Purpose

The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) requires Iowa Workforce Development (IWD), in partnership with the State Workforce Development Board (SWDB), to establish criteria for appointment of local board members to be used by the Chief Lead Elected Official (CLEO). This policy outlines the minimum criteria for Local Workforce Development Board (LWDB) membership. 

Content

LWDB Membership Requirements:

• Members should represent employers whose employment opportunities reflect existing and emerging employment opportunities in the Local Workforce Development Area (LWDA). 
• Members must be employed by the sector they represent.
• Members must be individuals with optimum policymaking authority within the entities they represent. 
  • An individual with optimum policymaking authority can reasonably be expected to speak affirmatively on behalf of the entity they represent and commit that entity to a chosen course of action. 

Business Representatives:

The majority, at least 51%, of the LWDB members must be representatives of businesses in the LWDA. At a minimum, two of these members must represent small business as defined by the United States Small Business Administration. Business representatives serving on LWDBs also may serve on the SWDB.

These representatives: 

• Must be an owner, chief executive officer, chief operating officer, or other individual with optimum policymaking or hiring authority. 
• Must provide employment opportunities in in-demand industry sectors or occupations. 

Representatives from:

• Private not-for-profit entities that operate as businesses and are employers may be considered business sector members on the LWDB.
  • The not-for-profit entities should align with the key industry sectors for the state and the LWDA, as identified in the local plan. 

• Proprietary schools must not be considered a business sector member.  

Workforce Representatives:

Not less than 20% of the LWDB members must be workforce representatives that, where possible, align with the key industry sectors for the state and the LWDA, as identified in the local plan.

These representatives: 

• Must include two or more representatives of labor organizations, where such organizations exist in the LWDA.
  • Where labor organizations do not exist, representatives must be selected from other employee representatives. 
• Must include one or more representatives of a joint labor-management, or union affiliated, registered apprenticeship program within the area who must be a training director or a member of a labor organization.
  • If no union affiliated registered apprenticeship programs exist in the area, a representative of a registered apprenticeship program with no union affiliation must be appointed, if one exists. 

• May include one or more representatives of community-based organizations that have demonstrated experience and expertise in addressing the employment, training, or education needs of individuals with barriers to employment, including organizations that serve veterans or provide or support competitive integrated employment for individuals with disabilities. 
• May include one or more representatives of organizations that have demonstrated experience and expertise in addressing the employment, training, or education needs of eligible youth, including representatives of organizations that serve out-of-school youth. 

Employment and Training Representatives:

These representatives:

• Must include at least one eligible training provider administering adult education and literacy activities under WIOA Title II. 
• Must include at least one representative from an institution of higher education providing workforce investment activities, including community colleges. 

Government Representatives:

These representatives:

• Must include at least one representative from an economic and community development entity. 
• Must include at least one representative from the Wagner-Peyser state employment service office which serves the LWDA.
• Must include at least one representative from a program carried out under Title I of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (also referred to as Title IV of WIOA) which serves the LWDA.

Other Representatives:

The LWDB may include representatives of other appropriate entities in the LWDA, including: 

• Entities administering education and training activities who represent local educational agencies or community-based organizations with demonstrated expertise in addressing the education or training needs for individuals with barriers to employment. 
• Governmental and economic and community development entities who represent transportation, housing, and public assistance programs. 
• Philanthropic organizations serving the LWDA. 
• Other appropriate individuals as determined by the CLEO. 

LWDB Composition Requirements:

• Members must represent diverse geographic areas within the LWDA.
• The overall membership of the LWDB must be balanced by political affiliation. No more than one half plus one of the total board membership may be composed of any one political party. For example, if there are 19 total members, no more than 10 may be affiliated with any one political party. 
  • This requirement excludes the government representatives for the Wagner-Peyser state employment service and vocational rehabilitation services.

All required LWDB members must have voting privileges. The CLEO may convey voting privileges to non-required members. 

Local Board Chair:

Each LWDB must have a board chair and may have a vice-chair who can carry out the board chair’s functions should the board chair be unavailable. The board chair and vice-chair must be business sector board members. The by-laws must establish the process used to select the board chair and vice-chair.

The board chair:

• Presides over all LWDB meetings.
• Ensures inclusive participation from all board members.
• Oversees discussion to facilitate comprehensive consideration of relevant agenda items.
• Guides the LWDB in effective decision-making and ensures follow-through on approved actions.

Action 

The CLEO and LWDB must establish policies and procedures, as appropriate, to comply with the above requirements.

The content of this policy may be subject to routine monitoring.