MISSION STATEMENT & OBJECTIVES
Mission: Advance the economic well-being and self-sufficiency of all Floridians through premier early learning and workforce services.
Core Values: Service, Innovation, Excellence, Integrity, Accountability, Collaboration
The Agency for Workforce Innovation (AWI) is dedicated to advancing the economic well-being and self-sufficiency of all Floridians through premier early learning and workforce services.The AWI is divided into three primary areas: Early Learning Services, Unemployment Compensation Services, and Workforce Services.
AGENCY PURPOSES & AUTHORITY:
The responsibilities of the Agency for Workforce Innovation are wide-ranging and include:
- Implementing the State’s Child Care Resource and Referral, School Readiness, and Voluntary Prekindergarten Programs (Chapters 411 and 1002, Florida Statutes);
- Providing temporary wage replacement benefits to qualified individuals who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own (Chapter 443, Florida Statutes);
- Disbursing federal workforce funds (Section 20.50, Florida Statutes);
- Providing One-Stop Program Support services (workforce program information, guidance and technical assistance) to the Regional Workforce Boards (Chapter 445, Florida Statutes); and
- Managing the performance-based contract with Workforce Florida, Inc., which includes specific deliverables and performance requirements in the statewide administration and coordination of workforce services (Chapter 445, Florida Statutes)
The Florida Administrative Code may be viewed online at https://www.flrules.org/
The Code of Federal Regulations may be viewed online at http://www.gpoaccess.gov/cfr/
DUTIES OF THE AGENCY HEAD
The role of the director of the Agency for Workforce Innovation is to plan, direct, coordinate and execute the powers, duties and functions vested in the Agency for Workforce Innovation, including the Office of Unemployment Compensation Services, the Office of Workforce Program Support, the Office of Agency Support Services, and the Office of Early Learning. The director is appointed by, and serves at the pleasure of, the governor.
OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR
Communications Statutes: Not Applicable
Duties/Responsibilities:
The Office of Communications is responsible for all internal and external communications for the agency and oversees the agency’s interaction with the news media. The Office of Communications works very closely with a wide range of workforce development, economic development and early learning partners and other professionals to keep the public informed of the many programs and services available statewide through the agency and our partners in the Employ Florida network and Early Learning coalitions.
General Counsel
Statutes: Section 20.50(2)(c), Florida Statutes
Duties/Responsibilities:
The Office of the General Counsel provides legal services for all program areas of the agency. Legal services include rendering legal advice and opinions to agency staff in the areas of workforce services, unemployment insurance compensation, and early learning. The office oversees the agency’s response to all public records requests, assists in drafting and reviewing agency's contracts, and handles all litigation involving the agency.
The General Counsel is the agency’s designated chief ethics officer and the agency’s contact person for public records/open government. The General Counsel may be contacted at: AWI General Counsel, 107 East Madison Street, MSC 110- Caldwell Building, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-4128 or email at AWI_comments@flaawi.com.
Inspector General (OIG)
Statutes: Section 20.055, Florida Statutes
Duties/Responsibilities:
The Office of the Inspector General promotes accountability, integrity and efficiency in agency programs. This is accomplished through audits, investigations, and special reviews and by providing counsel to protect agency resources and services. The Office of the Inspector General addresses complaints and assists in the identification and eradication of fraud, waste, and abuse for all programs under the agency’s oversight responsibilities.
The OIG provides coordination with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, outside audit entities, and other governmental units that conduct reviews of agency operations.
Legislative Affairs
Statutes: Not Applicable
Duties/Responsibilities:
The Legislative Affairs Office is responsible for the development, coordination, and communication of the Agency for Workforce Innovation's legislative and budget priorities. Legislative Affairs prepares and presents legislative and budget priorities to the Executive Office of the Governor (EOG) and the Florida Legislature. Legislative Affairs is responsible for establishing and maintaining contacts on legislative matters with the EOG, Florida Legislature, and other state and federal agencies. Legislative Affairs communicates with legislative members and their staffs on administrative and policy matters affecting the scope of insurance programs and activities of AWI. The Office of Legislative Affairs is the central point of contact for legislators and their staffs, as well as committee staffs, for information regarding the agency's programs.
Office for Civil Rights (OCR)
Statutes: 29 Code of Federal Regulations §37.23
Duties/Responsibilities:
The Office for Civil Rights ensures nondiscrimination and equal opportunity in employment, programs, and services within agency jurisdiction.
OFFICE OF AGENCY SUPPORT SERVICES
Accounting Statutes: Not Applicable
Duties/Responsibilities:
Accounting is responsible for the overall financial administration for the Agency for Workforce Innovation. The Units include Administration, Disbursements, Cash Management/ Reconciliation, Accounting Systems and Policy, and Grant Accounting and Reporting.
Budget Management
Statutes: Not applicable
Duties/Responsibilities:
The Budget Management Unit prepares the agency's annual Legislative Budget Request and develops annual operating budgets; assists in the preparation of fiscal impact statements for proposed legislation; monitors the agency's budget authority, expenditures and trust fund balances throughout the year; and initiates any interim budget actions necessary for the agency to accomplish its goals and objectives. Click here to access the agency's Long Range Program Plan.
Human Resource Management
Statutes: Chapter 110, Florida Statutes
Duties/Responsibilities:
This office is responsible for all agency personnel management issues, including new hires, separations, classifications, organization structure, leave and attendance, payroll, benefits, employee relations, and employee training. The office ensures that all actions are in compliance with the State of Florida Personnel Rules. This office also provides the agency’s external partners with HR technical assistance.
Grants Management
Statutes: Not applicable
Duties/Responsibilities:
This office manages all federal and state grants awarded to the agency and is responsible for ensuring compliance with grant rules and regulations and managing and accounting for available grant revenues. The Grants Management Section is also responsible for the allocation and financial oversight of sub-awards to the state's regional workforce boards, Early Learning Coalitions and other sub-recipients.
General Services
Statutes: Not applicable
Duties/Responsibilities:
This office focuses on the operational functions of the agency. It is responsible for property and inventory management; maintenance of agency-owned buildings; business office lease agreements; purchasing, parking and management of the agency's vehicle fleet.
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Statutes: Not applicableDuties/Responsibilities:
Information Technology Services, working in coordination with the State Technology Office, manages the procurement, contracting and project management for AWI's major outsourced computer applications, internal applications, internal infrastructure, desktops, servers and telephone systems that support our 2000+ associates.
OFFICE OF EARLY LEARNING
Statutes: Section 20.50(2)(c) and Chapters 411 and 1002, Florida Statutes; Chapters 60BB-4, 60BB-8, and 60BB-9, Florida Administrative CodeDuties/Responsibilities:
The Office of Early Learning administers the school readiness system and the operational requirements of the Voluntary Pre-kindergarten Education Program. Early learning programs increase children's chances of achieving future educational success and becoming productive members of society. Florida’s early learning programs are developmentally appropriate, research-based, involve parents as their children's first teachers, serve as preventive measures for children at risk of future school failure, enhance the educational readiness of eligible children, and support family education. Each school readiness program provides the necessary elements to prepare at-risk children for school, including health screening and referral, and an appropriate educational program.
OFFICE OF UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION SERVICES
Statutes: Section 20.50(2)(c) and Chapter 443, Florida Statutes; Chapters 60BB-2, 60BB-3 and 60BB-5, Florida Administrative CodeDuties/Responsibilities:
Through the unemployment insurance program, the agency provides temporary wage replacement benefits to qualified individuals who are out of work through no fault of their own. The agency also processes Disaster Unemployment Insurance following a disaster declaration by the President.
Unemployment Compensation Benefits
Statutes: Section 20.50(2)(c) and Chapter 443, Florida Statutes
Duties/Responsibilities:
Unemployment insurance provides temporary wage replacement benefits to qualified individuals who are out of work through no fault of their own.
Unemployment Compensation Appeals
Statutes: Section 443.151, Florida Statutes
Duties/Responsibilities:
The Office of Appeals holds hearings and issues decisions to resolve disputes related to eligibility for unemployment compensation benefits and the payment and collection of unemployment compensation taxes.
Unemployment Compensation Tax
Statutes: Chapter 443, Florida Statutes
Duties/Responsibilities:
Under an interagency agreement, the Agency oversees the Department of Revenue’s assessment, payment, and collection of employer taxes which fund the benefits paid under the unemployment compensation program.
OFFICE OF WORKFORCE SERVICES
Statutes: Section 20.50(2)(c) and Chapter 445, Florida Statutes; Chapter 60BB-1, Florida Administrative CodeDuties/Responsibilities:
The Office of Workforce Services is responsible for providing One-Stop Program Support services (workforce program information, guidance and technical assistance) to the Regional Workforce Boards, as well as providing Labor Market Statistics information to our workforce partners and the general public. Additionally, AWI in its role as the administrative entity to Workforce Florida, Inc. (WFI) operates under a performance-based contract. The Office of Workforce Services is responsible for managing this contract, which includes specific deliverables and performance requirements in the statewide administration and coordination of workforce services.
Labor Market Statistics Center
Statutes: Not applicable
Duties/Responsibilities:
This center produces, analyzes, and distributes labor market statistics to improve economic decision-making. The information produced includes labor force, total employment, employment by industry and occupation, unemployment, unemployment rates, mass layoffs, projections of employment by industry and occupation, and wages by industry and occupation. Data are available either statewide or by county, metro area, or workforce region, and are updated monthly, quarterly or on an annual basis. Labor statistics are produced through the use of employer surveys, economic modeling, and administrative records from the Unemployment Compensation program. These data are produced through cooperative statistical programs with the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. This office also serves as the Census Data Center for Florida.
One-Stop and Program Support
Statutes: Section 445.009, Florida Statutes
Duties/Responsibilities:
This office provides programmatic guidance, coordination, planning and technical assistance to Florida’s 24 Regional Workforce Boards that operate the state’s 100+ One-Stop Career Centers. Program staff assists boards in the achievement of performance goals by facilitating statewide monitoring, reporting, data validation and program evaluation processes. This includes the production of programmatic and performance management reports that help determine program effectiveness and intervention strategies. This office also promotes local and state partnerships through the development of partnership agreements and grant opportunities with public entities and faith and community-based organizations. In addition, the office directly administers the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC), Alien Labor Certification (ALC), and Health Coverage Tax Credits Programs. Information on these programs is available at each One-Stop Career Center.
AVAILABILITY OF AGENCY RECORDS AND PUBLICATIONS
Except as limited by federal or state law, all records of the agency are public and shall be made available for inspection. Copies may be obtained at a cost not to exceed the cost of reproduction plus any special service charge for clerical or supervisory assistance.
Agency publications may be obtained by contacting the pertinent office in the agency that published the document. If the office of origin is unknown you may contact Victoria Heller, External Affairs Director, at 850.245.7130 or by e-mail at victoria.heller@flaawi.com.
AGENCY CLERK
NOTE: Please read this section carefully as there are different clerks for AWI legal matters, Unemployment Compensation Tax Liability Appeals, and Unemployment Appeals Commission Benefit Appeals.
Agency Clerk, AWI Legal Matters
The Agency Clerk for the Agency for Workforce Innovation is:
Audrey Gaten, Agency Clerk
Agency for Workforce Innovation
107 E. Madison Street, MSC 110
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-4128
Telephone: 850.245.7160
Facsimile: 850.921.3230
Email: audrey.gaten@flaawi.com
The duties and responsibilities of the agency clerk include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Filing and recording the filing date of Final Orders issued by the agency;
- Certifying the index and the record on appeal of any such Final Order;
- Keeping record of pleadings and other legal documents filed with the agency;
- Indexing and filing agency Final Orders;
- Certifying true and correct copies of OGC records on request for agency staff or the public;
- Appointing such deputy clerks as necessary to perform any of the duties of the agency clerk.
A party who files a document by electronic transmission shall (1) represent that the original, physically-signed document will be retained by that party for the duration of the proceeding and of any subsequent appeal or subsequent proceeding in that cause and that the party shall produce it upon the request of other parties; and (2) be responsible for any delay, disruption, or interruption of the electronic signals and accepts the full risk that the document may not be properly filed. The filing date for an electronically transmitted document shall be the date the agency clerk receives the complete document. Any document received by the office of the agency clerk after 5:00 p.m. shall be filed as of 8:00 am the next regular business day.
Deputy Agency Clerk, Unemployment Compensation Tax Liability Appeals
Documents relating to Unemployment Compensation Tax Appeals may be filed with the deputy agency clerk for Unemployment Compensation Tax Liability Appeals. The Deputy Agency Clerk for Unemployment Compensation Tax Liability Appeals is:
Dawn Spath, Deputy Agency Clerk
Office of UC Appeals
107 E Madison Street
Caldwell Building MSC 347
Tallahassee, FL 32399-4143.
Telephone: (850) 921-3511.
Facsimile: (850) 921-3524
If a document is faxed, the date of filing will be the date the fax is date-stamped in the Office of Appeals, even if that date is different from the date shown on the sender’s fax transmittal bar. If filed by mail, the postmark date of the United States Postal Service will be the date of filing.
Additional information about the appeals process is available at http://www.floridajobs.org/unemployment/uc_appeals_default.html
Agency Clerk, Unemployment Appeals Commission
The Clerk for Unemployment Appeals Commission (Benefit Appeals) is:
John Kunberger, Clerk
Unemployment Appeals Commission
2740 Centerview Drive, Ste 101
Tallahassee, FL 32399-4151
Telephone: (850) 487-2685
Hearing Impaired (TDD): (850) 922-9314
Fax: (850) 488-2123
Variances
A petition for variance from or waiver of an agency rule may be filed with the agency clerk at the address listed above. The petition must include the information specified in Section 120.542, Florida Statutes, and Chapter 28-104, Florida Administrative Code. For information about obtaining a waiver or variance, please contact Audrey Gaten at (850) 245-7160.
The Agency for Workforce Innovation will provide a copy of this Statement of Agency Organization and Operation to any person upon request or you may download a copy.