June 2024

Updates

• Awards for the Targeted Populations Workforce grant and the Clean Economy Equitable Workforce grant will be announced soon!
• We encourage Grantees and any interested organization to visit the DEED Competitive Grants and Contracts webpage and review all outgoing grants.

Quarterly Reports – Due Dates

Quarterly reports are due the 30^th of the month following the end of the quarter. See below for the report due dates:

• October 30
• January 30
• April 30
• July 30

Program-specific report templates are available on the webpage under Adult Career Pathways Programs. If you need assistance, please connect with your Grant Coordinator. If needed, we have also posted Quarterly Report Instructions.

New Grantee Resources

The ACP Team has put together many resources that will assist new grantees:

• What is the purpose of a monitor visit? Monitoring Policies
• What documents do we need to keep in a participant’s physical file? Physical File Guidelines
• How do I get Workforce One access for a new staff? WF1 Access Instructions
• Where can I get training on pulling more complex reports in Workforce One? Reports and Advanced Search Training Video

Workforce One

What is Workforce One and why are grantees required to use it?

Workforce One is a web-based client management application used by nearly 2,000 state, city, county, and non-profit employment and training providers to track employment and training services to more than 100,000 customers across Minnesota's One Stop network. WF1 was created through a partnership between the Department of Human Services (DHS) and the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) and is maintained by MNIT-DEED. In accordance with Minnesota Statute 116L.98, all adult programs accepting funding from the Workforce Development Fund, must use the state uniform outcome and reporting measurement tool, which is Workforce One (WF1).

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.  Changes are noted below:

• ACP Operations Guide
  • Updated the Retention section to include additional considerations
  • Enrollment/Re-Enrollment section updated the FPG calculations
  • Added frequency of monitoring to the Monitoring section
  • Removed the requirement to include academic assessment scores in the IEP in the Assessment section
  • Updated language in the Training Provider Eligibility section
  • Removed old language from the On-Ramp activity in the Activity section
  • Added Job Quality Incentive language to the Pay-for-Performance section and the Exit section
  • Updated the Activity section to include required MFRP activities
  • Updated language about support services in the IEP section
• Cost Category Guidance
  • Added link to the Drive for Five Job Quality Incentive reporting template to Placement/Retention section
  • Added a QR code option to the Outreach section

Success Stories

M.Z. successfully enrolled in the CNA training program in January 2024. While attending the CNA training full-time, she worked part-time as a Personal Care Assistant, making $15/hour.

When M.Z enrolled, her goal was to pass the CNA training by attending class 100% of the time and completing all class assignments. Her personal goal was to complete the CNA training and obtain admission to the nursing program. Her employment goal was to find a CNA job.

M.Z. received her CNA certificate on February 20th. and shared that the experience was enjoyable, providing both learning and hands-on opportunities. She expressed “I really enjoyed this course, and I am very thankful to be able to take this course without any expenses!” M.Z. has been offered a clinical assistant position with a healthcare collaborative with an initial pay of $21.75. M.Z. plans to continue working in the health field while continuing her education to become a nurse.

Please send any program/participant success stories you’d like to see featured in Partner Express to beth.bidinger@state.mn.us.

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

Reminders:

• PY21 Reallocations must be expended by June 2024, there will be no extension for reallocations.
• PY22 funds must be spent out by June 30, 2024.
  • Cost category adjustment is allowed on the final Reimbursement Payment Request (RPR) if the total expended does not exceed the total approved budget. However, the Admin cost category cannot exceed 10% of total reimbursed.
  • Any remaining unused funds will be reallocated to Local Areas that have spent out their PY22 funds.
• PY23 Carry Forward Requests - Providers may request a waiver to carry forward more than 20% of their allocated PY23 funds into the second year of the grant. Providers who expend or obligate at least 80% of their PY23 funds by the end of the 4th quarter do not need a waiver.
  • Carry Forward Requests pertain to all formula grants: WIOA Adult, WIOA Dislocated Worker, and State Dislocated Worker.
  • Submit waivers by May 31, 2024, to allow enough time for leadership approval and processing.
• PY24 Allotment TEGL 12-23 funding information has been shared. The planning documents will be sent out within the next week. Please ensure they are completed and sent back to the team by the deadline provided.

Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) 

• Senior Community Services Employment Program (SCSEP) Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) 13-23 Program Year (PY) 2024 Planning Instructions and Allotments published 5/10/24. Grant Application submission by 6/9/24. MN’s SCSEP funding allocation for PY24 is $1,888,582. TEGL 13-23 can be accessed at TEGL 13-23 | U.S. Department of Labor (dol.gov).

If needed in an alternative format, please contact, christine.dowie@state.mn.us

• Grants Performance Management System (GPMS) Virtual Office Hours: May 29 at 1:00 pm Central Time.
• SCSEP IT Grant is ending June 30, 2024. Be sure to use these funds as soon as possible. There are no extensions for this grant.

Check out the updated SCSEP web page for information and resources. We’ll continue to update the page as needed.

Minnesota Job Skills Partnership Board (MJSP)

• Board meeting is June 17, 2024, open to the public.

2024 Spring Webinar on Work Based Training

• Thank you to everyone who joined the webinar! All materials for the webinar including the recording can be found on the DWFAP website under Events tab: Resources / Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (mn.gov)
• For those who attended the event, please remember to complete the follow-up survey sent May 17, 2024, to give us your feedback.

Retaining Employment and Talent after Injury/Illness Network (RETAIN) – PPT attached. 

• MN RETAIN achieved its goal of 3,200 enrollments!
• The program is still active; however, enrollment has been paused.

Legislative Update

• As the 2024 legislative session ends, we want to thank you for your partnership through this session. Here are links to two bills that passed:
  • HF5247
  • SF5289: Jobs Omnibus bill
    • The policy proposal to expand the State Dislocated Worker Program and remove cost category limitations has passed. We are working on implementation of this policy and provide more guidance in the upcoming weeks and months.
• For additional information on this program, please visit mnretain.com or email john.connell@state.mn.us if you’re interested in learning more about RETAIN.

Question From the Field

• Question: A person says that they have amnesty. They can work while they wait for their green They think that by participating in a program funded with public money, they could potentially be disqualified for citizenship/green card. Does this only apply if they participate in a program like SNAP (if at all), or something directly coming from the government? We want to be sure that this person can participate without jeopardizing their citizenship status.
  
  
• Answer: This is a matter is legal advice for an immigration law matter so we as state employees cannot However, Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid agreed to be the clearinghouse for questions regarding “public charge” immigration law questions and we can point clients to the DHS flyer encouraging people to reach out to them. The flyer is online and can be shared broadly and please do share it with this client. The phone numbers for immigration legal advice from the flyer: For free and confidential legal advice in English, Spanish, Somali and other languages, call: Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid: 800-292-4150 Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services: 888-575-2954

You can find additional information and resources here: Office of Dislocated Worker and Federal Adult Programs website.

Please email all requests, reports, and technical assistance questions to the Dislocated Worker Federal Adult Programs general email at dwfaprograms.deed@state.mn.us.

Virtual Informational Sessions on June 20

• Torax Medical, St Paul
• Turck, Inc., Plymouth
• Ball Corp, St Paul
• Nordson Medical, Eagan
• Optum, Hopkins
• United Language Group, Minneapolis
• Sleep Number, Minneapolis
• Tescom Corporation, Elk River
• BCS Automotive, Winona

Please email all questions and customer applications to the Trade Adjustment Assistance general email at deed.taa@state.mn.us

Update

DEED’s Labor Market Information office updated the popular Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) program for the first quarter of 2024, with new wages data for around 800 different occupations. The OEWS data includes statewide and regional employment estimates (the number of people working in those jobs) as well as wage guidelines from the 10^th through the 90^th percentiles (low to high paying), including the average hourly and annual wage. Job seekers can use this information while choosing a good occupational fit and in the interview and salary negotiation process. A video tutorial is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJQooJdtfQw

Child Care availability and affordability are important topics in Minnesota’s labor market situation, with both aspects affecting the number and willingness of people who want to work. The March issue of Minnesota Economic Trends includes an article from LMI Assistant Director Oriane Casale that summarizes a series of new reports commissioned by the Minnesota Departments of Education and Human Services in partnership with the Children's Cabinet, and conducted by Wilder Research, which explores the characteristics of the early care and education (ECE) workforce, assesses educators' economic well-being, and describes their participation in training and professional development opportunities. Casale’s summary provides high-level findings from the reports. The reports can be accessed at the Wilder Foundation website and are authored by Jennifer Valorose, Sera Kinoglu and Amanda Petersen of the Wilder Foundation.

LMI Training Sessions

If you or your organization is interested in an in-person or virtual training session on where to find and how to use DEED’s labor market information data tools and how to use them to understand the local economy and provide guidance to jobseekers and others, please reach out to us to set up a date and time.

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.

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