The 1985 Jobs Policy Act [Laws 1985 1spsess c14 art9] established an Office of Full Productivity and Opportunity (OFPO), its mandate to integrate Minnesota's employment, training, income maintenance and support services. It was coordinated first by Kathryn Roberts (1985-April 1986) and then by Keith Ford (May 1986-1987). It was abolished by the 1987 legislature [Laws 1987 c403 art2 sec164] and its duties were transferred to the Jobs Training and Human Services departments.

Governor Perpich, however, noting that with the demise of the OFPO there was no single agency responsible for coordinating and evaluating the implementation of the comprehensive state employment and training policy as articulated in the 1985 Jobs Act and the reforms found in the 1987 Welfare Reform legislation [various laws], created the Governor's Council on Jobs Policy Coordination on June 2, 1987 [Executive Order #87-11]. The council was to develop a coordinated, comprehensive interagency strategy to reduce unemployment and public assistance dependency, encompassing an array of disciplines and programs, including education, employment and training, income maintenance and support services, health, economic development, and other appropriate programs. It was also the responsible entity within state government for coordinating the state's response to federal welfare reform and jobs and training policy initiatives.

The council consisted of the commissioners of education, jobs and training, trade and economic development, human services, health, agriculture, finance, and labor and industry; the chancellors of the community college and state university systems; the directors of the state planning agency and vocational technical education system; the executive director of the Higher Education Coordinating Board; the president of the University of Minnesota; and a representative of the Governor. The latter served as Council chair.

On June 30, 1987, under Department of Administration Reorganization Order No. 147, in order to improve efficiency and avoid duplication in the operation of state government, its duties, along with those from the Jobs Training and Human Services departments that affected coordination and evaluation of a comprehensive state employment and training policy, were transferred to the State Planning Agency, and became the Office of Jobs Policy Coordination (known as the Jobs Policy Office). Ford became director of the office. In November 1987, Perpich officially appointed Ford his representative on the council and thus Council chair.

The State Planning Agency, through the Jobs Policy Office, provided administrative support and staff to the council.

Since executive orders expire 90 days after the date that the governor who issued the order vacates office and this was not listed as one of the executive orders continued by the Carlson administration, and since neither the council nor the office appear in the state agency guidebooks or state telephone books after 1990, it is assumed that both the council and the office ceased to exist in 1991.

Sources: Minnesota Laws 1985, 1987; Jobs Policy Office records.