Ms. Debra Bowland
Administrator
Ohio Bureau of Employment Services
145 South Front Street
Columbus, OH 43215

Dear Ms. Bowland:

I am pleased to respond to Governor Voinovich's April 29, 1997 request for Wagner-Peyser Act waivers for Ohio. Although we are not able to grant all the Wagner-Peyser waivers submitted by Ohio, we appreciate the effort that was put forth to develop requests that contribute to an overall strategy to improve the delivery of Wagner-Peyser program services. Ohio's efforts in this area are to be commended.

The State's request was considered under the special appropriations act authority granting the Secretary of Labor authority to waive certain requirements of Titles I-III of JTPA, and Sections 8-10 of the Wagner-Peyser Act. This authority was granted to the Secretary in the Department of Labor's (DOL) Appropriation Act for 1997 [Pub. L. 104-208, section 101(e)].

This is a one-year authority and applies only to Wagner-Peyser funds available for expenditure during the period July 1, 1997 through June 30, 1998. Enclosed you will find a Waiver Request Disposition statement; a copy of our formal response to the Governor; and three copies of the Waiver Agreement for review and signature of the appropriate signatory official. The Agreement will also serve as an Addendum to the Governor-Secretary Agreement. We ask that the Waiver Agreement documents (3 originals) be signed by the appropriate official and returned to the Grant Officer for execution at the address indicated below:

Mr. Melvin J. Howard
Acting Regional Administrator
U.S. Department of Labor - ETA
230 S. Dearborn Street
Chicago, IL 60604

Upon execution by the appropriate USDOL grant officer a copy of the agreement will be returned for the State's official files. The agreement will be effective July 1, 1997.

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Thank you for submitting requests for Wagner-Peyser Act waivers. We appreciate Ohio's efforts to develop waivers that contribute to improving the administration of Wagner-Peyser Act programs. We anticipate this is the first step in a Federal- State partnership to develop waivers that contribute to streamlining the overall administration and delivery of Wagner-Peyser program services. If we can be of assistance as you develop additional waivers, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Sincerely,

Melvin J. Howard
Acting Regional Administrator

Enclosures

OVERVIEW

Upon execution the enclosed Waiver Agreement document will serve as an addendum to the Governor-Secretary Agreement. The granted waivers are authorized for the period of Program Year 1997 (July 1, 1997 through June 30, 1998). Below is a discussion, including the disposition, of the State's Wagner-Peyser Act waiver requests.

Requests to waive program design components were honored except in the case where the request conflicted with the Department's guiding principles for waivers and the One-Stop Career Centers and School-to-Work Systems principles or were outside the authority granted by the 1997 Appropriations Act.

These waivers are based upon the Governor's request, meetings and discussions among staff, and the Department's familiarity with the program in Ohio. They do not necessarily constitute an endorsement of the examples in Ohio's waiver request.

WAIVERS

A. Submission of a Wagner-Peyser Annual Plan for PY 1997 as required by Wagner-Peyser § 8(a), and 20 CFR 652.6(a) is waived. The Wagner-Peyser Annual Plan submitted previously for Program Year 1996 will serve as a two-year (Program Year 1996-1997) plan and the certifications and assurances therein will apply for the period July 1, 1996 through June 30, 1998.

B. The State's waiver request, applicable within Wagner-Peyser § 10(a), to waive "certain data elements" from the ETA 9002 report is denied. Details describing data elements to be omitted from or included in the proposed reporting system are not in the waiver request. The Employment and Training Administration supports and encourages development of a new service reporting system. Staff from the Veterans Employment and Training Service (VETS), U.S. Employment Service (USES), and Regional Office would be available to assist in this effort.

Pursuant to the statutory waiver authority at Pub. L. No. 104-208 § 101(e) for Wagner-Peyser funds available for expenditure during Program year 1997 (July 1, 1997 through June 30, 1998), the U.S. Department of Labor and the State of Ohio agree to the following:

A. The Secretary of Labor waives the following provision of the Wagner-Peyser Act:

1. 1. Submission of a Wagner-Peyser Annual Plan for PY 1997 as required by Wagner-Peyser § 8(a), and 20 CFR 652.6(a) is waived. The Wagner-Peyser Annual Plan submitted previously for Program Year 1996 will serve as a two-year (Program Year 1996-1997) plan and the certifications and assurances therein will apply for the period July 1, 1996 through June 30, 1998.

B. In consideration of this waiver, the State of Ohio agrees to the performance improvements referred to in clause 8 of the Job Training Partnership Act Grant Agreement Modification.

This waiver agreement shall be open to further modification as authorized under the waiver authority. The agreement shall serve as an addendum to the current Governor-Secretary Agreement. The effective date of this agreement shall be July 1, 1997.

GRANTEE:

_________________________________________________________________

Governor or Wagner-Peyser Signatory Official

Date

(Type Named and Signature)

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR:

__________________________________________________________________

MELVIN J. HOWARD

Date

Grant Officer

WAGNER-PEYSER GRANT RECIPIENT:

Ohio Bureau of Employment Services
145 South Front Street
Columbus, OH 43215