Employment and Training Administration - Workforce Professionals - What's New in Workforce Investment

ETA Publishes Planning Guidance and Instructions for Submission of the Strategic State Plan and Plan Modifications for WIA Title I and the Wagner-Peyser Act

The Employment and Training Administration has published the

Planning Guidance and Instructions for Submission of the Strategic State Plan and Plan Modifications for Title I of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA) and the Wagner-Peyser Act

in the December 1 FEDERAL REGISTER.

The Planning Guidance provides a framework for the collaboration of governors, local elected officials, businesses and other partners to continue the development of workforce investment systems that address customer needs, deliver integrated user-friendly services, and are accountable to the customers and the public.

The State Plan is required in order for States to receive formula allotments under the Act. The information required in the State Plan is requested in order to meet the information requirements of the Act and/or to demonstrate compliance with WIA, the WIA regulations including 29 CFR 37, the Wagner-Peyser Act, and the Wagner-Peyser Act regulations.

Emergency Unemployment Compensation, 2008: ETA Provides Operating Instructions for Program Expansion

The Employment and Training Administration has advised states of an expansion of the Emergency Unemployment Compensation, 2008 (EUC08) program.

Change 2 to Unemployment Insurance Program Letter 23-08 provides operating instructions for its implementation.

SGA/DFA PY 08-02: ETA Publishes Clarification on Submission of Attachment

The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) announced this competition on October 10, 2008 and conducted a subsequent virtual prospective applicant conference. Click here for access to that webinar.

ETA posted an initial set of questions and answers for this solicitation on November 5, 2008. These were organized by "eligibility and proposal submission," "industry focus and partners," and "capacity building and training activities."

Additional Q`s and A`s were posted in these three categories -- well as in a new category ("leveraged resources") -- on this webpage on November 17, 2008.

ETA updated instructions on the submission of Attachment A under the "Eligibility and Proposal Submission" section on November 26.

Access to All Questions and Answers

State PY 2007 Workforce Investment Act Annual Reports Now Available On-Line for Access

The State Program Year 2007 Workforce Investment Act reports are now available on-line.

Registration Now Open for ReEmployment WORKS! Summit (January 27 - 29, 2009) Invitation Extended to Reemployment System Practitioners, Partners, Policy-Makers and Stakeholders to Join Colleagues in Baltimore

The ReEmployment WORKS! Summit is kicking off the workforce system`s journey to develop a regionalized response to America`s unemployed workers by creating a new and unified vision for ReEmployment. The Summit will be held in Baltimore, Maryland on January 27 - 29, 2009.

Our goal is a system-wide response to reemploy the unemployed through industry focused regional economies. We invite all reemployment system practitioners, partners, policy makers, and stakeholders to work together in an innovative learning environment to help re-design, re-energize, and re-focus reemployment to better meet the needs of today`s customers in a constantly changing marketplace.
The Summit organizers summarize some of the benefits and advantages of attendance:

We will discuss how CRITICAL this initiative is within the context of the forces of globalization, demographics, and other structural changes that are shaping the U.S. economy.

You will understand how these external forces impact the workforce and influence unemployment and reemployment dynamics.

You will generate new ideas to leverage and connect the unemployed part of our talent pool to high growth occupations.

We will get participants excited to work together to ensure the US economy and American workers continue to be competitive within the global economy.

We will foster dialog among participants regarding challenges and solution for reemployment.

You will be inspired to become a catalyst for innovation and transformation when you return to your region.

We will re-focus on reemployment services and share innovative service delivery strategies.

You will become a Reemployment architect and will be invited to participate in a Reemployment community of practice. As an architect, you will be empowered to lead and promulgate reemployment in your region and beyond.

Conference Webpage

Conference Hotel and Transportation Information / Registration Webpage

Resources

ETA Announces Availability of Youth Opportunity Grant Reports and Data Sets

In 2000, the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) awarded grants to 36 communities to provide services -- including education, employment, support, and leadership development -- to youth ages 14 to 21 in high poverty areas. The grants ranged from $3 million to $44 million over five years (2000 to 2005).

The objective of the Youth Opportunity Grants Initiative (YO) was to concentrate a sufficient level of funds in high poverty areas to improve the long-term educational and employment outcomes of youth living in these areas and to serve a high enough proportion of those youth to positively affect peer pressure.

ETA has now released the Initiative`s findings. These reports conclude that YO succeeded in concentrating large amounts of resources in high poverty areas and reaching a large proportion of the youth in those areas. The reports also observe that positive community-level impacts are achievable for communities such as those served by YO, especially with regard to educational outcomes.

YO Public Access Data

ETA Publishes Policy and Guidelines for Collection and Use of Workforce System Participants` Social Security Number

The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) has published guidance to states regarding the collection and use of social security numbers for participants accessing Workforce Investment Act (WIA) and other workforce programs` services.

Training and Employment Guidance Letter 5-08 provides full background, outlines ETA`s statutory and regulatory authority, and presents the policy statement.

The TEGL also establishes guidelines for states with respect to the request for a participant`s social security number.

States may contact the appropriate ETA Regional Office if they have any questions or need further clarification on this guidance.

President Bush Signs H.R. 6867, the Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2008

The Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) program was created on June 30, 2008, by the Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2008 (P.L. 110-252). It made up to 13 additional weeks of benefits available to unemployed individuals who had already collected all regular state benefits for which they were eligible and who meet the eligibility requirements.

On November 21, 2008, President Bush signed the Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2008. This bill expands EUC to 20 weeks nationwide, and creates a second tier of 13 weeks of EUC for individuals in States with high unemployment rates.

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Federal Partners Announce National Resource Directory for Wounded Warriors

The Department of Labor has joined with the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs to launch a Web-based National Resource Directory to help wounded warriors identify resources available to assist them in transitioning back to civilian life.

The National Resource Directory is available at www.nationalresourcedirectory.org and encompasses more than 10,000 services and resources from federal, state and local governmental agencies; veteran service and benefit organizations; nonprofit community-based and faith-based organizations; academic institutions, professional associations and philanthropic organizations. Information is organized into six categories: benefits and compensation; education, training and employment; family and caregiver support; health; housing and transportation; and services and resources. It also provides helpful checklists, frequently asked questions and connections to peer support groups. All information on the Web site can be found through a general or state and local search tool.

The directory is designed to serve the needs of care coordinators, providers and support partners with resources for wounded, ill and injured service members; veterans and their families; families of the fallen and those who support them.

Department Awards Grants to Projects Supporting Careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics

The Department has announced five grant awards worth nearly $10 million to build regional workforce investment system capacity to support careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

The selected projects and award amounts are:

Eastern Connecticut Workforce Investment Board ($2,000,000)

Indianapolis Private Industry Council ($1,999,946)

Central Massachusetts Regional Employment Board ($2,000,000)

WorkFORCE Solutions of the Lower Rio Grande Valley (Texas) ($1,999,180)

Southwest Washington Workforce Development Council (Washington State) ($2,000,000)

The award-winning organizations were chosen from among 92 applications received in response to a competition announced in January. These projects will train workers for such industries as advanced manufacturing, aerospace, biotechnology, information technology and renewable energy.

News Release