34:15C-7 Preparation of New Jersey Unified Workforce Investment Plan.

10. The commission shall prepare a New Jersey Unified Workforce Investment Plan. The plan shall include:

a. A description of the State workforce investment policy developed pursuant to section 8 of this act;

b. An assessment and an evaluation of the demand for various kinds of trained workers in New Jersey and recommendations on how to direct the State's workforce investment efforts to be most effective in using that demand to increase the productivity and earning power of the work force;

c. (Deleted by amendment, P.L.2005, c.354.)

d. A description of any performance standards established pursuant to section 11 of this act and remedial instruction standards established pursuant to section 14 of this act and any evaluation of workforce investment activities based on those standards;

e. Evaluations of other existing workforce investment programs, their goals and structures, and the consistency of each program with the State workforce investment policy developed by the commission;

f. (1) Evaluations of the organizational structures, functions and activities of governmental agencies performing advisory functions or activities in relation to workforce investment programs or services, including advisory functions and activities performed in connection with vocational education, adult education, apprenticeship, vocational rehabilitation and human services programs; and

(2) Recommendations to the Governor about coordination of the State's efforts in these program areas, including, if the commission deems appropriate, a recommendation to the Governor for the transfer of these advisory functions and activities to the jurisdiction of the commission; and

g. Recommendations for any other changes the commission deems appropriate in the overall structure of the State's workforce investment system, including the consolidation of duplicative programs and services and the reallocation of State and federal funds to the agencies able to make the best use of those funds.

The New Jersey Unified State Workforce Investment Plan shall be submitted to the Governor, the Legislature and each department charged with the operation of any program or service which is evaluated by the commission or the subject of a recommendation in the report consistent with the timetable established by the federal Workforce Investment Act of 1998, Pub.L.105-220 (29 U.S.C. s.2801 et seq.).

The New Jersey Unified State Workforce Investment Plan shall be a strategic unified workforce investment plan encompassing all of the required and optional One-Stop partners prescribed by the federal Workforce Investment Act of 1998, Pub.L.105-220 (29 U.S.C. s.2801 et seq.). The plan is intended to create a comprehensive workforce investment system in New Jersey. The programs included in the plan shall include but not be limited to workforce investment-related activities and programs authorized under: the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Amendments of 1998, Pub.L.105-332 (20 U.S.C. s.2301 et seq.); the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, Pub.L.105-220 (29 U.S.C. s.2801 et seq.), including activities for adults, dislocated workers and youth under Title I of that act and adult education and family literacy programs under Title II of that act; the Work First New Jersey program established pursuant to P.L.1997, c.38 (C.44:10-55 et seq.); the federal "Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996," Pub.L.104-193 (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.); the federal Food and Agricultural Act of 1977, Pub.L.95-113 (7 U.S.C.s. 2011 et seq.); chapter 2 of Title II of the Trade Act of 1974, Pub.L.93-618 (19 U.S.C. s.2102 et seq.); the Wagner-Peyser Act (29 U.S.C. s.49 et seq.); Part B of Title I of the "Rehabilitation Act of 1973" (29 U.S.C. s.701 et seq.); 38 U.S.C. s.4100 et seq. and 38 U.S.C. s.4200 et seq., including veterans' employment, disabled veterans' outreach, and local veterans' employment representative programs; the "unemployment compensation law," R.S.43:21-1 et seq.; the "Older Americans Act of 1965" (42 U.S.C. s.3001 et seq.); Titles V and XIX of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. s.701 et seq. and 42 U.S.C. s.1396 et seq.); U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Community Development Block Grants, public housing programs; and Community Services Block Grant Act; and the State Workforce Development Partnership Program, P.L.1992, c.43 (C.34:15D-1 et seq.), including individual grants, customized training, youth transition to work, occupational health and safety training, tuition waivers and basic skills including literacy.

The commission may, at any other time as it deems appropriate, issue additional reports to the Governor and the Legislature concerning any of the subjects addressed in the New Jersey Unified Workforce Investment Plan. Significant changes in the economy or technology or in federal or State policy on any area included in the workforce investment system may result in modifications to the plan.

The commission shall conduct a periodic, comprehensive evaluation of the activities of the workforce investment system and make a periodic report to the Governor and the Legislature regarding the effectiveness of the workforce investment system in implementing the purposes of this act.

L.1989,c.293,s.10; amended 2005, c.354, s.9.