NASWA History 2012

The National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA) has a long and distinguished history. It was founded in the depths of the Great Depression in the early years of unemployment insurance and employment service programs. Both unemployment insurance and programs linking workers with jobs have evolved over their histories, and the national organization of state officials who administer those programs has evolved also. However, the role of the organization is little changed. Much as it did in the 1930s, NASWA provides a forum for states to exchange information and ideas about how to improve program operations, serves as liaison between state workforce agencies and federal government agencies, Congress, business, labor, and intergovernmental groups, and is the collective voice of state agencies on workforce policies and issues.