State Seeks Public Comments on Plan Modification for Workforce Development Programming

April 16, 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 16, 2026

State Seeks Public Comments on Plan Modification for Workforce Development Programming

AUGUSTA - The Maine Department of Labor and the State Workforce Development Board have posted the 2024-2027 Unified State Plan Modification for public comment.

The Unified State Plan Modification is a requirement of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)federal legislation that directs each state to develop strategies for its workforce development system, which is made up of multiple partners and stakeholders. The Unified State Plan Modification is designed to help job seekers access education, training, support, and employment in high-wage in-demand jobs, and to match employers with the skilled workers they need to thrive.

The Plan outlines the steps needed to address the state's workforce needs and identifies tasks and duties of each state agency and core partners

The State Workforce Development Board is now seeking public comments on the Plan. Anyone interested in reviewing and commenting on this workforce Plan can find it here:https://www.maine.gov/swb/stateplan/index.shtml. Commenting will be available beginning Monday, April 20.

Public comments can be submitted from April 20, 2026, through April 24, 2026, in three ways:

• through the public comment form available at the link above

• by emailing[email protected] [email protected],or

• by mail to State Workforce Development Board, Attn: WIOA Unified Plan Modification, 54 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333. Comments sent through traditional mail must be postmarked by April 24, 2026. Comments received after April 24, 2026, without an earlier postmark date will not be accepted.

The federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act was signed into law by the President of the U.S. on July 22, 2014. This federal legislation reauthorized the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998 and the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act. In Maine, WIOA core partners receive roughly $55 million in federal, state and other funding.