Explanation:
The Recovery Act makes available an additional $500,000,000 for the WIA Adult formula program. ETA is distributing funds to states via the existing WIA Adult formula per TEGL No. 13-08, which specifies amounts for each state. These funds are available 10 for states to provide employment and training services to adults through the One-Stop system in accordance with WIA allocation requirements. Per the Recovery Act, the funds shall remain available to states for the same period of time as regular PY 2008 WIA Adult formula funds, or until June 30, 2011, and are subject to the 15 percent reserve for state activities under WIA section 133(a).
Allowable Activities:
It is the intent of the Recovery Act that WIA Adult funds be used to provide the necessary services to substantially increased numbers of adults to support their entry or reentry into the job market. To that end, states should consider how assessment and data-driven career counseling can be integrated into their service strategies to support adults in successful training and job search activities that align with areas of anticipated economic and job growth. Recovery Act funds can be used on all activities specified under the WIA Adult program. To maximize the reach of Adult formula funds, One-Stop Career Centers should help eligible customers take advantage of the significant increase in Pell Grant funds also included in the Recovery Act.
Because workers may need to up-skill or re-skill to compete for limited career opportunities, training will be a particularly vital service during the economic recovery, and overall training enrollments are expected to increase. Training services may include occupational skills training, on-the-job training, programs that combine workplace training and related instruction, including registered apprenticeship, training programs operated by the private sector, skill upgrade and retraining, entrepreneurship training, job readiness training, adult education and literacy training, and customized training. These funds can also be used to support adult basic education training, including English as a second language.
The Recovery Act specifically emphasizes the authority to use these funds for supportive and needs-related payments to ensure participants have the means to pay living expenses while receiving training. This should allow workers to pursue training of sufficient duration to acquire skills and credentials of value that will connect them to emerging jobs as the economy recovers. To increase state, regional, and local training capacity, the Act gives states the authority to enter into contracts with institutions of higher education, such as community colleges, or other eligible training providers to facilitate the training of multiple individuals in high-demand occupations, so long as the contract does not limit customer choice, as discussed in section 6.
As stated earlier, priority use of these funds shall be for services to recipients of public assistance and other low-income individuals as described in WIA section 134(d)(4)(E). States are particularly encouraged to provide training opportunities to these individuals. Again, because family and income responsibilities often prevent these priority populations from successfully entering or completing training, states should ensure that supportive services and needs-related payments described in WIA section 134(e)(2) and (3) are available to support the employment and training needs of priority populations. Supportive services may include transportation, child care, dependent care, housing, and other services that are necessary to enable an individual who is unable to obtain the services from other programs to participate in activities authorized under WIA. Needs-related payments may be provided to adults who are unemployed and do not qualify for or have ceased to quality for unemployment compensation for the purpose of enabling 11 such individuals to participate in programs of training services. One-Stop Career Centers should take advantage of the availability of these payments so that customers can pursue their career goals, rather than their short-term income needs determining the length of their training.
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