February 2024
 Adult Career Pathways Team Updates
The ACP Team would like to congratulate the recipients of our Southeast Asian Economic Disparities, Women’s Economic Security Act (WESA), Adult Support Services, Getting to Work, On-Ramp to Career Pathways, Bridge to Career Pathways and Individualized Training Pathway projects announced in December! We appreciate your support and patience as we begin to work with you to execute contracts as quickly as possible. DEED has implemented a new Grants Management Data System where we released and accepted all Pathways to Prosperity applications. As with any new data system, the team continues to work through the glitches to process contracts as quickly as possible.
The Drive for Five request for proposal, released on October 10, 2023, received applications by the December 18th, 2023 due date and are working through our review process to announce awardees in February 2024.
In addition, the ACP Team released the Targeted Populations Workforce request for proposal on October 30th with applications due January 17th, 2024. We are working through our review process to announce awardees in February 2024.
The Clean Economy Equitable Workforce request for proposal was released January 19th, with applications due March 4, 2024.
We encourage Grantees and any interested organization to visit the DEED Competitive Grants and Contracts webpage and review all outgoing grants.
Marketing ACP programs? A reminder to review the ACP Cost Category Guidance for allowable marketing and outreach costs and the disclaimer that must be included on ALL marketing material.
“The State of Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) funded (or funded in part) this training through a grant. The grant recipient created this training. DEED does not endorse this publicity or training or make guarantees, warranties, or assurances of any kind, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, usefulness, adequacy, continued availability or ownership of the information herein or elsewhere.”
SFY24-25 Adult Direct Appropriation
REMINDER: All SFY24-25 Direct Appropriation grants’ quarterly reports were due December 31, 2023. If you need assistance completing your report, please connect with your Grant Coordinator. If needed, we have posted report instructions here.
Quarterly reports are due the 30th of the month following the end of the quarter or
October 30
January 30
April 30
July 30
SNAP E&T 50/50
The SNAP E&T project can provide additional, unrestricted funds to your organization when partnered with your ACP Grant. If you serve SNAP recipients within your ACP program(s) and are interested in more information about adding the SNAP E&T 50% Reimbursement program to your organization, please contact Ann Meyers at ann.meyers@state.mn.us.
Workforce One- ACP Programs
As a reminder, all participants enrolled in any SFY22-23 ACP program MUST be appropriately exited from Workforce One (WF1) upon the completion of the grant. As a reminder, past performance is taken into consideration when reviewing and recommending future ACP funding. The team recommends you run the “Grant Information Summary” report to ensure all data is entered correctly.
In order for your organization to capture outcomes for these participants, including participants enrolled in training, completing training, and entering employment all participants must Exit from Workforce One (WF1) within 45 days from the expiration of the grant contract. Be mindful as final Reimbursement Payment Requests (RPRs) are being processed and compared to data within Workforce One.
For our new Grantees in SFY24-25, the ACP team facilitated a Workforce One training session in September and have posted the recording here. If you need further assistance, please connect with your Coordinator.
Adult Career Pathways Guides
The ACP Workforce One User Guide has been updated and posted to the ACP home page.
The ACP Operations Guide has been updated and posted to the ACP home page. If you have any suggestions for the guide, please submit those to your Grant Coordinator.
Please contact your Adult Career Pathways Grant Coordinator directly with any questions regarding Adult Career Pathways Programs.
 Formula Funds – WIOA Adult, WIOA DW and State DW
-
Monthly Financial Status Report (FSR)/Monthly Reimbursement Payment Request (RPR):
- Due the 20th day of the month following the preceding month-end. For example, the June RPR/FSR (June 30 end date) is due July 20.
- Report accrued monthly
- A monthly RPR/FSR is required even if no funds were expended.
Important Reminder: Per your master contract agreement, funds are to be expended in the cost categories and amounts shown in the approved budget, which identifies allowable costs. As such, grantees need to follow their signed grant agreement, work plans and activity budgets. The only time that overspending in a cost category is allowed is on the final invoice.
Minnesota Jobs Skills Partnership (MJSP) Board Quarterly Meeting
-
The next meeting of the Board will be held on Monday, March 4, 2024.
- Supplemental Funding Requests are due February 5th, 30 days before the meeting. Forms can be found on the Office of Dislocated Worker and Federal Adult Programs web page.
- Get more information on the MJSP Board web page.
Re-Entry Grant
-
DEED issued a waiver to allow Support Service funds to pay for License Reinstatement Fees
- To remove barriers for participants and expedite recruitment efforts, DEED is approving a waiver as follows:
- Supportive service funds from the grant may be used to assist participants with obtaining their driver’s licenses back for the purposes of attending training or employment.
- Providers are still required to adhere to the cost category requirements per Minn. Stat 116L.17.
- Grantees must sufficiently document in case notes the reasons for paying the fees.
- This waiver is effective from the grant start date to end of grant.
- Check out the Re-Entry web page for information and resources. We’ll continue to update the page as needed.
Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP)
- Grantee Performance Management System (GPMS):
Our collaborative efforts with the GPMS team are yielding positive results as we collectively address challenges within the system. The overarching goal is to significantly enhance the effectiveness of GPMS, ensuring it serves as a valuable work tool for all SCSEP providers.
GPMS vLive Virtual Office Hours:
Explore the benefits of active participation in the GPMS vLive Virtual Office Hours, where real-time communication fosters a collaborative environment. Join the conversation and stay connected with the GPMS community.
Immediate Issue Resolution:
Discover how the GPMS team is actively resolving immediate issues and documenting those requiring further research or technical solutions. Your engagement and feedback are crucial components in expediting these resolutions.
Access to Resources:
Delve into a wealth of resources available in the Workforce GPS archive. All training webinars, virtual live events, and GPMS e-newsletters, including the recently released January 2024 Issue 1 Vol 2, are at your fingertips. Don't forget to explore the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section before submitting new inquiries.
Quarter Progress Narrative Reports:
Quarterly Progress Narrative Reports are to be submitted by the 30th date of the month following the end of the quarter. Please note the specific deadlines: October 30th, January 30th, April 30th, and July 30th.
Requests for Reimbursements (RPRs) or Financial Status Reports (FSRs):
Providers are reminded that Requests for Reimbursements (RPRs) or Financial Status Reports (FSRs) are due every 20th date following the month of expenditure. To ensure timely processing and avoid payment delays, it is essential for providers to submit RPRs/FSRs promptly, even if they do not have any expense claims for that period.
Check out the updated SCSEP web page for information and resources. We’ll continue to update the page as needed.
Retaining Employment and Talent after Injury/Illness Network (RETAIN)
- Celebrating another milestone: 2,500+ enrollments!
- We’re back on the air! MN RETAIN radio ads are playing across the state through the end of May 2024.
- Visit the Employer Reasonable Accommodation Fund to see how small to medium sized businesses can take advantage of reimbursements for employee accommodations!
- RETAIN staff have presented to several WDAs and their Career Navigators – email john.connell@state.mn.us if you’re interested in learning more about how RETAIN can support your clients.
- If you or someone you know have an injury or illness that affects work? Visit mnretain.com to see if RETAIN could help.
Question From the Field
QUESTION: What is the guidance on WIOA funds and the marijuana (cannabis) industry? Can WIOA funds be used to support cannabis and marijuana?
ANSWER:
Marijuana (cannabis) is listed as a Schedule 1 controlled substance and is considered illegal from a federal standpoint. The WIOA grant agreements between the state of Minnesota and DOL must follow all applicable federal laws, regulations, and policies.
That means that WIOA funds cannot be used directly or indirectly to support the marijuana industry, which may include (but is not limited to), growth, distribution, packaging, and/or retail sales. This also includes training, job referrals, OJT funds, or business services to businesses that support the marijuana industry.
If there’s a specific instance or situation that needs further clarification, don’t hesitate to contact the DW Team.
Use Dislocated Worker General Email to Reach All Team Members
Please continue to email requests, reports, technical assistance questions, etc. to the Dislocated Worker Federal Adult Programs general email at DWFAPrograms.DEED@state.mn.us.
You can find additional information and resources here: Office of Dislocated Worker and Federal Adult Programs website
 Performance Updates for Dislocated Worker and WIOA Adult
Program Year (PY) 2023 Quarter One (Q1) Performance Outcomes compared to Negotiated Goals
Attached you will find the performance outcome spreadsheets for WIOA Dislocated Worker, DWG, and WIOA Adult programs. These are best when printed landscape, in color, and on 11x17 size paper.
 If needed in an alternative format, please contact, amy.carlson@state.mn.us
 If needed in an alternative format, please contact, amy.carlson@state.mn.us
 If needed in an alternative format, please contact, amy.carlson@state.mn.us
 If needed in an alternative format, please contact, amy.carlson@state.mn.us
 If needed in an alternative format, please contact, amy.carlson@state.mn.us
- Performance goals based on WlOA negotiated standards for PY2023
- Color Key:
- Blue are the negotiated performance standards
- Green means the set goal was met or exceeded
- Yellow means at least 50% of the goal was met
- Red means less than 50% of the goal was met
- Served is all participants accessing the program during the actual program year (real-time)
- Getting a Job results based on exiters July 1, 2022 – September 30, 2022 except those exited with exclusion. This indicator measures each exiter's employment status during the 2nd quarter after exiting the program. Formula: Percent of employed exiters divided by all exiters during the reporting period.
- Keeping a Job results based on exiters January 1, 2022 – March 31, 2022 except those exited with exclusion. This indicator measures each exiter's employment status during the 4th quarter after exiting the program. Formula: Percent of employed exiters divided by all exiters during the reporting period.
- 2nd Quarter Median Earnings results based on exiters July 1, 2022 – September 30, 2022 except those exited with exclusionary reason and those showing zero earnings. This indicator measures the median earning during the 2nd quarter after exiting the program.
Credential Attainment results based on exiters January 1, 2022 – March 31, 2022 except those exited with exclusionary reason and those who did not attend credential type training. This indicator measures the percent of participants who received a credential after attending training.
Policy Updates
Multi-program policies for Title I in development
- Data Validation policy: Shannon Rolf, the supervisor of ETP’s state monitoring team, is leading this effort (Shannon.rolf@state.mn.us).
- Electronic Document Storage (EDS) policy: Bridgett Backman (State Monitor), Amy Carlson (AD & DW performance), and Ahmed Mohidin (Youth performance) are leading this effort.
- Local Area Negotiation and Sanction policy: Amy Carlson (AD & DW performance), Cory Schmid (Youth performance), and Ahmed Mohidin (Youth performance) are leading effort.
- Exit policy: Ahmed Mohidin (Youth performance), Amy Carlson (AD & DW performance), and Cory Schmid (Youth performance) are leading this effort.
Trade Adjustment Assistance policy updates: These policies are currently being reviewed internally at DEED until 01/25/2024 and will be posted for public comment soon after.
- Appropriate Use of Waivers
- Choice of Training Institution
- Appeals Process
Pending Exit Activities Update
Guidance on changes related to how counselors remove participants from their active caseloads in WF1.
Should you have any performance or data entry questions, please contact the State Program Administrator Coordinator for ETP Adult programs, Amy Carlson, at amy.carlson@state.mn.us.
 TAA Program Status and Funding
TEGL 07-23 - Ongoing Operations of the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) for Workers Program During Phase-Out Termination has been added to the ETA Advisory database and is now available at TEGL 07-23 | U.S. Department of Labor (dol.gov).
As a reminder, the TAA program has funding and continues to serve customers. TAA must be the primary source of funding for customers who are eligible. Previous Partner Express newsletters include articles related to the phased termination that the TAA Program entered on 7/1/22. The U.S. Department of Labor released TEGL 14-22 - Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) for Workers Program Phase-out Termination Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), and is available at https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/advisories/tegl-14-22.
TAA will perform various outreach efforts this winter to ensure those who are eligible for TAA are aware of the benefits available. Contact TAA with outreach suggestions or to ask about an individual’s eligibility.
Virtual Informational Sessions on February 15
Minnesota TAA is hosting virtual informational sessions on February 15 at 10:00am and 3:00pm for people who may be eligible to apply for TAA benefits under older petitions. The team invites people based on their petition and layoff dates. As always, TAA will refer attendees to enroll in the DW program to access their TAA benefits. Thank you in advance for your work to serve these shared customers, some of whom may have been laid off under a TAA petition years ago. Links to the sessions are at https://www.careerforcemn.com/TAA
Tax time
While only Unemployment/TRA and RTAA are taxable income for TAA customers, some students may receive a 1098-T from their training institution. The national TAA office indicates, “The training provider is to report the total cost of the program in Box 1 and Box 5. These amounts should, in nearly all cases should be identical. As such, the amounts would cancel each other out. This would mean the participant is not able to claim any relevant tax credits when filing. It also means the filing individual would not report the amount as excessive income.”
Federal Mileage Rate in 2024
The IRS announced the federal mileage rate for 2024 is 67 cents per mile for those going to training or Job Search. TAA is updating the bi-weekly transportation forms to reflect this new rate. For customers using Relocation Allowance, the mileage rate is 21 cents per mile in 2024.
Petitions
Petitions can still be filed, but DOL’s investigation is paused until program restoration or reauthorization. Here’s the link to check the status of petitions with U.S. Department of Labor: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/tradeact
Filed after July 1, 2022
- Torax Medical, St Paul
- Turck, Inc., Plymouth
- Ball Corp, St Paul
- Nordson Medical, Eagan
- Optum, Hopkins
- United Language Group, Minneapolis
- Sleep Number, Minneapolis
Please email all questions and customer applications to the Trade Adjustment Assistance general email at deed.taa@state.mn.us.
 Data Validation Policy Coming Soon
Pursuant WIOA section 116(d)(5), Minnesota is required to establish a data validation policy and procedures, consistent with guidelines issued by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) and U.S. Department of Education, to ensure the program information submitted to DOL is valid, accurate, and reliable. Therefore, the Employment and Training Program (ETP) Monitoring Unit is currently drafting a data validation policy. Once the draft is complete, grantees will be notified on how to review and submit comments during a 30-day public comment period. Public comments will be reviewed; and adjustments as necessary made to the policy prior to the final release in the Spring of 2024. Watch for updates on our progress within the Partner Express.
What is data validation?
Data validation is a series of internal controls and quality assurance methods established to verify the accuracy, validity, and reliability of data. The framework requires a consistent approach across programs to ensure that all program data consistently and accurately reflects the performance of each grant recipient.
The purpose of data validation is to:
- Verify that the performance data reported by the State of Minnesota, the Local Workforce Development Boards (LWDB), and other local partners are valid, accurate, reliable, and comparable across programs;
- Identify anomalies in the data and resolve issues that may cause inaccurate reporting;
- Outline source documentation required for common data elements; and,
- Improve program performance accountability through the results of the data validation efforts.
If you have questions about Monitoring content, please email shannon.rolf@state.mn.us.
Free marketing of your no-cost training programs on the Training Program Finder
Check out the Training Program Finder on CareerForceMN.com—and make sure to add your no-cost training opportunities to this easily searchable listing. The Training Program Finder regularly gets over 6,000 pageviews a month! Partners using this tool to promote their training programs have told us they have seen an increase in enrollment.
The Training Program Finder is a great opportunity for partners who offer occupation-based training programs to market upcoming opportunities that will assist job seekers on their career pathway. Content added must be for no-cost-to-the-customer training, funded by programs such as:
-
Pathways to Prosperity
-
Direct Appropriation
-
Adult Career Pathways
-
Other state-funded training grants
-
Funding from city, county, or workforce development boards
-
Foundation or other training grants
For information about how to get your training programs listed on the Training Program Finder on CareerForceMN.com:
Contact the CareerForce Information and Assistance line at 651-259-7500 or careerforce@state.mn.us if you have questions.
 New articles from DEED’s Labor Market Information office include:
A spotlight on the Retail Trade industry, which has long been a cornerstone of economic activity in Central Minnesota, serving as both a reflection of local consumer trends and a significant source of employment for the region.
And in an update on the Job Openings and Labor Turnover (JOLTS) Survey conducted by the BLS, the number of job openings increased by 3,000 or 1.5% in Minnesota to 206,000 on a seasonally adjusted basis. Compared to one year ago job openings were down by 6,000 or 2.8%. This compares to an over-the-year decline of 12.0% at the national level. In Minnesota there were 0.5 unemployed workers for each job vacancy in September, indicating that while Minnesota's labor market remains extremely tight, the hiring situation has improved somewhat over the year.
If you have questions about Labor Market Information, please email deed.lmi@state.mn.us.
This newsletter is meant for DEED Grantees, Providers, and Employment Counselors. We want this e-Newsletter to meet your needs! We encourage you to send your comments and suggestions to deed.taa@state.mn.us.
Past issues of the Partner Express
Subscribe to the Partner Express
|
