Date: June 23, 2020
Media Contact: Cisco Gamez
Phone: 512-463-8556
AUSTIN – Today, the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) took additional action to promote economic recovery and support the health of all Texans. These actions include expanding the eligibility for Skills Development Funds training grants and a federal waiver request to increase pre-kindergarten match allowance for child care centers.
The Texas Workforce Commission took action to expand the eligibility for Skills Development Fund COVID-19 training to include publicly funded hospitals, small business owners and sole proprietors operating in demand sections. To better address workforce needs, the commission adjusted the prevailing wage threshold to allow Skills Development Fund participants who are training for new jobs to meet the 10 percentile wage level for prevailing wage determination.
The Skills Development Fund COVID-19 Special Initiative (“Initiative”) is a new program from the Texas Workforce Commission in direct response to the COVID-19 Pandemic Outbreak. TWC has awarded more than $8M of the $10 Million in available funds to community and technical colleges, the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service and workforce development boards across the state who are responding to the training needs of businesses and individuals adversely affected by COVID-19, and those employers who are retooling business processes to respond to the need for COVID-19 related necessities. These funds and rule changes are available for the next year. Businesses seeking more information should visit the TWC Skills Development Fund webpage or email Skills@twc.texas.gov.
In addition, the Commission moved to pursue a federal waiver to allow Texas to certify existing state pre-k expenditures up to 50 percent, rather than 30 percent, for Federal Fiscal Years 2020 and 2021. This waiver would provide needed flexibility for the state to certify state funds already being expended to support pre-k services, and allow Texas to draw down the full allotment of Child Care Development Fund matching funds during COVID.
As Texas continues to adapt to the challenges presented by the impacts of COVID-19, the Texas Workforce Commission continues to provide necessary resources for all Texans. For the latest information on economic recovery and workforce development visit TWC.Texas.Gov.
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The Texas Workforce Commission is a state agency dedicated to helping Texas employers, workers and communities prosper economically. For details on TWC and the services it offers in coordination with its network of local workforce development boards, call 512-463-8942 or visit www.texasworkforce.org. To receive notifications about TWC programs and services subscribe to our email updates.
