New law goes into effect soon to help disabled find jobs

By JERRY WOLFFE

The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act became law last July 22 and goes into effect in the nation's 50 states this July 1 with the goal of increasing the number of people with disabilities find meaningful jobs.
Mary Costillo of the Vocational Rehabilitation Department in Texas said only "one in five" people with a disability in this nation is employed, an astoundingly horrific economic and social situation for the estimated 58 million people in the United States who have a disability.
She criticized employers in her state saying Tuesday (4.28.2015) that employers are hiring "not based on a person's need." Thus, an environment of failure is being created. Apparently, employers have not been implementing reasonable accommodation in hiring people with disabilities as required by the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act, she noted.
"We hope to change this," she said.
A Facebook page, Workforce Innovations and Opportunity Act, has been created to get the word out about the new law.
The LEAD Center, funded by the US Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Policy, is hosting a four-part webinar series titled "WIOA From a Disability Perspective."
To participate in this webinar Wednesday from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. (EST), go to https://leadcenter.webex.com/mw0401lsp13/mywebex/default.do?nomenu=true&siteurl=leadcenter&service=6&rnd=0.8158714542156543&main_url=https%3A%2F%2Fleadcenter.webex.com%2Fec0701lsp13%2Feventcenter%2Fevent%2FeventAction.do%3FtheAction%3Ddetail%26confViewID%3D1751339289%26%26EMK%3D4832534b0000000241b0ae009847272940ae84496a0476c54b1bad4870160e2b5142ea13f034d88a%26%26%26siteurl%3Dleadcenter
to participate in the webinar.

The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act 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, according to a press release.
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. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) will issue further guidance on the timeframes for implementation of these changes and proposed regulations reflecting the changes in WIOA soon after enactment.

At a state and local level, Workforce Investment Boards (WIBs) must engage in a unified strategic planning process that will enhance their focus on cross-system collaboration (Title I Adult and Youth programs and services with Wagner-Peyser Employment Services and Title I of the Rehabilitation Act programs).
WIOA represents new opportunities for support for job seekers with disabilities that increases responsibility of WIBs and American Job Centers to be fully accessible and offer necessary accommodations to provide job seekers with disabilities effective and meaningful participation in the use of skills training and career pathways for 21st century jobs.