Letter in Support of S. 3379, the EARLY Benefits for Workers Act

Re: Support for S. 3379

Dear Chairman Crapo and Ranking Member Wyden,

I am writing on behalf of the National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA), a non-profit and non-partisan association with membership comprised of workforce agencies in all states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories. We are writing to support S. 3379, the Expedited Access to Reemployment Learning Yields (EARLY) Benefits for Workers Act.

The EARLY Benefits for Workers Act would provide greater flexibility for state implementation of the Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment (RESEA) program. Made a permanent part of the Social Security Act in 2018 as part of the Bipartisan Budget Act (P.L. 115-245), RESEA provides direct job search assistance and other support to individuals who are receiving unemployment insurance benefits. S. 3379 would provide states with the option to use up to the lessor of 20% or $3,000,000 of program funding to provide RESEA services to individuals earlier in the process – as soon as an initial application for benefits is filed. By engaging jobseekers sooner, state workforce agencies can accelerate individuals’ return to the labor market and reduce utilization of unemployment insurance.

The RESEA program is critical for state workforce agencies as we work to help people find reemployment as soon as possible. NASWA supports and urges passage of the enhancements proposed by S. 3379.

Sincerely,

Scott B. Sanders
President and CEO