Glossary

A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V -W - X - Y - Z

1099-G
The Internal Revenue Service provides tax Form 1099-G for the reporting of income from unemployment benefits paid.

A

Adversely Affected Employment
Employment in a firm or appropriate subdivision of a firm, including workers in any agricultural firm or subdivision of an agricultural firm, if workers of such firm or appropriate subdivision are certified under the Trade Act as eligible to apply for TAA.

Adversely Affected Worker
An individual who, because of lack of work in adversely affected employment: (1) Has been totally or partially separated from such employment; or (2) Has been totally separated from employment with the firm in a subdivision of which such adversely affected employment exists.

Affirmative Action
A program that became law with the passage of the Equal Employment Opportunity Act of 1972. This Act was an amendment to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which originally outlawed discrimination in employment practices. The Act requires employers, labor unions, employment agencies, and labor-management apprenticeship programs to make an affirmative effort to eliminate discrimination against and increase employment of females and minorities.
(Go to the latest NH numbers)

Agricultural Employment
Persons who work as owners and operators of farms, as unpaid family workers on farms and as hired workers who are engaged in farm activities.

Alien Labor Certification (see Foreign Labor Certification)

Alternate Base Period
The alternate base period is the last four completed calendar quarters prior to the calendar quarter in which your claim is effective.

Appeal
The formal request by a claimant or employer to have a determination they disagree with reviewed by the next higher level authority.

Applicant
A person who registers with a local employment security office to seek employment or obtain employability development services. Applicants remain "active" until they are placed in a permanent job or in training or as long as they continue to actively seek services from a local employment security office.

Apprenticeship
Apprenticeship is a combination of on-the-job training and related instruction in which workers learn the practical and theoretical aspects of a highly skilled occupation. Apprenticeship programs can be sponsored by individual employers, joint employer and labor groups, and/or employer associations. The eligible starting age can be no less than 16 years of age; however, individuals must usually be 18 to be an apprentice in hazardous occupations. Program sponsors may also identify additional minimum qualifications and credentials to apply, e.g., education, ability to physically perform the essential functions of the occupation, proof of age. All applicants are required to meet the minimum qualifications. Based on the selection method utilized by the sponsor, additional qualification standards, such as fair aptitude tests and interviews, school grades, and previous work experience may be identified.
(Information on apprenticeship is available at the US Department of Labor)

Average Weekly Earnings
Average total money earnings in non-farm employment during the survey week of production workers, construction workers, or non-supervisory workers in the service sector. Earnings are reported before deductions of any kind, and include pay for overtime, holidays, vacations, and sick leave paid directly by the firm.

B

Base Period
The primary base period is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters prior to the calendar quarter in which your claim is effective.

Benefit or Benefit Rate
The amount of an unemployment insurance payment to a claimant. Also known as "weekly benefit amount" or "WBA".

Benefit Overpayment
Benefits received for which the claimant was not entitled because of a disqualification, earnings, or for other reasons.

Benefit Year
The one-year period beginning with the Sunday of the week in which the valid original claim for benefits is filed. If all other eligibility conditions are met, the claimant can receive up to 26 times their WBA during this one-year period.

Benefit Year Ending Date (BYE)
The date an unemployment insurance claim ends and you can no longer collect benefits on that claim. The date of the BYE for your claim can be found on the original monetary determination and by signing onto the claims web site and viewing the Claim Summary from your Main Menu. If you remain unemployed after the BYE date, you can and should open a new claim immediately after the BYE date.

Benefits
Non-wage compensation provided to employees such as paid leave (vacations, holidays, sick leave); supplementary pay (premium pay for overtime and work on holidays and weekends, shift differentials, non-production bonuses); retirement (defined benefit and defined contribution plans); insurance (life insurance, health benefits, short-term disability, and long-term disability insurance) and legally required benefits (Social Security and Medicare, Federal and State unemployment insurance taxes, and workers' compensation).

Biannual
Occurring or being done twice each year.

Biennial
Occurring or being done every other year, such as in odd- or even-numbered years.

Break-in-claim
A break in claim occurs when a claimant has not filed a weekly claim for unemployment benefits for one or more weeks for any reason, including failing to file and employment.

C

Calendar Quarter
The 3 month period beginning with January, April, July, or October. 1st quarter. January 1 through March 31. 2nd quarter. April 1 through June 30. 3rd quarter. July 1 through September 30. 4th quarter. October 1 through December 31.

Case Management
A client centered approach in the delivery of intensive services, designed to prepare and coordinate comprehensive employment plans for participants, to assure access to the necessary training and supportive services, and to provide support during program participation and after job placement.

Case Manager
One who coordinates, facilitates or provides direct services to a client participating in case management.

Claimant
An individual who has filed a request for determination of unemployment benefit eligibility.

Combined Wage Claim
A claim filed when a claimant has wages in employment from two or more states, and combining these wages would either establish a benefit rate for the claimant or increase the benefit rate. To file a combined wage claim in New Hampshire, the individual must have employment and wages in the base period in New Hampshire. The claimant does not have to reside in New Hampshire.

Commuter Claim
A claim filed when the claimant traveled daily from their residence outside New Hampshire to their employment in New Hampshire. The claimant must look for and be available for work in the New Hampshire labor market. These claims are usually filed from "border” states, such as Massachusetts, Vermont or Maine.

Counseling
A form of assistance that provides guidance in the development of a participant's vocational goals and the means to achieve those goals; and/or assist a participant with the solution to one or more individual problems that may pose a barrier(s) to sustained employment.

Covered Employment
Unless specifically excluded by law, all employment performed for a liable employer is covered whether it is on a part-time, full-time, temporary or casual basis. (Go to the latest Covered Employment data)

Covered Person
(1) A veteran; (2) the spouse of a deceased veteran who died of a service-connected disability; (3) the spouse of a member of the Armed Forces listed for more than ninety days as missing in action, captured in the line of duty by a hostile force, or forcibly detained or interned in the line of duty by a foreign government or power; (4) the spouse of a veteran who has a total service-connected disability; or (5) a widow of any veteran who died while a disability so assessed was in existence.

D

Disabled Veteran
(1) A veteran who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary, or (2) A person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

Disabled Veterans' Outreach Program (DVOP)
A Federal assistance grant program to provide intensive services to meet the employment needs of disabled and other eligible veterans and, to provide maximum emphasis in meeting the employment needs of those who are economically or educationally disadvantaged, including homeless veterans and veterans with barriers to employment.

Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA)
Section 407 of the Disaster Relief Act of 1974 created a program for the payment of unemployment assistance to unemployed individuals whose unemployment is a direct result of a major disaster as declared by the President of the United States.

Dislocated Workers
As defined under the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, an individual who meets one of the following four criteria:

(a) Has been terminated or laid off, or received notice of same; and is eligible for or has exhausted entitlement to unemployment compensation or has demonstrated attachment to the workforce but is not eligible for unemployment compensation; and is unlikely to return to a previous industry or occupation.

(b) Has been terminated or laid off, or has received notice of same, as a result of permanent closure or substantial layoff at a plant, facility or enterprise; or is employed at a facility at which employer has made a general announcement that such facility will close within 180 days; or for purposes of receiving certain services, is employed at a facility at which the employer has made a general announcement that such facility will close.

(c) Was self-employed but is unemployed as a result of general economic conditions in the community in which the individual resides or because of natural disasters.

(d) Is a displaced homemaker.

E

Earnings
Remuneration (pay, wages) of a worker or group of workers for services performed during a specific period of time. The term invariably carries a defining word or a combination; e.g., straight-time average hourly earnings. Since a statistical concept is usually involved in the term and its variations, the producers and users of earnings data have an obligation to define them. The period of time to which earnings figures, as stated or computed, relate includes hourly, daily, weekly, and annual. The context in which annual earnings (sometimes weekly earnings) are used may indicate whether the reference includes earnings from one employer only or from all employment plus other sources of income.

Earnings, Average
Usually the arithmetic mean; that is, total earnings (as defined) of a group of workers (as identified) divided by the number of workers in the group.

Earnings, Gross
Usually total earnings, before any deductions (such as tax withholding) including, where applicable, overtime payments, shift differentials, production bonuses, cost-of-living allowances, commissions, etc.

Earnings, Straight-time
Usually gross earnings excluding overtime payments and (with variations at this point) shift differentials and other monetary payments.

Economically Disadvantaged
A person who meets one or more of the following criteria. (1) A member of a family which receives public assistance. (2) A member of a family whose income during the previous six months on an annualized basis was such that (a) the family would have qualified for public assistance, if it applied, or (b) family income is below the poverty level, or (c) family income is less than 70 percent of the lower living standard income level. (3) A foster child on whose behalf state or local government payments are made, or (4) an individual with significant barriers to employment because the individual is (a) a client of a sheltered workshop, or (b) a handicapped individual, or (c) a person residing in an institution or facility providing 24-hour support such as a prison, a hospital or community care facility. (d) A regular outpatient of a mental hospital, rehabilitation facility, or similar institution.

Effective Date of Your Claim
The effective date of your claim is the Sunday of the calendar week in which you initially filed your claim.

Eligible Person
(1) The spouse of any person who died of a service-connected disability; (2) the spouse of any member of the Armed Forces serving on active duty who, at the time of application for assistance under this chapter, is listed and has been so listed for a total of more than ninety days as missing in action, captured in line of duty by a hostile force, or forcibly detained or interned in line of duty by a foreign government or power; or (3) the spouse of any person who has a total disability permanent in nature resulting from a service-connected disability or the spouse of a veteran who died while a disability so evaluated was in existence.

Eligible Veteran
A person who: (1) served on active duty for a period of more than 180 days and was discharged or released from there with an other than dishonorable discharge (2) was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability or (3) as a member of a reserve component under an order to active duty pursuant to section 12301(a), (d), or (g), 12302, or 12304 of Title 10 United States Code, served on active duty during a period of war or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge is authorized and was discharged or released from such duty with other than a dishonorable discharge.

Emergency Benefits
Additional weeks of benefits paid during periods of high unemployment as provided by the U.S. Congress. Eligibility criteria for emergency benefits vary dependent on laws passed by U.S. Congress during a specific recessionary period.

Employed Persons
Those individuals who are 16 years of age and over who worked for pay any time during the week which includes the twelfth day of the month, or who worked unpaid for 15 hours or more in a family-owned business, and individuals who were temporarily absent from their jobs due to illness, bad weather, vacation, labor dispute, or personal reasons. Excluded are persons whose only activity consists of work around the house and volunteer work for religious, charitable, and similar organizations.

Employer
A person or business that employs one or more people for wages or salary; the legal entity responsible for payment of quarterly unemployment insurance taxes or for reimbursing the state fund for unemployment insurance benefits costs in lieu of paying the quarterly taxes.

Employer Identification Number (EIN)
A 9-digit identification number assigned to employers by the U.S Internal Revenue Service.

Employment
Any service performed for an employer by an officer of a corporation or an individual for wages.

Employment and Training Administration (ETA)
A part of the U.S. Department of Labor. This agency oversees the State UI programs and job training and placement services provided by State Employment Security Agencies. (Go to the ETA web site)

Employment Service Delivery System
A service delivery system at which or through which labor exchange services, including employment, training, and placement services are offered in accordance with the Wagner-Peyser Act.

Establishment
The physical location of a certain economic activity, for example, a factory, store, office, or mine. Generally a single establishment produces a single good or provides a single service. An enterprise (a private firm, government, or non-profit organization) could consist of a single establishment or multiple establishments. A multi-establishment enterprise could have all its establishments in one industry (i.e., a chain), or could have various establishments in different industries (i.e., a conglomerate).

Export
A domestic good or service that is sold (export sale) abroad. Exports include government and non-government goods and services; however they exclude goods and services to the U.S. military, diplomatic, and consular institutions abroad. Exports do include goods and services that were previously imported.

Extended Benefits
Additional weeks of benefits paid during periods of high unemployment as provided by the U.S. Congress. Extended benefits are automatically activated based on a State's total, seasonally adjusted, unemployment rate reaching or exceeding an 3-month average of 6.5%.

Extended Mass Layoff
A situation in which the employer has separated at least 50 workers for more than 30 days.

F

Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
An act that regulates the pay, work and overtime provisions for Federal employees.

Family Household (family)
A family includes a householder and one or more people living in the same household who are related to the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption. All people in a household who are related to the householder are regarded as members of his or her family. A family household may contain people not related to the householder, but those people are not included as part of the householder's family in census tabulations. Thus, the number of family households is equal to the number of families, but family households may include more members than do families. A household can contain only one family for purposes of census tabulations. Not all households contain families since a household may comprise a group of unrelated people or one person living alone.

Farm Employment
Persons who work as owners and operators of farms, as unpaid family workers on farms, and as hired workers who are engaged in farm activities.

Federal Bonding Program
The Federal Bonding Program assists both employer and job seeker when the qualified job seeker's past creates a barrier to obtaining commercial bonding to gain full-time employment. (Go to the Federal Bonding Program)

Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA)
This Act became Chapter 23, Sections 3301-331 1, of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code, authorizing the tax imposed on employers with respect to persons they employ for the purpose of funding unemployment insurance benefits. The FUTA made possible the federal/state system that established an employment security program in each state.

Fired
You were fired by your employer. The employer may have stated that you were not meeting their expectations; violated a company policy, rule or procedure; or simply weren't a "good fit". Work continued to be available, however, the employer no longer wanted to employ you. New Hampshire is an "employment at will" State and there is no requirement for a company to advise you why you are being fired.

Firm
A business entity, either corporate or otherwise. May consist of one or several establishments.

Foreign Labor Certification
The Foreign Labor Certification program allows an employer to hire a foreign worker to work in the US on either a permanent or temporary basis in the United States. Employers must certify that there are no qualified U.S. workers able, willing, qualified and available to accept the job in the area of intended employment and that employment of the foreign worker will not adversely affect the wages and working conditions of similarly employed U.S. workers. (Go to Foreign Labor Certification)

Foreign Worker
A foreign worker (also referred to as alien worker) is a person who works in a country other than the one of which he or she is a legal citizen.

Full-time Equivalent (FTE)
For budget and personnel ceiling purposes, this is the percentage of an employee's work time (including paid leave) in a position. For example, two employees who work half of their time on one project represent one FTE.

Full-time Employees
Employees who usually work more than 35 hours per week (at all jobs within an establishment) regardless of the number of hours actually worked.

Full-time Employment
Persons who were at work for 35 hours or more during the survey reference week are designated as working full time.

H

Hispanic
Persons who identify themselves as Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American, or of other Hispanic origin or descent. In U.S. Census data, persons of Hispanic origin may be of any race; thus, they are included in both the white and black population groups.

Household
As defined by the Census Bureau, all persons who occupy a housing unit. A housing unit is a room or group of rooms intended for occupancy as separate living quarters and having either a separate entrance or complete cooking facilities for the exclusive use of the occupants.

I

Income
"Total income" is the sum of the amounts reported separately for wages, salary, commissions, bonuses, or tips; self-employment income from own nonfarm or farm businesses, including proprietorships and partnerships; interest, dividends, net rental income, royalty income, or income from estates and trusts; Social Security or Railroad Retirement income; Supplemental Security Income (SSI); any public assistance or welfare payments from the state or local welfare office; retirement, survivor, or disability pensions; and any other sources of income received regularly such as Veterans' (VA) payments, unemployment compensation, child support, or alimony.

Industry
A distinct group of productive or profit-making enterprises. In NAICS, industries are defined and classified by how products and services are created.

Intake
A process for screening individual applicants for program eligibility, making an initial determination of what services (self-service, mediated or intensive) or program can best benefit an applicant, and routing an applicant for service delivery or program participation.

Intensive Services
Local employment and training service of the type described in section 134(d)(3) of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 which may include the following:

• Comprehensive and specialized assessments of the s levels and service needs of veterans and other eligible persons;
• Diagnostic testing and use of other assessment tools;
• In-depth evaluation to identify employment barriers and appropriate employment goals;
• Development of an individual employment plan to identify the employment goals, appropriate objectives, and services needed for the veteran to achieve those goals;
• Individual counseling and career planning;
• Short-term prevocational services, including communication skills, interviewing skills, punctuality, personal maintenance skills, and professional conduct, etc.

Interested Party
Is a claimant, the claimant’s most recent liable employer, and any employer whose account the claim adjudication affects.

Interstate Claim
A claim filed from a state other than the state paying the UI benefits. For example, a claimant residing in California is filing a claim against New Hampshire, based on wages earned in New Hampshire; or a claimant residing in New Hampshire is filing a claim against California, based on wages earned in California.

Issue
A question as to whether you have met a specific eligibility condition. An "issue" may be a question about your ability or availability for work, your reason for separation, or receipt of separation pay, for example.

J

Job Match System (JMS)
The Job Match System (JMS) allows job seekers to conduct a job search using Internet spider technology to view jobs posted by employers and match skills to positions posted on national job boards and private industry web sites. The JMS features a resume and letter builder to generate a new resume to be sent to employers. Job seekers can also explore the regional labor market for information such as the average weekly earnings for a position or the fastest growing occupations. (go to the Job Match System)

L

Labor Dispute
A disagreement or conflict between an employer and employees, or between the employers association and employees trade union.

Labor Force
The sum of all civilians classified as employed and unemployed and members of the Armed Forces stationed in the United States.

Labor Force Participation Rate
The percent of the total civilian non-institutional population classified as in the labor force, that is employed or unemployed and actively seeking employment.

Lack of Work
You lost your job due to lack of work: the temporary or seasonal employment ended; your job was eliminated; there was an involuntary reduction in force; the company downsized or shutdown; the company restructured or reorganized, there was a lack of company operating funds/orders; or for any other business operating reason which resulted in your involuntary unemployment.

Layoff
A suspension of or separation from employment by a firm for lack of work, initiated by the employer, and expected to be for a definite or indefinite period of not less than seven consecutive days.

Liable Employer
An employer subject to New Hampshire unemployment tax law.

Local Veterans' Employment Representative (LVER) Program
A program of Federal assistance through grants to States to conduct outreach to employers including conducting seminars for employers, conducting job search workshops and establishing job search groups; and to facilitate employment, training, and placement services furnished to veterans in a State under the applicable State employment service or One-Stop Career Center delivery systems whose sole purpose is to assist veterans in gaining and retaining employment.

Lockout
Refusal by an employer to allow employees to come in to work until they agree to the employers terms. Alternative term is workstop.

M

Manufacturing
Establishments engaged in the mechanical or chemical transformation of materials or substances into new products. These products may be "finished," that is, ready for utilization or consumption, or it may be "semi-finished" to become a raw material for further manufacturing.

Mass Layoff Notification
Per RSA 282-A:45-a and Administrative Rule EMP 302.13, employers are required to report any temporary or permanent layoff of 25 or more individuals to New Hampshire Employment Security. While required to be reported within 3 business days following the end of the calendar week in which the layoff occurs if a company closure, and within 7 business days if a temporary vacation, holiday or seasonal shutdown, if it is at all possible to notify the Department of the layoff before it actually occurs, that is the best course of action to ensure coordinated and prompt payment to eligible claimants.

Mass Layoff Statistics
An event that involves a large number of employees in the same state who file initial claims for unemployment insurance benefits against a single employer during a consecutive 5-week period. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has set a minimum of 50 claimants for nationally published statistics, however each state may set its own minimum for state published mass layoff events. (got to the Bureau of Labor Statisitcs', Mass Layoff Statistics)

Maximum Benefit Amount (MBA)
The current maximum benefit amount is your weekly benefit amount times 26.

Minimum Wage
Under federal law, the lowest hourly wage allowed. In New Hampshire, the hourly minimum wage is currently equal to the Federal Government's minimum wage. There are exceptions to the minimum wage provisions of the law as stated in the Fair Labor Standards Act. A few examples are tipped employees and employees under 16 years of age. (Go to New Hampshire Department of Labor, Wage and Hour for the latest information on the minimum wage)

Minority
Generally a person identified as a member of a race other than Caucasian and/or a person of Hispanic origin.

Monetary Determination
A monetary determination letter informs you of the base period wages used to calculate your monetary eligibility for unemployment. If you qualify for unemployment based on your wages in the base period, the monetary determination letter also tells you what your weekly benefit amount and maximum benefit amount will be. If the wages are not sufficient, the letter informs you of the sources of income reported and why you are considered monetarily ineligible. Both monetary and non-monetary eligibility requirements must be met to receive payment.

N

Non-Monetary Determination
This Determination of Eligibility is a letter that will address each potentially disqualifying non-monetary eligibility condition (issue) raised on your claim. The letter will indicate whether you have been allowed or denied benefits based on each issue, which date(s) the issue impacts, and why. If you disagree with any information contained on a Determination of Eligibility, you may file an appeal (go to Appeals).

O

O*Net
A comprehensive database of worker attributes and job characteristics, providing a common language for defining and describing occupations. This classification system is the replacement for the now outdated Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT). (go to O*Net Online)

Occupation
The unique set of tasks, skills, and abilities associated with an activity in which one engages to earn a livelihood. Employees that perform essentially the same tasks are in the same occupation, whether or not they are in the same industry. Some occupations are concentrated in a few particular industries, other occupations are found in the majority of industries.

On-the-Job Training (OJT)
Occupational training providing workers with the skills needed for average job performance. On-the-job experience and instruction may be long-term, lasting up to four years; moderate-term, lasting one to twelve months; or short-term, requiring a short demonstration or lasting up to one month. Individuals undergoing training are generally considered bo be employed in the occupation.

Overpayment
Benefits received for which the claimant was not entitled because of a disqualification, earnings, or for other reasons.

P

Part-time Employees
Employees who usually work between 1 and 34 hours per week (at all jobs within an establishment) regardless of the number of hours worked in the reference week.

Part-time Employment
Persons who were at work for between 1 and 34 hours during the survey reference week are designated as being part time. Part-time workers are further classified by their usual status at their present job and by their reason for working part time. Part-time workers are considered involuntary if they report that they are working part time because of slack work, plant downtime, starting or ending a job during the week they are surveyed, or the inability to find a full-time job.

Pathway to Work
The Pathway To Work Initiative is a voluntary program to assist unemployed claimants start their own businesses. Allows eligible unemployed claimants to continue to receive their unemployment benefits while working full time to start businesses in New Hampshire. Provides financial support while they access the resources, information, and training they need to get their businesses off the ground (go to Pathway to Work)

Prevailing Wage
The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) requires that the hiring of a foreign worker will not adversely affect the wages and working conditions of U.S. workers comparably employed. To comply with the statute, the Unted States Department of Labor regulations require that the wages offered to a foreign worker must be the prevailing wage rate for the occupational classification in the area of employment. The prevailing wage rate is the average wage paid to similarly employed workers in a specific occupation in the area of intended employment.

Priority of Service for Veterans
The right of eligible covered persons to take precedence over eligible non-covered persons in obtaining employment, training, and placement services in programs funded in whole or part by the U.S. Department of Labor. They further specify that taking precedence may mean: As defined in section 2(a) of the JVA (38 U.S.C. 4215(a)) ‘‘priority of service’’ means, with respect to any qualified job training program, that a covered person shall be given priority over a non-covered person for the receipt of employment, training, and placement services provided under that program, notwithstanding any other provision of the law. (got to Priority of Service)

Q

Quit
You quit your job. You made the choice to leave your employer, regardless of the reason.

R

Rapid Response
Early intervention service provided by the state or by an entity designated by the state with funds provided by the state, in the event of a permanent closure or mass layoff at a plant, facility or enterprise, or a natural or other disaster, that results in mass job dislocation, in order to assist dislocated workers in obtaining reemployment as soon as possible. The Department of Resources & Economic Development coordinates the Rapid Response team, including staff from Employment Security.

Reason for Separation
The reason you are no longer working for a specific employer.

Recently Separated Veteran
A Title 38 eligible veteran whose date of discharge or release from active uniformed service is within the past 36 months.

Return to Work (RTW) Program
The Return to Work initiative is a voluntary program to provide a structured, supervised training opportunity to eligible NH claimants, while continuing to collect unemployment compensation, and unemployed non-claiming NH residents. The program is an opportunity for a trainee to get their foot in the door and learn new skills and an opportunity for an employer to train without the accompanying costs. (go to Return to Work)

S

Seasonal Industry
An industry in which activity is affected by regularly recurring weather changes, holidays, vacations, etc. The construction industry is typically characterized as seasonal.

Self-employed Workers
Persons who work for profit or fees in their own business, profession, trade, or farm. Only the unincorporated self-employed are included in the self-employed category in the class of worker typology. Self-employed persons who respond that their businesses are incorporated are included among wage and salary workers, because technically, they are paid employees of a corporation.

Service Connected Disabled Veteran
A veteran with a service-connected disability rated by the VA at any level (0% to 100%).

Service Delivery Area (SDA)
A geographical area, designated by the governor, within which employment and training services are provided under the Job Training Partnership Act. Designated as Local Workforce Investment Areas according to the provisions of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998. New Hampshire is a single SDA state; there are no designated sub-state areas.

Shortage (as in shortage of workers)
Shortages occur in a market economy when the demand for workers for a particular occupation is greater than the supply of workers who are qualified, available, and willing to do that job.

Special Disabled Veteran
(1) A veteran who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary for a disability rated at (a) 30 percent or more, or (b) 10–or 20 percent in the case of a veteran who has been determined under section 3106 of Title 38 United States Code to have a serious employment handicap; or (2) a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service- connected disability.

T

Temporary Help Agency
Establishment primarily engaged in supplying workers to clients' businesses for limited periods of time to supplement the work force of the client; the individuals provided are employees of the temporary help service establishment, but these establishments do not provide direct supervision of their employees.

Trade Act Certification
A certification of eligibility to apply for TAA issued under section 223 of the Act with respect to a specified group of workers of a firm or appropriate subdivision of a firm.

Trade Act Certification Period
The period of time during which total and partial separations from adversely affected employment within a firm or appropriate subdivision of a firm are covered by the certification.

Trade Adjustment Assistance
The Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) Program is a federal program that provides a path for employment growth and opportunity through aid to US workers who have lost their jobs as a result of foreign trade. The TAA program seeks to provide these trade-affected workers with opportunities to obtain the skills, resources, and support they need to become reemployed. The program benefits and services that are available to individual workers are administered by the states through agreements between the Secretary of Labor and each state Governor. Program eligibility, technical assistance, and oversight are provided by the US Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration's Office of Trade Adjustment Assistance. (go to Trade Act)

Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA)
A federal program that provides assistance such as job search, relocation assistance, retraining, income support, etc. to workers who have become unemployed because of foreign imports. (go to Trade Act)

Trade Readjustment Allowance (TRA)
Income support payments to individuals who have exhausted Unemployment Compensation and whose jobs were affected by foreign imports as determined by a certification of group coverage issued by the Department of Labor. Qualifying individuals receive income support while participating in full-time training. The amount of each weekly TRA payment is based on the weekly unemployment insurance (UI) benefit amount already received. Individuals must be entitled to receive UI benefits before receiving TRA and those UI entitlements must be exhausted. (go to Trade Act)

Turnover
Separation of an employee from an establishment (voluntary, involuntary, or other).

Turnover Rate
The number of total separations during the month divided by the number of employees who worked during or received pay for the pay period that includes the 12th of the month (monthly turnover); the number of total separations for the year divided by average monthly employment for the year (annual turnover).

U

Underemployment
Persons working full- or part-time in jobs that are below their earning capacity or level of competence. The terms "underemployed" and "underutilized" are used interchangeably. Underemployment has also been defined as "involuntary part-time" employment or employment of a person on a part-time basis when full-time work is desired.

Unemployed
Persons 16 years and over who had no employment during the reference week, were available for work, except for temporary illness, and had made specific efforts to find employment sometime during the 4-week period ending with the reference week. Persons who were waiting to be recalled to a job from which they had been laid off need not have been looking for work to be classified as unemployed.

Unemployment
The number of people who, during the survey week, had no employment but were available for work and: a) had engaged in any specific job-seeking activity within the past four weeks; b) were waiting to be called back from a job from which they had been laid off; or c) were waiting to report to a new wage or salary job within 30 days. This includes persons receiving unemployment insurance benefits, those who have delayed filing for benefits but were eligible to receive them, those who have applied for benefits but were not eligible to receive them, unemployed workers who exhausted benefits in the current benefit year, unemployed workers from employers not covered by unemployment insurance, and unemployed persons newly entering or reentering the labor force.

Unemployment Compensation
Unemployment compensation is money paid to workers who have lost their jobs. Unemployment compensation is provided by states and is paid according to formulas, for a specified period of time to those actively looking for work. To pay for this compensation, companies are required to pay unemployment taxes based on a percentage of money paid to employees and the type of industry.

Unemployment Compensation for Ex-Service Persons (UCX)
Unemployment benefit program for former military personnel.

Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE)
Unemployment benefit program for former federal government employees.

Unemployment Insurance (UI)
A program that provides benefits to insured and eligible persons who are out of work due to conditions beyond their control. The program is financed by an employer tax.

Unemployment Rate
The number of unemployed people as a percentage of the labor force. The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate eliminates the influence of regularly recurring seasonal fluctuations which can be ascribed to weather, crop-growing cycles, holidays, vacations, regular industry model changeover periods, etc., and therefore, more clearly shows the underlying basic trend of unemployment. (go to Labor Force and Unemployment)

US Department of Labor (USDOL)
The Department of Labor (DOL) fosters and promotes the welfare of the job seekers, wage earners, and retirees of the United States by improving their working conditions, advancing their opportunities for profitable employment, protecting their retirement and health care benefits, helping employers find workers, strengthening free collective bargaining, and tracking changes in employment, prices, and other national economic measurements. In carrying out this mission, the Department administers a variety of Federal labor laws including those that guarantee workers’ rights to safe and healthful working conditions; a minimum hourly wage and overtime pay; freedom from employment discrimination; unemployment insurance; and other income support. (go to US Department of Labor)

V

Veteran Status
A "civilian veteran" is a person 18 years old or over who has served (even for a short time), but is not now serving, on active duty in the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or the Coast Guard, or who served in the U.S. Merchant Marine during World War II. People who served in the National Guard or military Reserves are classified as veterans only if they were ever called or ordered to active duty, not counting the 4-6 months for initial training or yearly summer camps. All other civilians 16 years old and over are classified as nonveterans.

Vocational Rehabilitation
A program assisting persons with a disability, and whose disability creates substantial problems in preparing for a job, getting a job, or keeping a job.

W

Wage and Salary Workers
Workers who receive wages, salaries, commissions, tips, payment in kind, or piece rates. The group includes employees in both the private and public sectors.

Wages
Monies earned for services performed for a liable employer.

Wages and Salaries
Hourly straight-time wage rate or, for workers not paid on an hourly basis, straight-time earnings divided by the corresponding hours. Straight-time wage and salary rates are total earnings before payroll deductions, excluding premium pay for overtime and for work on weekends and holidays, shift differentials, and nonproduction bonuses such as lump-sum payments provided in lieu of wage increases.

Waiting Period or Waiting Week
Before any benefits can be paid, an unpaid waiting period equivalent to one full week of unemployment benefits must be served.

Week
Seven consecutive days beginning with Sunday.

Week Ending Date (W/E)
The Saturday date which is the last day of the calendar week. Benefits are filed for and paid per calendar week and are referenced by their week ending date.

Weekly Benefit Amount
That is the most you may receive for each week of total unemployment. It is based on your total base period earnings.

Weekly Hours
Usually, the expected or actual period of employment for the week, usually expressed in number of hours. Some uses of the term may relate to the outside dimensions of a week (e.g. 7 consecutive days).

Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998
Represents significant changes to federal statutes governing programs of job training, adult education and literacy, and vocational rehabilitation in order to establish a coordinated, streamlined and more flexible workforce development system. It is a revitalized system that focuses on providing employers with skilled workers, and the economic and workforce information they need to conduct business effectively, and on providing workers with the information, advice, job search assistance, and training they need to get and keep good jobs.