Workforce Information Advisory Council, 10243-10244 [2022-03199]

Agencies

• Employment and Training Administration
• DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 36 (Wednesday, February 23, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10243-10244]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-03199]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration


Workforce Information Advisory Council

AGENCY: Employment and Training Administration, Labor.

ACTION: Request for nominations for membership on the Workforce 
Information Advisory Council.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor (DOL) invites interested parties to 
submit nominations for individuals to serve on the Workforce 
Information Advisory Council (WIAC) and announces the procedures for 
those nominations. There is a vacant position on the WIAC representing 
businesses. While this notice is directed specifically to obtaining 
nominations for the current vacancy for a representative of businesses, 
individuals qualified for the other seven membership categories listed 
below in the Supplementary Information section are invited to submit 
nomination materials, and DOL will consider these nominees in the event 
that seats in those categories become available. When submitting 
nomination materials, please indicate the category or categories for 
which the nominee would like to be considered. Information regarding 
the WIAC can be found at https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/wioa/wiac.

DATES: To be considered, nominations for individuals to serve on the 
WIAC must be submitted electronically by March 25, 2022.

ADDRESSES: You may submit nominations and supporting materials 
described in this Federal Register Notice by the following method:
    Electronically: Submit nominations, including attachments, by email 
using the following address: [email protected] (use subject line 
``Nomination--Workforce Information Advisory Council''). The Department 
will not accept nominations by mail, express delivery, hand delivery, 
messenger, courier service, or facsimile.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve Rietzke, WIAC Designated Federal 
Officer, 202-693-3912, or by email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 15 of the Wagner-Peyser Act, 29 
U.S.C. 49l-2, as amended by sec. 308 of the Workforce Innovation and 
Opportunity Act of 2014 (WIOA), Public Law 113-128, requires the 
Secretary of Labor (Secretary) to establish a WIAC.
    The statute, as amended, requires the Secretary of Labor 
(Secretary), acting through the Commissioner of Labor Statistics and 
the Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training, to formally 
consult at least twice annually with the WIAC to address: (1) 
Evaluation and improvement of the nationwide workforce and labor market 
information system established by the Wagner-Peyser Act and of the 
statewide systems that comprise the nationwide system; and (2) how DOL 
and the States will cooperate in the management of those systems. The 
Secretary, acting through the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the 
Employment and Training Administration (ETA), and in consultation with 
the WIAC and appropriate federal agencies, must also develop a two-year 
plan for management of the labor market information system. The statute 
generally prescribes how the plan is to be developed and implemented, 
outlines the contents of the plan, and requires the Secretary to submit 
the plan to designated authorizing committees in the House and Senate.
    By law, the Secretary must ``seek, review, and evaluate'' 
recommendations from the WIAC, and respond in writing to the Council. 
The WIAC must make written recommendations to the Secretary on the 
evaluation and improvement of the workforce and labor market 
information system, including recommendations for the two-year plan.

[[Page 10244]]

The two-year plan, in turn, must describe WIAC recommendations and the 
extent to which the plan incorporates them.
    The Department anticipates that the WIAC will accomplish its 
objectives by, for example: (1) Studying workforce and labor market 
information issues; (2) seeking and sharing information on innovative 
approaches, new technologies, and data to inform employment, skills 
training, and workforce and economic development decision making and 
policy; and 3) advising the Secretary on how the workforce and labor 
market information system can best support workforce development, 
planning, and program development.
    Pertinent information about the WIAC, including recommendations, 
reports, background information, agendas, and meeting minutes, can be 
accessed at the WIAC's website located at https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/wioa/wiac.
    Section 15(d)(2)(B) of the Wagner-Peyser Act requires the WIAC to 
have 14 members, appointed by the Secretary, consisting of:
    (1) Four members who are representatives of lead State agencies 
with responsibility for workforce investment activities, or State 
agencies described in sec. 4 of the Wagner-Peyser Act (an agency 
designated or authorized by the Governor to cooperate with the 
Secretary of Labor), who have been nominated by such agencies or by a 
national organization that represents such agencies;
    (2) Four members who are representatives of the State workforce and 
labor market information directors affiliated with the State agencies 
responsible for the management and oversight of the workforce and labor 
market information system, as described in Wagner-Peyser Act sec. 
15(e)(2), who have been nominated by the directors;
    (3) One member who is a representative of providers of training 
services under WIOA sec. 122 (Identification of Eligible Providers of 
Training Services);
    (4) One member who is a representative of economic development 
entities;
    (5) One member who is a representative of businesses, who has been 
nominated by national business organizations or trade associations;
    (6) One member who is a representative of labor organizations, who 
has been nominated by a national labor federation;
    (7) One member who is a representative of local workforce 
development boards, who has been nominated by a national organization 
representing such boards; and
    (8) One member who is a representative of research entities that 
use workforce and labor market information.
    The Secretary must ensure that the membership of the WIAC is 
geographically diverse, and that no two members appointed under clauses 
(1), (2), or (7) above represent the same State. Please note, the 
members whom the Secretary appoints to fill these vacancies will serve 
the balance of their predecessors' unexpired terms, in this case from 
the date of appointment until March 9, 2023. Members of the Council 
will serve on a voluntary and generally uncompensated basis but will be 
reimbursed for travel expenses to attend WIAC meetings, including per 
diem in lieu of subsistence, as authorized by the Federal travel 
regulations.
    The WIAC is a permanent advisory council and, as such, is not 
governed by the Federal Advisory Committee Act's (FACA) sec. 14, on 
termination of advisory committees. In other respects, however, WIAC 
membership will be consistent with the FACA requirement that membership 
be ``fairly balanced in terms of the points of view represented and the 
functions to be performed'' (5 U.S.C. App. 2, sec. 5(b)(2)), as 
specified in Wagner-Peyser sec. 15(2)(B) & (C), and the requirement 
that members come from ``a cross-section of those directly affected, 
interested, and qualified, as appropriate to the nature and functions'' 
of the WIAC (41 CFR 102-3.60(b)(3)). Under the FACA regulation, the 
composition of the WIAC will, therefore, depend upon several factors, 
including: (i) The WIAC's mission; (ii) the geographic, ethnic, social, 
economic, or scientific impact of the WIAC's recommendations; (iii) the 
types of specific perspectives required; (iv) the need to obtain 
divergent points of view on the issues before the WIAC, such as those 
of consumers, technical experts, the public at large, academia, 
business, or other sectors; and (v) the relevance of State, local, or 
tribal governments to the development of the WIAC's recommendations (41 
CFR 102-3, Subpart B, Appendix A).
    To the extent permitted by FACA and other applicable laws, WIAC 
membership should also be consistent with achieving the greatest 
impact, scope, and credibility among diverse stakeholders. The 
diversity in such membership includes, but is not limited to, race, 
gender, disability, sexual orientation, and gender identity.
    Nominations Process: Nominations for a representative of businesses 
must be nominated by national business organizations or trade 
associations. Please refer to the special requirements listed in the 
section above regarding the nomination process for the other seven WIAC 
representative categories.
    To nominate an individual for appointment to the WIAC, please 
submit, to one of the addresses listed below, the following 
information:
     A copy of the nominee's resume or curriculum vitae;
     A cover letter that provides your reason(s) for nominating 
the individual, the constituency area that they represent (as outlined 
above in the WIAC membership identification discussion), and their 
particular expertise for contributing to the national policy discussion 
on: (1) The evaluation and improvement of the nationwide workforce and 
labor market information system and statewide systems that comprise the 
nationwide system; and (2) how the Department of Labor and the States 
will cooperate in the management of those systems, including programs 
that produce employment-related statistics and State and local 
workforce and labor market information; and
     Contact information for the nominee (name, title, business 
address, business phone, and business email address).
    In addition, the cover letter must state the nomination is being 
made in response to this Federal Register Notice and the nominee (if 
nominating someone other than oneself) has agreed to be nominated and 
is willing to serve on the WIAC. Nominees will be appointed based on 
their qualifications, professional experience, and demonstrated 
knowledge of issues related to the purpose and scope of the WIAC, as 
well as diversity considerations. The Department will publish a list of 
the new WIAC members on the WIAC's website at https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/wioa/wiac.

Angela Hanks,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training Administration, 
Labor.
[FR Doc. 2022-03199 Filed 2-22-22; 8:45 am]
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