Employment Service/Wagner-Peyser Funded Activities

The Employment Service (ES) program brings together individuals looking for employment and employers looking for job seekers. It does this by providing a variety of services, which are available to all individuals. The program provides job seekers

Wagner-Peyser program, which provides employment-related labor exchange services. Services include job search assistance, job referral, placement assistance, and other services for job seekers. Services can be either self-service or staff-assisted. There are no eligibility criteria for these employment services. Wagner-Peyser also provides recruitment services to employers.

For Wagner-Peyser Employment Service grants and Labor Market Information grants, eligible applicants include all 50 States, the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and Guam.

The system affords universal access to all job seekers. In addition, services are available to employers seeking to hire workers. Priority of service is given to veterans and other covered persons. These individuals receive priority referral to jobs, as well as specialized employment services and assistance.

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.

Formula funds are provided at the beginning of a program year and are available for expenditure during that program year and the succeeding two program years.

Preapplication coordination is not applicable. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Those portions of the State Plan over which the Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training exercises authority are reviewed and approved by the Employment and Training Administration. Formula funds are awarded to the states based on a statutory formula provided in the authorizing legislation or, as in the case of LMI grants, based on an administrative formula. The State Plans include services to persons with barriers to employment, including persons with disabilities.

2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program.

As provided in regulations.