HHS Restarts Data Matching for Unemployment Benefits
Published Date: 6/17/2025
Notice
Summary
The Department of Health and Human Services is restarting a program that matches state unemployment records with new job and wage info to help manage unemployment benefits better. This program affects state workforce agencies and will run for 18 months starting around July 19, 2025, with a chance to extend for another year. People can comment on the program until July 17, 2025, but there’s no direct cost impact mentioned.
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 1 costs, 3 mixed.
Unemployment records matched with wage data
HHS/ACFS/OCSS will compare Unemployment Compensation (UC) applicants' and recipients' name and Social Security number (SSN) with new hire and quarterly wage records in the National Directory of New Hires (NDNH). Match results are returned to state workforce agencies to help establish or verify UC eligibility, reduce payment errors, and maintain program integrity.
NDNH match data used for secondary purposes
State workforce agencies may use NDNH match information for secondary purposes including updating reported participation in work activities, updating recipient and employer contact information, administering tax compliance functions, and meeting Department of Labor (DOL) reporting requirements.
Privacy Act notice and verification protections
The notice states the program complies with the Privacy Act: individuals whose information is used will be notified that their information may be verified through matching, and agencies must verify match findings before suspending, terminating, reducing, or making a final denial of benefits or taking other adverse actions.
Program timeframe and renewal terms
The re-established matching program will run for an initial 18-month term from approximately July 19, 2025, through January 18, 2027, and may be renewed for one additional year if the parties make no changes and certify compliance within 3 months of expiration. The deadline for public comments on this notice is July 17, 2025.
Specific personal data returned to states
OCSS will return specific NDNH data elements that matched UC records, including new hire processed date; employee name and address; employee date and state of hire; employer federal and state identification numbers; employer name and address; employee wage amounts and quarterly wage reporting period; and related transmitter and agency codes.
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Key Dates
Department and Agencies
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