Implementation Team

Report of July 15th

  1. Noteworthy Accomplishments Since the Last Report

    1. State Plan Status is as follows:


      1. Nine States have begun implementing Title I and Wagner-Peyser Act plans: Florida; Indiana; Kentucky; Louisiana; New Jersey; Texas; Utah; Vermont; and Wisconsin. The only State plan receiving full five-year authorization was that of Vermont, notwithstanding that issues remain to be resolved in its local plan.

      2. Six State plans remain under review: Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon (Portland only), Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, and Tennessee.


    2. ETA has received more than 150 comments on the Interim Final Rule. The comment period closed on July 14th.


    3. Secretary Herman participated in a special JETT*CON '99 session on July 15th, at which she introduced America's Jobs Network.


    4. New registrations for JETT*CON '99 will continue to be recorded until the last session. A total of 2100 to 2500 individual and corporate registrations are expected.


    5. Representatives from fifteen States attended the meeting for Early Implementing States that was held on July 12th & 13th, prior to JETT*CON '99. Meeting topics included State presentations on seven areas, such as Executive Board leadership building; local area designation; and management of ITAs. Other WIA activities that occurred during the week included a repeat of the WIA Implementation Training.


    6. The JETT*CON'99 Awards Reception was held on Tuesday evening July 13th in the Caucus Room, Cannon House Office Building. 250 people attended the event, which honored the 13 JETT*CON showcase and Job Service award winners. Ten Members of Congress attended.


    7. DOL has entered a partnership with the Business Coalition (NAB, NAPIC, NAM, USCC and the Business Roundtable), funded through a grant to NAB. These organizations represent, in turn, a coalition of more than 30 business associations who will be working for the successful Workforce Investment Act implementation, nationwide. Announcement of this cooperative endeavor was made at JETT*CON '99 on July 15th.


    8. Draft regulations implementing WIA Section 188, Nondiscrimination Provisions, completed DOL clearance on July 14th, and were prepared for transmittal to OMB. The statutory deadline for their publication is August 7th.


    9. Notice was published in the July 15th Federal Register of ETA's Five-year Research Plan for 2000-2004, required by Section 171 of WIA. An early draft of the plan is available at www.heldrich.rutgers.edu/USDOL-ETA-ResearchPlan . Also announced was a July 27th National Workforce Development Research Symposium that will be convened in Washington, D. C. by ETA and Rutgers University's Heldrich Center for Workforce Development.