Department of Education April 16, 2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Secretary proposes to amend the regulations governing the State Vocational Rehabilitation Services program and the State Supported Employment Services program in order to implement changes to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) enacted on July 22, 2014. The Secretary also proposes to update, clarify, and improve the current regulations. Finally, the Secretary proposes to issue new regulations regarding limitations on the use of subminimum wages that are added by WIOA and under the purview of the Department.

The Departments of Education (ED) and Labor (DOL) are proposing, through this Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), to implement jointly-administered activities authorized by title I of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). Through these regulations, the Departments propose to implement job training system reforms and strengthen the nation's workforce development system to put Americans back to work and make the United States more competitive in the 21st Century. This joint proposed rule provides guidance for State and local workforce development systems that increase the skill and credential attainment, employment, retention, and earnings of participants, especially those with significant barriers to employment, thereby improving the quality of the workforce, reducing welfare dependency, and enhancing the productivity and competitiveness of the nation. WIOA strengthened the alignment of the workforce development system's six core programs by imposing unified strategic planning requirements, common performance accountability measures, and requirements governing the one-stop delivery system. In so doing, WIOA placed heightened emphasis on coordination and collaboration at the Federal, State, and local levels to ensure a streamlined and coordinated service delivery system for job seekers, including those with disabilities, and employers. To that end, the Departments of Education and Labor propose to issue this joint NPRM to implement jointly-administered activities under title I of WIOA. These regulations lay the foundation, through coordination and collaboration at the Federal level, for implementing the vision and goals of WIOA. In addition to this joint NPRM, the Departments have proposed separate NPRMs to implement program-specific requirements of WIOA that fall under each Department's purview. The Department of Labor is proposing a NPRM governing program-specific requirements under titles I and III of WIOA. The Department of Education is proposing three NPRMs: one implementing program-specific requirements of the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA), as reauthorized by title II of WIOA; and two NPRMs implementing all program-specific requirements for all programs authorized under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended by title IV of WIOA. The Department-specific NPRMs have been simultaneously published in this issue of the Federal Register. Developing and issuing all five WIOA NPRMs in a coordinated manner reinforces WIOA's heightened emphasis on collaboration to ensure an integrated and seamless service delivery system for job seekers and employers.