1. Home
  2. NASWA Newsletter
  3. Integrity in Action: 2025 UI Symposium

Integrity in Action: 2025 Unemployment Insurance (UI) Symposium

in partnership with the U.S. Department of Labor

Symposium 2025 header theme

The 2025 UI Integrity Symposium, in partnership with USDOL, gathered nearly 350 attendees from 44 of our member states and territories along with numerous government partners in Tucson, AZ from December 3-4.

With the theme of “Navigating Integrity Trails”, the Symposium focused on UI integrity challenges while also highlighting successful strategies state have implemented to combat fraud, reduce improper payments, improve collections, strengthen UI systems, and update operational processes and procedures. Attendees were able to learn and discuss current and developing trends UI benefits and tax integrity, the two tracks in which sessions were focused.

The event kicked off with welcomes and opening remarks from Integrity Center Steering Committee Chair Lindsi Leahy (Oregon), NASWA President and CEO Scott B. Sanders and Arizona’s Anna Hunter. USDOL’s Michelle Beebe provided an update from the federal level to attendees before Keynote Speaker Jeff Koziatek took the stage. Jeff keyed in on the word “adversity” providing ways to build resilience and keep moving forward.

A total of 30 breakout sessions were held many of which led by NASWA staff and state members. The sessions ranged on various topics from artificial intelligence to tax and improper payments. New this year were professional development opportunities which were led by NASWA Learning instructors. The sessions focused on link analysis (both benefits and tax), investigating UI tax fraud, and the fraud risk framework where a total of 99 individuals earned a learning certificate.

Attendees at 2025 Symposium
Michelle Beebe at 2025 Symposium
Attendee asking a question

NASWA staff also led sessions, shared tools and connected with attendees to showcase how our services are helping states on multiple fronts:

  • Behavioral Insights is applying behavioral science to workforce and UI challenges
  • ICON cloud hub is aiding the exchange of data between state workforce agencies and federal partners
  • Integrity Data Hub’s new employer data module (EDM) helps states to identify fictitious employer fraud and associated fraudulent activity
  • Learning and Library helps agencies drive better outcomes for businesses, workers and state economies through best practices
  • SIDES supports states, third-party administrators and professional employer organizations with responding to unemployment insurance requests
  • Unemployment Insurance IT Support Center (ITSC) provides information, tools and advisory services to states in support of information technology systems for the unemployment insurance program
  • Research & Evaluation developed the UI Data Dashboard, a collection of publicly available current and historical UI program data

 

Thank you to all the presenters and attendees for participating in this year’s UI Integrity Symposium, in collaboration with USDOL. Check out the photo gallery here. Slide decks are available for registered attendees to view here. (You must log in with the email address you registered with and your confirmation number.)