The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Wagner-Peyser Act Employment Service (ES) Allotments for Program Year (PY) 2025 are administered by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration (ETA). These allotments are authorized under Section 6 of the Wagner-Peyser Act (29 U.S.C. 49e) and are appropriated through the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025 (Public Law 119-4). The program provides funding to state workforce agencies (SWAs) to deliver labor exchange and career services through the public workforce system.
The total funding available for PY 2025 is $675,052,000. After a set-aside reduction of $7,266,000 for program integrity and evaluations as authorized by the appropriations act, the amount available for state distributions is $667,786,000. Of this total, $666,158,170 is distributed to the states and $1,627,830 to Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The formula for state distribution is based on each state's share of the civilian labor force (CLF) and unemployment for calendar year 2024. Specifically, 2/3 of funds are allocated based on CLF, and 1/3 based on unemployment. States with smaller labor forces also receive additional adjustments to ensure they meet minimum thresholds.
These funds are to be used by state workforce agencies to provide employment services under Section 7 of the Wagner-Peyser Act. These services include job search and placement assistance, labor market and occupational information dissemination, job recruitment for employers, and unemployment insurance claim support. States must reserve 10 percent of their allotment for activities directed by the Governor, such as providing performance incentives, services for special needs populations, and pilot programs. States are also required to use funds to provide services to migrant and seasonal farmworkers, including outreach, housing inspection, and complaint system management as per relevant federal regulations.
To apply for funding, states must submit an electronically signed SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance, through Grants.gov using funding opportunity number ETA-TEGL-11-24-ES (CFDA 17.207). Applications must reflect the exact allotment amount for each state as listed in Attachment I of the TEGL. The submission deadline is 30 days from the TEGL’s issue date of May 20, 2025, which makes the deadline June 19, 2025. Submissions must also include indirect cost amounts and maintain up-to-date System for Award Management (SAM) registration to ensure eligibility.
The period of performance for the Wagner-Peyser ES Program is from July 1, 2025, through September 30, 2027. States must also ensure timely submission of financial status reports (ETA-9130) each quarter for funds received. Future ETA guidance may expand on any additional deliverables or performance reporting expectations. For application or policy-related questions, states may contact the designated grant officer, Jenifer McEnery, at McEnery.Jenifer@dol.gov.
