Jtpa Workforce Development Letter:98-34

Rhode Island

JTPA WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT LETTER:98-34

FROM: Richard Beneduce, Chief JTPO

SUBJECT:Lower Living Standard Income Level Guidelines for 1999

DATE: June 7, 1999

AGENCYPOLICYINFO ATTACHMENTS

SDA/SSA[X] [][X]

DEA[X] [][X]

DWU[X] [][X]

AFL-CIO[X] [][X]

1. PURPOSE. To transmit 1999 Lower Living Standard Income Level (LLSIL) Guidelines. These guidelines are used in determining whether individuals meet the economically disadvantaged criteria set forth in the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA).

2. REFERENCES.

a.Federal Register dated March 18, 1999

b.Federal Register dated May 14, 1999

3. BACKGROUND. JTPA defines the term "economically disadvantaged" at Section 4 (8) of the Act. Among other things the term means an individual who is a member of a family which has received a total family income for the 6-month period prior to application for the program involved which, in relation to family size, was not in excess of the higher of the poverty level determined in accordance with criteria established by the Director of Management and Budget, or 70 percent of the LLSIL.

The poverty levels were revised and new Federal Poverty Income Guidelines were published in the Federal Register on March 18, 1999. The guidelines for the LLSIL were published in the Federal Register on May 14, 1999. Attached are copies of these 1999 guidelines.

4. DETERMINATION OF THE INCOME LEVEL. In order to determine the 70 percent of the LLSIL level, refer to page 26452 of the May 14, 1999 Federal Register. Rhode Island is listed in the Northeast Jurisdiction. This allows us to refer to Table 1 on page 26454 that indicates that for the Northeast Metro, in which Rhode Island is located, the 70 percent LLSIL for a family of 4 is $20,070. Now refer to Table 4 on page 26457 and identify the $20,070 in the column labeled "Four". Follow that line to the columns labeled "Two", "Three", "Five" and "Six" to identify the income for that family size. For a family of one, however, the amount shown is in parenthesis, [(7,230)]. This indicates that the 70 percent LLSIL is lower than the poverty level for that family size. Reference must be made to the Federal Register dated March 18, 1999 (refer to page 13428) which will provide you with the Poverty Income Level of $8,240 for a family of one. As calculated, the Lower Living Standard Income Level would be as follows:

For families larger than six persons, an amount equal to the difference between the six person and the five person family income levels should be added to the six family income level for each additional person in the family.

5. EFFECTIVE DATE. The effective date to implement these guidelines for the LLSIL will be June 1, 1999 for determining eligibility into JTPA programs.

6. INQUIRIES. Questions concerning this subject may be directed to me at 222-3930.