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

Recovery Act: Department Announces "Green Capacity Building Grants" and "State Labor Information Improvement Grants"

The Department of Labor has announced nearly $55 million in green jobs grants, as authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The grants will support job training and labor market information programs to help workers, many in underserved communities, find jobs in expanding green industries and related occupations.

Green Capacity Building Grants, totaling $5.8 million, will increase the training capacity of 62 current Labor Department grant recipients through a variety of strategies, and will offer training opportunities to help individuals acquire jobs in expanding green industries. These grants will help serve underserved communities. Targeted communities include American Indians, women, at-risk youth and farm workers.

State Labor Market Information Improvement Grants, totaling $48.8 million, will support the collection and dissemination of labor market information, and will enhance the labor exchange infrastructure to provide career opportunities within clean energy industries. Grantees will be able to employ strategies that enable job seekers to connect with green job banks and help ensure that workers find employment after completing training. Thirty awards ranging from about $763,000 to $4 million were made to state workforce agencies to utilize data for workforce development strategies. Multiple state workforce agencies partnering as a consortium will use this program to gather information that is likely to have a regional, multi-state or national impact.

The grants are part of a larger Recovery Act initiative - totaling $500 million - for green jobs training grants designed to promote economic growth. The Department of Labor expects to release funding for an additional three green grant award categories over the next several months.

News Release / Listing of Grantees

Synopses / Areas of Focus for Green Capacity Building Grantees and LMI Improvement Grantees

Department Extends Transition Period of Application Filing Procedures for H-2A Employers

The Department of Labor is further amending its regulations to extend the transition period of the application filing procedures currently in effect for all H-2A employers with a date of need before January 1, 2010, as established in the H-2A Interim Final Rule (IFR) published on April 16, 2009. The transition period is hereby extended to include all employers with a date of need before June 1, 2010.

This IFR is effective on November 17, 2009.

Interested persons are invited to submit written comments on the IFR on or before December 17, 2009.

The November 17, 2009 FEDERAL REGISTER provides full background on the transition period.

Recovery Act: ETA Issues Notice to One-Stop Career Centers and Others Concerning COBRA Premium Reduction and Extended Eligibility Provisions

The Employment and Training Administration has issued Training and Employment Notice (TEN) 14-09.

The purpose of the TEN is increase awareness of the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (COBRA) provisions in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and inform states and local areas about resources available to assist dislocated workers, businesses, and partners in understanding the new law.

Most of the language in this notice is identical to TEN 42-08, and is repeated because two important groups of addressees have been added. For those who received the previous notice, all of the new material is highlighted in boldface type. Most of the additions are in Section 5 (Action Requested) and Section 7 (Attachments).

ETA and VETS Issue Guidance on Implementing Priority of Service for Veterans and Eligible Spouses in all Qualified Job Training Programs Funded by the Department of Labor

The Employment and Training Administration has issued Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) 10-09.

This TEGL provides information to assist and support those agencies and other grantees that receive funds from the Department to operate qualified job training programs in the implementation of the Priority of Service for Veterans and Eligible Spouses Final Rule.

This joint guidance is being issued concurrently by ETA and the Veterans` Employment and Training Service (VETS). Veterans` Program Letter 07-09 is the VETS guidance that corresponds to this TEGL.

Aspects of Priority of Service addressed by this guidance include:

States and local Workforce Investment Boards are to include in their plans the Priority of Service procedures to be implemented by all program operators.

Veterans and eligible spouses are entitled to "precedence" for services.

Priority of Service does not require any verification of veteran or eligible spouse status beyond what is already required for program eligibility purposes.

For universal access programs, veterans and eligible spouses receive priority over all other participants; the guidance explains how Priority of Service applies to programs with eligibility requirements and/or statutory or discretionary priorities.

VETS and the agency responsible for administering the program (typically ETA) are jointly responsible for monitoring compliance with Priority of Service; future guidance is expected to provide additional details about monitoring.

ETA Updates Work Opportunity Tax Credit Webpage to Include New Brochure and Updated Forms

The Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) is a Federal tax credit incentive that the Congress provides to private-sector businesses for hiring individuals from twelve target groups who have consistently faced significant barriers to employment. The main objective of this program is to enable the targeted employees to gradually move from economic dependency into self-sufficiency as they earn a steady income and become contributing taxpayers, while the participating employers are compensated by being able to reduce their federal income tax liability. WOTC joins other workforce programs that help incentivize workplace diversity and facilitate access to good jobs for American workers.

The Employment and Training Administration has updated the Work Opportunity Tax Credit webpage to incorporate a number of new publication and updates to forms.

The workforce community will now find:

A new brochure which includes a section on why WOTC presents a great opportunity for employers of veterans.

Fact Sheet: EMPLOYERS -- 12 Ways to Earn Income Tax Credits for Your Company

The latest Addendum to ETA Handbook 408 (Consolidated Work Opportunity Tax Credit Program.

ETA Form 9061 (Individual Characteristics Form) in English and Spanish.

IRS Form 8850 (Pre-screening Notice and Certification Request for the Work Opportunity Credit) in English and Spanish.

Department Assembling Online Challenge to Determine the Best Free Job-Search Tools for Connecting Jobseekers with Careers in Promising Industries; Details Forthcoming in Coming Weeks

The Department of Labor`s November 12, 2009 newsletter contains this item:

Got the Best Job Search Site?
DOL is putting together an online challenge to find the best free job-search tools for connecting job-seekers with careers in promising industries. There are hundreds of tools out there - some focused on a particular profession or region, others announcing job openings across industries nationwide - and we want to let workers know about as many resources as possible. Companies that choose to participate can expect increased site-traffic and the notoriety that comes with participating in this nationwide event. Stay tuned for more details in the coming weeks!

ETA Publishes April 1 - June 30, 2009 Workforce System Results

The Employment and Training Administration has published the April 1 - June 30, 2009 (Fourth Quarter, Program Year 2008) Workforce System Results

Performance and Results Webpage

ETA, EPA, and American Water Works Association Announce New "Water Sector Competency Model"

Over the past year the American Water Works Association (AWWA) worked with its membership to identify the occupation specific competencies required for workers in the Water Sector. In collaboration with the Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Water and the Water Environment Federation (WEF), the results of those efforts were formatted into a competency model using the framework provided by the Employment and Training Administration (ETA).

The Water Sector, which depicts the core competencies required for field staff and operators, will be a resource for workforce developers and educators. AWWA and WEF have committed to promoting the model`s use with their members and to keeping the model up to date.

The new Water Sector Competency Model depicting the core competencies required for field staff and operators is now live.

Learn about Competency Models

Find Competency Model Resources (Certifications, Apprenticeship, Curriculum)

Uses of Competency Models

Build a Competency Model Tool

Access to All Competency Models

White House`s Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships Establishes "Partnership Blog"

President Obama established the Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships to connect the Federal government to local nonprofit organizations and community leaders -- both faith-based and secular -- that are serving individuals, families and communities in need. We form partnerships between government and nonprofits on a range of issues, from public health to disaster response and everything in between, in order to better serve all Americans.

Joshua DuBois, the Director of the Office of Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships, announced the establishment of a "Partnerships blog" on November 9, 2009.

He writes, in part:

In the coming days, you can expect this blog to:

Provide more information about the day-to-day work of the White House Office and Centers at Federal agencies;

Highlight the latest work of the President`s Advisory Council on Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships;

Point nonprofits to federal resources that can help them implement effective programs; and

Spotlight innovative local organizations that are strengthening our communities

White House announcement / access to blog

Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems Program: Department of Education Extends Deadline Date for Applications to December 4, 2009

The Department of Education today announced it has extended the deadline date for the transmittal of applications to the Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems program under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

Education states:

We are extending the deadline for the receipt of applications under this competition to December 4, 2009 to allow States more time to coordinate their development of applications under this program with other Recovery Act applications, specifically those for the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund and Race to the Top.

All information in the July 29, 2009 FEDERAL REGISTER notice remains the same except for the date modification.

July 30, 2009 WHAT`S NEW item on the original announcement