IWL Resource HubIWL Resource HubA common vocabulary reduces confusion and improves partnership execution. Definitions below prioritize plain language and DOL-aligned terms.
Executive branch agency that fosters, promotes, and develops the welfare of wage earners, job seekers, and retirees; protects worker rights by enforcing laws regarding minimum wage, overtime pay, workplace safety, and unemployment while promoting profitable employment opportunities.
Federal agency within the DOL that collects, analyzes, and publishes essential economic data including nonpartisan data on inflation, unemployment, wages, and productivity.
Federal law designed to help job seekers access employment, education, training, and support services to succeed in the labor market while matching employers with skilled workers; funds programs for adults, dislocated workers, and youth.
Data describing the labor market (wages, openings, growth, skills, industries) used to guide targeting and planning.
A structured process that combines LMI with local intelligence to identify priority roles, sectors, and employers and to produce a prospecting plan.
Formal, non-legally binding document outlining a preliminary agreement between parties, signaling a willingness to partner or contract; defines roles, responsibilities, and common goals.
A BLS program providing annual occupational employment and wage estimates at national, state, and local levels; used by job seekers to research salaries, employers to set competitive wages, and policy makers to analyze labor markets.
BLS ten-year projections describing expected growth and openings by occupation and industry.
A DOL resource describing occupational tasks, skills, and work activities; useful for role profiling and training alignment.
A local access point for workforce services and business services within the public workforce system.
An educational strategy that connects classroom learning with real-world work experience, allowing learners to gain technical skills and academic credit through hands-on engagement at a work site.
A planned, structured learning experience in a workplace for a limited time; may be paid or unpaid consistent with other laws; transitional jobs are a type of work experience.
A time-limited, wage-paid, subsidized work experience for individuals with barriers to employment who are chronically unemployed or have inconsistent work history, as determined by the local workforce board.
Training provided under a contract with an employer (or registered apprenticeship sponsor) with reimbursement typically up to 50% of wages and, in limited cases, up to 75% for extraordinary training/supervision costs.
A federal tax credit for eligible hires from targeted groups; requires timely submission of forms to the state workforce agency and IRS filing.
A program providing fidelity bonds to reduce perceived risk for hiring individuals who face barriers to employment.
Hiring practices that reduce unnecessary barriers for qualified candidates with criminal records while maintaining job-related screening and compliance with laws.
Federal performance measures including employment rates (2nd/4th quarter after exit), median earnings, credential attainment, measurable skill gains, and effectiveness in serving employers.
Definitions and requirements for work experience/internships, transitional jobs, and OJT are established in federal regulations. [8][9][10]
Key labor market data sources include BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, and occupational profiling resources include O*NET. [4][5][6]