Workforce Investments Accountability Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 8102
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Labor and Employment
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-03-26: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
- Last Updated
- 2026-04-30T22:29:30Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The Workforce Investments Accountability Act (H.R. 8102) amends the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) to strengthen the performance accountability system for federal workforce programs. It aims to improve measurement of program outcomes, standardize reporting, enforce sanctions for poor performance, and require a minimum spend on skills training to better prepare workers for employment.
Key Provisions
- Performance Indicators: Updates core metrics for states, including:
- Employment retention checked in the second quarter after program exit, plus remaining employed in the fourth quarter.
- Use of "regular high school diploma" instead of broader "secondary school diploma."
- New measures: Percentage entering education/training who complete within 12 months; participation in on-the-job training, apprenticeships, or similar; completion of work experience programs.
- Performance Levels Negotiation: Secretaries of Labor and Education propose expected levels using a statistical model; states can accept or submit counterproposals based on unique factors, with final agreements in state plans.
- Reporting Requirements:
- Standardized templates for state/local reports with common data elements (e.g., median earnings gain, spending on training/supportive services/incumbent worker training).
- Disaggregated data by barriers to employment (e.g., foster care, low-income), race, ethnicity, sex, age.
- Public access in open, machine-readable formats and multiple languages.
- Access to wage records with privacy protections.
- Sanctions:
- States: Technical assistance for missing 80% on one indicator; fund reductions (5-8%) for repeated failures, capped at 10%; reallotted to top-performing states.
- Local Areas: Similar tiered penalties (5% reduction, reorganization, reallocation) for missing 80-90% targets.
- Skills Development Funding: Requires local areas to spend at least 50% of adult/dislocated worker funds on training services (e.g., individual training accounts or contracts).
- Support Mechanisms: Technical assistance meetings, pay-for-performance incentives using up to 5% of state reserves, advanced analytics for evaluations, and designated state entities for data handling.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Shortens initial employment check from fourth to second quarter post-exit, adds fourth-quarter retention.
- Adds new indicators (e.g., training participation, work experience completion) and removes others.
- Replaces vague negotiation with structured proposal/counterproposal process and public statistical model.
- Expands reporting with earnings gains, spending breakdowns, provider-level metrics (e.g., cost per participant, completion rates), and credential outcomes.
- Introduces tiered sanctions with technical aid first, specific reduction percentages, and performance-based reallotments (replaces prior flat sanctions).
- Mandates 50% training spend (no prior minimum).
- Enhances data tools (e.g., wage record access, open formats) and timelines (full implementation within 12 months).
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Increased administrative burden for data collection/reporting but better outcome tracking; fund shifts reward high performers, penalize laggards (DOL/Education lead implementation).
- Citizens/Workers: Improved program quality through accountability, more focus on job-retaining skills training; benefits jobseekers (adults, dislocated workers, youth) via earnings gains and credentials.
- No direct international relations impact.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- States and local workforce areas/boards: Must meet targets, submit detailed reports, face sanctions/reallocations.
- Eligible training providers: Subject to performance reports, eligibility tied to outcomes/costs.
- Jobseekers and workers (especially those with barriers like low income or foster care): Gain from targeted, accountable training.
- Employers: Benefit from better-skilled workforce via apprenticeships/on-the-job training.
- Federal agencies (DOL, Education): Oversee proposals, models, assistance.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Builds on WIOA without new appropriations; emphasizes privacy/data security in line with federal laws; no retroactive data requirements.
- Constitutional: No apparent issues; respects federal-state balance via negotiation and technical aid before penalties.
- Political: Promotes "pay for results" in workforce spending, incentivizing efficiency; potential partisan debate on sanctions stringency vs. flexibility for disadvantaged areas.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Recent Actions
- 2026-03-26: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
- 2026-03-26: Introduced in House
- 2026-03-26: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Workforce Investments Accountability Act — issued 2026-03-26 — PDF (34 pages)