An Introduction to the Workforce Investment System

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Workforce Investment Act
An Introduction to the Workforce Investment System
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Topics of Discussion
Legislative Authority Goal of the Workforce
Investment System Key Principles of the
Legislation Governance of the System State and
Local Workforce Investment Board Composition
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Topics of Discussion
WIA Programs and Funding Levels Current
Department of Labor and Other Initiatives
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Workforce Investment Act of 1998
Signed into law on August 7, 1998 Public Law
105-220 Repealed JTPA, effective July 1,
2000 Act 1125 of 1999
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Goal of the Workforce Investment Act
To increase the employment, retention and
earnings of participants, and increase the
occupational skill attainment by participants,
and as a result, improve the quality of the
workforce, reduce welfare dependency, and enhance
the productivity and competitiveness of the
Country
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Key Principles
A Demand-Driven System Streamlined
services Universal Access (no wrong
door) Increased Accountability Stronger Role for
Local Boards and the Private Sector State and
Local Flexibility Improved Youth Programs
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Structure of the WIA
Title I Workforce Investment Systems Title II
Adult Education and Literacy Title III
Workforce Investment Related
Activities Title IV Rehabilitation Act
Amendments Title V General Provisions
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Governance of the System

• Key Players in the Arkansas Workforce System
• State Workforce Investment Board
• Local Workforce Investment Boards Ten
  Regions
• Arkansas Workforce Center Network (One-Stop
  operators and partners)

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State Workforce Investment Board

• Required composition
• Governor
• One member of each chamber of the State
  Legislature
• One member each of the Black Caucus and the
  Womens Caucus of the State Legislature

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State Workforce Investment Board

• Composition continued
• One County Judge
• One Mayor
• At least 2 representatives with expertise in
  youth activities and programs
• One member knowledgeable about vocational
  rehabilitation

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State Workforce Investment Board

• Composition continued
• At least 3 members of Arkansas labor
  organizations
• Representatives with expertise in the
  delivery of workforce investment activities
• A representative of the Department of
  Housing and Urban Developments employment
  and Training activities

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State Workforce Investment Board

• Composition continued
• Directors of the following departments Workfor
  ce Services Health and Human Services Economic
  Development Higher Education Rehabilitation
  Services Workforce Education

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State Workforce Investment Board

• Composition continued
• Business and industry leaders (must
  comprise a majority of the board)
• Board Chair must be from private sector

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Local Workforce Investment Boards

• Section 117 of the Workforce Investment Act
• Role to set policy for local area
• Membership The Governor, partners with the
  State board to establish criteria for use by CEOs

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Local Workforce Investment Boards

• Composition
• I. Representatives of business in the defined
  local area who are
• 1) Owners of businesses, CEOs, other executives
  or employers with optimum policy-making or hiring
  authority
• 2) Represent businesses with employment
  opportunities that reflect the local area and

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Local Workforce Investment Boards

• 3) are appointed from among individuals nominated
  by local business organizations and trade
  associations.
• II. Representatives of local educational
  entities, including educational agencies, school
  boards, adult education and literacy,
  postsecondary educational institutions (also
  community colleges) selected from individuals

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Local Workforce Investment Boards

• nominated by regional or local educational
  agencies, institutions, or organizations
  representing such local entities.
• III. Representatives of labor organizations
  nominated by local labor federations, or other
  representatives of employees

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Local Workforce Investment Boards

• Representatives of communitybased organizations
• Representatives of economic development agencies,
  including private sector economic development
  entities and

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Local Workforce Investment Boards

• Representatives of each of the one-stop partners.
• Authority of Board Members
• Majority
• Chairperson

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Local Workforce Investment Boards

• VII. APPOINTMENT AND CERTIFICATION OF BOARD
• Appointment of Board Members and Assignment of
  Responsibilities
• The Governor shall every two years certify or
  re-certify the local board

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Local Workforce Investment Boards

• For a second or subsequent certification, the
  extent to which the local board has ensured that
  workforce investment activities carried out in
  the local area have enabled the area to meet the
  local performance measures

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Local Workforce Investment Boards

• Failure to achieve certification shall result in
  reappointment and certification of another local
  board for the local area
• Fraud, Abuse, Failure to carry out Functions
• 1) fraud or abuse or

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Local Workforce Investment Boards

• 2) failure to carry out functions of the local
  board
• Nonperformance
• Plan

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Local Workforce Investment Boards

• Local Plan
• Selection of One-Stop Operators
• Selection of Youth Providers
• Identify Eligible Training Providers

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Local Workforce Investment Boards

• Budget
• Administration
• 1) To assist in the administration of the funds,
  the CEO may designate an entity to serve as grant
  subrecipient or local fiscal agent. Such
  designation shall not relieve the CEO of
  liability for any misuse of grant funds

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Local Workforce Investment Boards

• 2) Disbursal The designated entity shall
  disburse the funds immediately on receiving such
  direction from the local board.
• 3) Staff The local board may employ staff.
• 4) Grants and donations the local boards may
  solicit and accept grants and donations from
  sources other than Federal funds made available
  to them under WIA

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Local Workforce Investment Boards

• VIII. Program Oversight
• The local board, in partnership with the CEO,
  shall conduct oversight with respoect to local
  programs of youth activities, local employment
  and training activities, and the one-stop
  delivery system

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Local Workforce Investment Boards

• Negotiation of Local Performance Measures
• Employer Linkages
• Sunshine Provision

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Local Workforce Investment Boards

• FREEDOM OF INFORMATION
• Public Meetings
• 1) All meetings . . . shall be public meetings
• 2) Press/media must be notified
• 3) Two hours notice is required for a specially
  called meeting, such as one board member calling
  another member or the board chair to discuss
  board issues. When any two talk, it is
  considered a meeting

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Programs and Funding

• Title I Specifies 3 funding streams for
• ADULT
• DISLOCATED WORKERS
• YOUTH

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Programs and Funding

• Distribution of Funding
• Adult and Youth 85 Allocated to Local
  Areas 15 set-aside for Statewide Activities
• Dislocated Worker 65 Allocated to Local
  Areas 25 Governors Dislocated Worker Task
  Force 15 Statewide Activities

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Programs and Funding

• Separate funding streams are maintained for
• Wagner-Peyser
• Adult Education and Literacy
• Vocational Rehabilitation
• However, services are to be integrated and/or
  linked with the workforce investment system