PRINTER'S NO. 3826
No. 2860 Session of 1992
INTRODUCED BY FLICK, RYAN, E. Z. TAYLOR, SAURMAN, MERRY, FARGO,
SCHULER, JADLOWIEC, BLACK, S. H. SMITH, GANNON, RAYMOND,
HERMAN, DAVIES, GERLACH, TOMLINSON, VANCE, SCHEETZ, KING,
MARSICO, HESS, B. SMITH, STRITTMATTER, CHADWICK, CORNELL,
DEMPSEY, FAIRCHILD, FLEAGLE, REINARD, PITTS, D. W. SNYDER,
BIRMELIN, CLYMER, ULIANA, WILSON, J. TAYLOR, M. N. WRIGHT,
HARLEY, GLADECK, DURHAM, MICOZZIE, HAGARTY, STAIRS, SERAFINI,
ADOLPH, GODSHALL, CESSAR, CLARK AND SEMMEL, JUNE 22, 1992
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND WELFARE, JUNE 22, 1992
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), entitled "An
2 act to consolidate, editorially revise, and codify the public
3 welfare laws of the Commonwealth," providing for a job
4 training program and establishing a timetable for
5 implementation.
6 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
7 hereby enacts as follows:
8 Section 1. The act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), known
9 as the Public Welfare Code, is amended by adding a section to
10 read:
11 Section 214. Job Training Program.--(a) The department
12 shall, by April 1, 1993, establish, implement and administer a
13 three-year job training program with the ultimate goal of
14 securing economic self-sufficiency for welfare recipients.
15 (b) The program shall contain the following:
16 (1) The program shall consist of four pilot projects located
1 in counties in different geographical regions of this
2 Commonwealth.
3 (2) The program shall consist of a minimum of six hundred
4 hours of training which must include, but not be limited to, the
5 following:
6 (i) The acquisition of sufficient educational skills in
7 reading, writing and mathematics to enable the trainee to earn a
8 general education diploma.
9 (ii) Training in job skills for a guaranteed job opening
10 with a cooperating employer.
11 (iii) Acquisition of skills necessary to conduct successful
12 interviews, acquire marketable work ethics, employe
13 dependability and loyalty.
14 (iv) Such other areas including life management skills which
15 the department deems important.
16 (3) Each program operator shall provide support services to
17 trainees including, but not limited to, legal assistance, health
18 care, day care and other educational and support services
19 including transportation.
20 (4) Each program operator shall match trainees with existing
21 job vacancies which pay wages and benefits sufficient to ensure
22 the financial security of the trainee and any dependents to
23 enable that trainee and dependents to remain free of any State
24 assistance for at least one year.
25 (5) Each program operator may be an employer, a nonprofit
26 association or corporation or any combination thereof.
27 (6) Payments by the department to a project operator shall
28 be scheduled so that seventy-five percent of the contract price
29 is paid during training and twenty-five percent after the
30 trainee is employed continuously for a period of at least four
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1 months.
2 (c) Any requirement under State law or regulation shall be
3 suspended in each county chosen to participate in this pilot
4 program only for the duration of the pilot program. However, in
5 no way shall this conflict with Federal job training
6 requirements.
7 (d) Within eighteen months of the expiration of the pilot
8 program, the department shall be required to contract for and
9 complete an analysis of the pilot program results as measured
10 not only against the goals of this legislation but also against
11 the results of other Federal and State job training programs.
12 (e) In the event the analysis conducted for the department
13 indicates that the pilot program has achieved the goals of this
14 section and has resulted in a superior approach to other
15 existing job training programs, the department shall be required
16 to recommend changes to State law and regulations to permanently
17 implement the components of the pilot program Statewide.
18 (f) The department shall promulgate regulations to implement
19 the provisions of this section.
20 Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
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