The purpose of title I of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA) is to provide workforce investment activities that increase the employment, retention and earnings of participants, and increase occupational skill attainment by participants, which will improve the quality of the workforce, reduce welfare dependency, and enhance the productivity and competitiveness of the Nation's economy. These goals are achieved through the workforce investment system. (WIA sec. 106.)
The regulations found in 20 CFR parts 660 through 671 set forth the regulatory requirements that are applicable to programs operated with funds provided under title I of WIA. This part 660 describes the purpose of that Act, explains the format of these regulations and sets forth definitions for terms that apply to each part. Part 661 contains regulations relating to Statewide and local governance of the workforce investment system. Part 662 describes the One-Stop system and the roles of One-Stop partners. Part 663 sets forth requirements applicable to WIA title I programs serving adults and dislocated workers. Part 664 sets forth requirements applicable to WIA title I programs serving youth. Part 665 contains regulations relating to Statewide activities. Part 666 describes the WIA title I performance accountability system. Part 667 sets forth the administrative requirements applicable to programs funded under WIA title I. Parts 668 and 669 contain the particular requirements applicable to programs serving Indians and Native Americans and Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers, respectively. Parts 670 and 671 describe the particular requirements applicable to the Job Corps and other national programs, respectively. In addition, part 652 describes the establishment and functioning of State Employment Services under the Wagner-Peyser Act, and 29 CFR part 37 contains the Department's nondiscrimination regulations implementing WIA section 188.
In addition to the definitions set forth at WIA section 101, the following definitions apply to the regulations in 20 CFR parts 660 through 671:
Department or DOL means the U.S. Department of Labor, including its agencies and organizational units.
Designated region means a combination of local areas that are partly or completely in a single labor market area, economic development region, or other appropriate contiguous subarea of a State, that is designated by the State under WIA section 116(c), or a similar interstate region that is designated by two or more States under WIA section 116(c)(4).
Employment and training activity means a workforce investment activity that is carried out for an adult or dislocated worker.
EO data means data on race and ethnicity, age, sex, and disability required by 29 CFR part 37 of the DOL regulations implementing section 188 of WIA, governing nondiscrimination.
ETA means the Employment and Training Administration of the U.S. Department of Labor.
Grant means an award of WIA financial assistance by the U.S. Department of Labor to an eligible WIA recipient.
Grantee means the direct recipient of grant funds from the Department of Labor. A grantee may also be referred to as a recipient.
Individual with a disability means an individual with any disability (as defined in section 3 of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12102)). For purposes of WIA section 188, this term is defined at 29 CFR 37.4.
Labor Federation means an alliance of two or more organized labor unions for the purpose of mutual support and action.
Literacy means an individual's ability to read, write, and speak in English, and to compute, and solve problems, at levels of proficiency necessary to function on the job, in the family of the individual, and in society.
Local Board means a Local Workforce Investment Board established under WIA section 117, to set policy for the local workforce investment system.
Obligations means the amounts of orders placed, contracts and subgrants awarded, goods and services received, and similar transactions during a funding period that will require payment by the recipient or subrecipient during the same or a future period. For purposes of the reallotment process described at 20 CFR 667.150, the Secretary also treats as State obligations any amounts allocated by the State under WIA sections 128(b) and 133(b) to a single area State or to a balance of State local area administered by a unit of the State government, and inter-agency transfers and other actions treated by the State as encumbrances against amounts reserved by the State under WIA sections 128(a) and 133(a) for Statewide workforce investment activities.
Outlying area means the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau.
Participant means an individual who has registered under 20 CFR 663.105 or 664.215 and has been determined to be eligible to participate in and who is receiving services (except for follow up services) under a program authorized by WIA title I. Participation commences on the first day, following determination of eligibility, on which the individual begins receiving core, intensive, training or other services provided under WIA title I.
Recipient means an entity to which a WIA grant is awarded directly from the Department of Labor to carry out a program under title I of WIA. The State is the recipient of funds awarded under WIA sections 127(b)(1)(C)(I)(II), 132(b)(1)(B) and 132(b)(2)(B). The recipient is the entire legal entity that received the award and is legally responsible for carrying out the WIA program, even if only a particular component of the entity is designated in the grant award document.
Register means the process for collecting information to determine an individual's eligibility for services under WIA title I. Individuals may be registered in a variety ways, as described in 20 CFR 663.105 and 20 CFR 664.215.
Secretary means the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor.
Self certification means an individual's signed attestation that the information he/she submits to demonstrate eligibility for a program under title I of WIA is true and accurate.
State means each of the several States of the United States, the District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. The term “State” does not include outlying areas.
State Board means a State Workforce Investment Board established under WIA section 111.
Subgrant means an award of financial assistance in the form of money, or property in lieu of money made under a grant by a grantee to an eligible subrecipient. The term includes financial assistance when provided by contractual legal agreement, but does not include procurement purchases, nor does it include any form of assistance which is excluded from the definition of Grant in this part.
Subrecipient means an entity to which a subgrant is awarded and which is accountable to the recipient (or higher tier subrecipient) for the use of the funds provided. DOL's audit requirements for States, local governments, and non-profit organizations provides guidance on distinguishing between a subrecipient and a vendor at 29 CFR 99.210.
Unobligated balance means the portion of funds authorized by the Federal agency that has not been obligated by the grantee and is determined by deducting the cumulative obligations from the cumulative funds authorized.
Vendor means an entity responsible for providing generally required goods or services to be used in the WIA program. These goods or services may be for the recipient's or subrecipient's own use or for the use of participants in the program. DOL's audit requirements for States, local governments, and non-profit organizations provides guidance on distinguishing between a subrecipient and a vendor at 29 CFR 99.210.
Wagner-Peyser Act means the Act of June 6, 1933, as amended, codified at 29 U.S.C. 49 et seq.
WIA regulations mean the regulations in 20 CFR parts 660 through 671, the Wagner-Peyser Act regulations in 20 CFR part 652, subpart C, and the regulations implementing WIA section 188 in 29 CFR part 37.
Workforce investment activities mean the array of activities permitted under title I of WIA, which include employment and training activities for adults and dislocated workers, as described in WIA section 134, and youth activities, as described in WIA section 129.
Youth activity means a workforce investment activity that is carried out for youth.