Code of the District of Columbia

§ 32–1603. Workforce Investment Council.

(a) There is created a Workforce Investment Council that shall serve as the District’s state workforce investment board pursuant to section 111 of the Federal Act, which shall carry out the functions of a local workforce investment board as assigned by the Mayor pursuant to section 117(c)(4) of the Federal Act.

(b) Repealed.

(c) The Council shall have grant-making authority for the purpose of providing competitive grants under the authority granted to the Council by this subchapter; provided, that grants shall be administered pursuant to the requirements set forth in part B of subchapter XII-A of Chapter 3 of Title 1 [§ 1-328.11 et seq.].

(d) The Council shall have grant-making authority for the purpose of providing competitive grants based on the recommendations of the Workforce Intermediary Task Force, made pursuant to the Workforce Intermediary Task Force Establishment Temporary Act of 2011, effective December 2, 2011 (D.C. Law 19-55; 58 DCR 8962), and approved by the Council in the Workforce Intermediary Task Force Recommendations Emergency Approval Resolution of 2012, effective June 5, 2012 (Res. 19-454; 59 DCR 7454); provided, that grants shall be administered pursuant to the requirements set forth in part B of subchapter XII-A of Chapter 3 of Title 1 [§ 1-328.11 et seq.].

(e) The Mayor shall appoint members of the Workforce Investment Council in a manner consistent with the requirements of section 101 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, approved July 22, 2014 (128 Stat. 1440; 29 U.S.C. § 3111); provided, that the Workforce Investment Council shall include 2 members of the Council of the District of Columbia appointed by the Chairman of the Council of the District of Columbia.

(f) The WIC shall:

(1) Assist the Mayor in the selection of the WIC Executive Director;

(2) In cooperation with the WIA administrative entity:

(A) Develop the District’s state plan consistent with the requirements of section 112 of the Federal Act;

(B) Negotiate the District’s state performance measures as required under section 136(b) of the Federal Act; and

(C) Develop the District’s annual report as required under section 136(d) of the Federal Act;

(3) Establish policies and guidance for the District’s American Job Center system as required under section 134(c) of the Federal Act;

(4) In coordination with the WIA administrative entity, develop and implement District-wide employment and training activities as required under section 134(a) of the Federal Act;

(5) Develop and implement a workforce intermediary pilot project, as described in § 2-219.04b;

(6) Develop applications for incentive grants pursuant to section 503 of the Federal Act; and

(7) Collect and compile the information required to develop the Workforce Development System Expenditure Guide pursuant to subchapter I-A of this chapter.

(g) The Mayor shall certify WIC as the local workforce investment board for the District of Columbia not less than once every 2 years, consistent with the requirements of section 117(c) of the Federal Act.

(h) The Mayor shall designate WIC to:

(1) Certify American Job Centers;

(2) Select and terminate American Job Centers;

(3) In coordination with the WIA administrative entity, develop a memorandum of agreement with mandatory partner programs for the administration of American Job Centers, which shall include a resource-sharing agreement;

(4) Establish eligibility and performance requirements for training providers to be considered eligible to receive ITA funds;

(5) Identify demand occupations for which training may be provided and develop a demand occupation list not less than once every 2 years;

(6) Implement a procedure for determining initial and subsequent eligibility of training providers;

(7) Establish and implement eligibility and performance requirements for providers of training services other than those provided through ITAs, including on-the-job training and customized training services;

(8) Develop and implement a policy for the selection of providers of youth employment and training services consistent with section 123 of the Federal Act;

(9) Establish a youth council consistent with section 117(h) of the Federal Act;

(10) Develop an annual operating budget for WIC;

(11) In cooperation with the WIA administrative entity, advise the Mayor and the Office of the Chief Financial Officer of the District of Columbia on the annual budget and spending plan for youth activities as described in section 129 of the Federal Act and employment and training activities as described in section 134 of the Federal Act; and

(12) Coordinate workforce development activities with economic development strategies and other employer linkages.

(i)(1) The WIC shall direct the WIA administrative entity to disburse funds received pursuant to sections 127 and 132 of the Federal Act to support the activities described in subsections (d) and (e) of this section, consistent with WIC policies.

(2) The WIA administrative entity shall disburse the funds described in paragraph (1) of this subsection immediately upon the direction of the local workforce investment board; provided, that the direction does not violate a provision of the Federal Act or District law.

(j) The WIC may hire staff to assist it in carrying out its responsibilities, as described in subsections (f) and (h) of this section.