Document headings vary by document type but may contain
                    the following: the agency or agencies that issued and signed a document
the number of the CFR title and the number of each part
                      the document amends, proposes to amend, or is directly
                      related to
the agency docket number / agency internal file number
the RIN which identifies each regulatory action listed in
                      the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory
                      Actions See the
                    Document Drafting Handbook
                    for more details.
 Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration
 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). WIA defines the term “low income individual” as one who qualifies under various criteria, including an individual who received income for 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 2012 and references the current 2012 Health and Human Services “Poverty Guidelines.”
 DATES: This notice is effective 
                        *March 28, 2012.*
 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR QUESTIONS ON LLSIL: Please contact Samuel Wright, Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Room S-4231, Washington, DC 20210; Telephone: 202-693-2870; Fax: 202-693-33015 (these are not toll-free numbers); Email address: 
                        *wright.samuel.e@dol.gov.*
                         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 Evan Rosenberg, Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Room N-4464, Washington, DC 20210; Telephone: 202-693-3593; Fax: 202-693-3110 (these are not toll-free numbers); Email: 
                        *Rosenberg.Evan@dol.gov.*
                         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 workforce investment activities through statewide and local workforce investment systems that increase the employment, retention, and earnings of participants. WIA programs are intended to increase the occupational skill attainment by participants and the quality of the workforce, thereby reducing welfare dependency and enhancing the productivity and competitiveness of the Nation. LLSIL is used for several purposes under the WIA. Specifically, 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 the terms “disadvantaged youth” and “disadvantaged adult” in terms of the 
                    ( print page 18866)
                    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 (published at 65 FR 49294 August 11, 2000) for more specific guidance in applying LLSIL to program requirements. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published the most current poverty-level guidelines in the 
                    **Federal Register**
                     on January 26, 2012 (Volume 77, Number 17), pp. 4034-4035. The HHS 2012 Poverty guidelines may also be found on the Internet at 
                    *http://aspe.hhs.gov/​poverty/​12poverty.shtml.*
                     ETA plans to have the 2012 LLSIL available on its Web site at 
                    *http://www.doleta.gov/​llsil/​2012/​.* 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 most recent lower living family budget was issued by the Secretary 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 to ETA, which ETA then uses to develop the LLSIL tables, as provided in the Appendices to this 
                    **Federal Register**
                     notice. ETA published the 2011 updates to the LLSIL in the 
                    **Federal Register**
                     of March 21, 2011, at Vol. 76, No. 54, pp. 15343-15348. This notice again updates the LLSIL to reflect cost of living increases for 2011, by calculating the percentage change in the most recent 2011 Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for an area to the 2010 CPI-U, and then applying this calculation to each of the March 21, 2011 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 of the 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 of the U.S. Department of Commerce, are as follows: A. Northeast Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania Rhode Island, Vermont 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, Virgin Islands, 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 2011 figures were updated from the 2011 “State Index” based on the ratio of the urban change in the State (using Anchorage for Alaska and Honolulu for Hawaii and Guam) compared to the West regional metropolitan change, and then applying that index to the West regional metropolitan change. 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 2011. 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 2011 LLSIL for family sizes of one to six persons. Because Tables 1-3 only list the LLSIL for a family of four, Table 4 can be used to separately determine the LLSIL for families of between one and six persons. 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-person family income level 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 shaded. A modified Microsoft Excel version of Appendix D, Table 4, with the area names, will be available on the ETA LLSIL Web site at 
                    *http://www.doleta.gov/​llsil/​2012/​.*
                     Appendix E, Table 5, indicates 100 percent of LLSIL for family sizes of one to six, and is used to determine self-sufficiency as noted at 20 CFR 663.230 of the WIA regulations and WIA Section 134(d)(3)(A)(ii). II. Use of These Data Governors should designate the appropriate LLSILs for use within the State from Appendices A, B, and C, containing Tables 1 through 3. Appendices D and E, which contain Tables 4 and 5, which adjust a family of four figure for larger and smaller families, may be used with any LLSIL designated. 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 may have four or more LLSIL figures for Northeast metropolitan, Northeast non-metropolitan, portions of the State in the New York City MSA, and those in the Philadelphia MSA. If a workforce investment area includes areas that would be covered by more than one figure, 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 It should be noted that publication of these figures is only for the purpose of meeting the requirements specified by WIA as defined in the law and regulations. BLS has not revised the lower living family budget since 1981, and has no plans to do so. The four-person urban family budget estimates series has been terminated. 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, these figures should not be used for any statistical purposes, and are valid only for those purposes under WIA as defined in the law and regulations.
                    ( print page 18867) Appendix A Table 1—Lower Living Standard Income Level (for a Family of Four Persons) by Region 1
Region 2
2012
                             adjusted LLSIL
70 percent LLSILNortheastMetro
$40,521
$28,365Non-Metro 3
38,745
27,122MidwestMetro
35,749
25,024Non-Metro
34,629
24,240SouthMetro
34,578
24,205Non-Metro
34,082
23,857WestMetro
38,944
27,261Non-Metro 4
37,530
26,2711
                         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 (for a Family of Four Persons), for Alaska, Hawaii and Guam 1
Region
2012 
                             adjusted  
                             LLSIL
70 percent LLSILAlaskaMetro
$46,311
$32,418Non-Metro 2
47,090
32,963Hawaii, GuamMetro
50,089
35,062Non-Metro 2
50,272
35,1901
                         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 (for a Family of Four Persons), for 23 Selected MSAs 1
Metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs)
2012
                             adjusted LLSIL
70 percent LLSILAnchorage, AK
$47,469
$33,228Atlanta, GA
32,617
22,832Boston—Brockton—Nashua, MA/NH/ME/CT
43,364
30,355Chicago—Gary—Kenosha, IL/IN/WI
37,012
25,908Cincinnati—Hamilton, OH/KY/IN
35,188
24,632Cleveland—Akron, OH
36,836
25,785Dallas—Ft. Worth, TX
32,781
22,947Denver—Boulder—Greeley, CO
37,064
25,945Detroit—Ann Arbor—Flint, MI
34,477
24,134Honolulu, HI
51,191
35,834Houston—Galveston—Brazoria, TX
32,109
22,476Kansas City, MO/KS
34,261
23,983Los Angeles—Riverside—Orange County, CA
40,915
28,641Milwaukee—Racine, WI
35,205
24,644Minneapolis—St. Paul, MN/WI
35,186
24,630New York—Northern NJ—Long Island, NY/NJ/CT/PA
42,832
29,982Philadelphia—Wilmington—Atlantic City, PA/NJ/DE/MD
38,992
27,294Pittsburgh, PA
42,595
29,817St. Louis, MO/IL
33,341
23,339San Diego, CA
44,737
31,316( print page 18868)San Francisco—Oakland—San Jose, CA
41,689
29,182Seattle—Tacoma—Bremerton, WA
42,465
29,726Washington—Baltimore, DC/MD/VA/WV 2
43,606
30,5241
                         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 2012 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 appears in a shaded block. Individuals from these size families may consult the 2012 HHS poverty guidelines found on the Health and Human Services Web site at 
                        *http://aspe.hhs.gov/​poverty/​12poverty.shtml*
                         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. Family of one
Family of two
Family of three
Family of four
Family of five
Family of six$8,098
$13,267
$18,209
$22,476
$26,526
$31,0218,221
13,473
18,501
22,832
26,945
31,5108,266
13,545
18,592
22,947
27,084
31,6718,408
13,775
18,908
23,339
27,544
32,2088,595
14,081
19,326
23,857
28,154
32,9258,634
14,153
19,432
23,983
28,303
33,1018,691
14,239
19,552
24,134
28,480
33,3048,718
14,284
19,606
24,205
28,568
33,4118,733
14,305
19,639
24,240
28,611
33,4598,870
14,536
19,956
24,630
29,070
33,9968,870
14,538
19,958
24,632
29,070
33,9958,872
14,542
19,964
24,644
29,083
34,0119,010
14,769
20,271
25,024
29,530
34,5419,285
15,220
20,889
25,785
30,431
35,5859,328
15,292
20,985
25,908
30,577
35,7619,344
15,313
21,021
25,945
30,617
35,8089,459
15,502
21,284
26,271
31,005
36,2629,766
16,008
21,975
27,122
32,009
37,4289,815
16,084
22,083
27,261
32,169
37,6259,832
16,108
22,112
27,294
32,214
37,66910,215
16,742
22,978
28,365
33,476
39,14610,312
16,898
23,200
28,641
33,797
39,53010,511
17,224
23,639
29,182
34,439
40,27810,708
17,540
24,081
29,726
35,080
41,02410,739
17,599
24,157
29,817
35,190
41,15210,795
17,694
24,287
29,982
35,379
41,38310,930
17,912
24,595
30,355
35,824
41,89210,994
18,016
24,729
30,524
36,026
42,13211,280
18,478
25,370
31,316
36,957
43,22211,676
19,128
26,263
32,418
38,256
44,74411,872
19,449
26,703
32,963
38,898
45,48911,968
19,612
26,919
33,228
39,216
45,85612,629
20,689
28,406
35,062
41,377
48,39312,673
20,768
28,507
35,190
41,527
48,56512,905
21,144
29,026
35,834
42,286
49,458
 Appendix E Table 5: Updated 2012 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. Then locate the appropriate region or metropolitan statistical area and then find the 2012 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 size that corresponds 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$11,569
$18,953
$26,013
$32,109
$37,894
$44,31611,744
19,247
26,430
32,617
38,493
45,01411,808
19,350
26,560
32,781
38,691
45,24412,012
19,679
27,012
33,341
39,348
46,01212,279
20,116
27,609
34,082
40,220
47,03612,334
20,218
27,760
34,261
40,433
47,28712,416
20,342
27,931
34,477
40,685
47,57712,454
20,406
28,008
34,578
40,811
47,73012,476
20,436
28,055
34,629
40,873
47,79812,672
20,765
28,508
35,186
41,528
48,56512,671
20,769
28,511
35,188
41,528
48,56412,674
20,774
28,520
35,205
41,547
48,58712,871
21,098
28,958
35,749
42,185
49,34413,264
21,743
29,841
36,836
43,473
50,83513,325
21,846
29,979
37,012
43,681
51,08713,349
21,875
30,030
37,064
43,738
51,15413,513
22,146
30,406
37,530
44,293
51,80313,951
22,868
31,393
38,745
45,727
53,46814,021
22,977
31,547
38,944
45,955
53,75014,045
23,011
31,588
38,992
46,020
53,81314,593
23,917
32,825
40,521
47,823
55,92314,731
24,140
33,143
40,915
48,281
56,47115,016
24,605
33,770
41,689
49,198
57,54015,297
25,057
34,402
42,465
50,114
58,60515,342
25,141
34,510
42,595
50,271
58,78815,422
25,277
34,695
42,832
50,542
59,11815,614
25,589
35,135
43,364
51,177
59,84515,705
25,737
35,327
43,606
51,465
60,18816,114
26,397
36,243
44,737
52,795
61,74616,680
27,326
37,519
46,311
54,652
63,92016,960
27,784
38,147
47,090
55,569
64,98417,097
28,017
38,455
47,469
56,023
65,50918,042
29,556
40,580
50,089
59,110
69,13318,104
29,668
40,724
50,272
59,324
69,37818,436
30,205
41,465
51,191
60,408
70,654
 Signed at Washington, DC, this 12th day of March, 2012. Jane Oates, Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training.


[FR Doc. 2012-7377 Filed 3-27-12; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4510-FT-P