PRINTER'S NO.  1888

  

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

  

HOUSE BILL

 

No.

1539

Session of

2011

  

  

INTRODUCED BY SAYLOR, SONNEY, MILLER, AUMENT, BOYD, COX, GILLEN, GROVE, MURT, CLYMER, CREIGHTON, DALEY, DAVIS, DENLINGER, ELLIS, EVANKOVICH, EVERETT, GABLER, GEIST, GIBBONS, GINGRICH, GOODMAN, GRELL, HARRIS, HESS, HICKERNELL, HUTCHINSON, M. K. KELLER, KILLION, LONGIETTI, MARSHALL, MASSER, MILNE, MOUL, OBERLANDER, O'NEILL, PAYTON, PICKETT, PYLE, REICHLEY, ROCK, SCHRODER, SIMMONS, TALLMAN, TRUITT, VULAKOVICH, WAGNER AND YOUNGBLOOD, MAY 12, 2011

  

  

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON LABOR AND INDUSTRY, MAY 12, 2011  

  

  

  

AN ACT

  

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Establishing the Keystone Works I Program.

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The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

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hereby enacts as follows:

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Section 1.  Short title.

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This act shall be known and may be cited as the Keystone

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Works I Program Act.

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Section 2.  Definitions.

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The following words and phrases when used in this act shall

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have the meanings given to them in this section unless the

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context clearly indicates otherwise:

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"Business."  A business located in this Commonwealth and

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approved by the Department of Labor and Industry for

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participation in the program.

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"Claimant."  A person collecting unemployment compensation

 


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benefits under the act of December 5, 1936 (2nd Sp.Sess., 1937

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P.L.2897, No.1), known as the Unemployment Compensation Law.

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"Department."  The Department of Labor and Industry of the

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Commonwealth.

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"Program."  The Keystone Works I Program.

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"Skill enhancement."  Raising to a higher degree a person's

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knowledge and execution of a fundamental job function.

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Section 3.  Keystone Works I Program.

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(a)  Establishment.--The Keystone Works I Program is

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established. The department shall administer the program.

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(b)  Duties.--The department shall do all of the following:

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(1)  Within 30 days of the effective date of this

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section, establish the program.

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(2)  Establish a form which claimants shall use to

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request to be approved for participation in the program.

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(3)  Within ten days of receipt of the form, grant or

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deny a claimant's request to participate in the program.

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(4)  In partnership with the department, notify

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businesses of the availability of the program.

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(5)  Provide a business with information and materials

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necessary to participate upon request.

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(6)  Match claimants to businesses participating in the

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program.

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(c)  Certification.--  In order to participate in the program,

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a business shall certify all of the following to the department:

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(1)  That it has open employment positions available.

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(2)  That it intends to hire for a position that a

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claimant may fill through the program.

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(3)  That it will follow up a claimant's participation in

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the program with a performance evaluation of the claimant,

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regardless of whether or not the claimant is hired for

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employment.

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Section 4.  Operation.

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(a)  Structure.--The department shall structure the program

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to permit a claimant to be matched with a business participating

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in the program. The claimant shall be placed in an open

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employment position made available by the business. The business

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shall provide skill enhancement from a business for up to 24

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hours per week for up to six weeks. Upon completion of the six-

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week period, claimants must be considered for employment by the

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business. A business shall not be required to compensate

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claimants involved with the program. 

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(b)  Termination.--A business may terminate its participation

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in the program at any time.

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Section 5.  Eligibility.

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Notwithstanding any other law, participation in the program

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shall not affect the unemployment compensation benefits of a

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claimant.

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Section 20.  Effective date.

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This act shall take effect immediately.

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