Department of Labor, General Services Administration to centralize government benefits information on USA.gov and USAGov en Español

August 07, 2024

Benefits.gov will sunset in September 2024

WASHINGTON - Today, the Department of Labor (DOL) and General Services Administration (GSA) announced a collaborative effort to centralize government benefits information on USA.gov and USAGov en Español, which will offer a new benefits experience for the public in both English and Spanish. Benefits.gov, a website managed and hosted by DOL since 2002, will shut down in September 2024.

In alignment with Executive Order 14058, USAGov, a program within GSA's Technology Transformation Services (TTS) Public Experience (PX) Portfolio, will ensure users can continue to connect with government benefits programs, while also improving the public's experience with government services. USAGov connects people to government through the channel of their choice, including one-stop-shop websites, social media channels, and a bilingual contact center, which have informed and engaged the public since the early 2000s.

"We are excited to build off of the years of Benefits.gov expertise and create a seamless benefits experience," said TTS Director, Ann Lewis. "As the front door to government information and services, USAGov is committed to using data-driven and human-centered design to ensure the public has equitable access to the information it needs."

Benefits.gov was founded in 2002 to increase public access to benefit information, reduce expenses and improve interactions with the government. Benefits.gov has served over 220 million people and increased access to more than 1,100 government benefits. In fiscal year 2024, Benefits.gov completed efforts to improve the digital experience with new search capabilities ("Search by State," "Life Events"), enhance social media engagement, provide vital benefits information and maintain content accuracy as transition activities began. As an early E-Government Act of 2002 initiative, Benefits.gov was one of the first websites to make government information accessible to the public online. It also utilized innovative technology to simplify how people explore government assistance programs, including the development of a Benefit Finder tool to help users prescreen for eligible benefits programs and easily navigate information.

"For over 20 years, Benefits.gov was a leading example of interagency collaboration, technological innovation and customer experience," said Department of Labor Chief Information Officer Gundeep Ahluwalia. "The collaboration with GSA to have USA.gov become the new destination for benefits information demonstrates what's possible in providing streamlined services for the public."

New USAGov benefits experience

Starting in the fall, USA.gov and USAGov en Español will provide an experience that makes it easy for users to navigate and find the benefits information that they need online. Key features include:

• New benefits landing pages: offers the public one easy-to-use location for benefits information.
• Benefit Finder: helps users locate benefits programs and determine eligibility.
• Category-based navigation: organizes benefits information by specific types to ease user access.

"This work is a part of USAGov's mission to connect people to vital information and services," said TTS PX Portfolio Director Leilani Martínez. "Focusing on the needs of the user is a key priority in all that USAGov does. We are eager to continue to streamline the cross-agency public experience and lower the burden on folks that are accessing benefits that are relevant to their lives."

The new experience will launch by the end of September 2024, and the USAGov team will continue to iterate and improve as we learn more about what is effective and actionable for the public.

Stay tuned for the changes coming this fall on USA.gov and USAGov en Español.

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About DOL: Learn more about the U.S. Department of Labor. Visit our newsroom to learn more or to follow us online. If you are deaf/hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

About GSA: GSA provides centralized procurement and shared services for the federal government, managing a nationwide real estate portfolio of nearly 370 million rentable square feet, overseeing about $100 billion in products and services via federal contracts, and delivering technology services that serve millions of people across dozens of federal agencies. GSA's mission is to deliver the best customer experience and value in real estate, acquisition, and technology services to the government and the American people. For more information, visit GSA.gov and follow us at @USGSA.

About TTS: GSA's TTS applies modern methodologies and technologies to improve the lives of the public and public servants. TTS helps agencies make their services more accessible, efficient, and effective with modern applications, platforms, processes, personnel, and software solutions. TTS offices include 18F, Centers of Excellence, Presidential Innovation Fellows, U.S. Digital Corps, and a diverse portfolio of TTS Solutions, including initiatives like FedRAMP, USAGov, Digital.gov, cloud.gov, and Login.gov.

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