Employment and Training Administration - Workforce Professionals - What's New in Workforce Investment

Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems Program: Department of Education Extends Deadline Date for Applications to December 4, 2009

The Department of Education today announced it has extended the deadline date for the transmittal of applications to the Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems program under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

Education states:

We are extending the deadline for the receipt of applications under this competition to December 4, 2009 to allow States more time to coordinate their development of applications under this program with other Recovery Act applications, specifically those for the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund and Race to the Top.

All information in the July 29, 2009 FEDERAL REGISTER notice remains the same except for the date modification.

July 30, 2009 WHAT`S NEW item on the original announcement

Workforce Information Council`s Green Jobs Study Group Releases "Measurement and Analysis of Employment in the Green Economy"

The Workforce Investment Act establishes a unique structure for Federal-State cooperation in planning and overseeing the workforce information system.

The Secretary of Labor, through the Bureau of Labor Statistics, acts with other Federal agencies and State employment statistics agency representatives elected by their peers. Collectively known as the Workforce Information Councill, this group works together to plan, guide, and oversee the nationwide workforce information system.

The Workforce Information Council`s Green Jobs Study Group has just released "Measurement and Analysis of Employment in the Green Economy."

The Table of Contents:

Executive Summary
Chapter 1: Measuring Green Jobs ? Objectives and Guiding Principles
Chapter 2: Defining Green Jobs and Related Concepts
Chapter 3: Survey Approaches to Estimating Green-Related Employment
Chapter 4: Analytical and Qualitative Methods to Study Green-Related Employment
Chapter 5: Labor Market Information for a Green Economy
Chapter 6: Action Plan

References

Appendix 1. Workforce Information Council Green Jobs Study Group Charter
Appendix 2. Green Definition Exhibits
Appendix 3. Comparison of Survey Items of Questions on Four State Green Jobs Surveys

ETA Announces "Short-Term Training Finder Tool"; Users Can Search for Approximately 70,000 Training Programs of under Two Years Duration

On October 23, 2009, the Employment and Training Administration released an interactive on-line "Short-Term Training Finder Tool." This tool is designed to find training programs leading to a certificate, diploma or award that can be completed in less than two years. Users are currently able to search about 70,000 training programs across the country by entering an occupation, school, or program. Results can be viewed at the state or zip code level.

The tool is available through America`s Career Information Network.

ETA Issues "The Greening of Registered Apprenticeship: An Environmental Scan of the Impact of Green Jobs on Registered Apprenticeship and Implications for Workforce Development; BLS Data Advisory Committee to Discuss "Green Jobs: Plans for Measurement"

The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) has recently published a new report - The Greening of Registered Apprenticeship: An Environmental Scan of the Impact of Green Jobs on Registered Apprenticeship and Implications for Workforce Development.

This scan highlights the trends, activities, and changes that are underway in several key industries that will likely make up a significant portion of the emerging green economy. For purposes of this report, the shorthand term "green" is used to represent the various new processes, technologies and materials that will drive a more environmentally friendly and energy-efficient approach to conducting business.

This report does not intend to define specific green jobs, but generally sees green jobs as both existing and emerging occupations across a wide range of industries engaged in working with these new green processes, materials, or technologies.

Construction, transportation, advanced manufacturing, utilities, and building maintenance are critical industries at the forefront of our nation`s push to be more energy efficient, less dependent on oil and more environmentally and ecologically sound. Each of these industries depends on its Registered Apprenticeship and rigorous training programs to prepare and educate existing and emerging workers in a variety of occupations.

At the core of the National Apprenticeship System is a vast and dedicated leadership group of almost 30,000 sponsors-both labor and businesses-with deep roots in Registered Apprenticeship and a keen understanding of how to train highly skilled workers to meet market demand. As such, this environmental scan set out to get a baseline understanding of how key Registered Apprenticeship program sponsors and other industries and organizations engaged in training their workforces are preparing to meet the demands of the green economy.

To better understand the impact of green and implications for policy development, ETA`s Office of Apprenticeship (OA) met, during March and April of 2009, with 14 stakeholders representing these critical industries. These interviews centered on three key areas:

Assessing the impact of green on their industries;
Training and education requirements for the green economy; and
Partnerships and collaborations designed to meet the rapidly changing market for green.

The information gathered throughout this process has resulted in some important considerations for Federal, state and local workforce development leaders and partners. Not only are Registered Apprenticeship programs preparing to develop the future workforce for the green economy, but much of the current training and curriculum around green processes, technologies, and materials in these industries is already being utilized by these stakeholders.

In essence, green is not a new approach for the interviewed stakeholders. Each of them expressed vast knowledge of how market demands for more green practices will affect their industries and specific occupations as well as how their organization will meet the potential increased demand. Consequently, stakeholders re-emphasized that Registered Apprenticeship is positioned to help lead the training of our nation`s green-collar workforce. In fact, as materials and market demands change, Registered Apprenticeship stakeholders and the organizations they support are consistently first-to-market in training both existing and new workers.

Access to Report (requires registration on WWW.WORKFORCE3ONE.ORG.)

Apprenticeship "Community of Practice"

ETA`s Registered Apprenticeship Webpage

Career Voyages: Apprenticeship by Industry

The Benefits and Challenges of Registered Apprenticeship: The Sponsors` Perspective

Findings show that 97 percent of Registered Apprenticeship sponsors-employers and labor-management programs alike- are highly satisfied with the model and would recommend it to other businesses. More than 80 percent of sponsors say that they use Registered Apprenticeship to meet their need for skilled workers. Another 72 percent say that Registered Apprenticeship helps them show which workers have needed skills; and 68 percent feel that the model raises productivity, strengthens worker morale and pride and improves worker safety. Few other publicly funded workforce programs have this level of satisfaction from employers and labor-management partnerships.

Training and Employment Guidance Letter 2-07: Leveraging Registered Apprenticeship as a Workforce Development Strategy for the Workforce Investment System

The Bureau of Labor Statistics has announced that the Data Advisory Committee will consider "Green Jobs: Plans for Measurement" at its November 17 meeting. Click here for full background and complete agenda.

OMB Approves Data Collection Related to Unemployment Compensation Modernization Incentive Payments

The Employment and Training Administration has issued Change 2 to Unemployment Insurance Program Letter 14-09 -- Special Transfers for Unemployment Compensation Modernization and Administration and Relief from Interest on Advances.

This UIPL provides Employment and Training Administration notification that the Office of Management and Budget has approved a data collection related to unemployment compensation (UC) modernization incentive payments.

Change 1 to Unemployment Insurance Program Letter 14-09 (March 19, 2009)

This UIPL provides additional guidance to states concerning unemployment compensation (UC) modernization incentive payments, the recent special administrative transfers, and to correct guidance related to relief from interest on advances to state unemployment funds.

Unemployment Insurance Program Letter 14-09 (February26, 2009)

This UIPL advises states of amendments to Federal law providing for unemployment compensation (UC) modernization incentive payments to states, a special administrative transfer to states, relief from interest on advances to state unemployment funds, and the partial suspension of Federal income tax on UC.

HUD and DHS Launch DisasterRecoveryWorking Group.gov; Seek Public Comments from State, Local, Tribal Partners, and the Public

Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan and Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano have announced the launch of DisasterRecoveryWorkingGroup.gov -- a new interagency website that will allow federal disaster recovery officials to solicit public comments from state, local and tribal partners and the public.

The new website will be used by the federal government`s newly-formed Long Term Disaster Recovery Working Group-co-chaired by Secretary Donovan and Secretary Napolitano-to allow stakeholders to submit ideas for disaster recovery; articulate objectives for recovery assistance going forward; identify examples of best practices; raise challenges and obstacles to success; and share thoughts, experiences and lessons learned.

Secretaries Donovan and Napolitano will also provide the President with recommendations to improve long-term catastrophic disaster recovery and help develop a National Disaster Recovery Framework that will provide detailed operational guidance to recovery organizations under existing authorities.

News Release / Background / Responsibilities of Working Group

ETA Publishes FY 2010 List of Labor Surplus Areas

The Department of Labor`s regulations implementing Executive Orders 12073 and 10582 are set forth at 20 CFR Part 654, Subparts A and B. These regulations require the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) to classify jurisdictions as labor surplus areas pursuant to the criteria specified in the regulations and to publish annually a list of labor surplus areas.

A Labor Surplus Area (LSA) is a civil jurisdiction that has a civilian average annual unemployment rate during the previous two calendar years of 20 percent or more above the average annual civilian unemployment rate for all States during the same 24-month reference period. Only official unemployment estimates provided to ETA by the Bureau of Labor Statistics are used in making these classifications. The average unemployment rate for all States includes data for the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. The basic LSA classification criteria include a "floor unemployment rate" (6.0%) and a "ceiling unemployment rate" (10.0%).

The Employment and Training Administration has published the annual list of labor surplus areas in the October 30, 2009 FEDERAL REGISTER. This list of labor surplus areas was effective October 1, 2009, for all States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. The FEDERAL REGISTER notice also summarizes the "Procedures for Classifying Labor Surplus Areas" and describes the "Petition for Exceptional Circumstance Consideration."

ETA`s Labor Surplus Area webpage will be updated to reflect this publication.

Questions may be directed to Samuel Wright, Office of Workforce Investment, Employment and Training Administration, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Room S-4231, Washington, DC 20210. Telephone: (202) 693-2870 (This is not a toll-free number).

Links to State Workforce Investment Act / Wagner-Peyser State Plan Modifications on Recovery Act Implementation Now Available

The Employment and Training Administration has established a menu of links to the Workforce Investment Act / Wagner-Peyser State Plan Modifications (2009) on Recovery Act Implementation.

These links are available here.

C-SPAN Interview with Assistant Secretary Jane Oates Available for Viewing

The Employment and Training Administration`s Assistant Secretary Jane Oates appeared on C-SPAN on October 25, 2009 to discuss employment and unemployment issues with the moderator and panelists. C-SPAN has archived the video on its website for viewing.

EEOC Announces Revised "Equal Employment Opportunity is the Law" Poster

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has revised its "Equal Employment Opportunity is the Law" poster. This new version reflects current federal employment discrimination law (including the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008). The poster was revised to add information about the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008, which is effective November 21, 2009. The revised poster also includes updates from the Department of Labor.

There are several ways for employers to comply with the law:

Print the supplement below and post it alongside EEOC`s September 2002 "EEO is the Law" poster or OFCCP`s August 2008 "EEO is the Law" poster.
"EEO is the Law" poster supplement
Print and post the EEOC`s November 2009 version of the "EEO is the Law" poster.

"EEO is the Law" poster
Order a new poster through the EEOC Clearinghouse at the address provided below. Please note that the EEOC poster is on backorder and will be shipped when the poster becomes available in the near future. The new poster will also be available in Spanish, Chinese and Arabic before the GINA statute becomes effective on November 21, 2009.

If you need more than ten copies of the poster, please contact:
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Clearinghouse
P.O. Box 541
Annapolis Junction, MD 20701
Fax: (301) 206-9789
or call: 1-800-669-3362 (voice)
1-800-800-3302 (TTY)

To order the poster, please complete the form at www.eeoc.gov/posterform.html. Your name and address information is required. Including your phone number and/or e-mail address will allow the EEOC to contact you if we have questions about your order.
To obtain free copies of other federal required posters please contact:
U.S. Department of Labor
(202) 693-0200
U.S. Department of Labor Poster Page