WIOA Final Rules
On August 19, 2016, the Employment & Training Administration (ETA) – U.S. Department of Labor announced that the Federal Register published the official WIOA Final Rules. The final rules include the following five sections: the Joint Rule for Unified and Combined State Plans, Performance Accountability, and the One-Stop System Joint Provisions DOL Only Final Rule; Programs and Activities Authorized by the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (Title II of WIOA) Final Rule; State Vocational Rehabilitation Services Program; State Supported Employment Services Program; Limitations on Use of Sub-minimum Wage Final Rule; and WIOA Miscellaneous Program Changes Final Rule.
US Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration WIOA Final Rules Resource Page
Overview
On July 22, 2014, President Barack Obama signed the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) into law, a bipartisan and bicameral piece of legislation that reauthorizes federal workforce development and job training programs for the next six years.
The Workforce Investment Act (WIA), the nation’s largest single source of federal funding for workforce development activities, had been due for reauthorization since 2003. The passage of the new WIOA legislation authorizes Congress to fund federal workforce programs between fiscal years 2015-2020.
WIOA does not make drastic structural changes to the workforce system, but does include provisions that will streamline programs, strengthen the emphasis on serving local employers, increase the transparency of training providers, and create more consistent performance accountability standards. While it does not consolidate funding streams into block grants to states, the act eliminated 15 workforce programs, most of which have not been funded in recent years. It restores the state set-aside to 15 percent, and includes a 90 percent hold harmless provision for adult and youth programs to help protect against wide variations in annual funding levels due to the formula.
PA WIOA Combined State Plan (2016) and Modified Plan (2018)
2018
State Approved 2.13.18_WIOA-Combined-State-Plan-Modification
WIOA-Combined-State-Plan-Modification-Public-Comments-and-Responses
2016
Pennsylvania WIOA Combined State Plan – Final
PA WIOA Combined State Plan – Public Comments
PA Workforce System Deadlines
March 1, 2016 |
Local Designation Letter submission deadline (WSG No. 02-2014- Process and Timeline for Designation of Pennsylvania’s Local Workforce Development Areas) |
March 23, 2016 |
Deadline for a new or updated local Priority of Service policy (WSP No. 05-2015 – Priority of Service) |
April 1, 2016 |
Deadline for states to submit state plans to USDOL (previously March 3rd) |
June 2, 2016 |
Local and Regional Plan Submission Deadline (Workforce System Guidance No. 05-2015 (Change 1), (February 29, 2015) Regional and Local Planning) |
June 30, 2016 |
Eligible Training Programs/Providers on the ETPL will remain on the ETPL until this date. This date was extended from December 31, 2015 in TEGL 41-14 Change 1. (WSG No. 01-2015 – Transition Provisions) |
July 1, 2016 |
Any request for a new area designation will take effect. (WSG No. 02-2015 – Process and Timeline for Designation…) |
July 1, 2016 |
LWDBS must have copies of the compliance components/documents provided for in Section 5, page 17 of WSG No. 05-2015 – Regional and Local Planning (Change 1) |
July 1, 2016 – August 31, 2017 |
ETPL Program Year for Initial and Continued Eligibility. (WSP No. 04-2015 – Eligible Training Providers) |
November 11, 2016 (90 days after the publication of the WIOA Final Rule) |
The date by which Local WDBs must demonstrate they are preparing for the one-stop operator competition process. (WIOA Joint Final Rule, Section 678.635, Federal Register Vol. 81, No. 161, p. 55901) The date by which one-stop centers are required to:
|
July 1, 2017 |
One-stop center re-branding of activities, physical products, and signage must be complete. (WIOA Joint Final Rule, Section 678.900, Federal Register Vol. 81, No. 161, p. 55919) |
September 1, 2017 |
Beginning of the first ETPL eligibility period post WIA transition period. (WSP No. 04-2015 – Eligible Training Providers) |
June 30, 2017 |
Competitively procured PA CareerLink® center operators must be in place. (WSG No. 01-2015, Implementation of the WIOA – Transition Provisions) |
July 1, 2016-June 30, 2017 and July 1, 2017-June 30, 2018 |
Initial Local Area Designation Period (WIOA Labor Only, Section 679.260, Final Rule, Vol. 81, No. 161) |
June 30, 2018 and thereafter |
Subsequent Local Area Designation Period (WIOA Labor Only, Section 679.260, Final Rule, Vol. 81, No. 161) |
Relevant State Workforce System Guidance & Policies
Workforce System Policy No. 108-01, (May 5, 2017) Regional Local Planning – Multi-Year Plans
Workforce System Guidance No. 06- 2015, (April 1, 2016) Incumbent Worker Training Activities
Workforce System Guidance No. 05-2015 (Change 1), (February 29, 2015) Regional and Local Planning
Workforce System Guidance No. 05-2015, (December 23, 2015) Regional and Local Planning (Rescinded)
Workforce System Policy No. 05-2015, (December 23, 2015) Priority of Service
Workforce System Policy No. 04-2015, (December 23, 2015) Eligible Training Providers
Workforce System Guidance No. 03-2015, (December 23, 2015) Youth Eligibility Requirements
Workforce System Policy No. 03-2015, (December 22, 2015) Financial Management Policy
Workforce System Policy No. 02-2015, (December 18, 2015) Local Governance Policy
Workforce System Policy No. 01-2015, (September 25, 2015) PA’s Workforce System of Record
Workforce System Guidance No. 02-2015, (July 22, 2015) Eligible Training Providers (Rescinded)
Workforce System Guidance No. 01-2015 (July 9, 2015) WIOA Transition & Operator Procurement
Workforce System Guidance No. 02-2014, (June 30, 2015) Local Workforce Development Area Designation
Additional workforce policies and guidances
Relevant TEGLs Issued by U.S. Department of Labor
TEGL No. 27-16 – Training and Employment Guidance Letter
TEGL No. 16-16 – One-Stop Operations Guidance for the American Job Center Network
TEGL No. 17-16 – Infrastructure Funding of the One-Stop Delivery System
TEGL No. 15-16 – Competitive Selection of One-Stop Operators
TEGL No. 09-16 – Updated Information on POWER Initiative National Dislocated Worker Grants
TEN No. 03-16, Change 1 (July 27, 2016) Employment and Training Administration’s Toll Free Help Line
TEN No. 41-15, (June16, 2016) Announcement of the Institutional Analysis of American Job Centers
TEGL No 14-15, (March 4, 2016) WIOA Requirements for Unified and Combined State Plans
TEGL No. 16-15, (November 23, 2015) Performance Partnership Pilots (P3) for Disconnected Youth
TEGL No. 08-15, (November 17, 2015) Additional Youth Guidance
TEN No. 10-15 (September 17, 2015) WIOA Technical Amendments Act
TEGL No. 8-15 (November 17,2015) Second Title 1 WIOA Youth Program Transition Guidance
TEN No. 8-15 (November 17, 2015) Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Technical Amendments Act
TEGL No. 04-15, (August 13, 2015) Vision for the One-Stop Delivery System under the WIOA
TEGL No. 2-15, (July 01, 2015) Operational Guidance for National Dislocated Worker Grants
Other Resources and Analysis
“How WIOA Performance Data Works” Infographic
Signed WIOA Managers’ Statement
Side by Side Comparison of WIOA to WIA – National Skills Coalition
WIOA Resource page – U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration
Key Statutorily-Required Implementation Dates
Unpacking WIOA – Webinar by National Skills Coalition
A Playbook for Creating Effective State Plans – National Skills Coalition
What Works in Job Training: A Synthesis of the Evidence – U.S. Department of Labor, et al.
Potential Impact of WIOA on One-Stop Centers by Greg Newton Associates
Training and Employment Guidance Letter No. 3-14 – U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration
Training and Employment Guidance Letter No. 14-14 – U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration