WIOA:

What Does It Mean for You?

• David Hoff

Project Director

Institute for Community Inclusion

UMass Boston

• david.hoff@umb.edu

• @davidhoff10

Today’s Presenter

• The Workforce Innovation &

Opportunity Act

of 2014

• Signed into law July 22, 2014

• Reauthorizes the Workforce

Investment Act of 1998,

including the Rehabilitation

Act

What is WIOA?

• COVERS FOUR PUBLIC SYSTEMS

– Workforce Development System serving all job seekers

(Titles I)

– Wagner-Peyser Labor Exchange (Title III)

– Adult Education & Literacy (Title II)

– Public Vocational Rehabilitation (Title IV)

WIOA Basics

• Assist those most in need

• Focus on increasing job skills,

career pathways, &

in-demand occupations

• Focus more on employer

engagement

• Public VR & Workforce

Development:

be better partners

What Congress Said

“The foundation of the VR program is the principle that individuals with

disabilities, including those with the most significant disabilities,

are capable of achieving high quality, competitive integrated employment

when provided the necessary skills and supports.”

“Congress makes clear that youth with significant disabilities

must be given every opportunity to receive the services necessary

to ensure the maximum potential to achieve competitive integrated

employment.”

• All aspects of the law now

officially in effect with a few

notable exceptions

• Draft implementing regulations

released and comments

submitted

• Final regulations expected in

early 2016

• Unified State Plans due in early

2016

WIOA: August 2015

• Integration

• Transition

• Customized employment

• Extended supports

• Out-of-school youth

• One-Stops/

American Job Centers

• Sub-minimum wage

New restrictions

• DD, MH, ED, VR partnerships

General

Highlights of

Rehabilitation

Act

Services for Transition from

School to Adult Life

• 15% of state Title I VR Funds must be used for

“pre-employment transition services”

– Title I Funds FY 2014: $3 billion

• Required services:

– job exploration counseling

– work based learning experiences

– counseling on post-secondary opportunities

– workplace readiness training

– training on self-advocacy

• Additional specified activities allowed if funding is available

• Attend IEP Meetings

• Work with workforce boards,

One-Stops, & employers to develop

employment opportunities

• Work with schools to ensure

provision of

pre-employment transition services

• When invited, attend

person-centered planning meetings

VR Area Transition Coordination

Requirements

• VR agency, in collaboration with

local school districts, must provide,

or arrange for provision of pre-

employment transition services for

all students with disabilities in

need of these services eligible or

potentially eligible for VR services,

using funds from VR & other

sources as necessary.

VR’s Transition Requirements:

Don’t End at 15% of Expenditures

• Pre-Employment

Transition Services

(PETS) are for all

students with

disabilities in need of

such services, without

regard to the type of

disability

• Do not need to apply or

be accepted for VR

services

Proposed Regulations:

PETS are to be widely available

Job exploration counseling

Work based learning

experiences

Counseling on

post-secondary

opportunities

Workplace readiness

training

Training on self-advocacy

• What should it be?

• What shouldn’t it be?

WIOA Section 511

• Required steps before being placed in a position

that pays less than minimum wage

1. Pre-employment transition services

2. Either being determined ineligible for VR or an

unsuccessful VR closure

3. Provision of career counseling & referrals

designed to assist individual to achieve

competitive integrated employment

Section 511: Individuals 24 & Under

In 2016, schools no longer allowed to contract with organizations to pay individuals sub-minimum wage

• VR agency must provide career

counseling and referrals to other

programs & resources designed to

assist individual to achieve

competitive integrated employment

• Is informed by sub-minimum wage

employer of self-advocacy, self-

determination, & peer mentoring

opportunities not provided by

employer

Steps Required Annually for All

Individuals Earning Sub-Minimum Wage

• WIOA legislation was unclear

• Proposed regulations state that individuals

“who are known” to VR are covered under

Section 511

Who is covered under 511?

• Full-time or part-time work at

minimum wage or higher

• Wages & benefits similar to

those without disabilities

performing the same work

• Fully integrated with

co-workers without disabilities

Optimal outcome under WIOA

“Competitive Integrated Employment”

Defined

• Both within the work unit and entire

workplace, must interact with co-workers,

customers, and vendors to the same

extent as employees without disabilities

in comparable positions

• Interacting only with supervisor and CRP

staff is insufficient

What’s “Integrated” Under WIOA?

• Customized Employment now part of

Supported Employment

• Supported Employment must be in

competitive integrated employment or

working on a short-term basis towards

competitive integrated employment

Supported Employment Changes

VR Supported Employment

1. Supported Employment Services:

post-placement services needed to support

and maintain employment up to 24 months

under WIOA (can also be extended)

2. Extended services: ongoing supports after

the end of Supported Employment Services

– Until WIOA could not be funded by VR

• SE State Grants FY 2015 allocation:

$27 million

• 50% of each state’s SE grant must be

focused on youth (age 14 to 24) with

most significant disabilities

• May receive extended supports for

up to 4 years from SE state grant, or

Title I funds

Supported Employment State

Grants to Focus on Youth

• New source of

extended supports

• New obligation for VR

funds

• Possible increased

“payer of last resort”

debates

Implications

• Federal Agency:

US Department of Labor

• State Workforce Boards

• Local Workforce Boards

(600 nationally)

• One-Stop Career Centers

(1,700 nationally)

General Workforce System Structure

• Local boards must ensure sufficient

service providers for individuals with

disabilities

• State workforce boards must develop

strategies for career pathways for

individuals with disabilities

• Local workforce committees on

disability issues encouraged

• Annual assessment of One-Stop Career

Center accessibility required

Workforce System Changes

• Variety of services available for

eligible youth to assist with

employment & career development

• Primarily administered by local

workforce boards

• Two types:

In-School, Out-of-School

• Young people with disabilities are

highly eligible

Workforce Development Youth Services

Changes in Youth Services Under WIOA

• Age for eligibility for Out-of-School Youth

Services changed from 16 to 21,

to 16 to 24

• In-School Youth Services age remains 14 to

21 - except students with disabilities who

stay in school under state law after age

21

• Amount of youth funds spent on

out-of-school youth increases from

30% to 75%

• Virtually all youth with disabilities now

eligible

Youth Services Required Program Elements

CONTINUING FROM WIA

• Tutoring, study skills training, and

instruction

• Alternative secondary school

offerings or dropout recovery

services

• Paid and unpaid work experiences

• Occupational skill training

• Leadership development activities

• Supportive services

• Adult mentoring

• Follow-up services

• Comprehensive guidance and

counseling

NEW UNDER WIOA

• Integrated education and training for

a specific occupation or cluster

• Financial literacy education

• Entrepreneurial skills training

• Services that provide labor market

information about in-demand

industry sectors and occupations

• Postsecondary preparation and

transition activities

• Under WIOA, youth with disabilities

now automatically eligible for older

youth services

• Students with disabilities remain

highly eligible for younger youth

services

Youth With Disabilities:

Eligibility for WIOA Youth Services

Potential Role of One-Stop Career Centers for Youth with Disabilities

WIOA

• Learn about the law

• Get involved with planning

• Create awareness across

constituencies

• Build partnerships

• Begin to align services

with WIOA

WIOA: What to Do Now

Resources

• ICI Institute Brief

“WIA is Now WIOA”

• APSE Connections

“WIOA: Will It Deliver on its Promise for

Transition?”

• Department of Education RSA Website - www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/rsa/wioa-

reauthorization.html

• DOL Website - www.doleta.gov/wioa

www.facebook.com/DirectCourseOnline

@DirectCourseCES

www.directcourseonline.com/employmentservices

Let’s keep in touch!