Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA)

Basic Overview of WIA

The Workforce Investment Act (WIA) is a federally funded program from the U.S. Department of Labor that supports employment and training programs for:

• Youth
• Adults
• Dislocated workers
• Individuals requiring rehabilitation services
• Adults requiring literacy services

WIA is designed to enable individuals to be productive members of the workforce and can cover both counseling and training. Eligibility varies for WIA programs depending on the provisions of the particular service being offered. However, all individuals are eligible to receive a set of "core" services - informational and self-service programs designed to provide information on the local labor market as well as job openings.

The Workforce Investment Act (WIA) provides the framework for a unique national workforce preparation and employment system designed to meet both the needs of the nation’s businesses and the needs of job seekers and those who want to further their careers. Title I of the legislation is based on the following elements:

• Training and employment programs must be designed and managed at the local level where the needs of businesses and individuals are best understood.

• Customers must be able to conveniently access the employment, education, training, and information services they need at a single location in their neighborhoods.

• Customers should have choices in deciding the training program that best fits their needs and the organizations that will provide that service. They should have control over their own career development.

• Customers have a right to information about how well training providers succeed in preparing people for jobs. Training providers will provide information on their success rates.

• Businesses will provide information, leadership, and play an active role in ensuring that the system prepares people for current and future jobs.

It is widely believed that the Act built on the most successful elements of previous Federal legislation. Just as important, its key components are based on local and State input and extensive research and evaluation studies of successful training and employment innovations.

We believe the most important aspect of the Act is its focus on meeting the needs of businesses for skilled workers and the training, education, and employment needs of individuals. Key components of the Act will enable customers to easily access the information and services they need through the "One-Stop" system (WorkOne Centers in Indiana); empower adults to obtain the training they find most appropriate through Individual Training Accounts, and ensure that all State and local programs meet customer expectations.

Through the WorkOne Centers, employers will have a single point of contact to provide information about current and future skills needed by their workers and to list job openings. They will benefit from a single system for finding job-ready, skilled workers who meet their needs.

As individuals become empowered to choose the services they require, States, local areas, and providers of those services will become more accountable for meeting those needs. The Workforce Investment Act establishes indicators of performance for all adult, dislocated worker, and youth programs to be applied to States as well as local areas. Performance measures are also be established relating to customer satisfaction of both participants and employers.

Several features are included in the law to ensure the full involvement of business, labor, and community organizations in designing and ensuring the quality of the new workforce investment system. These include State and local Workforce Investment Boards, local youth councils, and long-term strategic planning.

Eligibility & Services

The Act specifies three funding streams to the States and local areas: adults, dislocated workers, and youth.

Most services for adults and dislocated workers will be provided through the WorkOne system and most customers will use their Individual Training Accounts to determine which training program and training providers fit their needs.

The Act authorizes "core" services (which will be available to all adults with no eligibility requirements), and "intensive" services for unemployed individuals who are not able to find jobs through core services alone. In some cases, the intensive services will also be available to employed workers (or, incumbent workers) who need more help to find or keep a job.

While the services for adults and dislocated workers may be the same, there is a separate funding stream for dislocated workers.

Core services will include job search and placement assistance (including career counseling); labor market information (which identifies job vacancies; skills needed for in-demand jobs; and local, regional and national employment trends); initial assessment of skills and needs; information about available services; and follow-up services to help customers keep their jobs once they are placed.

Intensive services will include more comprehensive assessments, development of individual employment plans, group and individual counseling, case management, and short-term pre-vocational services.

In cases where qualified customers receive intensive services, and are still not able to find jobs, they may receive training services, which are directly linked to job opportunities in their local area. These services may include occupational skills training, on-the-job training, entrepreneurial training, skill upgrading, job readiness training, and adult education and literacy activities in conjunction with other training.

If adult funds are limited in an area, recipients of public assistance and low-income clients will be given priority for training services. The Act also authorizes the provision of supportive services (e.g., transportation) to assist participants receiving the other services and the provision of temporary income support to enable participants to remain in training.

Eligible youth will be low-income, ages 14 through 21 (although up to five percent who are not low-income may receive services if they face certain barriers to school completion or employment). Young customers also must face certain challenges to successful workforce entry (examples include: school dropout, basic skills deficient, homeless, runaway, or foster child, pregnant or parenting, an offender, or need help completing an educational program or securing and holding a job.

Youth will be prepared for postsecondary educational opportunities or employment. Programs will link academic and occupational learning. Service providers will have strong ties to employers. Programs must also include tutoring, study skills training and instruction leading to completion of secondary school (including dropout prevention); alternative school services; mentoring by appropriate adults; paid and unpaid work experience (such as internships and job shadowing); occupational skills training; leadership development; and appropriate supportive services. Youth participants will also receive guidance and counseling, and follow-up services for at least one year, as appropriate.

Programs must provide summer employment opportunities linked to academic and occupational learning. The mix of year-round and summer activities is left to local discretion.

Also included in the Workforce Investment Act are provisions for the following:

• Job Corps

• Indian & Native American Grants

• Migrant & Seasonal Farmworker Grants

• Veterans Employment Program

• National Incentive Grants