1. Within
sixty days of the issuance of this Order, current county and multi-county
PICs, in cooperation with their chief elected local officials,
shall develop plans to assume the additional responsibilities
as provided under this Order, and to implement those additional
responsibilities through a Workforce Investment Board.
2. In areas
where more than one PIC serves a county, those PICs shall work
cooperatively to develop a single county-based Workforce Investment
Board to meet the needs of the entire county workforce population.
3. Workforce
Investment Boards shall have all of the rights, duties, and responsibilities
now held by any of its constituent PICs as well as all authority
granted pursuant to this Order.
4. Workforce
Investment Board membership shall be consistent with the provisions
of N.J.S.A. 34:15C-15(b). The SETC shall establish additional
guidelines concerning the composition of the Workforce Investment
Boards to ensure that membership is broad-based and includes local
business, education, labor, training, and social services representatives.
5. The Workforce
Investment Boards shall maintain statutory responsibilities under
the federal Job Training Partnership Act and N.J.S.A. 34:15C-15,
however, their emphasis shall be on the coordination of all workforce
readiness programs in their local areas.
6. The Workforce
Investment Boards shall:
(a) assess
the labor market and develop a local strategic plan to optimize
federal, State and local workforce readiness resources within
their boundaries;
(b) address
the concerns of traditionally marginalized populations, such
as women and minorities, who constitute the majority of new
entrants to the workforce by developing specific plans and activities
to serve these populations;
(c) act
to influence both program management and resource allocation
by analyzing local needs and opportunities and coordinating
federal, State, and local resources to achieve defined goals;
(d) design
a consolidated workforce investment plan to replace the current
separate plans developed for each applicable federal, State
and locally funded program; and
(e) establish
a marketing and development strategy to ensure the local community
is aware of the purpose and functions of the Workforce Investment
Board.
7. The SETC
immediately shall develop a Statewide workforce investment plan
to be incorporated into the Plan, which, together with periodic
updates, will be used as a guide for Workforce Investment Boards
as they they develop and improve local plans.
8. Each
workforce investment plan shall include:
(a) the
development of an integrated service delivery system to serve
the needs of the local population;
(b) the
establishment of a School-to-Work system;
(c) an
assessment of community needs with a special emphasis on urban
areas and special needs school districts served by the Workforce
Investment Board;
(d) a
coordination of local resources in support of welfare reform
efforts to move recipients of public assistance into work activities;
(e) an
analysis of the available resources;
(f) a
comprehensive plan for the utilization of available resources
to meet the community's workforce readiness needs;
(g) an
evaluation of any workforce readiness system currently in place;
(h) an
oversight and review procedure for implementation of the plan;
and
(i) other
components as established by the SETC.
9. The SETC
shall review the workforce investment plans to recommend improvements
and suggest methods of coordinating with the other local plans.
The workforce investment plans, along with the SETC comments,
shall be forwarded to the Commissioner of Labor, who will ensure
that the plans comply with State and federal law, and are consistent
with the Plan.
10. Except
where specifically otherwise directed, the Commissioner of Labor
shall exercise the authority of the Governor to:
(a) request,
accept and direct the allocation of federal and State funds
related to workforce readiness programs in the State of New
Jersey;
(b) assure
that the State is in compliance with the provisions of all federal
laws governing the workforce readiness system and provide for
corrective actions when necessary;
(c) resolve
disputes arising under the workforce readiness programs; and
(d) carry
out such other related responsibilities as specified or implied
under the workforce readiness laws.
11. The
Commissioner of Labor shall coordinate activities with affected
departments, which will maintain statutory authority over programs
within their jurisdiction.
12. The
Department of Labor, in conjunction with the SETC and other affected
State departments, shall coordinate the development of an integrated
service delivery system for workforce development, which shall
be incorporated into the Plan. The delivery system must provide
for common intake and assessment for those utilizing workforce
readiness programs, uniform administrative procedures and performance
standards, and compatible technology.
13. The
Departments of Commerce and Economic Development, Community Affairs,
Education, Human Services, and Labor shall direct workforce readiness
resources in a manner consistent with the development of a unified
workforce readiness system. Priority shall be given to those areas
in which broadly inclusive Workforce Investment Boards are developing
coordinated strategies for the delivery of services to the public
consistent with paragraphs 4 and 5 of this Order.
14. Administrative
funding for the workforce readiness system shall be obtained from
all workforce readiness programs. Funding ratios for the allocation
of administrative funding shall be established cooperatively by
the departments which fund or administer workforce development
programs. The Commissioner of Labor, in consultation with the
SETC, shall set criteria and standards for any Workforce Investment
Board administrators hired with these administrative resources.
15. The
Chairman of the SETC shall continue to determine the budget necessary
to carry out the SETC's responsibilities under the federal Job
Training Partnership Act and N.J.S.A. 34:15C-1, et seq. Annual
expenditures of an amount not to exceed twenty percent (20%) of
the State's five percent (5%) resources available to the Governor
under the federal Job Training Partnership Act is hereby authorized.
16. The
SETC shall develop Statewide guidelines for the implementation
of this Order within thirty days of the issuance hereof.
17. The
Commissioner of Labor shall exercise all administrative authority
necessary to effect the Statewide expansion of PICs into Workforce
Investment Boards by no later than July 1, 1996.
18. Executive
Order 107 (Florio 1993) is hereby rescinded.
19. This
Order shall take effect immediately.
GIVEN,
under my hand and seal
this 12th day of May in the Year
of Our Lord, One Thousand Nine
Hundred and Ninety Five, and of
the Independence of the United
States, the Two Hundred and Eighteenth.
/s/
Christine Todd Whitman
Governor