LOUISIANA


JOB TRAINING PARTNERSHIP ACT (JTPA) GRANT AGREEMENT

MODIFICATION


Modification to add clause 8 for the period July 1, 1997 through June 30, 1998 (or longer where specified herein or if subsequently modified).

8. Pursuant to the statutory waiver authority at Pub. L. 104-208 § 101(e) for JTPA funds available for expenditure during Program Year (PY) 1997, i.e., July 1, 1997 through June 30, 1998 (this includes available funds from PYs 1995, 1996 and 1997), and pursuant to the administrative regulatory waiver authority provided for at 20 CFR 627.201:

A. The Secretary will apply the definition of "family income" in 20 CFR 626.5 such that ". . . such income shall also exclude Social Security Disability Income for an individual with a disability. . . ." This administrative regulatory waiver is granted under the provisions of 20 CFR 627.201 for a period of four years from the effective date of this Grant Modification.

B. The Secretary waives the prohibition on stand-alone work experience, job search assistance, job search skills training, and job club, for both youth and adults, in instances when an individual service strategy substantiates its use as appropriate, by waiving JTPA § 204(c)(2)(B)(ii) and 20 CFR 628.535(b)(2) and (c)(1)(ii) and applying JTPA § 264(d)(3)(A) and (B) as if they read ". . . shall be accompanied by . . . additional services . . . unless the individual service strategy demonstrates such additional services are not warranted." Additionally, the title III prohibition on work experience at 20 CFR 627.245(e), where such strategy is supported by an individual assessment, and the combination requirements at 20 CFR 627.245(d) and 628.804(e) and (f) are waived.

C. The Secretary will apply JTPA § 204(b)(2)(J) and (c)(4) and 20 CFR 627.310(e) to title III to enable title III participants to receive post-termination services, excluding financial assistance, for up to one year, consistent with title II. Additionally, the Secretary will apply JTPA §§ 204(b)(2)(J) and (c)(4), 264(c)(2) and (d)(5), 314(c)(15), and 20 CFR 627.310(e) to authorize training as a post-termination service contingent upon the Governor:

i. Developing a record keeping system that will track post-termination training
provided and outcomes achieved for any post-termination training provided; and

ii. Maintaining current safeguards to ensure that employers do not receive federal
funding for training/retraining laid off and subsequently recalled/rehired employees.

However, the provision within 20 CFR 627.310(e) which prohibits the use of financial assistance as a post-termination service is not waived. Therefore, needs-based and needs-related payments are not post-termination options under this waiver for both titles II and III.

D. The Secretary will apply the provisions of needs-based payments at JTPA § 204(b)(2)(I) and (c)(3) and 20 CFR 627.305(b)(1) to title III participants. However, the eligibility provisions at JTPA § 314(e) and 20 CFR 631.20(b)(1) shall continue to apply to needs-related payments and additionally to needs-based payment for title III participants.

E. The Secretary waives the youth OJT wage requirement at JTPA § 264(d)(3)(C)(i)(I) and the related regulations at 20 CFR 628.804(j)(1)(i) and the participation requirement at JTPA § 264(d)(3)(C)(iii) and the related regulation at 20 CFR 628.804(j)(2), when indicated as appropriate in the objective assessment and individual service strategy for youth on-the-job training. The State shall assure that the OJT positions for youth have substantial training content and that the training time is correctly determined.

F. The Secretary waives the requirements at JTPA § 264(d)(3)(A) and 20 CFR 628.804(d) and (f) that prohibit pre-employment and work maturity skills training as a stand-alone activity in cases where the objective assessment and individual service strategy indicate it is the appropriate intervention.

G. The Secretary waives the requirements in Training and Employment Information Notice (TEIN) No. 5-93, Change 1, dated June 23, 1994, that to obtain the Youth Employability Enhancement outcome for either "Returned to Full-Time School" or "Remained in School" definitions, the Youth Employment Competency that is also required is age-specific. The State may allow attainment of any recognized Youth Employment Competency by any age youth to meet the required Youth Employment Competency under the "Returned to Full-Time School" or "Remained in School" definitions for the Youth Employability Enhancement outcome.

H. The Secretary waives the JTPA procurement requirements and the implementing regulations at §164(a)(3) and 20 CFR 627.420(a)(1), (2), (3), and (4); (b); (d)(1); (e)(1), (2), (3), and (5); (g) and (h). By signing the modification, the Governor agrees to use State and local procurement procedures consistent with Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-102, as codified in the DOL regulations at 29 CFR 97.36 (the Common Rule). References elsewhere in JTPA to § 164(a)(3) should be understood to apply to State and local procurement provisions. The Circular requires the State to follow the same policies and procedures it uses for procurements from its non-Federal funds when procuring property and services under a grant.

I. The Secretary waives JTPA § 108(b)(1), (4) and (c); the 15% administration cost limitation under JTPA §§ 253(a)(3) and 315(a), (b) and (c) and 20 CFR 627.445(a), (b)(3) and (d) and 631.14(a), (b), (c), (d), (f), and (g), eliminating all cost limitations for titles II and III [except for title III national reserve account (NRA) grants]; and will apply JTPA § 108(b)(2) and (3) and 20 CFR 627.440(c) and (d) and 631.13(a)(1) to reduce the number of cost categories to two: Administration and Program Costs. The costs of Administration shall be those defined at 20 CFR 627.440(d)(5) for title II and 631.13(f) for title III. Program costs will consist of all other costs including those defined at 20 CFR 627.440(d)(1), (2), (3), and (4) for title II and at 631.13(c), (d), and (e) for title III. The costs of Rapid Response activities identified at JTPA § 314(b) and 20 CFR 631.13(b) shall continue to be separately reported.

J. The Secretary shall apply the requirements in TEIN No. 26-96, dated April 22, 1997, transmitting the "Guide to JTPA Performance Standards for Program Years 1996 and 1997," such that title III performance standards calculations exclude participants terminating after receiving objective assessment only, consistent with title II.

K. In consideration of the waivers contained in this grant modification, the State agrees to a performance improvement of four percent (4%) at the State level measured at the conclusion of Program Year 1997 using actual performance in PY 1996 as the baseline for improvement. Performance improvements will apply to all the Secretary's performance measures or to their approved equivalents, for Titles II-A, II-C, and III. In order to meet this performance improvement, the State is expected to require that each SDA/SSG make some improvement in performance and that those SDAs/SSGs which demonstrate comparatively lower levels of performance be required to make greater performance improvements. States will take into account the SDA's performance improvement targets in determining the receipt of Title II incentive grant awards for PY 1997. In considering whether the State has attained the agreed upon performance improvement for PY 1997, the Department will apply the Secretary's Adjustment Models, exclusive of Governor's Adjustments, to the performance improvement goals. Program Year 1996 and Program Year 1997 performance will be calculated in the same way for both years.

The Standardized Program Information Report (SPIR) instructions in Training and Employment Information Notice 5-93, Change 1 (dated June 23, 1994), as modified by Training and Employment Information Notice 5-93, Change 2 (dated January 24, 1997), remain in effect where not specifically waived or modified in this Agreement. Also in effect unless specifically waived are the Performance Standards Status Summary Report requirements put forth in Training and Employment Guidance Letter 2-95 (dated August 10, 1995). This requires Governors to report each SDA's final standard and actual performance for each of the Secretary's Title II core standards, with required technical assistance plans and reorganization plans attached.







Clause 8 shall be open to further modification as authorized under the waiver authority. The effective date of this modification is September 30, 1997.

STATE OF LOUISIANA



_________________________________________________________________
Governor or JTPA Signatory Official Date
(Typed Name/Signature)



U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR



_________________________________________________________________
JAMES C.DELUCA Date




JTPA GRANT RECIPIENT

Louisiana Department of Labor
P.O. Box 94094
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70804-9094

Grant Agreement Nos.
(Check affected agreements, statutory waivers)

/ / PY 97 JTPA Grant Agreement
/ / PY 96 JTPA Grant Agreement
/ / PY 95 JTPA Grant Agreement