Working For America - Workforce Investment Act of 1998

Answering these questions may be particularly helpful if you are a new board representative. The questions may be worth answering even if you have been a board representative before, because labor's role is growing. Labor is now concerned with all funding streams, not just Title III dislocated workers. We sit on the new WIBs as representatives of all workers in all industries.

1. Who is the chief elected official in your area? Which other mayors/county executives in your area are active?

2. Is the geographic area being debated or changed as a result of the shift from JTPA to WIA? What is the geographic jurisdiction?

3. Which city or county agency handles workforce development in your local area?

4. How much money does your board receive under WIA? Does the state establish a budget for each type of service (core, intensive and training) or is that left to the local WIB?

5. What are the names, addresses and phone numbers for your local board?

6. Who are the director and other key contacts on the board?

7. Do you have a copy of the bylaws for the local board?

8. Who are the members of your local WIB (names, addresses, affiliations)? Do any of the represented businesses have union contacts?

9. How are the members selected or appointed? By whom?

10. What subcommittees, taskforces or advisory boards does the local WIB have? Is there an Executive Committee? Who serves on the WIB? Are any labor representatives on it?

11. Have you read your state and local WIA plan? Do you keep a copy of the plan for your reference?

12. Has your state been fully approved for WIA implementation? If it is still in process, are there decisions you can get in on?

13. Do you have the most recent performance and outcome data for adults, dislocated workers and youth served under JTPA? This data will tell you how many workers were placed and at what wages.

14. Do you have a copy of other workforce development or economic development legislation that affects your local area? Is the WIB responsible for oversight or any other legislation of funding streams?

15. Do you have any recent audit report(s) for the JTPA Service Delivery Area (SDA) that is most like your local area? Such reports can tell you if there are any fiscal management or administrative problems.