Agenda

Return

C. 68

To:	Board of Supervisors
From:	Kathy Gallagher, Employment & Human Services Director
Date:	October 18, 2016

Contra

Costa

County

Subject:

Local Employer Participation in the On-th-Job-Training Program

APPROVE	OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR	RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE

Action of Board On: 10/18/2016

APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED

OTHER

Clerks Notes:

VOTE OF SUPERVISORS

AYE:

John Gioia, District I Supervisor
Candace Andersen, District II Supervisor
Mary N. Piepho, District III Supervisor
Karen Mitchoff, District IV Supervisor
Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor

Contact:

Elaine Burres, 313-1717

I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: October 18, 2016
David Twa,

BY:	, Deputy

RECOMMENDATION(S):

APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Employment and Human Services Director, or designee, to execute contracts with local employers in an amount not to exceed $300,000, $150,000 per year, to allow partial reimbursement of expenses employers incur to hire and provide training to Federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act on the-job-training clients for the period July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2018.

FISCAL IMPACT:

$300,000, not to exceed $150,000 per year for 2 years. (100% Federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act funds) (CFDA #17.258, #17.278).

BACKGROUND:

On-the-Job-Training (OJT) is an allowable and fundable activity under the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). Program participants are eligible for and enrolled in the WIOA OJT program and are hired as regular full time employees by local employers, and trained for positions in which they are placed. Employers are responsible for payroll, associated taxes, and Workers' Compensation for each OJT participant. Through a Master OJT Agreement with the employer occupational training is provided for OJT Program participants in exchange for reimbursement ranging from 50% to 75% of the wage rate to offset the employer's training costs for a specific period of time. In addition, a training plan of skills to be learned, the OJT agreement sets forth the duration of the agreement (based on the participant's training needs) and the reimbursement rate (based on the participant's characteristics or barriers to employment).

Positive features of the OJT Program are:
1. The OJT Program helps employers recruit, pre-screen, hire, and train new employees in the specific skills that are needed to assist the employer's business thrive, and,
2. The OJT Program participant starts as a permanent employee, receives training in a work setting while gaining knowledge of the job and acquiring/applying occupational skills.

Reimbursement invoices/demands are submitted by the employer for each client employed through the OJT Program. Invoices are reviewed by the Workforce Development Board staff for accuracy and submitted to the Employment and Human Services Department Fiscal Unit for payment.

CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:

Without approval, local employers and WIOA on-the-job-training (OJT) program participants would be adversely impacted and the economic benefits of the OJT Program would not be realized.

CHILDREN'S IMPACT STATEMENT:

Not applicable.