Employment Service/Wagner-Peyser Funded Activities

FORMULA GRANTS: Wagner-Peyser Employment Services Grants: The Wagner-Peyser Act of 1933 established a nationwide system of public employment offices collectively known as the Employment Service (ES). The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), amended Wagner-Peyser, making the Employment Service part of the American Job Center (AJC) Network, also known as the One-Stop Career Center delivery system. AJCs provide an integrated array of high-quality services which allow workers, job seekers, and businesses to access services under one roof, with many services also offered through self-service electronic access, both at the Centers and remotely on the Internet. These services provide universal access to all including persons with barriers to employment. For Wagner-Peyser Employment Services Grants to States, funds must be used for career services, including labor exchange activities and the provision of labor market information. Training is not an allowable activity. Services available include assessments of career interests, career guidance when appropriate, job search workshops, and referral to jobs or training as appropriate. Services offered to employers in addition to referral of job seekers to job openings, include matching job requirements with applicants' experience, skills and other attributes; helping with special recruitment needs; assisting employers with hard-to-fill job orders; assisting with job restructuring; and helping employers assist laid-off workers. Under WIOA, the ES has increased its reemployment services to Unemployment Insurance (UI) claimants. Under Wagner-Peyser Act Section 7(b), 10 percent of the total sums allotted to each state workforce agency (SWA) are reserved for use by the Governor to provide performance incentives, services for individuals with special needs, and for the extra costs of exemplary models for enhancing state workforce staff with professional development and career advancement opportunities. Labor Market Information Grants to States: These fund the provision of state and local workforce information to job seekers, employers, and educators, job trainers, economic developers and others. Such information includes job opportunities, employment projections, workforce trends, career guidance, wage rates, and other data and information. The amended Wagner-Peyser Act under WIOA has enhanced collaboration among employment and training programs by States mandating co-location of ES offices with the one-stop offices. WIOA aligns the service delivery, planning and performance data within the one-stop delivery system.

For Wagner-Peyser Employment Services Grants to states, the funds must be used for career services, including labor exchange activities, labor market and for workforce information purposes. Training is not an allowable activity.