Get The Buzz About
UI
in
Salt Lake City!
National UI Issues Conference
May 13-15, 2026
About the Conference
The National Unemployment Insurance Issues Conference is a valuable opportunity to showcase your brand, support this conference, and connect with UWC members, employers, and federal and state workforce agency officials.
Our Sponsors
Conference Agenda at a Glance
UI 101 Basics
The session is designed to explain the financing and administration of the Federal/State UI system for those who have taken on new responsibilities for administration and/or in representing employers or claimants. It is also helpful as a refresher for UI professionals.
Jim Van Erden, Senior Advisor, NASWA
Scott B. Sanders, President and CEO, National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA)
UWC/Foundation Member Only Meeting
UWC members will be provided with an inside status update on UI legislation, policy, priorities and advocacy in 2026 with an opportunity to discuss issues in a closed-door setting for members only.
Members only — closed-door session
Lunch (on your own) + Sponsor & Exhibitor Hall Open
Please stop by all of our sponsor and exhibitor booths during this time and grab a bite to eat before the welcome and sessions begin.
National Unemployment Insurance Program Update
The USDOL Office of Unemployment Insurance will provide an update on the primary performance metrics for Unemployment Insurance and the budget proposal and administrative plans for the US Department of Labor concerning unemployment insurance.
Michelle Beebe, Administrator, Office of Unemployment Insurance, US Department of Labor
Welcome to Salt Lake City, Utah
Welcome remarks from Utah state leadership.
Mike Schultz, Speaker of the House, Utah House of Representatives
J. Stuart Adams, President of the Senate, Utah Senate
National Unemployment Insurance Legislative Update
This panel will review current federal legislation that is pending in the US House and Senate and the prospects for enactment of legislation related to Unemployment Insurance in 2026.
Douglas Holmes, President, UWC -- Strategic Services on Unemployment & Workers' Compensation
John Kashuba, Sr. Oversight Counsel, Senate Finance Commitee
Amy Simon, Head of Labor and Workforce Solutions, LexisNexis Risk Solutions
Afternoon Beverage Break with Sponsors and Exhibitors
Review of the Economy and Impact on Unemployment
During this session the presenter will provide an outlook on the economy, reviewing current and future macroeconomic conditions and the effect on employment and unemployment claims.
Ben Crabb, Chief Economist, Utah Department of Workforce Services
Roundtable Discussion on UI Law and Policy Issues
The general session will convene as a roundtable discussion of the political climate nationally and state by state and how it impacts the development of improvements to administration and solutions to problems. Topics by table may include Integrity issues, tax, and benefit systems issues, RESEA and return to work coordination.
Douglas Holmes, President, UWC -- Strategic Services on Unemployment & Workers' Compensation
Amy Simon, Head of Labor and Workforce Solutions, LexisNexis Risk Solutions
Tony Fiore, Attorney/Executive Director, Kegler, Brown, Hill + Ritter, LPA
Reception with Sponsors and Exhibitors
Breakfast with Sponsors and Exhibitors
UI Appeals and Mock Hearing Alpine East
The workshop will replicate a UI appeal hearing and address a challenging question of eligibility.
James Weant, Manager, UI Program Relationship, Equifax
Jennifer Kim Pierce, Senior Director, Hearings and Appeals, Michigan Health and Hospital Association
Wayne Rottger, Product Intelligence Manager, Experian Employer Services
Kevin Britt, Sr. Manager, Claim Services, Equifax Workforce Solutions
Tiffany Strauss, Sr. Director of Employer Tax Services, Equifax
Joshua Hawkins, Chief Administrative Law Judge, Department of Workforce Services
Integrity Capabilities Across the UI Lifecycle: Building the "Toolbox" from Application to Recovery Alpine West
Program integrity isn't a single control or point solution—it's a set of capabilities that must work together across the entire UI lifecycle, from initial claim through continued eligibility, adjudication, payment, employer chargeability, appeals, and overpayment recovery. In this vendor-agnostic session, we'll reframe integrity beyond "tools" and focus on the end-to-end capabilities states need to protect trust funds while maintaining timely, equitable service.
Amy Simon, Head of Labor and Workforce Solutions, LexisNexis Risk Solutions
Break with Sponsors and Exhibitors
SIDES Modules Update, Benefit Charges, Audit Issues, POAs and Solutions Roundtable
The SIDES Operations Manager and representatives of the Association of Unemployment Tax Organizations will review the most recent updates in SIDES and best practices in identifying and working with third party administrators (TPAs).
Christina Corbett, SIDES Senior Manager, National Association of State Workforce Agencies
Jorie Cummis, CEO, NSN Employer Services, Inc.
Morning Beverage Break with Sponsors and Exhibitors
Artificial Intelligence Applications for Unemployment Insurance Alpine East
The workshop will provide a review of AI applications for Unemployment Insurance in North Carolina and Utah with discussion of additional potential uses of AI.
Regina Graham, Chief of Benefits, NC Dept. of Commerce, Division of Employment Security
Dan Tienes, Product Manager, Unemployment Claims Management, Equifax Workforce Solutions
Patrick Frost, UI Benefits System Manager, Utah Department of Workforce Services
RESEA and Connection to WIOA Alpine West
The workshop will discuss the federal RESEA requirements and state best practices to reduce duration and increase return to work.
Michelle Beebe, Administrator, Office of Unemployment Insurance, US Department of Labor
LeeAnn Madsen, Assistant Director/Chief Of Benefits, Department of Workforce Services/Unemployment Insurance
John Courtney, President, American Institute for Full Employment
Kyle Lively, UI Policy Director, Indiana Department of Workforce Development
Recognition Awards Luncheon
Recognizing this year's recipients of: The UWC Outstanding Contribution Award (for outstanding contributions to UWC or the National Foundation for Unemployment Compensation and Workers' Compensation); The J. Eldred Hill, Jr. Award (excellence in public policy in service to the employer community); The UI Integrity Award (commitment to preserving the integrity of the unemployment system); The Father Becker Award (major contributions to unemployment insurance research).
Roll Call of Recent State Law Changes Alpine East
There has been a flurry of legislative activity throughout the states affecting unemployment taxes, benefits and reemployment efforts. This session will discuss bills that have been enacted throughout the U.S. as well as trends in bills being discussed and debated.
Christopher Carlozzi, Senior State Director, NFIB
Tony Fiore, Attorney/Executive Director, Kegler, Brown, Hill + Ritter, LPA
Integrity Best Practices Alpine West
The integrity of the unemployment insurance system has been challenged in light of the consistent levels of fraud and overpayments in the state-based systems. Congress has acted to increase administrative funding available to states to assist in updating old systems that may be vulnerable to fraudsters and to address system capacity and verification of the identity of applicants for unemployment insurance. The panel will provide an update on the NASWA Integrity Center, and efforts to reduce fraud and overpayments in the system.
Jim Van Erden, Senior Advisor, NASWA
Katy Pace, Business Analyst, Integrity Data Hub, UI Integrity Center NASWA
Expanding Quarterly Wage Report Requirements — Policy + Administrative Issues
Legislation has been proposed at the federal and state level to add occupation information and other data elements to be reported by employers. The panel will review legislation and the various proposals and discuss the impact on employers and state workforce agencies of administrative burden and the value of information in connecting education with jobs in the labor market. What is the burden to pull together this information and what value comes out of the data?
Alison Fecker, Director, Government Affairs UI, ADP
Robert Bock, Director, Workforce Data Reporting, Mississippi Department of Employment Security
Mark Lewon, President, Utah Metal Works, Inc.
Kyle Baltuch, Vice President of Employment Alignment, Strada
Afternoon Beverage Break with Sponsors and Exhibitors
State UI Administrative Funding Alpine East
This session will review the history of FUTA tax receipts, appropriations for administration of UI and suggestions for reform.
Matt Weidinger, Senior Fellow, Rowe Scholar, American Enterprise Institute
Employer Top Ten List Alpine West
Large employers face mounting operational and compliance challenges within unemployment insurance (UI) systems that were largely designed for small businesses. This session outlines the Top 10 systemic pain points, from account registration barriers and portal access failures to amendment delays, automatic adjustments, payment reallocations, experience transfers, and payrolling disputes and explains how these issues create downstream risk across tax, claims, and compliance functions. Attendees will gain practical insight into the real-world administrative and financial impacts of current processes, along with modernization opportunities that could reduce friction for both employers and agencies.
Joe Grimes, Director - Payroll Tax Consulting, Experian Employer Services
Wayne Rottger, Product Intelligence Manager, Experian Employer Services
UI Tax Issues
Representatives from the payroll industry and tax experts will review UI law, tax system modernization and best practices in engaging employers and representatives.
Lauren Escalante, Government Affairs, Legal & Compliance, Gusto
Jeffrey Griffin-Smith, Deputy Chief of UI Tax, Kansas Department of Labor
Celina Bussey, Deloitte
Irda Dothage, Director of Strategy and Planning, Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency
Free Evening to Enjoy Salt Lake City! 🌆
Breakfast with Sponsors and Exhibitors
Identity Theft, UI Benefit Overpayment and Recovery (General Session)
In light of the dramatic increase in fraud and UI benefit overpayments, recovery of overpayments has become a priority for legislation and UI administration. The panel will discuss reports reviewing the scale of fraud and overpayments and methods that have been developed for states and federal agencies to avoid fraud, increase benefit overpayment recovery, and prosecute fraud. Topics to discuss: DOL 3-5 states in pilot program for ID, Florida legislation, etc.
Mark Mayfield, Director of Strategic Relations, Catalis UI Solutions
Christopher Silvern, Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General
Paid Family and Medical Leave
Many states have enacted parental and family leave programs and payroll taxes to fund the programs. This session will review federal oversight, state programs, and issues related to coordination with private plans, employer representatives, and administration with UI in the same state agency.
KURT SHOEMAKER, Policy Director, State Paid Family and Medical Leave, National Payroll Reporting Consortium
Elliot Schreur, Assistant Secretary for Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI), MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF LABOR/ FAMLI
John Simonetti, Benefits Manager, Connecticut Paid Leave Authority
William Alpine, Director, Massachusetts Department of Family and Medical Leave
Morning Beverage Break with Sponsors and Exhibitors
Labor Disputes and UI Eligibility Issues
New legislative enactments in Oregon and Washington amended the disallowance of benefits for striking workers and raise questions with federal law with respect to whether striking workers are available to work and actively seeking work to be eligible to be paid unemployment compensation. Federal officials, employer representatives and advocates for payment of benefits will review the status of federal and state law and application to labor disputes.
Douglas Holmes, President, UWC -- Strategic Services on Unemployment & Workers' Compensation
Paloma Sparks, Sparks Public Affairs
Closing Remarks and Announcements
Registration Information
UWC Members and Foundation State Affiliate Supporters
Non-members
