2022 Michigan Works! Association Federal Priorities

2022

FEDERAL

LEGISLATIVE
PRIORITIES

WORKFORCE ACTION:
INNOVATION AND
OPPORTUNITY ACT Increase funding for WIOA workforce and adult
(WIOA) education grants to at least authorized levels and
REAUTHORIZATION restore career and technical (CTE) state grand funding.

WIOA is designed to help job seekers access employment, The impacts of COVID-19 leave job seekers and employers across
education, training, and support services to succeed in the Michigan in a desperate situation to re-connect to the economy and
labor market to match employers with the skilled workers find qualified talent for open positions. Building on the success of
they need to compete in the global economy. Over nearly WIOA, we will work with Congress to increase federal workforce
two decades, instead of continuing to invest in our development investments through the successor to WIOA and
workforce, federal investments have been cut. prioritize policies which facilitate incumbent worker training and
skills-based training opportunities.

After nearly two decades of disinvestment, workers and businesses
need significant new investment in skills and retention supports today
to support the workforce of tomorrow. This disinvestment has left
businesses struggling to find skilled workers and left workers without
pathways to better-paying jobs.

The Michigan Works! network supports incorporating additional funding
to implement greater services to justice-involved individuals and
wraparound services for more participants.

• HR 6756 -- Workforce Opportunity for Returning Citizens Act:
authorize training programs for ex-offenders, emphasis on
skilled trades.

• HR 7106 -- Empowering Individuals to Succeed through Education
and Workforce Training Act: authorize a separate Supportive
Services Training Fund under WIOA. New funding source would
provide supportive services for a broader array of supports com-
pared to those typically made available to WIOA participants.

UNITED STATES ACTION:
COMPETITIVENESS
AND THE IMPORTANCE We strongly support a recent Memorandum
OF A STRONG AND of Understanding between the U.S.
INCLUSIVE Departments of Transportation and Labor to better
WORKFORCE coordinate workforce and infrastructure program
implementation.
The recently enacted Infrastructure Investment and
Jobs Act provides additional opportunities for the local Through these industries, local Michigan Works! agencies can
workforce development system to engage with state improve job quality and provide job training amd employment to
and local transportation agencies to address worker underrepresented populations. As Congress considers broader
shortages impacting the transportation and renewable U.S. Competitiveness legislation, it should continue to prioritize
energy sectors. investments in workforce development. In Michigan, local Michigan
Works! agencies have strong partnerships across the automobile
supply chain and work directly with businesses to identify, connect,
and train its workforce.

Additionally, the Michigan Works! network would support an
amendment to the House COMPETES Act which would expand
Pell Grant eligibility to high-quality, short-term programs.

TEMPORARY ACTION:
ASSISTANCE FOR
NEEDY FAMILIES Modernize TANF to support training opportunities.
(TANF)
REAUTHORIZATION More than 80% of today’s jobs require postsecondary education and
training, but less than 10% of adult TANF recipients have education
The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) beyond high school. Congress should update TANF to expand access
program provides states and territories with flexibility in to high-quality training and education that leads to in-demand
operating programs designed to help low-income families credentials. This could include incorporating WIOA performance
with children achieve economic self-sufficiency. States metrics for employment outcomes. We suggest expanding the list of
use TANF to fund monthly cash assistance payments to allowable activities to include High School Equivalency programs,
low-income families with children, as well as a wide range apprenticeship and CTE. It is imperative that alignment between WIOA
of services. and TANF is established given that more TANF individuals are being
served at one-stop career centers.

The Michigan Works! network supports aligning federal workforce
programs to ensure seamless service delivery at the local level.

WAGNER-PEYSER ACTION:
RULEMAKING CHANGE
Express your opposition to the proposed rule change
A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking regarding and provide your active support in emphasizing to
Wagner-Peyser Employment Services was} the U.S. Department of Labor and Michigan’s
recently released. The proposed rule as written would congressional delegation that maintaining Michigan’s
end Michigan’s long-standing service delivery model ‘demonstration state’ status is in the best interest of
which uses local staff to ensure quick and efficient re- Michiganders.
sponses. Michigan Works! would no longer be eligible for
Employment Service (Wagner-Peyser) funds, and instead, We anticipate at least 20 of the 99 Michigan Works! American
State of Michigan staff would deliver the services. Job Centers will be forced to close, primarily those serving rural
communities.

If implemented, the new structure would have a catastrophic effect
on Michigan Works! services and workers. A dramatic reduction of
business services, including 88 percent of Michigan Works! agencies
providing decreased assistance with recruiting and retention services,
100 percent forced to reduce and eliminate job fairs, and 87 percent
forced to cut support of industry-led collaboratives would occur.

Michigan residents who are most vulnerable would encounter forced
discontinuation of critical workforce services, with 80 percent of
Michigan Works! agencies being forced to reduce services to Veterans;
62 percent eliminating and 18 percent reducing immigrant and
refugee navigator services; 63 percent eliminating and 31 percent
reducing Clean Slate services for formerly incarcerated people;
and 86 percent having to reduce the more than 9,000 career
awareness events -- mostly for youth and college students -- including
the award-winning MiCareerQuest events.

ABOUT THE MICHIGAN MICHIGAN WORKS ASSOCIATION
WORKS! ASSOCIATION 2500 Kerry Street, Suite 210
Lansing, MI 48912
As the professional organization representing the
Michigan Works! network, the Michigan Works! [P] 517-371-1100
Association is committed to advocating for [800] 285-WORKS [9675]
workforce development issues throughout its system,
the employers they serve and the job seekers who MICHIGANWORKS.ORG
walk through their doors each day. #MIWORKS | @MICHWORKSASSN

The Association’s federal legislative advocacy is Equal Opportunity Employer/Trainer.
member-centric. At the start of each year the Auxiliary aids and services are available upon
Association does a thorough review of current and
upcoming federal issues that impact workforce request to individuals with disabilities.
development and establish the Association’s federal
policy priorities and positions. This advocacy is both
proactive (messaging on Michigan Works! priorities)
and reactive (responsive to anticipated federal policy
discussions).

Lawmakers have a direct impact on the work the
Michigan Works! network does every day, so it is
critical that existing relationships are strengthened,
and new ones are forged. On the federal level we
do this by scheduling visits for our members to meet
with federal lawmakers in Washington D.C. about
national workforce development issues that have an
impact on the residents of our state.

The Association and its members also work
closely with members of the Governor’s cabinet,
across a variety of state departments, as well as the
U.S. Department of Labor, on policy initiatives that
impact workforce development.

FEDERAL ADVOCACY CONTACT:
Jeff Cassidy
Director of Policy
Phone: (517) 371-1100, ext. 210
Cell: (517) 930-5067
Email: [email protected]