Labor Dept Dishes Out 2026 Job Training Funds to States and Workers
Published Date: 4/28/2026
Notice
Summary
The Department of Labor is sharing how it will divide money for job training and employment services in Program Year 2026. This affects states, youth, adults, and workers who lost jobs, with funds supporting training, job search help, and workforce info. If you want to comment on the funding formula for Outlying Areas, you have until May 28, 2026.
Analyzed Economic Effects
6 provisions identified: 5 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
PY2026 WIOA Youth Funding
The Department set PY2026 WIOA Youth Activities at $948,130,000 in appropriations and $946,979,800 available after set-asides. Youth funds become available for obligation on April 1, 2026; $925,200 is reserved for Migrant and Seasonal Farmworker (MSFW) Youth and 1.5% is reserved for the Native American Youth program.
PY2026 Adult & Dislocated Worker Allotments
For PY2026, WIOA Adult Activities total $875,649,000 with $875,480,000 available after set-asides (state share $873,291,300) and Dislocated Worker Activities total $1,396,412,000 with $1,396,161,000 available after set-asides (state share $1,095,349,000). Adult "base" funds are available July 1, 2026 and Adult/Dislocated Worker "advance" funds are available October 1, 2026.
Outlying Areas Funding Methodology
For PY2026, the Act waives competitive grants for Outlying Areas (American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, U.S. Virgin Islands) and uses an administrative formula based on relative share of unemployed, a minimum of 90% of prior year allotment percentage, a $75,000 minimum, and a 130% stop gain. The Department will accept comments on this methodology through May 28, 2026.
Wagner-Peyser ES Allotments & Uses
PY2026 Wagner-Peyser Employment Service grants total $675,052,000 with $674,897,000 available after set-asides; states receive $673,251,836 and Outlying Areas $1,645,164. Section 7 authorizes states to use 90% of funds for labor exchange and career services (job search, placement, employer recruitment, labor market information) and requires 10% reserved for Governor use (performance incentives, services for special-needs groups).
Set-Asides for Integrity and Evaluation
The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 permits set-asides of up to 0.5% for program integrity and up to 0.75% for evaluations and allows up to 1% transfers between programs. For PY2026 ETA reserved $645,000 from Training and Employment Services (TES) and $155,000 from State Unemployment Insurance and Employment Services Operations (SUIESO) appropriations for these activities; unused funds will be provided to states.
Workforce Information Grants Funding
PY2026 Workforce Information Grants total $32,031,000. The Department reserves $176,874 for Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands; the remaining funds are distributed with 40% equally to all states and 60% based on each state's share of the civilian labor force for the 12 months ending September 2025.
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Key Dates
Department and Agencies
Related Federal Register Documents
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