NMDWS News:ALBUQUERQUE ― The New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions’ (NMDWS) Unemployment Insurance (UI) Division received two national awards from the United States Department of Labor for Performance Excellence in Benefit Payments and Program Integrity Excellence.
The awards were presented in Boston, MA during the 2019 National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA) Workforce Summit.
The awards criteria reflect an array of UI system and performance areas most critical to its success and allow for recognition to be given to the top-performing agencies from small, medium, and large size states. New Mexico is the first small state winner of the inaugural Program Integrity Excellence award, which recognizes states that have demonstrated excellence in their improper payment, overpayment detection, and overpayment recovery rates.
The department is committed to preserving the integrity of the Unemployment Insurance system through the Improper Payment Prevention Initiative. This initiative combines insights from predictive analytics and behavioral science to successfully increase honest and accurate reporting which leads to a reduction of improper payments.
“Our employees who work in our Unemployment Insurance Division and Information Technology Division consistently provide quality work,” Secretary Bill McCamley said. “I’m very proud to be the Secretary of an agency where the employees care about their fellow New Mexican and go above and beyond to provide excellent service and retain the integrity of our programs.”
This is the second year in a row NMDWS has received the Performance Excellence in Benefit Payments award. Unemployment Insurance payments are intended to provide temporary financial assistance to unemployed workers who have lost their job through no fault of their own, and are able, available, and actively seeking employment.
NASWA is a national organization representing all 50 state workforce agencies, D.C. and U.S. territories. These agencies – which include the New Mexico the Department of Workforce Solutions – deliver training, employment, career, and business services, in addition to administering the unemployment insurance, veteran reemployment, and labor market information programs. NASWA provides policy expertise, shares promising state practices, and promotes state innovation and leadership in workforce development. NASWA hosts an annual Workforce Summit to honor states performance, promote continued improvement and to facilitate the sharing of best practices.
