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CRC Updates Section 188 WIOA Nondiscrimination and Equal Opportunity Regulations (29 CFR Part 38)

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Civil Rights Center announces the publication of the Final Rule updating the Section 188 WIOA Nondiscrimination and Equal Opportunity Regulations (29 CFR Part 38). Section 188 prohibits discrimination against individuals in any program or activity that receives financial assistance under Title I of WIOA as well as by the one-stop partners listed in WIOA Section 121(b) that offer programs or activities through the one-stop/American Job Center system. Section 188 prohibits discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, political affiliation or belief, or, for beneficiaries, applicants, and participants only, citizenship status or because of an individual’s participation in a program or activity that receives financial assistance under Title I of WIOA.

North Carolina Commerce Department agrees to improve access to workforce programs after US Labor Department’s compliance review

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Civil Rights Center announces that it has entered into an agreement with the North Carolina Department of Commerce after the Civil Rights Center found the state’s unemployment insurance and employment service programs deficient in providing services to those with limited English proficiency.

Kentucky’s Unemployment Insurance division resolves allegations of discrimination made by US Labor Department

The US Labor Department’s Civil Rights Center and the Kentucky Office of Employment and Training, Division of Unemployment Insurance has entered into an agreement to resolve allegations of failure to provide adequate language assistance services to those with limited English proficiency to allow meaningful access to Kentucky’s unemployment services.

Final Rule Implementing Executive Order 13559: Fundamental Principles and Policymaking Criteria for Partnerships with Faith-based and Other Neighborhood Organizations.

DOL’s Equal Treatment rule, published on April 4, 2016, and effective May 4, 2016, amended DOL’s existing rule at 29 CFR Part 2 Subpart D by prohibiting all recipients of DOL funding from discriminating on the basis of religion. In addition, the rule requires religious organizations that are recipients of direct DOL funding offering services within the US to give beneficiaries a notice of their protections. That notice advises beneficiaries that the organization may not discriminate against the beneficiary on the basis of religion and that if the beneficiary objects to the religious character of the organization, then the organization must promptly make a reasonable effort to provide a referral to an alternative provider. The notice also advises beneficiaries of their right to file a complaint with the CRC for denial of service or a violation of the rule. (See Fact Sheet: https://www.dol.gov/cfbnp/13559.pdf) Click here to download the notice. Information on how to file a complaint with CRC can be found on CRC’s website www.dol.gov/crc.

State Responsibilities for Ensuring Access to Unemployment Insurance Benefits

The U.S. Department of Labor has issued a directive that, for the first time, clarifies that federal unemployment insurance and civil rights laws require meaningful access to the UI system. The directive specifically details the obligations of the states to ensure ready access to UI benefits for all workers, including specific categories of workers who are at greatest risk of being denied access to benefits based on overly restrictive automated systems.

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