Chapter 31 - Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Administration
5101:9-31-07 Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) National Dislocated Worker Grant (NDWG) Allocation
Effective Date: June 25, 2021

(A)The Ohio department of job and family services (ODJFS) issues NDWG allocations to the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) local areas to provide assistance in response to large, unexpected economic events which cause significant job losses as described in section 170 of WIOA and the corresponding federal regulations included in 20 C.F.R. 687.

(1)NDWG funds assist WIOA local areas in temporarily expanding the capacity to serve dislocated workers, including military services members, and meeting the increased demand for employment and training services, with the goal of quickly reemploying laid-off workers and enhancing their employability and earnings.

(2)Disaster NDWGs provide funding to create temporary employment opportunities to assist with clean-up and recovery efforts, when a WIOA local area impacted by disaster is declared eligible for public assistance by the federal emergency management agency (FEMA) or otherwise recognized by a federal agency with authority or jurisdiction over the federal response to the emergency or disaster.

(3)NDWG funds are available in response to significant dislocation events that create a sudden need for assistance, which exceeds the on-going operations of the formula-funded dislocated worker program, including resources reserved at the state level.

(B)The assistance listings number is 17.277.

(C)ODJFS communicates the funding and liquidation periods through the county finance information system (CFIS). The WIOA local area can incur obligations through the funding period and disburse and report expenditures no later than the end of the liquidation period. Expenditure of NDWG funds is authorized under the biennial WIOA subgrant agreements executed between ODJFS and each local area.

(D)ODJFS negotiates the scope of services to be provided with an NDWG with the United States department of labor (DOL). The services are based on the needs of the targeted population covered by the NDWG, information provided by the WIOA local area where the event(s) occurred, and other relevant circumstances. NDWG funds are generally used for the following services:

(1)Career and training services as defined in sections 134(c)(2) and (c)(3) of WIOA;

(2)Supportive and enhanced career pathway services to help workers participate in the activities provided for under the NDWG;

(3)Needs related payments (NRP) provided as financial assistance to support other employment and training assistance needs for dislocated workers to participate in training services; and

(4)Disaster projects and short term relief employment.

(E)WIOA local areas that have identified the need for NDWG assistance shall submit a formal request to ODJFS in accordance with the following procedures:

(1)Requests may be submitted at any time during the program year (PY).

(2)Requests shall be developed by or in conjunction with the WIOA local area and chief elected official(s) of the WIOA local area(s) in which the proposed project is to operate.

(F)WIOA local areas shall apply and receive approval from the office of workforce development (OWD) to receive funding.

(1)Upon approval of the formal request, each WIOA local area will receive a commitment of funding for planning purposes as well as an allocation, which may be less than the commitment.

(2)WIOA local areas shall expend seventy per cent or more of the current allocation before requesting additional funds from their total commitment; and upon expenditure of seventy per cent of the current allocation, a WIOA local area may request additional funding by submitting documentation to ODJFS of the following:

(a)Total expenditures;

(b)An estimate of additional funding needs to the end of the grant period; and

(c)An explanation of how the additional funds will be spent.

(3)ODJFS will review the information in order to determine the increased allocation amount.

(4)As participating areas request additional funding, ODJFS may have a need to revise the commitments of funding for other WIOA local areas in order to maximize utilization of Ohio's NDWG resources. ODJFS submits all NDWG applications to DOL on behalf of the WIOA local areas.

(5)WIOA local areas may contact ODJFS if NDWG funds are not available to serve impacted workers. At that time, ODJFS will assess all available resources, and in coordination with the WIOA local area, determine how best to support the workers with WIOA statewide or rapid response funds.

(G)A WIOA local area that receives an NDWG allocation shall report expenditures as described in rule 5101:9-7-29 of the Administrative Code.

(H)In addition to WIOA and the corresponding federal regulations, WIOA local areas, subcontractors, and subrecipients of NDWG funds shall adhere to all federal, state, and local rules, laws, and regulations, the applicable provisions of the WIOA subgrant agreements, and other limitations or provisions identified by ODJFS, including the office of budget and management (OMB) uniform guidance and cost principles codified at 2 C.F.R. 200.

(I)The WIOA local area shall maintain documentation as described in rule 5101:9-9-21 of the Administrative Code. This documentation may be subject to inspection, monitoring, and audit by the ODJFS office of fiscal and monitoring services (OFMS) and the Ohio auditor of state (AOS).

Replaces: 5101:9-6-53

Effective: 6/25/2021

Certification: CERTIFIED ELECTRONICALLY

Date: 06/15/2021

Promulgated Under: 111.15

Statutory Authority: 5101.02, 6301.03

Rule Amplifies: 5101.02, 6301.03

Prior Effective Dates: 06/05/2005, 10/15/2006, 07/01/2010, 12/01/2010, 05/14/2016