JUNE

Most congressional efforts on workforce development issues now center on the appropriations process. Importantly, while the House draft of the Labor-HHS-Education Subcommittee Appropriations bill would fund WIA Youth Activities at FY08 levels, congressional insiders have indicated that workforce development programs may still be vulnerable to cuts.

MAY

On May 6, the House Education and Labor Committee held a hearing entitled "Do Federal Programs Ensure that U.S. Workers are Recruited First before Employers Hire from Abroad." It included testimony by NYEC Member Andy Sum, Director of the Center for Labor Market Studies at Northeastern University.

Employers who wish to hire guest workers under the H-2A and H-2B programs must first certify that qualified U.S. workers are not available. Employers must also demonstrate that they made efforts to recruit U.S. workers for these positions and the employment of guest workers will not adversely affect the wages and working conditions of similarly employed U.S. workers. While most of this hearing was focused on issues surrounding guest workers and undocumented workers, committee members and testimony provided raised questions regarding how to better match young people who want seasonal work with employers who need seasonal employees. Read the full testimony at edlabor.house.gov/hearings/fc-2008-05-06.shtml.

On April 24, the U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration announced that eight states are eligible for Workforce Investment Act incentive awards: Arizona, Connecticut, Illinois, Missouri, Montana, Ohio, South Carolina, and South Dakota. Find more information on these awards can at edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E8-8861.pdf.

APRIL

On April 8, the U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration (ETA) advised state workforce agencies and other parties that the deadline for implementation of the WIA "Rescission of Unexpended Balances" had been extended to May 7, 2008. This deadline is to allow more time for states to input the required information into the WIA Rescission Electronic Reporting System (WRERS).

On April 15, ETA published a set of "Questions and Answers" as part of continuing technical guidance to states on the implementation of the fiscal year 2008 rescission. Access this document at www.doleta.gov/usworkforce/whatsnew/eta_default.cfm?id=1847. This information amends Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) 24-07 which provided states with details regarding how they would be impacted by the $250 million rescission of WIA Adult, Dislocated Worker, and Youth Activities "unexpended" funds authorized in the FY 2008 Consolidated Appropriations bill.

On April 24, ETA announced that eight states are eligible for WIA incentive awards: Arizona, Connecticut, Illinois, Missouri, Montana, Ohio, South Carolina, and South Dakota. For more information on these awards, visit edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E8-8861.pdf.

MARCH

On March 11, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health & Human Services, Education and Related Agencies held a hearing titled "Implications of a Weakening Economy for Training and Employment Services." The hearing was primarily focused on the proposal in the Administration in its FY 2009 Budget to eliminate Employment Services funding, but also touched on some youth employment issues. Andrew Sum, Director of the Center for Labor Market Studies at Northeastern University, testified about the crisis in youth employment and the need for a government program to connect disadvantaged youth to jobs. For a full account of the testimony, visit www.nyec.org/content/documents/WorkforceAppropsHearingMarch_11_08.pdf.

FEBRUARY

On February 14, Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) introduced S. 2648, the Supporting Training and Employment Potential for Underemployed Populations (STEP-UP) Act.  This bill would reauthorize the Youth Opportunity Grant portion of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998.  Grants under this bill would be for 2-year periods and may be renewed for 3-year periods thereafter.  Youth or young adults ages 14 through 30 would be eligible under the bill.  However, only 25 percent of grant funds could be used to serve young adults aged 25 to 30.  Much of the previous Youth Opportunity Grant program's focus on high poverty communities and building strategic partnerships between providers, state and local workforce boards, government entities, labor, and business is maintained.  Additional provisions in the bill include enhancements of the Earned Income Tax Credits for low-income workers as well as expansion of the Work Opportunity Credit to include certain categories of youth (Section 206).