PRIA Logo™
Take the PRIA Score
Title 29 — LaborRelease 119-73

§3250 Workforce flexibility plans

Title 29 › Chapter CHAPTER 32— - WORKFORCE INNOVATION AND OPPORTUNITY › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— - WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES › Part Part E— - Administration › § 3250

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

States can send a workforce flexibility plan to the Secretary and—if the Secretary agrees—get permission to set aside certain federal rules for local workforce areas. The plan can allow waivers of rules under this part of the law, rules under sections 49g–49i, and some rules under the Older Americans Act for activities paid from section 506(b) funds. But the State may not waive rules that protect the basic goals of the laws, wage and labor standards, grievance and court review rights, nondiscrimination, who can take part, how funds are split and local areas and boards are set up, review and approval procedures for local plans, worker rights and protections, services for unemployment insurance claimants and veterans, or guaranteed free basic job-exchange services; Older Americans Act grants also keep their basic goals, wage rules, participant eligibility, and grant standards. The plan must explain how local areas can apply for waivers and which rules are likely to be waived, list any proposed waivers under sections 49g–49i and the Older Americans Act, describe the results expected from the waivers, and say how federal money will be watched. The Secretary can approve a plan for up to 5 years. Before the State sends the plan for approval, it must give the public and interested parties fair notice and a reasonable chance to comment.

Full Legal Text

Title 29, §3250

Labor — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)A State may submit to the Secretary, and the Secretary may approve, a workforce flexibility plan under which the State is authorized to waive, in accordance with the plan—
(1)any of the statutory or regulatory requirements applicable under this subchapter to local areas, pursuant to applications for such waivers from the local areas, except for requirements relating to the basic purposes of this subchapter, wage and labor standards, grievance procedures and judicial review, nondiscrimination, eligibility of participants, allocation of funds to local areas, establishment and functions of local areas and local boards, procedures for review and approval of local plans, and worker rights, participation, and protection;
(2)any of the statutory or regulatory requirements applicable under sections 49g through 49i of this title to the State (excluding requirements relating to the provision of services to unemployment insurance claimants and veterans, and requirements relating to universal access to basic labor exchange services without cost to jobseekers); and
(3)any of the statutory or regulatory requirements applicable under the Older Americans Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3001 et seq.) to State agencies on aging with respect to activities carried out using funds allotted under section 506(b) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 3056d(b)), except for requirements relating to the basic purposes of such Act, wage and labor standards, eligibility of participants in the activities, and standards for grant agreements.
(b)A workforce flexibility plan implemented by a State under subsection (a) shall include descriptions of—
(1)(A)the process by which local areas in the State may submit and obtain approval by the State of applications for waivers of requirements applicable under this subchapter; and
(B)the requirements described in subparagraph (A) that are likely to be waived by the State under the plan;
(2)the requirements applicable under sections 49g through 49i of this title that are proposed to be waived, if any;
(3)the requirements applicable under the Older Americans Act of 1965 [42 U.S.C. 3001 et seq.] that are proposed to be waived, if any;
(4)the outcomes to be achieved by the waivers described in paragraphs (1) through (3); and
(5)other measures to be taken to ensure appropriate accountability for Federal funds in connection with the waivers.
(c)The Secretary may approve a workforce flexibility plan for a period of not more than 5 years.
(d)Prior to submitting a workforce flexibility plan to the Secretary for approval, the State shall provide to all interested parties and to the general public adequate notice of and a reasonable opportunity for comment on the waiver requests proposed to be implemented pursuant to such plan.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Older Americans Act of 1965, referred to in subsecs. (a)(3) and (b)(3), is Pub. L. 89–73, July 14, 1965, 79 Stat. 218, which is classified generally to chapter 35 (§ 3001 et seq.) of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 3001 of Title 42 and Tables.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Section effective on the first day of the first full program year after
July 22, 2014 (
July 1, 2015), see section 506 of Pub. L. 113–128, set out as a note under section 3101 of this title. Workforce Flexibility Partnership Demonstration Program Pub. L. 105–78, title I, Nov. 13, 1997, 111 Stat. 1469, provided in part: “That the Secretary of Labor shall establish a workforce flexibility (work-flex) partnership demonstration program under which the Secretary shall authorize not more than six States, of which at least three States shall each have populations not in excess of 3,500,000, with a preference given to those States that have been designated Ed-Flex Partnership States under section 311(e) of Public Law 103–227 [former 20 U.S.C. 5891(e)], to waive any statutory or regulatory requirement applicable to service delivery areas or substate areas within the State under titles I–III of the Job Training Partnership Act [former 29 U.S.C. 1511 et seq., 1601 et seq., 1651 et seq.] (except for requirements relating to wage and labor standards, grievance procedures and judicial review, nondiscrimination, allotment of funds, and eligibility), and any of the statutory or regulatory requirements of section 8–10 of the Wagner-Peyser Act [29 U.S.C. 49g–49i] (except for requirements relating to the provision of services to unemployment insurance claimants and veterans, and to universal access to basic labor exchange services without cost to job seekers), for a duration not to exceed the waiver period authorized under section 311(e) of Public Law 103–227, pursuant to a plan submitted by such States and approved by the Secretary for the provision of workforce employment and training activities in the States, which includes a description of the process by which service delivery areas and substate areas may apply for and have waivers approved by the State, the requirements of the Wagner-Peyser Act [29 U.S.C. 49 et seq.] to be waived, the outcomes to be achieved and other measures to be taken to ensure appropriate accountability for Federal funds.” [References to a provision of the Job Training Partnership Act, effective Aug. 7, 1998, are deemed to refer to that provision or the corresponding provision of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, Pub. L. 105–220, Aug. 7, 1998, 112 Stat. 936, and effective
July 1, 2000, are deemed to refer to the corresponding provision of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, see former section 2940(b) of this title. The Workforce Investment Act of 1998 was repealed by Pub. L. 113–128, title V, §§ 506, 511(a),
July 22, 2014, 128 Stat. 1703, 1705, effective
July 1, 2015. Pursuant to section 3361(a) of this title, references to a provision of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 are deemed to refer to the corresponding provision of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, Pub. L. 113–128,
July 22, 2014, 128 Stat. 1425. For complete classification of the Job Training Partnership Act and the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 to the Code, see Tables. For complete classification of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 3101 of this title and Tables.] Similar provisions were contained in the following prior appropriations act: Pub. L. 104–208, div. A, title I, § 101(e) [title I], Sept. 30, 1996, 110 Stat. 3009–233, 3009–234.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

29 U.S.C. § 3250

Title 29 — Labor

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73