[Federal Register: August 11, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 156)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 49293-49342]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr11au00-7]
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Part II
Department of Labor
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Employment and Training Administration
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20 CFR Part 652 et al.
Workforce Investment Act; Final Rules
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment and Training Administration
20 CFR Part 652 and Parts 660 through 671
RIN 1205-AB20
Workforce Investment Act
AGENCY: Employment and Training Administration (ETA), Labor.
ACTION: Final rule.
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I. Background
A. WIA Principles
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WIA reforms Federal
job training programs and creates a new,
comprehensive workforce investment system. The reformed
system is intended to be customer-focused, to help Americans access
the tools they need to manage their careers through information and
high quality services, and to help U.S. companies find skilled workers.
This new law embodies seven key principles. They are:
- Streamlining
services through better integration at the street level in the One-Stop delivery system. Programs and
providers
will co-locate, coordinate and integrate activities and
information, so that the system as a whole is coherent and accessible for
individuals and businesses alike.
- Empowering
individuals in several ways. First, eligible adults are given financial power to use Individual Training
Accounts (ITA's) at qualified institutions. These ITA's supplement
financial aid already available through other sources, or, if no other
financial aid is available, they may pay for all the costs of training.
Second,individuals are empowered with greater levels of information
and guidance, through a system of consumer reports providing key information on the performance outcomes of training and
education providers. Third, individuals are empowered through the
advice,guidance, and support available through the One-Stop system,
and the activities of One-Stop partners.
- Universal
access. Any individual will have access to the One-Stop system and to core employment-related services.
Information about job vacancies, career options, student financial aid,
relevant employment trends, and instruction on how to conduct a job
search,write a resume, or interview with an employer is available
to any job seeker in the U.S., or anyone who wants to advance his or
her career.
- Increased
accountability. The goal of the Act is to increase employment, retention, and earnings of
participants, and in doing so, improve the quality of the workforce to sustain
economic growth, enhance productivity and competitiveness, and reduce
welfare dependency. Consistent with this goal, the Act identifies
core indicators of performance that State and local entities
managing the workforce investment system must meet--or suffer sanctions.
However,State and local entities exceeding the performance levels
can receive incentive funds. Training providers and their programs also
have to demonstrate successful performance to remain eligible to
receive funds under the Act. And participants, with their ITA's, have the
opportunity to make training choices based on program outcomes. To
survive in the market, training providers must make accountability for
performance and customer satisfaction a top priority.
- Strong role
for local workforce investment boards and the
private sector, with local, business-led boards acting as ``boards of directors,'' focusing on strategic
planning,policy development and oversight of the local workforce
investment system. Business and labor have an immediate and direct
stake in the quality of the workforce investment system. Their active
involvement is critical to the provision of essential data on what skills
are in demand, what jobs are available, what career fields are
expanding, and the identification and development of programs that best
meet local employer needs. Highly successful private industry councils
under JTPA exhibit these characteristics now. Under WIA, this will
become the norm.
- State and local
flexibility. States and localities have increased flexibility, with significant authority reserved
for the Governor and chief elected officials, to build on existing
reforms in order to implement innovative and comprehensive workforce
investment systems tailored to meet the particular needs of local and
regional labor markets.
- Improved
youth programs linked more closely to local labor market needs and community youth programs and services, and
with strong connections between academic and occupational learning.
Youth programs include activities that promote youth development and
citizenship, such as leadership development through voluntary community
service opportunities; adult mentoring and followup; and targeted
opportunities for youth living in high poverty areas.
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