2016 Connecticut General Statutes
Title 4 - Management of State Agencies
Chapter 50 - Office of Policy and Management: General Provisions; Budget and Appropriations; State Planning
Section 4-124w - Office of Workforce Competitiveness. Responsibilities.

(a) There shall be within the Labor Department an Office of Workforce Competitiveness.

(b) The Labor Commissioner shall, with the assistance of the Office of Workforce Competitiveness:

(1) Be the Governor's principal workforce development policy advisor;

(2) Be the liaison between the Governor and any local, state or federal organizations and entities with respect to workforce development matters, including implementation of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014, P.L. 113-128, as from time to time amended;

(3) Coordinate the workforce development activities of all state agencies;

(4) Coordinate the state's implementation of the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014, P.L. 113-128, as from time to time amended, and advise and assist the Governor with matters related to said act;

(5) Establish methods and procedures to ensure the maximum involvement of members of the public, the legislature and local officials in workforce development matters, including implementation of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014, P.L. 113-128, as from time to time amended;

(6) Enter into such contractual agreements, in accordance with established procedures, as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this section;

(7) Take any other action necessary to carry out the provisions of this section; and

(8) Not later than October 1, 2012, and annually thereafter, submit a report, with the assistance of the Labor Department, to the Governor and the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education, economic development, labor and higher education and employment advancement specifying a forecasted assessment by the Labor Department of workforce shortages in occupations in this state for the succeeding two and five-year periods. The report shall also include recommendations concerning (A) methods to generate a sufficient number of workers to meet identified workforce needs, including, but not limited to, scholarship, school-to-career and internship programs, and (B) methods secondary and higher education and private industry can use to address identified workforce needs.

(c) The Labor Department shall be the lead state agency for the development of employment and training strategies and initiatives required to support the state's position in the knowledge economy. The Labor Commissioner, with the assistance of the Office of Workforce Competitiveness, may call upon any office, department, board, commission or other agency of the state to supply such reports, information and assistance as may be necessary or appropriate in order to carry out its duties and requirements. Each officer or employee of such office, department, board, commission or other agency of the state is authorized and directed to cooperate with the Labor Commissioner and to furnish such reports, information and assistance.

(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.)

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).