§ 4-124w — Office of Workforce Strategy. Responsibilities.

Connecticut § 4-124w

• Jurisdiction: Connecticut
• Title 4: Management of State Agencies
• Ch. 50: Office of Policy and Management: General Provisions; Budget and Appropriations; State Planning

Text

(a) There is established an Office of Workforce Strategy. The office shall be within the Department of Economic and Community Development, for administrative purposes only. (b) The department head of the Office of Workforce Strategy shall be the Chief Workforce Officer, who shall be appointed by the Governor in accordance with the provisions of sections 4-5 to 4-8 , inclusive, with the powers and duties therein prescribed. The Chief Workforce Officer shall be qualified by training and experience to perform the duties of the office as set forth in this section and shall have knowledge of publicly funded workforce training programs. The Chief Workforce Officer shall: (1) Be the principal advisor for workforce development policy, strategy and coordination to the Governor; (2) Be the lead state official for the development of employment and training strategies and initiatives; (3) Be the chairperson of the Workforce Cabinet, which shall consist of agencies involved with employment and training, as designated by the Governor pursuant to section 31-3m . The Workforce Cabinet shall meet at the direction of the Governor or the Chief Workforce Officer; (4) Be the liaison between the Governor, the Governor's Workforce Council, established pursuant to section 31-3h and any local, regional, state or federal organizations and entities with respect to workforce development policy, strategy and coordination, including, but not limited to, implementation of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014, P.L. 113-128, as amended from time to time; (5) Develop, and update as necessary, a state workforce strategy in consultation with the Governor's Workforce Council and the Workforce Cabinet and subject to the approval of the Governor. The Chief Workforce Officer shall submit, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a , the state workforce strategy to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to appropriations, commerce, education, higher education and employment advancement, and labor and public employees at least thirty days before submitting such state workforce strategy to the Governor for his or her approval; (6) Coordinate workforce development activities (A) funded through state resources, (B) funded through funds received pursuant to the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014, P.L. 113-128, as amended from time to time, or (C) administered in collaboration with any state agency for the purpose of furthering the goals and outcomes of the state workforce strategy approved by the Governor pursuant to subdivision (5) of this subsection and the workforce development plan developed by the Governor's Workforce Council pursuant to the provisions of section 31-11p ; (7) Collaborate with the regional workforce development boards to adapt the best practices for workforce development established by such boards for state-wide implementation, if possible; (8) Coordinate measurement and evaluation of outcomes across education and workforce development programs, in conjunction with state agencies, including, but not limited to, the Labor Department, the Department of Education and the Office of Policy and Management; (9) Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes, review any state plan for each program set forth in Section 103(b) of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014, P.L. 113-128, as amended from time to time, before such plan is submitted to the Governor; (10) Establish methods and procedures to ensure the maximum involvement of members of the public, the legislature and local officials in workforce development policy, strategy and coordination; (11) In conjunction with one or more state agencies enter into such contractual agreements, in accordance with established procedures and the approval of the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this section. The Chief Workforce Officer may enter into agreements with other state agencies for the purpose of performing the duties of the Office of Workforce Strategy, including, but not limited to, administrative, human resources, finance and information technology functions; (12) Market and communicate the state workforce strategy to ensure maximum engagement with students, trainees, job seekers and businesses while effectively elevating the state's workforce profile nationally; (13) For the purposes of subsection (a) of section 10-21c identify subject areas, courses, curriculum, content and programs that may be offered to students in elementary and high school in order to improve student outcomes and meet the workforce needs of the state; (14) Issue guidance to state agencies, the Governor's Workforce Council and regional workforce development boards in furtherance of the state workforce strategy and the workforce development plan developed by the Governor's Workforce Council pursuant to the provisions of section 31-11p . Such guidance shall be approved by the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, allow for a reasonable period for implementation and take effect not less than thirty days from such approval. The Chief Workforce Officer shall consult on the development and implementation of any guidance with the agency, council or board impacted by such guidance; (15) Coordinate, in consultation with the Labor Department and regional workforce development boards to ensure compliance with state and federal laws for the purpose of furthering the service capabilities of programs offered pursuant to the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, P.L. 113-128, as amended from time to time, and the United States Department of Labor's American Job Center system; (16) Coordinate, in consultation with the Department of Social Services, with community action agencies to further the state workforce strategy; and (17) Take any other action necessary to carry out the provisions of this section. (c) The Chief Workforce Officer may call upon any office, department, board, commission, public institution of higher education or other agency of the state to supply such reports, information, data and assistance as may be reasonable, necessary and appropriate in order to carry out the Chief Workforce Officer's or the Office of Workforce Strategy's duties and requirements. Each officer or employee of such office, department, board, commission, public institution of higher education or other agency of the state shall furnish such reports, information, data and assistance as requested by the Chief Workforce Officer, to the extent permitted under state and federal law. Any request for data from a participating agency in CP20 WIN, established pursuant to section 10a-57g , shall be submitted through CP20 WIN in accordance with the policies and procedures established by CP20 WIN. (d) The Office of Workforce Strategy shall provide staff to the Governor's Workforce Council and such other resources as the Chief Workforce Officer can make available, and shall coordinate all necessary support that other state agencies make available, as needed by the Governor's Workforce Council. (e) The Chief Workforce Officer, on behalf of the Governor and the Governor's Workforce Council and in consultation with the Labor Commissioner, shall coordinate the state's role in the implementation of the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, P.L. 113-128, as amended from time to time, and may issue guidance to this effect. The Labor Commissioner shall offer such resources as the commissioner can make available for such purpose. (f) Not later than October 1, 2022, and annually thereafter, the Chief Workforce Officer shall submit to the Governor and, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a , to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to appropriations, higher education and employment advancement, education, commerce, and labor and public employees, a report regarding workforce development in the state. Such report shall include but not be limited to, any programs undertaken by the Office of Workforce Strategy, information on the number of individuals served by such programs, demographic information about such individuals and outcomes of such individuals after completion of a workforce development program. See Sec. 4-38f for definition of “administrative purposes only.”

Legislative History

(P.A. 00-192, S. 19, 102; P.A. 01-170, S. 1; P.A. 03-19, S. 5; 03-278, S. 8; P.A. 04-212, S. 2; Sept. Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-7, S. 109; P.A. 11-48, S. 81; P.A. 16-169, S. 24; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 21-2, S. 203; P.A. 23-204, S. 70.) History: P.A. 00-192 effective July 1, 2000; P.A. 01-170 added Subsec. (b)(9) re annual reporting requirements; P.A. 03-19 made a technical change in Subsec. (a), effective May 12, 2003; P.A. 03-278 made technical changes in Subsec. (b)(9), effective July 9, 2003; P.A. 04-212 made technical changes in Subsec. (a) and, in Subsec. (b), inserted new Subdiv. (5) charging Office of Workforce Competitiveness with coordinating strategies re technology-based talent and innovation among state and quasi-public agencies, renumbering existing Subdivs. accordingly, revised internal references in renumbered Subdivs. (8) and (9), and added Subdiv. (10) making Office of Workforce Competitiveness the lead state agency for developing strategies and initiatives to support Connecticut's position in the knowledge economy, effective July 1, 2004; Sept. Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-7 amended Subsec. (b) by deleting former Subdiv. (5) re coordination of development and implementation of strategies re technology-based talent and innovation among state and quasi-public agencies and redesignating existing Subdivs. (6) to (11) as Subdivs. (5) to (10), effective October 5, 2009; P.A. 11-48 amended Subsec. (a) by placing Office of Workforce Competitiveness within Labor Department rather than within Office of Policy and Management for administrative purposes, amended Subsec. (b) by changing reference to the office to Labor Commissioner with assistance of the Office of Workforce Competitiveness, deleted former Subsec. (b)(6) re appointing officials and employees, redesignated existing Subsec. (b)(7) and (8) as Subsec. (b)(6) and (7), deleted former Subsec. (b)(9) re lead state agency for development of employment and training strategies, redesignated existing Subsec. (b)(10) as Subsec. (b)(8), and amended Subsec. (c) by designating Labor Department as lead state agency for development of employment and training strategies and by changing references to Office of Workforce Competitiveness to Labor Commissioner, effective July 1, 2011; pursuant to P.A. 16-169, “Workforce Investment Act of 1998, P.L. 105-220” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014, P.L. 113-128” in Subsec. (b)(2), (4) and (5); June Sp. Sess. P.A. 21-2 substantially revised Subsecs. (a) and (b) by replacing Office of Workforce Competitiveness within the Labor Department with Office of Workforce Strategy within Office of the Governor and establishing appointment and duties of Chief Workforce Officer, substantially revised Subsec. (c) re provision of reports, information, data and assistance and deleting provision re Labor Department as lead state agency for development of certain employment and training strategies and initiatives, added Subsecs. (d) to (f) re provision of staff and resources to Governor's Workforce Council, coordination of state's role in implementation of federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act and submission of annual report, respectively, effective July 1, 2021; P.A. 23-204 amended Subsec. (a) by replacing “Office of the Governor” with “Department of Economic and Community Development”, effective June 12, 2023.