Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act

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. 
Recent Updates:
  • ​​June/July 2018 - Review copies posted for the following fiscal policies: Local Workforce Development Area Procurement Processes; Cost Principles and Allowable Costs; Financial Management Standards; Records Retention; and Recapture and Reallocation of WIOA Funds.
  • June/July 2018 - 2018 Tables and updated links to the federal tables that determine “low income individual” status posted. Link in guidance document updated.
  • May/June 2018 - Policy and Guidance Glossary added. Guidance letters posted: On-the-Job Training and Local Plan Review and Modification.
  • May/June - Review copies posted for the following fiscal policies: Cash Management; Program Income; and Equipment and Supplies.
  • May 2018 - Public notice posted containing additional proposed language for the modification of Oregon's WIOA state plan, related to WIOA title II programs (see bottom of this column). 
  • April 2018 - Added a Fiscal Policies page. Posted Transfer of Funds Guidance Letter and Financial Reporting Policy. 
  • April 2018 - Updates made to Lower Living Standard Income Level and Poverty Guidelines and tables. Poverty Guidelines for 2018 were added/linked. LLISL numbers are expected in May 2018.
  • April 2018 - WIOA policy 134(c), Career and Training Services, status update from "review Copy" to "Original" - no content revisions.
  • March 2018 - WIOA policy 129(a), Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Title IB Youth Eligibility, updated with minor revisions.
  • March 2018 - Public notice posted containing the requirements and proposed language for the modification of Oregon's WIOA state plan (see bottom of this column).
  • January 2018 - One-Stop Certification documents for all Local Workforce Development Areas posted (linked from the Policies and Guidance page).
  • January 2018 - Policies and Guidance page updated with "Oregon Workforce and Talent Development Board" section header.
  • October 2017 - A link to the WIOA Priority of Service for WIOA Adult Funds Desk Reference was added to the Policies and Guidance page.

Proposed modification of Oregon's WIOA state plan (titles I-III)

Proposed modification of Oregon's WIOA State Plan (title II) - May 2018

Final performance targets for WIOA title I & III programs

(On June 5, 2018, Oregon received notification of finalized, agreed-upon performance targets for Program Years 2018 and 2019. These targets replace the numbers proposed in Oregon's initial plan modification (above), and Appendix 1 of Oregon's WIOA state plan was modified to include these new targets.)

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