(a) A State may submit to the Secretary, and the Secretary may approve, a workforce flexibility (work-flex) plan under which the State is authorized to waive, in accordance with the plan:

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(1) Any of the statutory or regulatory requirements under title I of WIA applicable to local areas, if the local area requests the waiver in a waiver application, except for:

(i) Requirements relating to the basic purposes of title I of WIA;

(ii) Wage and labor standards;

(iii) Grievance procedures and judicial review;

(iv) Nondiscrimination;

(v) Eligibility of participants;

(vi) Allocation of funds to local areas;

(vii) Establishment and functions of local areas and local boards;

(viii) Review and approval of local plans;

(ix) Worker rights, participation, and protection; and

(x) Any of the statutory provisions essential to the key reform principles embodied in the Workforce Investment Act, described in § 661.400.

(2) Any of the statutory or regulatory requirements applicable to the State under section 8 through 10 of the Wagner-Peyser Act (29 U.S.C. §§ 49g–49i), except for requirements relating to:

(i) The provision of services to unemployment insurance claimants and veterans; and

(ii) Universal access to basic labor exchange services without cost to job seekers; and

(3) Any of the statutory or regulatory requirements under the Older Americans Act of 1965 (OAA) (42 U.S.C. § 3001 et seq.), applicable to State agencies on aging with respect to activities carried out using funds allotted under OAA section 506(a)(3) (42 U.S.C. § 3056d(a)(3)), except for requirements relating to:

(i) The basic purposes of OAA;

(ii) Wage and labor standards;

(iii) Eligibility of participants in the activities; and

(iv) Standards for agreements.

(b) A State’s workforce flexibility plan may accompany the State’s five-year Strategic Plan or may be submitted separately. If it is submitted separately, the workforce flexibility plan must identify related provisions in the State’s five-year Strategic Plan.

(c) A workforce flexibility plan submitted under paragraph (a) of this section must include descriptions of:

(1) The process by which local areas in the State may submit and obtain State approval of applications for waivers;

(2) The statutory and regulatory requirements of title I of WIA that are likely to be waived by the State under the workforce flexibility plan;

(3) The statutory and regulatory requirements of sections 8 through 10 of the Wagner-Peyser Act that are proposed for waiver, if any;

(4) The statutory and regulatory requirements of the Older Americans Act of 1965 that are proposed for waiver, if any;

(5) The outcomes to be achieved by the waivers described in paragraphs (c)(1) to (4) of this section including, where appropriate, revisions to adjusted levels of performance included in the State or local plan under title I of WIA; and

(6) The measures to be taken to ensure appropriate accountability for Federal funds in connection with the waivers.

(d) The Secretary may approve a workforce flexibility plan for a period of up to five years.

(e) Before submitting a workforce flexibility plan to the Secretary for approval, the State must provide adequate notice and a reasonable opportunity for comment on the proposed waiver requests under the workforce flexibility plan to all interested parties and to the general public.

(f) The Secretary will issue guidelines under which States may request designation as a work-flex State.