Ohio Administrative Code section 5101:9-2-05 is being amended to better reflect federal regulations involving the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) at 29 CFR 37. The WIA laws require that each Workforce Development Agency and Workforce Development Agency contractor operate each WIA program or activity so that it is readily accessible to persons with disabilities and provides meaningful access to persons with Limited English Proficiency and that participants in the WIA programs and activities not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, national origin, disability, age, gender, religion, citizenship, political affiliation or belief, beneficiary status or participant status.

Because ODJFS supervises the WIA programs and activities but the Workforce Development Agencies actually administers the WIA programs and activities, ODJFS requires that each One Stop designate an Equal Opportunity (EO) Officer to make sure the one stop is in compliance with the anti-discriminatory laws and process discrimination and programmatic complaints. The EO officer also acts as a liaison with ODJFS when the Bureau of Civil Rights is investigating or addressing complaints involving the One Stop. The amendments to OAC 5101:9-2-05 include qualifications for the EO officer and directions allowing the EO to perform other duties at the one stop but precluding assignment of duties at the One Stop that create a conflict with the EO duties.

Questions regarding this rule should be directed to Paul Van Pelt in the Bureau of Civil Rights at (614) 644-2703.