WorkforceInnovation & Opportunity Act

TechnicalAssistanceGuide

WIOA Introduction

Program Overview

INTRODUCTION PROGRAM OVERVIEW

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE GUIDE

I.INTRODUCTION

II.WORKFORCE INNOVATION AND OPPORTUNITY ACT

III.STRUCTURE

IV.IDAHO’S WIOA ONE-STOP SYSTEM

V.EMPLOYER SERVICES

VI.ADULT AND DISLOCATED WORKER PROGRAM

VII.WIOA YOUTH PROGRAM

VIII.SERVICE PROVIDER AGREEMENT

IX.WIOA FEDERAL PERFORMANCE REPORTING

Summary of Changes:

Introduction TAG

04/2017

  1. INTRODUCTION

This Technical Assistance Guide (TAG) provides a general overview of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) program in Idaho. It is designed for WIOA Title I Adult, Dislocated Worker and Youth program career planners who provide job seekers access to employment, education, training, and supportive services to succeed in the labor market and to match employers with the skilled workers they need to compete in the global economy. It highlights significant areas of importance addressed through legislation but does not provide in-depth program detail. Please refer to the selection of TAGs which provide more specific detail on operational and procedural requirements.

There are several important source documents to assist you in understanding and providing WIOA services to participants.

The following documents can be accessed online at Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act

  • Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act
  • Federal WIOA Final Regulations
  • Idaho’s WIOA Combined State Plan
  • Idaho’s Workforce Development Council Governance and Program Policies
  • WIOA Policy Guidance Memos (WIOAPs)
  • WIOA Information Bulletins (WIOABs)
  • WIOA Technical Assistance Guides (TAGs)

The following documents are available from your organization’s administrative staff:

  • WIOA Provider Agreement
  • General Provisions and Assurances attached to the Agreement
  • Appropriate Office of Management And Budget (OMB)Circulars
  • Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (2 CFR 200)
  1. WORKFORCE INNOVATION AND OPPORTUNITY ACT

WIOA, the federal law overseeing the workforce development system, became effective on July 1, 2015. WIOA replaced the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 and retains and amends the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act, the Wagner-Peyser Act, and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

WIOA brings together, in strategic coordination, the core programs of Federal investment in skill development:

  • Workforce Investment activities for Adults, Dislocated Workers, and Youth
  • Adult education and literacy programs (ABE)
  • Wagner-Peyser employment services
  • Vocational Rehabilitation state grant programs that assist individuals with disabilities in obtaining employment.

WIOA also authorizes programs for specific vulnerable populations, including the Job Corps, YouthBuild, Indian and Native Americans, and Migrant and Seasonal Farmworker programs as well as National Dislocated Emergency Grants.

WIOA specifically authorizes the one-stop service delivery system (American Job Centers) ensuring that workforce development services are provided in locations around the state. The one-stop system is comprised of the six core programs, other federally funded programs and any other locally available program providing workforce services to individuals or employers.

WIOA also provides for the Governor’s Workforce Development Council to serve as the strategic coordinator and oversight body for the workforce development system in Idaho.

WIOA has several other provisions, such as for evaluations, performance reporting, and multistate projects administered by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)

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WIOA conveys five key principles:

  • States align programs and ensure integrated services through a unified strategic plan and shared governance. Idaho’s core programs and other partner programs have developed the WIOA Combined State plan. The Workforce Development Council provides oversight of the core programs as a one system, assessing strategic needs and aligning them with service strategies to ensure the workforce system meets employment and skill needs of all workers and employers. The Council provides direct governance over WIOA Title 1B programs – Adult, Dislocated Worker and Youth and the one-stop service delivery system.
  • Workforce boards focus on strategy. The WIOA Combined State Plan reflects the Workforce Development Council’s focus on industry-specific sector strategies and career pathways, and policies for advancing opportunities for all workers and job seekers, including low-skilled adults, youth, and individuals with disabilities and other barriers to employment.
  • States align workforce programs with regional economic development strategies. The WIOA Combined State Plan reflects integration of education, training, support services, and other workforce services across the core programs, alignment of workforce policies and services with regional economies, and sector strategies tailored to their needs.

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  • The American Job Center(one-stop) network and partner programs are organized to provide high-quality services to individuals and employers. The Workforce Development Council and One Stop partners are increasing coordination of programs and resources to support a comprehensive system that seamlessly provides integrated services that are accessible to all jobseekers, workers, and businesses.
  • States promote accountability and transparency, and data drives decisions and informs customer choice. With implementation of WIOA, the Workforce Development Council is overseeing the implementation of workforce and education processes to increase accountability and transparency, and the collection of data to drive decisions and inform customer choice.

WIOA key themes:

Program Alignment – WIOA ensures that the core workforce development programs are completely aligned. These six programs now have identical performance metrics and are required to submit a single state plan. States are encouraged to include additional workforce partners within the state plan. Idaho submitted a Combined State Plan with three additional partners.

Integrated Service Delivery – WIOA emphasizes the coordination of all workforce partners within the one-stop system. It provides the Workforce Development Council specific oversight responsibilities to ensure that programs fully integrate service delivery to individuals and employers in the local communities, including sharing infrastructure and resource costs.

Strategic Planning – Idaho’s Combined State Plan includes strategies on industry-specific sectors and career pathways to ensure career advancement opportunities are aligned with opportunities in the state and local communities. The plan also provides for the integration of education, training, support services, and other workforce services for advancing opportunities for workers and job seekers, especially individuals with barriers to employment.

Accountability – WIOA has an enhanced focus on performance measures and evaluations. In addition to the program performance reports, there are expectations for regular program evaluations to increase the accountability and transparency of the system. These evaluations are primarily driven by data collection.

  1. STRUCTURE

Idaho’s Workforce Development Council

The Idaho Workforce Development Council was established to provide strategic direction and oversight of Idaho’s workforce system. The council members represent business, workers, education, state government and community based organizations. The primary role of the council is to serve as the oversight body for the workforce development system servicing for Idaho’s businesses and job seekers.

Council responsibilities are of two general types:

  • Operational – ongoing oversight functions of existing, but separate components of the workforce system
  • Strategic – those related to policy development regarding the design and operation of a workforce system

The Council is responsible for development and oversight of the state’s workforce infrastructure, including the design and oversight of a One-Stop service delivery system required by WIOA legislation.

The Council also selects Title 1B and one-stop service providers to operate and provide eligible WIOA participants with employment and training services. These service providers enter into an agreement executed on behalf of the Workforce Development Council by the Idaho Department of Labor.

  1. IDAHO’S WIOA ONE-STOP SYSTEM

WIOA legislation requires development of a One Stop system that integrates the service delivery of separate workforce investment, educational and other human resource programs and funding streams (referred to as One-Stop partners) to enhance access to the programs’ services and improve long-term employment outcomes for individuals receiving assistance. WIOA requires the One-Stop partners to fully describe how they will participate in and contribute to the system in a Memorandum of Understanding, developed and executed between the Workforce Development Council and all One-Stop partners.

The majority of Idaho’s workforce and education programs recognize six geographic service delivery regions within the state. To meet additional WIOA requirements, these geographic regions are combined to construct two Workforce Investment Areas, known as Southeastern Idaho and Balance of State. Each area is required to have at least one physical comprehensive One-Stop Center where job seeker and employer customers can access the programs, services and activities of all required One-Stop partners. In addition to the required One-Stop Center in each of Idaho’s two Workforce Investment Areas, the system may also establish “affiliate” sites, where one or more partners make programs, services, and activities available. Note: WIOA does not allow Wagner- Peyser Act employment services to be a stand-alone affiliated site.

The one-stop service delivery system is branded as the American Job Centernetwork.

Required One Stop System Partners

The required One Stop System partners are entities which carry out the workforce development programs listed in WIOA:

  • Programs under WIOA Title I, including: WIOA Adult, Dislocated Worker and Youth; Job Corps; YouthBuild; Native American programs; Migrant and Seasonal farmworker programs
  • Wagner-Peyser Act Employment Service program
  • Adult Education and Family Literacy Act program (ABE)
  • Vocational Rehabilitation program
  • Senior Community Service Employment Program, title V of the Older Americans Act
  • Career and technical education programs at the postsecondary level authorized under Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006
  • Trade Adjustment Assistance activities
  • Jobs for Veterans State Grants
  • Employment and training activities under Community Services Block Grant or Housing and Urban Development
  • Programs authorized under state unemployment compensation laws
  • Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), unless exempted by the Governor

All required partners must provide access to its programs or activities and deliver applicable career services through the One-Stop system, and must use a portion of their funds to create, maintain and participate in the system. They must be physically located at each One-Stop Center, offer their services electronically, or arrange for the delivery of services by other center staff.

Optional One-Stop System Partners

Other entities that carry out a workforce development program, including Federal, State or Local programs and programs in the private sector, may serve as additional partners in the system if the Workforce Development Council approves the entity’s participation. Participation of optional partners may vary in each geographic area of the state.

One-Stop Automated Systems

IdahoWorks is the Department of Labor’s internet-based service delivery system through which customers can access labor market information, career guidance information, ES registration for assistance for staff-assisted job search, self-service job referrals, and information regarding for WIOA Adult, Dislocated Worker or Youth program services. The IdahoWorks data-base system is the WIOA Adult, Dislocated Worker and Youth programs’ statewide service delivery and records retention system.

LiveBetterIdaho.orgis a collaborative effort between the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare and partners in Idaho to help Idahoans seek, findand access workforce and community services online. This site has been designed to help families and individuals discover and connect with services to empower them to live better. This site went live in December 2015and will incrementally add a broad range of services, including all One-Stop partner program information and service access, across the state. Idaho’s One-Stop system is incorporating “LiveBetterIdaho” into its service delivery system to increase customer access to workforce and community services and enhance One-Stop staffs’ability to seamlessly inform and connect customers to appropriate services.

Each American Job Center has multiple staff workstations as well as self-service workstations in its electronic lobbies. Use of these web-based systems allows customer self-service virtually anywhere and provides comparable access to information and services for affiliate site staff and customers.

  1. EMPLOYER SERVICES

WIOA requires certain career services must be made available through the One Stop system to local employers, specifically labor exchange activities and labor market information. States are required to establish and develop relationships and networks with large and small employers and their intermediaries. The state must also develop, convene, or implement industry or sector partnerships.

Idaho’s 2016 WIOA State Plan reflects the Workforce Development Council’s strategies to focus on high growth, high demand industries of advanced manufacturing, technology, energy, and health care. To increase the economic prosperity of Idaho and its citizens, the state is developing clear pathways which help advance workers from jobs in low-wage industries to occupations within the targeted sectors.

The One Stop system provides all employers with access to a wide range of services including:

Recruiting Assistance - Specialized personnel dedicated to assisting businesses to attract, hire and retain qualified employees by matching job seekers with employers; web-based business customer services, including labor market information, wage and workforce information, with an emphasis in high-growth sectors; multiple options for listing job orders and receiving job applications/resumes; organization and promotion of hiring events; and, coordination of interviews with potential candidates.

Employment Services Support - Internet wage reporting; Unemployment Insurance tax filing; free employment-related required posters; information regarding labor and anti-discrimination laws.

Hiring Incentives and Tax Credits -Employers may benefit from a variety of state incentives and workforce programs designed to lower operating costs and increase profits. Some of these include:

  • Workforce Training Fund - training cost reimbursement for business relocation, expansion or upgrading skills of employees at risk of layoff
  • Work Opportunity Tax Credit - support for hiring harder-to-employ job seekers
  • Federal Bonding - loss protection for hiring at-risk workers

For more information go to: Hiring Incentives & Tax Credits

Strengthening of Employee Skills - On-the-job training; classroom training programs; Apprenticeships; Internships

Layoff Assistance - Rapid Response; planning for large, permanent layoffs; downsizing as a result of Foreign Trade; WARN - Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification

Businesses involved in downsizing work forces can receive information on the many One Stop system resources available to help employees transition into other jobs. Unemployment Insurance, retraining programs and job search assistance are all available.

Additionally, assistance may be provided to set up a reemployment committee made up of company officials, impacted employees, labor consultants and community service providers to coordinate information and resources.

Access to Labor Market Information - Employers may access current information about work force trends, economic conditions, demographics, wages, industry and occupational statistics, census data and more through the Department of Labor’s website. Existing businesses, economic development groups and companies considering startup, expansion or relocation can also call upon the One Stop system’s labor economists through One Stop Centers for information, analysis, referral services and technical services.

Business Seminars & Professional Networking Groups - Businesses can benefit from a variety of Idaho Department of Labor-supported workshops tailored to address business, workforce and personnel challenges while offering an opportunity to network with other professionals. Business seminars are designed to:

  • Bring the business community together
  • Supply information to employers on issues that affect businesses
  • Share experiences - and business cards - with other business people
  • Form groups based on specific industry needs and general business areas of interest

By participating in business seminars on employment-relates subjects, business owners will:

  • Gain access to industry-specific labor market, employment and training information
  • Keep up with new employment laws and legislation affecting workers and employers
  • Learn how to minimize unemployment costs
  • Explore human resource issues
  • Network with other Idaho employers
  1. ADULT AND DISLOCATED WORKER PROGRAM

The WIOA Adult program provides workforce activities that increase the employment, retention, earnings, and attainment of recognized postsecondary credentials of adults age 18 and older, particularly for individuals with barriers to employment. The WIOA Dislocated Worker program provides services to individuals who have been terminated, laid off, or have received notice of termination or layoff, from employment generally due to plant closures or downsizing.

As required One Stop partner programs, the Adult and Dislocated Worker services are provided through the One Stop delivery system. Both programs’ services are classified under “career” or “training” services. There is no sequence of service requirement; training may be made available after an interview; assessment or evaluation determines the individual requires training to obtain employment or remain employed.