House Vote on WIOA Expected This Week
Washington Update
WIOA Reauthorization
On Monday, May 16, the House Committee on Rules will meet at 3:00 pm (ET) to prepare Democrats’ reauthorization of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) for a vote on the House floor later this week. The bill would reauthorize $74 billion over six years - which is a significant increase from the previous 2014 legislation that authorized $19.8 billion over six years. It also codifies a Department of Labor program that helps those convicted of crimes find employment; expands existing youth employment programs; codifies a grant program that gives community colleges funding to create employment programs tailored to specific sectors; and creates a new program to encourage state and local workforce development boards to partner with employers, among other things.
Initially, reauthorization talks were bipartisan, however Democrats produced their own draft in March after disagreements emerged - Democrats wanted more funding for the existing system while Republicans preferred to see it overhauled to allow for more private-sector involvement. The bill is expected to pass the House but its fate in the Senate is less certain. If the bill fails to pass in the Senate, House Education and Labor ranking member Virginia Foxx (NC) has said she is already planning to take it up first thing next session should the Republicans win control of the House.
Click here to access the bill.
Department of Labor
On Friday, May 13, U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Marty Walsh met with companies to launch the private-sector part of the Biden Administration’s “Good Jobs Initiative” and discuss how business leaders can recruit, retain, and strengthen their workforce through investments in job quality. The discussion, “Good Jobs Initiative: The Business Case for Good Jobs,” focused on how businesses that create and sustain good jobs can better compete for talent by providing critical benefits ranging from caregiving support and flexibility to higher wages and job training. The panel was moderated by Carolyn Pincus, vice president of Strategy and Development at the American Sustainable Business Network. Members of the panel included BA Auto Care General Manager Sandi Weaver, Eileen Fisher Inc. General Counsel Elizabeth Richman, UPS Inc. President, Central Plains District, Darren Jones and Sustainergy Cooperative CEO Flequer Vera.
Initial Jobs Report
In the week ending May 7, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 203,000, an increase of 1,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 2,000 from 200,000 to 202,000. The 4-week moving average was 192,750, an increase of 4,250 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 500 from 188,000 to 188,500. The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.0 percent for the week ending April 30, unchanged from the previous week's unrevised rate.
Click here to access the full report.