WASHINGTON – The R.I. Department of Labor and Training will receive $300,000 to improve information technology security for state unemployment insurance programs, the U.S. Department of Labor said today.
“Unemployment insurance plays a critical role in helping workers persevere through tough times,” U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao said in the announcement. “This funding will boost states’ efforts to secure UI systems against fraud and ensure that those in need receive assistance.”
The R.I. grant is part of $6.01 million in UI security funds that will be shared by 22 states and the territory of Puerto Rico, the Labor Department said.
“It is more than reasonable that tax-paying workers and employers expect states to continuously improve the performance of their UI systems,” added Emily S. DeRocco, the department’s assistant secretary for employment and training.
The grants will promote the use of National Institute of Standards and Technology guidelines for identifying security weaknesses and achieving IT security certification and accreditation. They will support risk management, contingency planning, incident response, security awareness and training, data integrity and other projects – including, in several states, the correction of specific security concerns already identified by the Office of the Inspector General through Federal Informatino Security Management Act audits.
To learn more about unemployment insurance and the U.S. Department of Labor, visit www.dol.gov. For information on the R.I. Department of Labor and Training and the state’s unemployment insurance program, visit www.dlt.ri.gov.
