Welcome to Workforce 3 One U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration WIOA Consultation Webinar: Non-Discrimination and Equal Opportunity Provisions

Agenda  Purpose and Session Flow  Overview of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)  Provisions Related to Nondiscrimination and Equal Opportunity Provisions  Discussion Questions  Technical Assistance Tools and Resources 2

Purpose The goal of this webinar is to:  Gather input from state and local workforce leaders and practitioners, workforce system partners, equal opportunity officers, customers, and other stakeholders on the nondiscrimination and equal opportunity regulations;  Inform development of regulations; and  Inform technical assistance strategies to support implementation. 3

Session Flow  The Department of Labor is in a “listening” mode.  Submit your input to the discussion topics through the chat feature.  Responses will be reviewed and considered as we are developing draft regulations and planning future guidance issuance and technical assistance. 4

Overview of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act  President Barack Obama signed WIOA into law on July 22,  Passed by Congress with wide bipartisan majority (The Senate voted 93-5 and the House of Representatives voted 415-6).  Reaffirms ongoing role of American Job Centers.  Promotes program coordination and alignment of key employment, education, and training programs at the Federal, State, local, and regional levels.  Builds on proven practices such as sector strategies, career pathways, regional economic approaches, work-based training.  Complements and supports the President’s Job-Driven Workforce Vision. 5

Programs under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act  Supersedes the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 and retains and amends the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act, the Wagner-Peyser Act, and the Rehabilitation Act of  Identifies “core programs”: – Adults, Dislocated Workers, and Youth formula programs and Wagner-Peyser employment services administered by the Department of Labor; and – Adult education and literacy programs and Vocational Rehabilitation state grant programs that assist individuals with disabilities in obtaining employment administered by the Department of Education.  Authorizes the Job Corps, YouthBuild, Indian and Native Americans, and Migrant and Seasonal Farmworker programs, and evaluation and research activities conducted by DOL. 6

Highlights of Reforms to the Public Workforce System under the Act  Requires states to strategically align workforce development programs to support job seekers and employers.  Promotes accountability and transparency of programs.  Fosters regional collaboration to meet the needs of regional economies.  Streamlines and strengthens the strategic roles of workforce development boards.  Enhances services provided to job seekers and employers through the American Job Center system.  Improves services to employers and promotes work-based training. 7

Highlights of Reforms to the Public Workforce System under the Act  Provides access to high quality training.  Enhances workforce services for the unemployed and other job seekers.  Improves services to individuals with disabilities.  Makes key investments in serving disconnected youth and other vulnerable populations, including Native Americans and Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers.  Reinforces connections with Registered Apprenticeship.  Requires issuance of new regulations implementing the nondiscrimination and equal opportunity provisions in Section

Nondiscrimination and Equal Opportunity Provisions of WIOA  The Nondiscrimination and Equal Opportunity provisions in Section 188 of WIOA are the same as WIA:  Section 188 of WIOA prohibits exclusion of an individual from participation in, denial of the benefits of, discrimination in, or denial of employment in the administration of or in connection with, any programs and activities funded or otherwise financially assisted in whole or in part under WIOA because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, political affiliation or belief, and for beneficiaries only, citizenship status, or participation in a program or activity that receives financial assistance under WIOA. HOWEVER: Section 188 and the nondiscrimination and equal opportunity requirements are referenced in 10 other places in Title I of WIOA. 9

New Provisions Related to Nondiscrimination and Equal Opportunity in Title I of WIOA WIOA increases individuals with disabilities’ access to high quality workforce services and prepares them for competitive integrated employment.  One-Stop career centers will provide physical and programmatic accessibility to employment and training services for individuals with disabilities and implement new Section 188 (non-discrimination) requirements related to: – functions of the local boards. – local plan content. – certification, at least every three years, of the One-Stop career centers to include an assessment of physical and programmatic accessibility in accordance with Section

New Provisions Related to Nondiscrimination and Equal Opportunity in Title I of WIOA  The unified state plan must include all the core programs, including Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) and Adult Education. Among the requirements for the unified state plan is to: – describe how the one-stop delivery system will comply with Section 188 (non-discrimination) regarding physical and programmatic accessibility of facilities, programs, services, technology, and materials for individuals with disabilities.  Local workforce development boards may designate a standing committee to: – provide information and assist with operational and other issues related to compliance with non-discrimination and applicable accessibility requirements. – provide input regarding appropriate training for staff on these issues. 11

Discussion Topic 1 Discuss the challenges you face currently in meeting the equal opportunity and nondiscrimination requirements of WIA/WIOA. 12

Discussion Topic 2 13 Discuss challenges you anticipate in meeting the equal opportunity and nondiscrimination requirements of WIOA.

Discussion Topic 3 14 Please discuss the extent to which the WIA performance measures create a barrier for you in ensuring equal opportunity and nondiscrimination.

Discussion Topic 4 Discuss the technical assistance that would be helpful in meeting the equal opportunity and nondiscrimination responsibilities of WIOA. 15

Discussion Topic 5 What additional guidance and/or resources would be helpful regarding equal opportunity and nondiscrimination requirements in WIOA? 16

Discussion Topic 6 What kind of outreach from the Civil Rights Center would be helpful regarding equal opportunity and nondiscrimination requirements in WIOA? 17

Discussion Topic 7 18 Is there anything else you want to share with us today?

Technical Assistance Tools and Resources – Civil Rights Center Page – WIOA Resource Page ( 19

Thank You! Find resources for workforce system success at: 20