WOTC database 08/04/21 (Employment Security Department, Olympia Wa)
It is a clone of this request.
| Tracking # |
PRR-2021-0081 |
| Multi Request | WOTC database 08/04/21 |
| Submitted | Aug. 4, 2021 |
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Communications
From: Emily Corwin
Attention: Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) Unit
To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to the Washington Public Records Act, I hereby request the following records:
1) All reports regarding Work Opportunity Tax Credits certified in 2019 and 2020 provided to the US Department of Labor, including forms 9058.
2) Any database tracking Work Opportunity Tax Credit certifications which is created or maintained by your department or by any third party vendor under contract with your department, preferably in .csv or .xlsx format. If it is easier, the database can be limited to the calendar or fiscal years ending in 2018, 2019 and 2020.
3) The most recent of any contracts with third party vendors to track WOTC certifications.
My goal is to ascertain which businesses and industries are applying for and/or receiving Work Opportunity Tax Credits, for which categories of employees and which occupations. If a conversation could help narrow or expedite the completion of this request, I am available at 802 233 4992 and emily_corwin@harvard.edu.
The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.
In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.
Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 5 business days, as the statute requires.
Sincerely,
Emily Corwin
From: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Washington Public Records Act request, copied below, and originally submitted on Aug. 4, 2021. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: Employment Security Department, Olympia Wa
From: Emily Corwin
Hello,
Many thanks for your questions. For item #2, a number of states have been able to provide with me with an .xlsx or .csv file with the following columns for WOTC applications or certifications from 2018-2020, with one row for each employee:
Claim ID | Business name |Date (of claim received OR certification or both) |Employee wage | Employee target group | Employee job position | Denied or approved
I'm happy to chat more about this if needed: 802 233 4992.
It sounds like we can close item #3, as you do not have such a vendor.
Many thanks,
Emily
From: Employment Security Department, Olympia Wa
Dear Emily Corwin,
I have been advised that form 9058, which is the WOTC quarterly report, "lives" on the Department of Labor (DOL) website that our staff have to securely log into and there is no way to save the report. The only way is to take a screen shots. We can provide a csv copy of the certified report filed with the DOL, however.
Please let me know as soon as possible, or by September 24th, if you wish to obtain both the certified copy and the screen shots. If I don't hear from you by September 24, 2021, we will only provide the certified copy.
Regards,
Kathy
(she/her/hers)
Public Records | PFML Records Manager
OPRDS
c: 360.890.5794
From: Emily Corwin
Hi Kathy,
The .csv file will do the trick. Many thanks!
Emily
From: Employment Security Department, Olympia Wa
Hello Emily,
To recap:
For Item #1, the only documents that would be available would be the screen shots, and you do not wish to receive those.
For Item #2, we will provide csv files.
For Item #3, there's no vendor so you've closed #3.
Regards,
Kathy
(she/her/hers)
Public Records | PFML Records Manager
OPRDS
c: 360.890.5794
From: Emily Corwin
Hi Kathy,
My apologies, I misunderstood your initial question. I will accept the screenshots for item 1). I had thought you were offering the same data as .csv instead of screenshot. My mistake.
As for #2, a .csv will be great in that case, yes.
#3 is closed, that is correct.
Thanks!
Emily
From: Employment Security Department, Olympia Wa
Dear Emily Corwin,
With regard to Item 1, once I've received the screen shots I will provide them to you.
With regard to Item 2, we currently have a canned report option under the Reporting function of the WOTC website. I will double check which years are available. Note: the report only displayed: Application Id, Starting Wages, Occupational Code. In order to extract all the fields you requested, Claim ID | Business name |Date (of claim received OR certification or both) |Employee wage | Employee target group | Employee job position | Denied or approved, customized access coding in the approximate amount of 24 hours would need to be instituted. Customized access coding charges will be passed on to you if you elect this option. Otherwise, I can provide to you the 3 underlined fields above although the Application ID might have to be redacted if it reveals the applicant information.
Please let me know as soon as possible how you would like to proceed with Item 2.
Regards,
Kathy
(she/her/hers)
Public Records | PFML Records Manager
OPRDS
c: 360.890.5794
From: Emily Corwin
Hi Kathy,
Thanks for your assistance here. For item 2) -- It's really the business's names that are the most important element for me. The canned report doesn't sound customizable, but if it *were* possible to produce that report with the addition of the business's names, that would certainly do the trick.
As for the custom export -- 24 hours to extract a few fields from a database is surprising. I wonder if you might be willing to put me in touch with the database manager/IT person? Perhaps if I could chat with them we could find a more efficient way around. Additionally, what is the hourly rate?
Many thanks again for your assistance here.
Emily
From: Employment Security Department, Olympia Wa
Hello Emily,
The issue is that the business names will need to be redacted under RCW 50.13:
RCW 50.13.020 states any information or records concerning an individual or employing unit obtained by the department through the administration of Title 50 - Unemployment Insurance shall be private and confidential. 20 C.F.R. 603.4(b) mandates the provision for "maintaining the confidentiality of unemployment compensation information which reveals the name or any identifying particular about any individual or any past or present employer or employing unit, or which could foreseeably be combined with other publicly available information to reveal any such particulars." (Emphasis supplied.)
With that said, do you still wish me to ascertain what encompasses the 24 hour customized access fee?
Please let me know.
Regards,
Kathy
(she/her/hers)
Public Records | PFML Records Manager
OPRDS
c: 360.890.5794
From: Emily Corwin
Hi Kathy,
No need to explain the 24 hour access fee. But if you could do me the favor of explaining how your department concludes that the state's WOTC data was obtained though the administration of Title 50 - Unemployment Insurance?
Best,
Emily
From: Employment Security Department, Olympia Wa
Hello Emily,
Thank you for your email and Happy Friday!
In addition to the unemployment insurance program, there are other programs administered through Title 50. Work Opportunity is one such program. The business name is redacted because the program is administered under RCW 50.13, and any information or records concerning ... an employing unit obtained by the department through the administration of Title 50 ... shall be private and confidential.... Please feel free to access ESD's information regarding the WOTC, here<https://esd.wa.gov/about-employees/WOTC>.
I will let you know when all the screen shots responsive to Item 1 have been gathered and are available for release.
Regards,
Kathy
(she/her/hers)
Deputy Chief Records Officer
OPRDS
c: 360.890.5794
From: Emily Corwin
Many thanks -
Emily
From: Employment Security Department, Olympia Wa
Dear Emily,
I'm not sure what your September 7th comment re follow up stated below references. Please advise.
Thank you.
Regards,
Kathy
(she/her/hers)
Deputy Chief Records Officer
OPRDS
c: 360.890.5794
From: Emily Corwin
Hi Kathy,
I was just saying thanks for your explanation of why your department is considering WOTC to be subject to the unemployment insurance statutes. I am standing by for the screenshots which you mentioned are being gathered.
Best,
Emily
From: Employment Security Department, Olympia Wa
Thanks Emily!
Attached please find the responsive records.
Enjoy your day!!
Regards,
Kathy
(she/her/hers)
Deputy Chief Records Officer
OPRDS
c: 360.890.5794
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PRR-2021-0081 ESD WOTC upload certified report wR
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