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. 

Full text of WIOA

Recent Updates:

WIOA Waiver Updates

• Draft versions of waiver requests are posted for review and public comment here.
  • On November 22, 2023 the Office of Workforce Investments posted a draft WIOA waiver request asking to waive the requirement that a minimum of 75% of WIOA Youth Program funds be spent on Out-of-School youth.
    
  • Public comments will be accepted through December 23, 2023.

Policy and Guidance Updates                            

• Draft versions of policies are posted for review and public comment here.
• Oregon's ​finalized WIOA Title I policy Rapid Response Activities and Reporting Requirements was posted on 10/12/23; it can be found here.
• Oregon's finalized WIOA Title I policy Rapid Response Activities and Reporting Requirements was posted on 10/11/23; it can be found here.

Final performance targets for WIOA title I & III programs

(On June 2, 2022, Oregon received notification of finalized, agreed-upon performance targets for Program Years 2023 and 2023. These targets replaced the numbers proposed in Oregon's WIOA state plan.)