Part II -- Connecticut Department of Labor 8/1/14

STEP UP Program Contract

DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES

INDEX
A. / Statutory Authority and Definitions
1. / Statutory Authority
2. / Definitions
B. / Program Summary and General Requirements
1. / STEP UP Program Components
2. / Integration of Regional Coordinators and CTDOL
a. / Central WIB
b. / Local Regional WIBs
c. / Role of CTDOL
3. / Program Staff
4. / One STEP UP Program per New Hire
C. / Description of Services
1. / Central WIB
a. / Central WIB
b. / Central WIB Financial / Administrative Staff
2. / Local WIB Regional Coordinators
3. / Expenditure Parameters
a. / Staffing and Program-Related Expenses; Budget for such Expenses
b. / Wage Reimbursement and Training Grants
c. / Funding by STEP UP Program component
d. / Separate Invoices for STEP UP Programs
4. / Reporting and Performance
a. / Monthly Reports
i. / Central WIB
ii. / Local Regional WIBs
b. / Performance and Corrective Action
5. / STEP UP Program Employer/Employee Agreements – General Requirements
6. / STEP UP Component Programs: Eligibility Requirements and Grant Parameters
a. / Responsibilities of SMALL BUSINESS EMPLOYERS
b. / Responsibilities of SMALL MANUFACTURER EMPLOYERS
c. / Responsibilities regarding EMPLOYEES participating in either the
SMALL BUSINESS or SMALL MANUFACTURER Programs
7. / Apprenticeship Program Referral Process
D. / Exhibits:
1. / Subsidized Training and Employment Program Agreement (aka Small Business Agreement)
2. / Small Manufacturer Training Grant Program Agreement (aka Small Manufacturer Agreement)
3. / STEP UP Income Guidelines / 2014 Federal Poverty Guidelines
4. / List of Eligible Municipalities
5. / STEP UP Employee and “New Apprentice” Certification
6. / Apprenticeship Program Referral Form

A.  Statutory Authority and Definitions

1)  Statutory Authority

As further described below, the eligibility and other programmatic provisions of the Subsidized Training and Employment Program (“STEP UP”) are authorized by:

a)  Public Act 11-1, October Special Session,

b)  Public Act 12-1, June 12 Special Session,

c)  Public Act 14-38,

d)  Public Act 14-98, and

and codified under C.G.S. § 31-3pp.

2)  Definitions

The following definitions apply to this contract:

a)  American Job Center is the rebranded name mandated by the United States Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration (USDOL ETA) for entities formerly known in Connecticut as CTWorks.

b)  Armed Forces is a STEP UP component program that exists under the STEP UP I contract, not in this STEP UP II contract. The only part of this STEP UP II contract that cites the Armed Forces component is the requirement that any new hire made under the STEP UP Program cannot be a participant of more than one STEP UP Program at a time (Small Business, Small Manufacturing or Armed Forces).

c)  The Central WIB is The Workplace, Bridgeport, Connecticut. The Central WIB also functions as a local Regional WIB, as further described under this contract.

d)  CTDOL is the Connecticut Department of Labor.

e)  Program is the STEP UP Program, comprised of two (2) distinct component programs:

i)  The Subsidized Training and Employment Program, for Small Businesses; and

ii)  The Small Manufacturer Training Grant Program.

f) The Regional (or Local) WIBs are:

i)  Eastern Workforce Investment Board, Franklin, Connecticut

ii)  Capital Workforce Partners, Hartford, Connecticut

iii)  Northwest Regional Workforce Investment Board, Waterbury, Connecticut

iv)  Workforce Alliance, New Haven, Connecticut

v)  The Workplace, Inc., Bridgeport, Connecticut

g)  WIB is Workforce Investment Board.

B.  Program Summary and General Requirements

1)  STEP UP Program Components

STEP UP is a state-funded initiative of the Connecticut Department of Labor (“CTDOL”) and other regional partners including the state’s five Workforce Investment Boards (WIBs), to promote job creation and worker opportunity for Connecticut’s small businesses, small manufacturers, and unemployed workers. The STEP UP initiative is comprised of two component programs:

STEP UP Program Component / Type
a) / The Subsidized Training and Employment Program
for Small Businesses / Wage Reimbursement
b) / The Small Manufacturer Training Grant Program / Wage Reimbursement
and Training Grant

2)  Integration of Regional Coordinators and CTDOL

The STEP UP statewide structure shall operate as one program:

a)  Central WIB

As further detailed below, one (1) of the five (5) Workforce Investment Boards (WIBs) in Connecticut shall act as the Central WIB for the purpose of:

i)  processing STEP UP Program wage subsidy reimbursements and training grants for the three component programs, and

ii)  collecting and reporting program and expenditure data

which tasks shall be conducted by Financial / Administrative staff.

b)  Local Regional WIBs

In each of the five (5) local, regional Workforce Investment Boards (Regional WIBs) in Connecticut, a Regional Coordinator shall act as an ombudsman to the business community of employers and for unemployed workers who are interested in applying for participation in the STEP UP Program.

c)  Role of CTDOL

CTDOL shall:

i)  support Regional STEP UP activities by providing the services of:

1)  CTDOL Business Services and

2)  American Job Center staff

who shall identify potential employers and employees who may be interested in participating in the STEP UP Program;

ii)  direct any such referrals to the Regional Coordinator in the respective WIB serving such potential employers and employees,

iii)  provide marketing support to all Regional Coordinators,

iv)  develop standard STEP UP Program marketing materials for use state-wide, and

v)  collect the following data from the Central WIB to periodically report to joint standing committees of the Connecticut General Assembly (finance, revenue, bonding, appropriations, commerce and labor):

1)  / the number of small businesses participating in the Subsidized Training and Employment Program (aka Small Business) and the general categories of such businesses;
2)  / the number of small businesses participating in the Small Business Program that hire “new apprentices” and the number of such “new apprentices” hired by each such Small Business;
3)  / the number of small manufacturers participating in the Small Manufacturer Training Grant Program and the general categories of such manufacturers;
4)  / the number of small businesses participating in the Small Manufacturer Program that hire “new apprentices” and the number of such “new apprentices” hired by each such Small Manufacturer;
5)  / the number of persons hired under the aggregate STEP UP Program and each component of the Program, and
6)  / the most recent estimate(s) of the number of jobs created or maintained as a result of the STEP UP Program.

3)  Program staff conducting services under this contact shall include:

a)  Financial/Administrative staff for the Central WIB, who shall process STEP UP Program wage subsidy and training grants for the two component programs as described below, and

b)  Regional Coordinators for each of the five Regional WIBs, who shall conduct STEP UP Program activities as described in detail below.

4)  One STEP UP Program per New Hire

a)  Once an employer has been determined to be eligible for participation in the STEP UP Program, such employer may be authorized to receive wage reimbursement from one or more of following STEP UP component Programs, but each such employer may only utilize one STEP UP program component per each “new hire”:

1)  Subsidized Training and Employment Program, or

2)  Small Manufacturer Training Grant Program, or

3)  Armed Forces Member Program currently operating under a separate contract, “STEP UP I.”

b)  Employees hired under the STEP UP Program may only have wages reimbursed by one STEP UP Program component per hire under the same employer.

C.  Description of Services

1)  Central Workforce Investment Board (“Central WIB”)

a)  The Central WIB shall:

i)  assign staff as follows to conduct the program activities described below:

1)  Financial/Administrative staff to track and coordinate all wage and grant reimbursements for the Program on a continual ongoing basis for all five (5) Regional WIBs in Connecticut,

2)  Regional Coordinator, who shall conduct STEP UP Program activities as described in detail below; and

ii)  collect, track, and report to the CTDOL and all WIBs -- on a weekly basis -- the following information:

1)  / the number of small businesses participating in the Subsidized Training and Employment Program (aka Small Business) and the general categories of such businesses;
2)  / the number of small businesses participating in the Small Business Program that hire “new apprentices” and the number of such “new apprentices” hired by each such Small Business;
3)  / the number of small manufacturers participating in the Small Manufacturer Training Grant Program and the general categories of such manufacturers;
4)  / the number of small businesses participating in the Small Manufacturer Program that hire “new apprentices” and the number of such “new apprentices” hired by each such Small Manufacturer;
5)  / the number of persons hired under the aggregate STEP UP Program and each component of the Program;
6)  / the most recent estimate(s) of the number of jobs created or maintained as a result of the STEP UP Program; and
7)  / any other information (data, statistics, analysis, lists, numbers, etc.) collected by the Central WIB, as CTDOL may request, pertaining to the STEP UP Program.

b)  Central WIB Financial/Administrative Staff

The Central WIB’s Financial/Administrative staff shall conduct the following activities and provide the following services as central wage and training grant reimbursement agent for the STEP UP Program:

i)  review all employer/employee Agreements submitted by all STEP UP Regional Coordinators;

ii)  establish and implement reimbursement schedules for STEP UP Program wage subsidy reimbursements and training grants, in accordance with the terms and conditions of individual Agreements executed between participating employers and employees in all 5 Regional WIBs;

iii)  verify all wage subsidy and training grant reimbursement requests from Regional Coordinators on a continual ongoing basis;

iv)  issue wage subsidy and training grant reimbursements directly to participating STEP UP employers on a monthly basis, but no later than 10 business days after the Central WIB’s receipt of accurate and verified wage and hour monthly documentation;

v)  use funding provided under the Central WIB’s contract for wage subsidies and training grants on a “first come, first served” basis, i.e. no WIB-specific wage subsidy and training grant allocations shall be made under this contract and monies shall be spent as reimbursements are made to employers under each respective program component (Small Business or Small Manufacturing) until such funds are exhausted;

vi)  resolve reimbursement discrepancies in collaboration with the Regional Coordinators and participating STEP UP employers;

vii)  prepare and submit to CTDOL:

1)  using copies of Agreements between participating employers and participating employees submitted by Local Regional WIBs, collect and report the following data on a weekly aggregate basis:

a.  data regarding job placement, job creation, business involvement, employer participation, hiring of “new apprentices”; and

b.  program service levels and performance

(1)  by STEP UP program component, and

(2)  by Local Regional WIB;

2)  requests and justifications for draw-downs of STEP UP funds for wage reimbursements and training grants under this contract; and

3)  documentation of reconciliation(s) (i.e. application of funding received to immediate and projected cash needs) prior to making any additional requests for funds;

viii)  provide weekly updates to all STEP UP Regional Coordinators and CTDOL on wage reimbursement and training grant “pool” data;

ix)  utilize Automated Clearing House (ACH) draw-down to access funds from CTDOL; and

x)  maintain appropriate records to document wage reimbursements and training grants made under the STEP UP Program.

2)  Local WIB Regional Coordinators

To implement and conduct the STEP UP program:

a)  Each Regional WIB shall:

i)  assign a Regional Coordinator to conduct STEP UP Program activities as described in detail below; and

ii)  collaborate with the CTDOL to:

1)  oversee all wage and grant reimbursements respective to its WIB under the STEP UP Program, and

2)  conduct the program activities described below in such a manner as to implement the goals of job creation and worker opportunity through timely execution of Small Business and Small Manufacturing employer and employee Agreements, provided under this contract as Exhibits 1 and 2.

b)  Each Regional WIB’s Regional Coordinator shall conduct the following activities and provide the following services within the local area served by the respective WIB:

i)  collaborate with:

1)  the CTDOL Labor Operations Employment Services in their role as technical advisors for the program, and

2)  CTDOL staff responsible for programmatic and financial monitoring and administration;

ii)  recruit workers, businesses and manufacturers as STEP UP participants;

iii)  market the STEP UP Program;

iv)  screen and determine eligibility of persons, businesses and manufacturers who apply for STEP UP participation, prior to actual Program participation;

v)  prepare and execute Agreements between STEP UP employer and employee participants, using standard templates for each STEP UP component Program, as provided by CTDOL under this contract as follows:

1) / Subsidized Training and Employment Program Agreement, for Small Businesses / Exhibit 1
2) / Small Manufacturer Training Grant Program Agreement, / Exhibit 2
Such standardized Agreements:
·  are fill-able electronically,
·  may be converted into ETO-program format including exact language as under the respective Exhibits,
·  must be used by each WIB’s Regional and Assistant Regional Coordinators, and
·  must be printed out, signed and dated by all required parties, and kept in each STEP UP participant’s file;

vi)  submit Agreements between STEP UP employer and employee participants to the Central WIB upon execution;

vii)  submit to the Central WIB for reimbursement processing monthly wage and hour confirmation of hours worked by STEP UP employee participants, within 7 (seven) days following the close of the calendar month in which such hours are worked;

viii)  confirm on a monthly basis that participating STEP UP employers received the prior month’s wage reimbursement or training grant;

ix)  monitor each participating STEP UP employer’s retention of each participating employee throughout such participant’s respective 6-month wage subsidy or training grant period;

x)  collect from participating employers after each subsidy ends the required information as to the retention of STEP UP participant hires in the 7th month (one month post-Agreement);