Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014
President Barack Obama signed the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) into law on July 22, 2014. WIOA is designed to help job seekers access employment, education, training, and support services to succeed in the labor market and to match employers with the skilled workers they need to compete in the global economy. Congress passed the Act by a wide bipartisan majority; it is the first legislative reform in 15 years of the public workforce system.
Every year the key programs that form the pillars of WIOA help tens of millions of job seekers and workers to connect to good jobs and acquire the skills and credentials needed to obtain them. The enactment of WIOA provides opportunity for reforms to ensure the American Job Center system is job-driven—responding to the needs of employers and preparing workers for jobs that are available now and in the future.
WIOA supersedes the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 and amends the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act, the Wagner-Peyser Act, and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. In general, the Act takes effect on July 1, 2015, the first full program year after enactment, unless otherwise noted. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) will issue further guidance on the timeframes for implementation of these changes and proposed regulations reflecting the changes in WIOA soon after enactment.
For more information on WIOA you can visit the following websites:
U.S. Department of Education/OSERS-Rehabilitation Services Administration
H.R.803-113th Congress (Public Law No: 113-128)
Vision for the One-Stop Delivery System under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)
WIOA partners & stakeholders training materials:
WIOA - Important Changes (1MB)
WIOA - Unified State Planning (600KB)
WIOA - Youth Services (1MB)