The purpose of the ES program is to bring together individuals looking for employment and employers looking for job seekers

The Department of Employment Oregon received a formula grant award of $8.4 million from the U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration (ETA) for the Employment Service/Wagner-Peyser Funded Activities program (CFDA 17.207). The award, effective July 1, 2025 through September 30, 2028, funds universal access employment services designed to connect job seekers with employment opportunities and assist employers in identifying qualified candidates. Core services delivered include job search assistance, career counseling, skills assessments, labor market information dissemination, and job referral and placement services. The program explicitly excludes direct training provision, instead focusing on labor exchange mechanisms and career guidance to facilitate rapid workforce reentry.

The Oregon Employment Department may subaward portions of these funds to conduct labor market information research and deliver specific employment services through partner organizations, including career interest assessments, career guidance, job search workshops, and appropriate referrals to employment opportunities. Services are available to all individuals without eligibility restrictions, with particular attention to populations with barriers to employment. The program operates as a cornerstone of Oregon's public workforce system infrastructure, supporting both individual job seekers and employers through American Job Centers and local workforce development partnerships.

Activities

The ES is a universal access program that provides services to all individuals who need services. Allowable services include assessments of career interests, career guidance when appropriate, job search workshops, and referral to jobs or training as appropriate. Services offered to employers include referral of job seekers to job openings 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. Training services are not provided and not allowable under ES program.

Expected outcomes

The ES program outcomes are to ensure that individuals are able to access and receive the services they need to overcome barriers to employment and reenter the workforce system as quickly as possible.

Intended beneficiaries

This is a universal access program that is available to all individuals.

Subrecipient activities

The grantees may subaward funds to conduct LMI research as well as the provision of specific services such as assessments of career interests, career guidance, job search workshops, referral to jobs or training as appropriate, and others.