Operations Issuance: 2022-03

Issuance Number: 2022-03

Date: February 28, 2022

To: Workforce Partnership Staff and WIOA Subrecipients

From: Shaina Gross, Vice President of Client Services

Subject: CAREER NDWG Policy and Procedures

Purpose:

This operations issuance is to notify YMCA (subrecipient) of the policy and procedures pertaining to the CAREER NDWG program.

Background:

The Department of Labor (DOL) issued the CAREER NDWG to assist in the recovery from the unprecedented unemployment and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Funds for CAREER NDWG will support and enhance comprehensive employment services, including childcare navigation and subsidies, and mental health support for dislocated worker parents. The following information outlines the eligibility criteria for individuals to receive these funds, in addition to the allowable use of funds.

CAREER NDWG Participant Eligibility

The goal of the CAREER NDWG is to serve dislocated worker parents most affected by the economic and employment fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, in particular those from historically marginalized communities and those who have been unemployed for an extended period of time or who have exhausted UI or other Pandemic Unemployment Insurance programs. The following individuals are eligible to receive employment and training assistance under the CAREER NDWG.

  1. A dislocated worker as defined in WIOA section 3(15) and the San Diego Workforce Partnership’s Operations Manual, Chapter 7. Part 1, Section V, B. Dislocated Worker.
  2. Priority will be given to eligible dislocated workers that are parents, with an emphasis on women, because they have been impacted by long term unemployment due to schools being closed in California and limited childcare opportunities.

Qualifying Event

Under 20 CFR 687.110(a), the following events qualify an individual for CAREER NDWG funds. Unlike typical Employment Recovery NDWG funds, CAREER NDWG applicants do not need to document a qualifying event, as the qualifying event for the CAREER NDWG is the deep sustained unemployment resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and  its impact on access to training/employment services for historically marginalized communities.

Mass Layoff or Plant Closure – Layoffs or plant closures affecting 50 or more workers from one employer within the service area of the applicant may qualify for Mass Layoff or Plant Closure for CAREER NDWG.  An applicant may include smaller layoffs at other companies in the area if the primary layoff caused or contributed to the smaller layoffs. 

Industry-Wide Layoffs – Layoff events from multiple companies in the same industry, as determined by the two-digit code level in the North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS), may qualify for Industry-Wide CAREER NDWG.  Additional layoffs affecting fewer than 50 workers may be included in an industry-wide NDWG application when there is at least one company with a layoff affecting 50 or more workers included in the application, and the additional companies are in the same NAICS two-digit code level.   

Community Impact – Multiple small dislocations occurring over a period of up to 12 months that have significantly increased the number of unemployed individuals in a regional or local workforce area may qualify for CAREER NDWG. Community impact grants typically serve rural areas where the employer base is predominantly smaller companies with fewer than 50 employees each, and where layoffs may not meet the definition of “mass layoffs” noted above.  

Approved Grant Activities

For CAREER NDWG funds, the subrecipient must commit to providing at least one of the following types if activities:

Career and Training Services – All staff-assisted career services for participants will focus on reemployment. Where training or work-based learning is needed to become reemployed in a higher wage job than before the pandemic, and where appropriate based on assessments and individual needs, DOL encourages supportive services to allow participants to enter and complete their training programs and become reemployed in family-sustaining employment.

Supportive Services – These are allowable when they are needed to enable individuals to participate employment and employment and training services and when supportive services cannot be obtained through other programs.  All supportive service guidelines must be followed per the Operations Manual, Chapter 4. Adult and Dislocated Worker Program Activities, Attachment – Supportive Services Policy and Procedures. Please note participants enrolled in the CAREER NDWG will have an unlimited supportive service cap. These supportive services can include childcare or elder care, transportation, needs-related payments, and other critical services. CAREER NDWG funds can be used to expand accessibility and capacity through virtual platforms and other technology. For this reason, supportive service funds can also be used to provide participants with computers and hot spot/mi-fi/internet access.

For the CAREER NDWG service delivery plan and approved activity codes, refer to Attachment – CAREEER NDWG Service Delivery Plan.  

CalJOBS Data Entry

Title I – Workforce Development Applications in CalJOBS must be manually updated to indicate that participants are eligible for the CAREER NDWG grant. Only activity codes approved under this grant may be entered. Please refer to the Operation Manual Chapter 5. CalJOBS Data Entry Policies and Procedures.

Performance

Once an individual is enrolled as a program participant in formula funds (CalJOBS grant code 2069 – CAREER NDWG), they will be in performance. An individual becomes a participant in the program when they do all the following: (1) Meet the definition of a dislocated worker, (2) Satisfy all applicable program requirements for the provision of services, including an eligibility determination, and (3) Receive any training service, individualized career service, or basic career service that is not self-service or an information-only service.

Performance considerations should not be a component of determining program eligibility and providing services.

Action:

Effective March 1, 2022, YMCA (subrecipient) may begin providing services to eligible participants for CAREER NDWG activities.

If you have any feedback or questions regarding this issuance, contact your Program Specialist.

References:

  1. To access the chapters and their attachments, go to workforce.org and click on the collapsed menu icon located on the top right-hand side of the webpage. 
  2. Click on “Operations Resources” section. 
  3. Click on “Operations Manual” to see the list of chapters and operational issuances. 
  4. Click on “Special Grant Issuances” to view the policy and attachments.