[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 57 (Thursday, March 26, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13262-13266]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-6618]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration


Workforce Investment Act; Lower Living Standard Income Level

AGENCY: Employment and Training Administration, Labor.

ACTION: Notice of Determination of Lower Living Standard Income Level.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Under Title I of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998 
(Pub. L. 105-220), the Secretary of Labor annually determines the Lower 
Living Standard Income Level (LLSIL) for uses described in the law. 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 2009 and references the current 2009 Health and Human 
Services ``Poverty Guidelines.''

DATES: Effective Date: This notice is effective on the date of 
publication in the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to: Mr. Samuel Wright, Department of 
Labor, Employment and Training Administration, 200 Constitution Avenue, 
NW., Room C-4510, Washington, DC 20210.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Please contact Mr. Samuel Wright, 
Telephone (202) 693-2870; Fax (202) 693-3015 (these are not toll free 
numbers).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: It is the purpose of the Workforce 
Investment Act of 1998 ``to provide workforce investment activities, 
through statewide and local workforce investment systems, that increase 
the employment, retention, and earnings of participants, and increase 
occupational skill attainment by participants, and as a result, improve 
the quality of the workforce, reduce welfare dependency, and enhance 
the productivity and competitiveness of the Nation.''
    The LLSIL is used for several purposes under 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 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, eligibility for employed 
adult workers for certain services and for the Work Opportunity Tax 
Credit (WOTC). We encourage the Governors and state/local WIBs to 
consult WIA regulations and the preamble to the WIA Final Rule 
(published at 65 FR 49294 August 11, 2000) for more specific guidance 
in applying the LLSIL to program requirements. The Department of Health 
and Human Services (HHS) published the annual 2009 update of the 
poverty-level guidelines in the Federal Register, Vol. 74, No. 14, 
January 23, 2009, pp. 4199-4201. The HHS 2009 Poverty guidelines may 
also be found on the Internet at: http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/09fedreg.pdf. ETA plans to have the 2009 LLSIL available on its Web 
site at [http://www.doleta.gov/llsil/2009/].
    WIA Section 101(24) defines the 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 the fall of 1981. The four-person urban family budget estimates, 
previously published by the 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 through which ETA 
develops the LLSIL tables, as provided in the Appendices.
    ETA published the 2008 updates to the LLSIL in the Federal Register 
of April 25, 2008, at 73 FR 22435 and the corrections to tables 4 and 5 
in the Federal Register of June 10, 2008, at 73 FR 32740. These notices 
again updates the LLSIL to reflect cost of living increases for 2008, 
by applying the percentage change in the most recent 2008 Consumer 
Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for an area, compared with 
the 2007 CPI-U to each

[[Page 13263]]

of the April 25, 2008 LLSIL figures. Those updated figures for a 
family-of-four are listed in Appendix A, Table 1, by region for both 
metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas. This year the LLSIL figures 
for some areas have decreased because the over-the-year change in CPI-U 
was negative due to the economic downturn. Figures in all of the 
accompanying tables, in the Appendices, are rounded up to the nearest 
dollar. Since low income individuals, ``disadvantaged adult'' 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.
Jurisdictions included in the various regions, based generally on 
Census Divisions of the U.S. Department of Commerce, are as follows:

Northeast

Connecticut,
Maine,
Massachusetts,
New Hampshire,
New Jersey,
New York,
Pennsylvania,
Rhode Island,
Vermont,
Virgin Islands.

Midwest

Illinois,
Indiana,
Iowa,
Kansas,
Michigan,
Minnesota,
Missouri,
Nebraska,
North Dakota,
Ohio,
South Dakota,
Wisconsin.

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,
Virginia,
West Virginia.

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 2008 figures were updated 
from the April 2008 ``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 MSAs are also available. These are based on 
semiannual CPI-U changes for a 12-month period ending in June 2008. The 
updated LLSIL figures for these MSAs and 70 percent of the LLSIL are 
reported in Appendix C, Table 3.
    Appendix D, Table 4 lists each of the various figures at 70 percent 
of the updated 2008 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 determine the LLSIL for families of one to 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 LLSIL figure, the figure is 
indicated in parentheses. A modified Excel version of Appendix D, Table 
4, with the area names, will be available on the Department of Labor, 
Employment and Training Administration LLSIL Webpage at [http://www.doleta.gov/llsil/2009/]. 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).

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, 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 the WIA and the WIA regulations.

Disclaimer on Statistical Uses

    It should be noted, the 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 the 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.

Lower Living Standard Income Level for 2009

    Under Title I of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (Public Law 
105-220), the Secretary of Labor annually determines the Lower Living 
Standard Income Level (LLSIL). This Notice announces the LLSIL Tables 
for 2009. WIA requires the Department of Labor to update and publish 
the LLSIL tables annually. The LLSIL tables are used for several 
purposes under WIA, including determining eligibility for youth and for 
the Work Opportunity Tax Credit.

    Signed at Washington, DC, this 16th day of March 2009.
Douglas F. Small,
Deputy Assistant Secretary.

Appendix A

[[Page 13264]]



               Table 1--Lower Living Standard Income Level
              (For a family of four persons) by Region \1\
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                           2009 Adjusted    70 percent
               Region \2\                      LLSIL           LLSIL
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northeast
    Metro...............................         $37,703         $26,392
    Non-Metro \3\.......................          36,086          25,260
Midwest
    Metro...............................          33,198          23,239
    Non-Metro...........................          31,817          22,272
South
    Metro...............................          32,143          22,500
    Non-Metro...........................          30,986          21,690
West
    Metro...............................          36,664          25,665
    Non-Metro \4\.......................          35,126         24,588
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ For ease of use, these figures are rounded to the next highest
  dollar.
\2\ Metropolitan area measures were calculated from the weighted average
  CPI-Us for city size classes A and B/C. Non-metropolitan area measures
  were calculated from the CPI-Us 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
  unpublished data.

Appendix B

               Table 2--Lower Living Standard Income Level
       (For a family of four persons)--Alaska, Hawaii and Guam \1\
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                           2009 Adjusted    70 percent
                 Region                        LLSIL           LLSIL
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alaska
    Metro...............................         $44,250         $30,975
    Non-Metro \2\.......................          44,073          30,851
Hawaii, Guam
    Metro...............................          47,622          33,335
    Non-Metro \2\.......................          47,051         32,936
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ 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-Us for city size class D in the Western
  Region.

Appendix C

               Table 3--Lower Living Standard Income Level
               (For a family of four persons) 23 MSAs \1\
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                           2009 Adjusted    70 percent
  Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs)        LLSIL           LLSIL
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Anchorage, AK...........................         $45,356         $31,749
Atlanta, GA.............................          30,799          21,559
Boston--Brockton--Nashua, MA/NH/ME/CT...          41,150          28,805
Chicago--Gary--Kenosha, IL/IN/WI........          34,947          24,463
Cincinnati--Hamilton, OH/KY/IN..........          33,753          23,627
Cleveland--Akron, OH....................          34,542          24,179
Dallas--Ft. Worth, TX...................          31,333          21,933
Denver--Boulder--Greeley, CO............          35,307          24,715
Detroit--Ann Arbor--Flint, MI...........          31,957          22,370
Honolulu, HI............................          48,670          34,069
Houston--Galveston--Brazoria, TX........          29,759          20,831
Kansas City, MO/KS......................          32,479          22,735
Los Angeles--Riverside--Orange County,            38,822          27,175
 CA.....................................
Milwaukee--Racine, WI...................          33,405          23,384
Minneapolis--St. Paul, MN/WI............          33,585          23,510
New York--Northern NJ--Long Island, NY/           40,205          28,144
 NJ/CT/PA...............................
Philadelphia--Wilmington--Atlantic City,          36,317          25,422
 PA/NJ/DE/MD............................
Pittsburgh, PA..........................          40,379          28,265
St. Louis, MO/IL........................          31,917          22,342
San Diego, CA...........................          42,827          29,979
San Francisco--Oakland--San Jose, CA....          38,904          27,233

[[Page 13265]]

 
Seattle--Tacoma--Bremerton, WA..........          40,221          28,155
Washington--Baltimore, DC/MD/VA/WV \2\..          41,013         28,709
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ For ease of use, these figures are rounded to the next highest
  dollar.
\2\ Baltimore and Washington are now calculated as a single metropolitan
  statistical area.

Appendix D

Table 4--Seventy Percent of Updated 2009 Lower Living Standard Income 
Level (LLSIL), by Family Size

    To use the seventy percent LLSIL value, where it is stipulated for 
WIA programs, begin by locating the region or metropolitan area where 
they reside. These are listed in Tables 1, 2 and 3. After locating the 
appropriate region or metropolitan statistical area, find the seventy 
percent LLSIL amount for that location. The seventy 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 seventy 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 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 2009 
HHS poverty guidelines found in the Federal Register, Vol. 74, No. 14, 
January 23, 2009, pp. 4199-4201 (on the Internet at http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/09fedreg.pdf) 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
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
$7,505.........................................              $12,296              $16,876              $20,831              $24,585              $28,751
7,762..........................................               12,722               17,470               21,559               25,444               29,754
7,815..........................................               12,802               17,571               21,690               25,597               29,935
7,901..........................................               12,947               17,771               21,933               25,887               30,272
8,024..........................................               13,144               18,044               22,272               26,288               30,742
8,049..........................................               13,187               18,101               22,342               26,367               30,832
8,056..........................................               13,199               18,123               22,370               26,398               30,870
8,104..........................................               13,278               18,225               22,500               26,556               31,058
8,184..........................................               13,416               18,421               22,735               26,831               31,379
8,366..........................................               13,714               18,824               23,239               27,422               32,075
8,418..........................................               13,798               18,943               23,384               27,596               32,272
8,467..........................................               13,874               19,048               23,510               27,747               32,449
8,508..........................................               13,945               19,144               23,627               27,884               32,608
8,707..........................................               14,272               19,588               24,179               28,536               33,369
8,807..........................................               14,439               19,815               24,463               28,871               33,766
8,853..........................................               14,509               19,921               24,588               29,019               33,939
8,901..........................................               14,587               20,025               24,715               29,166               34,110
9,096..........................................               14,909               20,467               25,260               29,812               34,859
9,157..........................................               15,002               20,595               25,422               30,004               35,085
9,240..........................................               15,142               20,790               25,665               30,285               35,422
9,505..........................................               15,578               21,379               26,392               31,148               36,424
9,784..........................................               16,034               22,013               27,175               32,068               37,507
9,809..........................................               16,073               22,060               27,233               32,138               37,587
10,133.........................................               16,609               22,797               28,144               33,210               38,845
10,142.........................................               16,613               22,809               28,155               33,226               38,856
10,181.........................................               16,683               22,901               28,265               33,359               39,011
10,340.........................................               16,945               23,258               28,709               33,884               39,626
10,372.........................................               16,997               23,339               28,805               33,995               39,752
10,798.........................................               17,689               24,287               29,979               35,379               41,377
11,111.........................................               18,203               24,992               30,851               36,406               42,575
11,157.........................................               18,277               25,094               30,975               36,554               42,753
11,435.........................................               18,739               25,720               31,749               37,471               43,815
11,861.........................................               19,437               26,681               32,936               38,866               45,453
12,007.........................................               19,670               27,007               33,335               39,339               4,6010
12,270.........................................               20,102               27,596               34,069               40,203               47,022
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 13266]]

Appendix E

Table 5--Updated 2009 LLSIL (100%), 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 2009 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 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
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
$10,722........................................              $17,566              $24,109              $29,759              $35,121              $41,073
11,089.........................................               18,174               24,957               30,799               36,348               42,505
11,164.........................................               18,289               25,101               30,986               36,567               42,764
11,287.........................................               18,496               25,387               31,333               36,982               43,246
11,463.........................................               18,777               25,777               31,817               37,554               43,917
11,499.........................................               18,838               25,858               31,917               37,667               44,046
11,509.........................................               18,855               25,890               31,957               37,712               44,100
11,577.........................................               18,969               26,036               32,143               37,937               44,369
11,692.........................................               19,166               26,316               32,479               38,330               44,827
11,952.........................................               19,592               26,891               33,198               39,174               45,822
12,026.........................................               19,712               27,062               33,405               39,423               46,103
12,095.........................................               19,820               27,211               33,585               39,638               46,355
12,154.........................................               19,922               27,348               33,753               39,834               46,583
12,438.........................................               20,389               27,983               34,542               40,766               47,670
12,582.........................................               20,627               28,307               34,947               41,244               48,237
12,647.........................................               20,727               28,458               35,126               41,455               48,484
12,716.........................................               20,838               28,607               35,307               41,665               48,729
12,994.........................................               21,299               29,239               36,086               42,589               49,799
13,081.........................................               21,432               29,421               36,317               42,863               50,121
13,200.........................................               21,632               29,700               36,664               43,264               50,603
13,578.........................................               22,254               30,542               37,703               44,497               52,034
13,977.........................................               22,905               31,447               38,822               45,811               53,582
14,013.........................................               22,961               31,514               38,904               45,911               53,696
14,476.........................................               23,727               32,567               40,205               47,443               55,493
14,489.........................................               23,733               32,584               40,221               47,466               55,508
14,544.........................................               23,833               32,715               40,379               47,656               55,730
14,771.........................................               24,207               33,226               41,013               48,405               56,609
14,817.........................................               24,282               33,341               41,150               48,564               56,789
15,426.........................................               25,270               34,696               42,827               50,541               59,110
15,873.........................................               26,004               35,703               44,073               52,009               60,821
15,938.........................................               26,110               35,849               44,250               52,220               61,075
16,336.........................................               26,770               36,743               45,356               53,530               62,593
16,944.........................................               27,767               38,115               47,051               55,523               64,933
17,153.........................................               28,100               38,581               47,622               56,199               65,728
17,528.........................................               28,717               39,423               48,670               57,433               67,174
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[FR Doc. E9-6618 Filed 3-25-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE