This Training Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) lays out the vision for a revitalized transformed workforce system as a result of implementation of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). Further, it encourages workforce system leaders and partners to take action now to support successful implementation to fully realize the vision of WIOA. Finally, it provides an overview of upcoming guidance and technical assistance to support effective implementation of WIOA.

To expand and clarify the definition of significant barriers to employment (SBE) provided in Section 5 of Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) 19-13, released on April 10, 2014.

To issue the revised Federal poverty guidelines for the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP).

To announce the availability of $100 million for American Apprenticeship Initiative Grants to public-private partnerships. The Department will award approximately 25 grants from $2.5 million to $5 million each, for a period of performance of 5 years from the date of award. The deadline for applying is April 30, 2015.

To disseminate the final report of a study to develop an enhanced military to civilian occupational crosswalk under the provisions of Section 222 of the VOW to Hire Heroes Act and to alert the workforce system and its partners of the availability of the study and resulting enhanced crosswalk. The enhanced crosswalk is designed to help transitioning servicemembers and veterans expand their potential options to transfer military skills and training to civilian careers and employment.

To inform the public workforce system and partners of the functionality and value of the government-wide Veterans Employment Center (VEC) available now through the eBenefits portal hosted by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) at: https://www.ebenefits.va.gov/ebenefits/jobs.

To inform State Workforce Agencies (SWAs) about a revision of the improper payment rate methodology for Unemployment Insurance Performs Core Measures.

To ensure State Workforce Agencies are aware of the Federal military retired pay annual cost of living adjustment (COLA) provided by the Department of Defense.

To clarify application of sequestration in Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 on delayed benefit payments from prior fiscal years and resulting administrative costs.

To ensure states are aware of the revised Schedule of Remuneration for the UCX program that reflects the military pay increase effective January 1, 2015.

To ensure states are aware that: 1) the social security survivors and old age retirement annuities and the Federal civilian pensions annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) will increase for calendar year 2015, and 2) COLA information may be found on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Web site.

To ensure states are aware of the locality-based salary rates for certain Federal civilian employees.

To announce the rate of interest that the U.S. Department of the Treasury (Treasury) will charge on Title XII advances during CY 2015.

The U.S. Department of Labor (Department or DOL) is sponsoring a study to help policymakers and program administrators understand the level of accessibility of American Job Centers (AJCs) for individuals with disabilities. The purpose is to aggregate data to capture a broad overview of the degree to which AJCs, on average, are accessible to individuals with disabilities. The issue of accessibility is of particular interest to multiple stakeholders, including customers of the public workforce system, Congress, state and local leaders, AJC Managers, and the Department, as we seek to help identify ways to improve accessibility. The study will not be used to audit for compliance with laws and regulations regarding accessibility of AJCs.

To inform states of recent updates to the guidance provided by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for state unemployment insurance (UI) agencies using the Treasury Offset Program (TOP) to collect employer UI tax debt.

To notify National Emergency Grant (NEG) grantees of changes to the Employment and Training Administration's (ETA's) NEG modification process. These revised procedures are effective immediately.

To provide State Workforce Agencies (SWAs) with advance notice of distribution of new Sun Server X4-2 computer systems.

To transmit the subject computation for State Workforce Agency usage in computing minimum weekly DUA amounts for all major disasters declared during the second quarter of Fiscal Year (FY) 2015.

To provide State Workforce Agencies or agencies designated by Governors as "Cooperating State Agencies" (CSAs or "states") with guidance to continue the TAA and ATAA and RTAA programs (collectively referred to as the TAA program) through the fiscal year ending on September 30, 2015 (FY 2015).

To request that state workforce agencies assist in disseminating information to employers about changes in OSHA reporting requirements.