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There
are many different ways to look at setting standards for using
public money. Three general types of standards can be set under
WIA and other public programs. There may be other ways of looking
at standards as well. The notion of living wage or self-sufficiency
plays into all of these, but can be applied in different ways
depending on the standard being set.
Types
of Standards
1.
Setting eligibility for services
2.
Goals and performance measures
3.
Absolute requirements
1.
Setting eligibility for services:
This type
of standard sets a ceiling on who is eligible for services.
Raising the ceiling on the income a person makes to be eligible
for services broadens the pool of individuals eligible for funding.
Under
WIA, the Self-Sufficiency standard is used to determine which
employed workers are eligible for Intensive Services and Training.
They need these services to "obtain or retain employment
leading to self-sufficiency." It will be 100% of the Lower
Living Standard Income Level unless set otherwise in the state
or local area.
Raising the level increases the number of employed workers eligible
for services. The standard might be set low if funds are very
limited to ensure that those most in need receive services, even
though the desired outcomes are much higher than this level for
all program participants.
2.
Goals and performance measures:
This type of standard sets a target for the new jobs people should
be gaining from the program. These goals and performance measures
check
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how
a program is working out compared to what you hope to be accomplishing.
They do not require that people do not take or are not placed
in jobs below a certain wage level.
Under WIA and other public training programs, wage level goals
and job placement rates must be set.
While few states and local areas are raising their formal performance
measures, WIBs can also add percentages of workers receiving benefits,
separate categories of participants (such as new entrants and
dislocated workers) so the average does not hide what is really
going on, and so on. WIBs can also set a standard that no placement
under a certain wage level even counts as a placement.
These goals and performance requirements can be higher than the
Self-Sufficiency standard. There can also be goals for job quality
of positions people are placed in and goals for quality of the
employers receiving benefits from the programs (i.e. no labor
law violations, provide benefits, etc.).
3.
Absolute requirements:
These
standards are "absolute" in that they require certain
outcomes. Living Wage ordinances require that contractors to
cities and counties pay at least a certain level of wages or
wages and benefits. Good Contractor standards, such as are in
federal statutes require that no employer that violates certain
laws can receive public contracts.
Content
of Standards
We
can also set standards for a variety of kinds of content. In
the area of employment and training, the two typical areas are
job quality ("Good Jobs") and employer behavior ("Responsible
Employer").
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