State of New Jersey
Executive Order #36

Governor Christine Todd Whitman

WHEREAS, New Jersey's skilled workforce is our strength as we compete in the world economy; and

WHEREAS, investments in training and education foster high skill/high wage jobs, provide economic leadership for the State, and offer a better standard of living for our citizens; and

WHEREAS, to remain competitive, New Jersey must develop a State-based and locally delivered strategy for an integrated education and job training system based on current and future State and local area labor market demands; and

WHEREAS, the New Jersey Departments of Labor and Education, in conjunction with other State agencies, have been charged with the responsibility to implement a coordinated workforce readiness system consistent with the design constructed by the State Employment and Training Commission ("SETC") in A Unified Plan for New Jersey's Workforce Readiness System (the "Plan"); and

WHEREAS, a coordinated workforce readiness system, in concert with the State's overall economic development strategy, would guide federal, State, and local resources in a manner that promotes a high quality, globally competitive workforce; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 34:15C-15e(7), a coordinated workforce readiness system can be achieved through the expansion of the State's local Private Industry Councils ("PICs") into broad-based Workforce Investment Boards with responsibilities consistent with the Plan;

NOW THEREFORE, I, CHRISTINE TODD WHITMAN, Governor of the State of New Jersey, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and by the Statutes of this State, do hereby ORDER and DIRECT:

1. Within sixty days of the issuance of this Order, current county and multi-county PICs, in cooperation with their chief elected local officials, shall develop plans to assume the additional responsibilities as provided under this Order, and to implement those additional responsibilities through a Workforce Investment Board.

2. In areas where more than one PIC serves a county, those PICs shall work cooperatively to develop a single county-based Workforce Investment Board to meet the needs of the entire county workforce population.

3. Workforce Investment Boards shall have all of the rights, duties, and responsibilities now held by any of its constituent PICs as well as all authority granted pursuant to this Order.

4. Workforce Investment Board membership shall be consistent with the provisions of N.J.S.A. 34:15C-15(b). The SETC shall establish additional guidelines concerning the composition of the Workforce Investment Boards to ensure that membership is broad-based and includes local business, education, labor, training, and social services representatives.

5. The Workforce Investment Boards shall maintain statutory responsibilities under the federal Job Training Partnership Act and N.J.S.A. 34:15C-15, however, their emphasis shall be on the coordination of all workforce readiness programs in their local areas.

6. The Workforce Investment Boards shall:

(a) assess the labor market and develop a local strategic plan to optimize federal, State and local workforce readiness resources within their boundaries;

(b) address the concerns of traditionally marginalized populations, such as women and minorities, who constitute the majority of new entrants to the workforce by developing specific plans and activities to serve these populations;

(c) act to influence both program management and resource allocation by analyzing local needs and opportunities and coordinating federal, State, and local resources to achieve defined goals;

(d) design a consolidated workforce investment plan to replace the current separate plans developed for each applicable federal, State and locally funded program; and

(e) establish a marketing and development strategy to ensure the local community is aware of the purpose and functions of the Workforce Investment Board.

7. The SETC immediately shall develop a Statewide workforce investment plan to be incorporated into the Plan, which, together with periodic updates, will be used as a guide for Workforce Investment Boards as they they develop and improve local plans.

8. Each workforce investment plan shall include:

(a) the development of an integrated service delivery system to serve the needs of the local population;

(b) the establishment of a School-to-Work system;

(c) an assessment of community needs with a special emphasis on urban areas and special needs school districts served by the Workforce Investment Board;

(d) a coordination of local resources in support of welfare reform efforts to move recipients of public assistance into work activities;

(e) an analysis of the available resources;

(f) a comprehensive plan for the utilization of available resources to meet the community's workforce readiness needs;

(g) an evaluation of any workforce readiness system currently in place;

(h) an oversight and review procedure for implementation of the plan; and

(i) other components as established by the SETC.

9. The SETC shall review the workforce investment plans to recommend improvements and suggest methods of coordinating with the other local plans. The workforce investment plans, along with the SETC comments, shall be forwarded to the Commissioner of Labor, who will ensure that the plans comply with State and federal law, and are consistent with the Plan.

10. Except where specifically otherwise directed, the Commissioner of Labor shall exercise the authority of the Governor to:

(a) request, accept and direct the allocation of federal and State funds related to workforce readiness programs in the State of New Jersey;

(b) assure that the State is in compliance with the provisions of all federal laws governing the workforce readiness system and provide for corrective actions when necessary;

(c) resolve disputes arising under the workforce readiness programs; and

(d) carry out such other related responsibilities as specified or implied under the workforce readiness laws.

11. The Commissioner of Labor shall coordinate activities with affected departments, which will maintain statutory authority over programs within their jurisdiction.

12. The Department of Labor, in conjunction with the SETC and other affected State departments, shall coordinate the development of an integrated service delivery system for workforce development, which shall be incorporated into the Plan. The delivery system must provide for common intake and assessment for those utilizing workforce readiness programs, uniform administrative procedures and performance standards, and compatible technology.

13. The Departments of Commerce and Economic Development, Community Affairs, Education, Human Services, and Labor shall direct workforce readiness resources in a manner consistent with the development of a unified workforce readiness system. Priority shall be given to those areas in which broadly inclusive Workforce Investment Boards are developing coordinated strategies for the delivery of services to the public consistent with paragraphs 4 and 5 of this Order.

14. Administrative funding for the workforce readiness system shall be obtained from all workforce readiness programs. Funding ratios for the allocation of administrative funding shall be established cooperatively by the departments which fund or administer workforce development programs. The Commissioner of Labor, in consultation with the SETC, shall set criteria and standards for any Workforce Investment Board administrators hired with these administrative resources.

15. The Chairman of the SETC shall continue to determine the budget necessary to carry out the SETC's responsibilities under the federal Job Training Partnership Act and N.J.S.A. 34:15C-1, et seq. Annual expenditures of an amount not to exceed twenty percent (20%) of the State's five percent (5%) resources available to the Governor under the federal Job Training Partnership Act is hereby authorized.

16. The SETC shall develop Statewide guidelines for the implementation of this Order within thirty days of the issuance hereof.

17. The Commissioner of Labor shall exercise all administrative authority necessary to effect the Statewide expansion of PICs into Workforce Investment Boards by no later than July 1, 1996.

18. Executive Order 107 (Florio 1993) is hereby rescinded.

19. This Order shall take effect immediately.

GIVEN, under my hand and seal
this 12th day of May in the Year
of Our Lord, One Thousand Nine
Hundred and Ninety Five, and of
the Independence of the United
States, the Two Hundred and Eighteenth.

/s/ Christine Todd Whitman
Governor

Attest:

/s/ Margaret M. Foti
Chief Counsel to the Governor