[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 30 (Thursday, February 13, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7392-7393]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-3559]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment & Training Administration


Office of Policy Development Evaluation and Research; Call for 
Papers; Biennial National Research Conference on ``Workforce Investment 
Issues in the United States''; Washington, DC June 4-5, 2003

    Summary: The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) of the 
U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) is the federal government agency 
responsible for implementing a national workforce investment and 
security system that enables workers and employers to compete and 
succeed in an ever-changing economy. This task is accomplished through 
the provision of world class labor market information, labor exchange 
services, job search assistance, training, and unemployment insurance 
benefits. These programs assist in the management of the risks 
associated with unemployment, declining income and skill shortages. 
They help workers in their search for work and their efforts to upgrade 
their human capital. They help employers find new employees who meet 
their skill requirements and upgrade the skills of their incumbent 
workers.
    In 1998, the Workforce Investment Act, the nation's most 
comprehensive effort at streamlining and transforming public 
employment, job training and education programs and agencies into a 
system that meets the skill needs of today's economy, was passed. The 
implementation of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998 combines a 
variety of workforce development programs and initiatives under one 
umbrella--the One-Stop System--to effectively serve the needs of job-
seekers, workers and employers in the changing workforce development 
environment at the onset of the 21st century economy.
    Under the provisions of the WIA, the Secretary of Labor is required 
every two years to prepare a five-year research plan for research, 
pilot and demonstration initiatives. This research plan reflects a 
strategic vision for research efforts based upon input from 
stakeholders in employment and training research, a review of recent 
efforts, an identification of areas where future research may be 
needed, and a review of possible research methodologies.
    In light of major changes in the macro-economy that have taken 
place in the areas of technological transformation, increasing 
globalization and changing demographics over the

[[Page 7393]]

recent years, and the resulting effects of rising workforce insecurity, 
the Employment and Training Administration will hold its second 
national research conference since the enactment of WIA. The conference 
will focus on issues related to trends, challenges and impacts of the 
macro-economy to workforce investment, significance of recent changes 
in workforce investment, workforce competitiveness in the global 
economy, changing business requirements, workforce security in our new 
economy, and major policy options to increase productivity by meeting 
the skill needs of business and promoting economic opportunities for 
the United States workforce. A plenary session is planned to discuss 
the soon-to-be published 2002-2007 plan and lay the groundwork for the 
2004-2009 research plan.
    This is a call for empirical/non-empirical papers related to 
workforce investment issues. ETA is seeking recently completed papers 
and papers that will be completed prior to the conference. We encourage 
contributions by researchers from academia, state or local agencies, 
business organizations, labor associations, research consulting firms 
and other relevant organizations. Possible topics may include, but are 
not limited to:
    [sbull] Workforce Investment Act (program implementation and 
administration of adult, dislocated worker and youth programs; issues 
relating to WIA reauthorization).
    [sbull] Skills Requirements of Employers (skills needed by 
employers in particular sectors and industries, the effect of new 
technologies, including the internet and e-commerce, on skill needs of 
employers).
    [sbull] Changes in the Structure and Organization of Work (changes 
in tenure and the rise of contingent work arrangements).
    [sbull] Effect of Contingent Work on Hiring Practices (the effect 
of hiring practices of employers and the job search behavior of 
individuals).
    [sbull] Role of Intermediaries in the Labor Market (whether 
intermediaries offer new approaches and techniques that can be adapted 
by the public-sector employment and training community).
    [sbull] Adaptability of the Unemployment Insurance Program to an 
evolving U.S. economy. (program administration, coverage, eligibility, 
benefit adequacy, benefit duration, recipiency, benefit financing, 
economic stabilization, special populations and changing work 
patterns).
    [sbull] Changes in Wages and Compensation (effect of education on 
workers' earnings).
    [sbull] Wages and Compensation Trends (recent trends in the receipt 
of benefits, including health insurance and retirement benefits) 
Interventions (employment and training intervention responses to wage 
and compensation trends).
    [sbull] Impact of technology, Internet and Labor Market Information 
on labor exchange processes.
    [sbull] Education--Workforce Training Continuum (appropriate roles 
of public K-12 and higher education integrated with Workforce 
Investment System).
    Time and Place: The conference will be held from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. 
on June 4, 2003 and from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p. m. on June 5, 2003 at the 
Holiday Inn, Capital Hill, 550 C Street, SW., Washington, DC 20024.
    Submission of Papers: All papers submitted will be reviewed by a 
panel of DOL experts in the workforce development arena and presenters 
will be notified if their papers are selected. Papers reporting on 
research and development, evaluation studies, pilot efforts, or applied 
practices are encouraged. Selected papers selected for the conference 
will be published as part of the ETA Occasional Paper Series. Travel 
and accommodation for invited presenters will be paid by the Employment 
and Training Administration. If interested, please submit your paper 
and abstract if possible in hard copy and diskette/CD (Word) by March 
1, 2003. Papers should be doubled-spaced and single sided. You will be 
notified by April 4, 2003, if your paper is selected; you will have to 
confirm your attendance by April 15, 2001. Please send your papers and 
abstract to the logistical contractor for this contract, HMA 
Associates, Inc., 1680 Wisconsin Avenue, NW., 2nd Floor, Washington, 
DC, 20007, Attn: Peggie Edwards-Jefferies. She may be reached at 202-
342-8258. We also encourage submitting abstracts for papers that have 
not yet been completed, but will be completed before the deadline for 
submission of papers.
    Public Participation: This Conference is open to the public; there 
is no registration fee. For registration information, please send name, 
address, e-mail address, affiliation, and telephone number to H.M.A 
Associates, Inc., 1680 Wisconsin Avenue, NW., 2nd Floor, Washington, 
DC, 20007, Attn: Peggie Edwards-Jefferies or email them to 
hmaassociates.com.

    Signed at Washington, DC, this 5th day of February.
Gerard F. Fiala,
Administrator, Office of Policy Development, Evaluation and Research.
[FR Doc. 03-3559 Filed 2-12-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-30-P