest dollar.
2 Metropolitan area measures were calculated from the weighted average CPI-U's for city size classes A and B/C. Non-metropolitan area measures were calculated from the CPI-U's for city size class D.
3 Non-metropolitan area percent changes for the Northeast region are no longer available. The Non-metropolitan percent change was calculated using the U.S. average CPI-U for city size class D.
4 Non-metropolitan area percent changes for the West region are based on unpublished BLS data.

Appendix B

Table 2—Lower Living Standard Income Level ¹ (for a Family of Four Persons), for Alaska, Hawaii and Guam

Region 2	2014 Adjusted LLSIL	70 Percent LLSIL
Alaska:
Metro	$47,851	$33,496
Non-Metro	50,100	35,070
Hawaii, Guam:
Metro	51,552	36,086
Non-Metro	53,485	37,440
1 For ease of use, these figures are rounded to the next highest dollar.
2 Non-Metropolitan percent changes for Alaska, Hawaii and Guam were calculated from the CPI-U's for all urban consumers for city size class D in the Western Region. Generally the non-metro areas LLSIL is lower than the LLSIL in metro areas. This year the non-metro area LLSIL incomes were larger because the change in CPI-U was smaller in the metro areas compared to the change in CPI-U in the non-metro areas of Alaska, Hawaii and Guam.

Appendix C

Table 3—Lower Living Standard Income Level ¹ (for a Family of Four Persons), for 23 Selected MSAs

Metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs)	2014 Adjusted LLSIL	70 Percent LLSIL
Anchorage, AK	$49,048	$34,333
Atlanta, GA	33,801	23,660
Boston-Brockton-Nashua, MA/NH/ME/CT	44,629	31,241
Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL/IN/WI	37,829	26,481
Cincinnati-Hamilton, OH/KY/IN	35,824	25,077
Cleveland-Akron, OH	37,425	26,198
Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX	34,005	23,804
Denver-Boulder-Greeley, CO	37,771	26,440
Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, MI	35,239	24,668
Honolulu, HI	52,479	36,735
Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX	33,265	23,285
Kansas City, MO/KS	34,638	24,247
Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA	42,151	29,506
Milwaukee-Racine, WI	36,055	25,238
Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN/WI	36,142	25,300
New York-Northern NJ-Long Island, NY/NJ/CT/PA	44,387	31,071
Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City, PA/NJ/DE/MD	40,170	28,119
Pittsburgh, PA	43,968	30,778
St. Louis, MO/IL	34,011	23,808
San Diego, CA	45,635	31,945
San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA	43,714	30,600
Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA	44,351	31,046
Washington-Baltimore, DC/MD/VA/WV 2	45,279	31,695
1 For ease of use, these figures are rounded to the next highest dollar.
2 Baltimore and Washington are calculated as a single metropolitan statistical area.

Appendix D

Table 4: 70 Percent of Updated 2014 Lower Living Standard Income Level (LLSIL), by Family Size

To use the 70 percent LLSIL value, where it is stipulated for the WIA programs, begin by locating the region or metropolitan area where the program applicant resides. These are listed in Tables 1, 2 and 3. After locating the appropriate region or metropolitan statistical area, find the 70 percent LLSIL amount for that location. The 70 percent LLSIL figures are listed in the last column to the right on each of the three tables. These figures apply to a family of four. Larger and smaller family eligibility is based on a percentage of the family of four. To determine eligibility for other size families consult Table 4 and the instructions below.

To use Table 4, locate the 70 percent LLSIL value that applies to the individual's region or metropolitan area from Tables 1, 2 or 3. Find the same number in the “family of four” column of Table 4. Move left or right across that row to the size that corresponds to the individual's family unit. That figure is the maximum household income the individual is permitted in order to qualify as economically disadvantaged under the WIA.

Where the HHS poverty level for a particular family size is greater than the corresponding LLSIL figure, the LLSIL figure is italicized. Individuals from these family sizes may consult the 2014 HHS poverty guidelines found on the Health and Human Services Web site at http://aspe.hhs.gov/​poverty/​14poverty.cfm to find the higher eligibility standard. Individuals from Alaska and Hawaii should consult the HHS guidelines for the generally higher poverty levels that apply in their States.

Table 4—VFR Ceiling and Flight Visibility Requirements

Family of one	Family of two	Family of three	Family of four	Family of five	Family of six
$8,390	$13,745	$18,865	$23,285	$27,481	$32,138
8,519	13,962	19,172	23,660	27,923	32,653
8,574	14,051	19,286	23,804	28,095	32,853
8,577	14,052	19,288	23,808	28,097	32,856
8,729	14,308	19,646	24,247	28,614	33,465
8,846	14,492	19,890	24,554	28,976	33,886
8,883	14,554	19,984	24,668	29,109	34,040
9,006	14,752	20,252	24,998	29,505	34,504
9,030	14,801	20,318	25,077	29,595	34,609
9,086	14,893	20,446	25,238	29,785	34,832
9,111	14,931	20,498	25,300	29,860	34,919
9,254	15,170	20,821	25,704	30,332	35,479
9,433	15,464	21,223	26,198	30,918	36,154
9,523	15,605	21,422	26,440	31,201	36,491
9,533	15,630	21,449	26,481	31,252	36,551
9,654	15,819	21,712	26,805	31,637	37,001
10,129	16,594	22,780	28,119	33,187	38,807
10,428	17,094	23,466	28,962	34,181	39,967
10,534	17,265	23,695	29,251	34,522	40,369
10,548	17,286	23,733	29,294	34,573	40,435
10,623	17,408	23,901	29,506	34,818	40,724
10,680	17,502	24,030	29,665	35,005	40,943
11,022	18,060	24,787	30,600	36,111	42,234
11,086	18,166	24,936	30,778	36,324	42,478
11,184	18,319	25,151	31,046	36,638	42,846
11,187	18,336	25,168	31,071	36,664	42,885
11,249	18,435	25,312	31,241	36,869	43,114
11,415	18,707	25,677	31,695	37,407	43,748
11,506	18,849	25,880	31,945	37,699	44,090
12,064	19,764	27,137	33,496	39,529	46,232
12,366	20,264	27,814	34,333	40,520	47,381
12,631	20,692	28,410	35,070	41,385	48,396
12,998	21,293	29,236	36,086	42,585	49,806
13,230	21,675	29,756	36,735	43,349	50,702
13,483	22,095	30,329	37,440	44,181	51,669

Appendix E

Table 5: Updated 2014 LLSIL (100 percent), by Family Size

To use the LLSIL to determine the minimum level for establishing self-sufficiency criteria at the State or local level, begin by locating the metropolitan area or region from Table 1, 2 or 3 and then find the 2014 adjusted LLSIL amount for that location. These figures apply to a family of four. Locate the corresponding number in the family of four in the column below. Move left or right across that row to the individual's family unit. That figure is the minimum figure that States must set for determining whether employment leads to self-sufficiency under WIA programs.

Family of one	Family of two	Family of three	Family of four	Family of five	Family of six
$11,985	$19,635	$26,949	$33,265	$39,258	$45,911
12,170	19,945	27,389	33,801	39,890	46,647
12,249	20,073	27,552	34,005	40,136	46,933
12,253	20,074	27,555	34,011	40,139	46,937
12,470	20,440	28,065	34,638	40,878	47,807
12,637	20,703	28,415	35,077	41,394	48,409
12,691	20,792	28,549	35,239	41,585	48,629
12,866	21,074	28,931	35,711	42,150	49,291
12,900	21,144	29,026	35,824	42,278	49,442
12,980	21,275	29,208	36,055	42,550	49,760
13,016	21,329	29,283	36,142	42,657	49,885
13,221	21,671	29,745	36,720	43,331	50,684
13,476	22,091	30,318	37,425	44,169	51,648
13,604	22,292	30,603	37,771	44,572	52,130
13,619	22,328	30,641	37,829	44,646	52,215
13,792	22,598	31,017	38,293	45,196	52,858
14,469	23,706	32,542	40,170	47,411	55,439
14,898	24,420	33,523	41,374	48,830	57,096
15,049	24,664	33,850	41,787	49,317	57,670
15,068	24,694	33,905	41,849	49,390	57,764
15,176	24,869	34,144	42,151	49,740	58,177
15,258	25,003	34,329	42,378	50,008	58,490
15,745	25,800	35,410	43,714	51,588	60,335
15,836	25,951	35,622	43,968	51,891	60,683
15,976	26,170	35,930	44,351	52,340	61,208
15,982	26,195	35,955	44,387	52,377	61,265
16,070	26,336	36,160	44,629	52,670	61,591
16,307	26,724	36,682	45,279	53,439	62,497
16,438	26,927	36,971	45,635	53,855	62,986
17,235	28,235	38,767	47,851	56,470	66,046
17,666	28,949	39,734	49,048	57,886	67,688
18,044	29,560	40,585	50,100	59,121	69,138
18,569	30,419	41,765	51,552	60,836	71,152
18,900	30,965	42,508	52,479	61,928	72,431
19,261	31,564	43,327	53,485	63,116	73,813

Eric Seleznow,

Acting Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training Administration.