External Impact Evaluation of the Kansas Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment (RESEA) Program
Client: Kansas Department of Commerce (2024 – 2028)
Study objective: Produce evidence on the effectiveness of the Kansas RESEA program to help UI claimants achieve better employment outcomes and reduce their UI receipt.
Policy context: In 2015, DOL instructed states to use their RESEA grants to implement programs that would require new UI claimants to undergo an eligibility review to confirm that they are compliant with state UI work-search requirements and receive services that would help them connect to available jobs. Kansas was among many states that adopted DOL’s recommendations.
Research design. Conduct an RCT impact study that randomly assigns RESEA-eligible UI claimants into two groups: (1) RESEA group to participate in RESEA; and (3) control group (no requirements). Use Kansas administrative data to estimate the impacts of the RESEA program on participant UI spells, UI benefit amounts collected, employment rates, and earnings. Of particular interest is to identify the relative value of the following to increase RESEA participation rates: 1) offering virtual services and 2) self-scheduling the RESEA appointment. The study also includes an implementation assessment that uses information from stakeholder interviews, document reviews, and program observations to examine how the Kansas RESEA was implemented and the processes used for delivering services.
Policy impact. The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 authorized the permanent and nationwide implementation of the RESEA program and encouraged states to conduct evaluations to build evidence that meets the CLEAR high or moderate causal evidence rating requirement set by DOL. The current study will produce evidence that meets the high causal evidence CLEAR criteria, thereby contributing to the portfolio of evidence-based practices in this policy area and justifying continued Federal funding for the Kansas RESEA program. In addition, this study will establish the relative value of offering virtual vs. in-person services and self-scheduling of the RESEA meeting.