WIOA is landmark legislation enacted in 2014 that is designed to strengthen and improve the nation’s public workforce system and help get Americans, including youth and those with significant barriers to employment, into high-quality jobs and careers and help employers hire and retain skilled workers. WIOA funding can help social enterprises expand capacity and support clients more effectively.

• • WIOA Basics & Administration

• • WIOA Services & Participant Eligibility
  • WIOA Outcomes
  • WIOA Law & Policy

Why Employment Social Enterprises?

Employment Social Enterprises can be a great fit as WIOA service providers, contractors, or trainers, due to their unique business and service model and built-in alignment with WIOA eligibility, services and outcomes.

• WIOA aims to serve individuals who have significant barriers to employment and provide them with the necessary skills and resources to gain meaningful employment, which is the core purpose of a social enterprise.
• Like WIOA, the ESE model provides:
  • Trauma-informed wrap around case management tailored to the specific needs of the individual
  • Skill development and job training for career growth
  • Transitional jobs to provide much needed work experience, and
  • Supportive services to help individuals find success
• ESEs can integrate into WIOA in large and small ways – by being a work experience employer, training contractor, a subrecipient or subgrantee of WIOA funds, or even an operator of an America’s Job Center.
• WIOA can help build the capacity of ESEs by giving them additional resources to expand their operations and their reach in their communities.

WIOA is administered by the Department of Labor (DOL), who provides funding and oversight to each State.

WIOA is administered through a collaborative effort between federal, state, and local entities to provide the American public with workforce development programs and services. At the federal level, WIOA is administered by the DOL, which provides funding and oversight to each state. Within each state, governors appoint State Workforce Development Boards (WDBs) which develop and implement state level plans to address core workforce needs. The WDB works closely with the State Workforce Agency (SWA), which works separately but alongside WDBs as the administrative agency responsible for administering aspects of WIOA. The WDB sets strategic priorities and policies, while the state workforce agency typically sets policy, manages funding and operational aspects, and is responsible for monitoring and compliance.

States are divided into local workforce development areas based on similar economic, geographic and demographic factors. Each local area has its own Local Workforce Development Board (LWDB) appointed by the chief elected officials in their respective areas, where WIOA funds are distributed to. State and local boards coordinate closely, with state WDBs setting broad objectives, and LWDBs aligning their activities and local plans accordingly. LWDBs implement WIOA programs at the local level and collaborate with various stakeholders, including employers, educational institutions, and community organizations, to assess local workforce needs. Many LWDBs procure the requisite WIOA services and programs through required partners, approved subrecipients, vendors, and subcontractors, all potential partnership opportunities for ESEs. LWDBs also oversee the operation of American Job Centers (AJCs), which provide a range of employment and training services to job seekers and employers.

Who is eligible for services under WIOA Title I?

Workforce services designed to benefit all jobseekers, including Adults, Dislocated Workers, and Youth:

• Workers Facing/Impacted by Layoff
• Migrant and Seasonal Workers
• Older Workers
• People with Disabilities
• Trade Affected Workers
• Unemployed Workers (including underemployed and limited duration/transitional jobs)
• Veterans and Spouses of Veterans
• Work Sharing – Alternative to Layoff
• WOTC-Qualified Job Seekers
• Youth with established barriers to employment (Opportunity Youth)
  • In-School, Ages 14-21
  • Out-of-School, Ages 16-24
• Additional jobseekers, who are low-income, and face barriers to employment, such as:
  • Justice-impacted individuals
  • Homeless/Unstably housed individuals
  • Those with mental health/ substance abuse challenges
  • Refugees, Asylees, Immigrants, and English Language Learners
  • Domestic violence and/or trafficking survivors

What WIOA services are offered under Title I?

 “Basic Services” are available to all jobseekers who request services at their local AJCC and do not require eligibility.

• Outreach, intake, & orientation
• Assessments, including: literacy, numeracy, English proficiency, aptitudes, abilities, and needs
• Job search and placement assistance, including career counseling
• Information on in-demand industry sectors and/or non-traditional employment
• Recruitment on behalf of employers
• Referrals and coordination of activities with other programs and services
• Labor market information, including: job vacancy listings, job skill requirements with earnings and advancement information
• Cost and performance information on eligible education and training providers
• Information on local performance
• Information on available supportive services, including childcare, child support, medical or child health assistance, benefits under SNAP, earned income tax credit, and TANF
• Assistance with those seeking to file a UI claim
• Assistance with financial aid for non-WIOA programs and education

“Individualized Services” require eligibility and are more intensive to meet the needs of adults, dislocated workers, and youth, including individuals with high barriers.

Adult & Dislocated Worker Services – Services offered to jobseekers, ages 18 or older, who are deemed eligible for either WIOA adult and/or dislocated worker. programs

• Comprehensive and specialized assessments, including assessments listed in Basic Services, with testing and evaluation of barriers to employment
• Development of an individual employment plan (IEP) to identify goals, objectives, and formulation of a service plan
• Access to eligible training programs
• Group and individual counseling
• Career planning
• Short-term pre-vocational skills including: development of basic skills, interviewing skills, punctuality, personal maintenance, and professional conduct
• Internships and work experiences (paid and unpaid)
• Workforce preparation activities
• Supportive services
• Financial literacy
• Out-of-area job search assistance and relocation assistance
• English language acquisition and integrated education and training programs
• Follow-up services for 12 months

Youth Services – Services offered to young adults, ages 14-24, who are deemed eligible for WIOA youth programs

• Comprehensive and specialized assessments, including assessments listed in Basic Services, with testing and evaluation of barriers to employment
• Development of an individual service strategy (ISS) to identify goals, objectives, and formulation of a service plan
• Tutoring, study skills training, instruction and dropout prevention
• Alternative secondary school services or dropout recovery
• Internships and work experiences (paid and unpaid)
• Occupational skills training (including information on career planning and workforce preparation activities)
• Short-term pre-vocational skills including: development of basic skills, interviewing skills, punctuality, personal maintenance, and professional conduct
• Education offered concurrently with workforce preparation and training for a specific occupation
• Leadership development opportunities
• Supportive services
• Adult mentoring
• Comprehensive guidance and counseling
• Financial literacy
• Entrepreneurial skills training
• Labor market information (as described in basic services)
• Postsecondary preparation and transition activities
• Follow up services for 12 months

What are performance indicators for WIOA grantees?

There are six primary performance indicators and measures under WIOA aimed at measuring effectiveness of the WIOA program for both jobseekers and businesses. Performance is calculated both during program participation and during the 12 months after program completion.

Depending on how ESE’s choose to braid their services with WIOA funding, their contracts or grant agreements would determine the performance criteria they would be held accountable to.

Where can I find all the regulations for WIOA?

The following provides WIOA funded programs with information on required policies and procedures:

• US Department of Labor Training Employment Guidance Letters
• US Department of Labor Training Employment Notices
• EDD Workforce Services Directives (California)
• EDD Workforce Services Information Notices (California)
• WIOA Laws, Regulation & Guidance