SENATE AMENDED
PRIOR PRINTER'S NOS. 7, 1619, 1712 PRINTER'S NO. 1979
No. 4 Session of 1987
INTRODUCED BY FATTAH, IRVIS, PIEVSKY, MANDERINO, O'DONNELL,
F. TAYLOR, D. R. WRIGHT, ITKIN, DOMBROWSKI, MICHLOVIC, VEON,
KUKOVICH, LIVENGOOD, STEWART, FEE, OLIVER, KOSINSKI, ACOSTA,
TRUMAN, ROEBUCK, STUBAN, SALOOM, COWELL, CAPPABIANCA,
SHOWERS, PRESTON, COHEN, LINTON, WIGGINS, JOSEPHS, DEAL,
GRUITZA, FOX, WASS, BUNT, R. C. WRIGHT, COY, PRESSMANN,
DeLUCA, HARPER, LESCOVITZ, MORRIS, JAROLIN, STEIGHNER AND
LaGROTTA, MARCH 18, 1987
SENATOR PETERSON, PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE, IN SENATE, AS
AMENDED, JUNE 30, 1987
AN ACT
1 Authorizing the Department of Public Welfare to establish a
2 grant program for projects which provide employment
3 opportunities for certain individuals.
4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5 hereby enacts as follows:
6 Section 1. Short title.
7 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Employment
8 Opportunities Act.
9 Section 2. Definitions.
10 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
11 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
12 context clearly indicates otherwise:
13 "CHRONICALLY NEEDY GENERAL ASSISTANCE RECIPIENT." A PERSON <--
14 CLASSIFIED AS CHRONICALLY NEEDY UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION
1 432(3)(I) OF THE ACT OF JUNE 13, 1967 (P.L.31, NO.21), KNOWN AS
2 THE PUBLIC WELFARE CODE.
3 "On-the-job training." A program in which the training
4 necessary to perform a job is provided by the employer after the
5 employee is hired and designed for individuals who do not have
6 the related education, training or specific work experience
7 required for the job.
8 "Supported work." A program to encourage employers IN WHICH <--
9 EMPLOYERS MAKE A COMMITMENT to hire individuals with little or
10 no work history by providing WHO ARE PROVIDED WITH counseling <--
11 and assistance to ensure their transition to a fully functioning
12 employment status. Such counseling is provided at the worksite
13 to the extent possible. Assistance may involve helping the
14 individual perform the job for a short period of time if deemed
15 necessary and may include a wage subsidy for the employer.
16 "Transitionally needy general assistance recipient." A
17 person classified as transitionally needy under the provisions
18 of section 432(3)(iii) of the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31,
19 No.21), known as the Public Welfare Code, including those <--
20 HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS who have exhausted their eligibility for <--
21 cash assistance.
22 "Work experience." A program WHICH MEETS THE SPECIFICATIONS <--
23 OF WORK EXPERIENCE UNDER THE FEDERAL JOB TRAINING PARTNERSHIP
24 ACT (PUBLIC LAW 97-300, 96 STAT. 1322), THAT IS designed to
25 enhance a participant's employability by helping him develop
26 good work habits and basic skills needed for the work
27 environment through employment in the public sector for up to
28 six THREE months. The program is designed for individuals who <--
29 have never worked or who have been unemployed for a considerable
30 length of time.
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1 Section 3. Grants for projects to provide employment
2 opportunities for transitionally needy welfare
3 recipients.
4 The Department of Public Welfare is hereby authorized to
5 establish a program of grants to any private industry council or
6 designated administrative entity, public or private school,
7 institution of higher learning, business enterprise or nonprofit
8 organization for the implementation of projects to provide
9 employment opportunities for transitionally needy general
10 assistance recipients.
11 Section 4. Persons to be served.
12 (a) General rule.--Projects which receive funding under this
13 act shall serve transitionally needy general assistance
14 recipients AND CHRONICALLY NEEDY GENERAL ASSISTANCE RECIPIENTS <--
15 WHO ARE PARTICIPATING IN A DRUG OR ALCOHOL TREATMENT PROGRAM who
16 cannot be placed directly in an employment search program and
17 who have barriers to employment or have special needs which
18 include, but are not limited to:
19 (1) Persons with functional illiteracy AN EDUCATIONAL <--
20 GRADE LEVEL UNDER THE SIXTH GRADE.
21 (2) Persons with limited or no fluency in the English
22 language.
23 (3) Persons with few or no marketable occupation skills.
24 (4) Persons who lack a recent employment history.
25 (5) Persons with emotional or mental problems. <--
26 (6) Persons with drug or alcohol abuse history.
27 (7) Victims of domestic violence.
28 (8) High school dropout.
29 (9) Minority persons ages 18 through 25 without full-
30 time employment experience.
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1 (10) Displaced homemakers.
2 (11) Ex-offenders.
3 (12) Homeless persons.
4 (5) PERSONS WITH DRUG OR ALCOHOL ABUSE HISTORY. <--
5 (6) VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
6 (7) HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUTS.
7 (8) MINORITY PERSONS AGES 18 THROUGH 25 WITHOUT FULL-
8 TIME EMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCE.
9 (9) DISPLACED HOMEMAKERS.
10 (10) EX-OFFENDERS.
11 (11) HOMELESS PERSONS.
12 Section 5. Types of programs eligible for funding.
13 Grants may be awarded to fund the following types of
14 programs:
15 (1) Work experience projects not to exceed six WHICH <--
16 MEET THE SPECIFICATIONS OF THE FEDERAL JOB TRAINING
17 PARTNERSHIP ACT (PUBLIC LAW 97-300, 96 STAT. 1322) AND DO NOT
18 EXCEED THREE months duration per participant. Such projects
19 shall include intensive job-readiness and personal counseling
20 services and job-placement services which aim to place
21 participants in unsubsidized full-time jobs by the time the
22 work experience component is completed. Wages at the
23 applicable State or Federal minimum wage shall be subsidized
24 for participants in this component. The grantee may
25 subcontract for some or all of the services required or make
26 use of services already available in the community. Work
27 experience projects may be combined with skill specific
28 literacy training or adult basic education general
29 equivalency diploma preparation or English as a second
30 language programs.
19870H0004B1979 - 4 -
1 (2) Integrated vocational, basic and life skills <--
2 training projects which effectively combine adult basic
3 education, general equivalency diploma, preparation or <--
4 English as a second language; vocational or technical
5 training; and job-readiness services which together prepare
6 participants for identifiable jobs within the community. JOB <--
7 READINESS SERVICES MUST OCCUR CONCURRENTLY WITH VOCATIONAL
8 TRAINING OR BE LIMITED TO 30 DAYS. Such projects shall
9 include provision of job-placement services upon completion
10 of training and shall enroll participants without <--
11 administering and without reference to preenrollment
12 qualifying testing. The grantee may subcontract for the
13 services required or make use of services already available
14 in the community. Projects shall provide needs-based payments
15 or services in lieu of needs-based payments for participants
16 without other sources of income to enable them to
17 participate. These payments or services shall be sufficient
18 to cover basic personal needs of participants while in
19 training. NEEDS-BASED PAYMENTS ARE NOT TO EXCEED THE <--
20 APPLICABLE CASH ASSISTANCE GRANT AND SHALL BE LIMITED TO SIX
21 MONTHS. PAYMENTS SHALL BE DISALLOWED FOR DAYS OF TRAINING FOR
22 WHICH THE PARTICIPANT FAILS TO ATTEND.
23 (3) On-the-job training projects, including support
24 services and job-readiness counseling. If on-the-job training
25 does not result in permanent employment for participants, the
26 grantee shall provide job-placement services which aim to
27 place participants in unsubsidized full-time employment by
28 the time the on-the-job training is completed. Wages are paid
29 to the participant by the employer. The employer may receive
30 a subsidy from the Commonwealth of up to 50% of the wages
19870H0004B1979 - 5 -
1 paid in compensation for the costs associated with training
2 participants for up to six months. The grantee may
3 subcontract for some or all of the services required or make
4 use of services already available in the community.
5 (4) Supported work projects for up to six months. These
6 projects may be combined with skill specific literacy
7 training or other basic education programs.
8 Section 6. Support services.
9 (a) Types.--Projects shall provide support services,
10 including, but not limited to:
11 (1) Day care.
12 (2) Transportation.
13 (3) Ongoing supportive counseling services.
14 (4) Provision of support NEEDS-BASED payments. <--
15 (b) Duration.--Support services, EXCEPT FOR NEEDS-BASED <--
16 PAYMENTS, may continue to be provided for a period not to exceed
17 six months after entrance into unsubsidized employment. Pursuant
18 to this act, program operators must demonstrate that any support
19 services provided after entrance into unsubsidized employment
20 are essential for the client to remain in employment. Program
21 operators shall demonstrate that local resources are fully
22 utilized prior to providing supportive services under this act.
23 Section 7. Selection of projects.
24 The Department of Public Welfare, with the cooperation of the
25 Department of Labor and Industry, shall evaluate the proposals
26 submitted and select grantees for operation of this program
27 using the following criteria:
28 (1) Linkage with and participation of the local county
29 board of assistance AND COORDINATION WITH THE PRIVATE <--
30 INDUSTRY COUNCILS.
19870H0004B1979 - 6 -
1 (2) The level of locally available support services.
2 (3) That funding will result in the creation of
3 permanent job opportunities for participants.
4 (4) That the training will provide substantial
5 likelihood of job placement.
6 Section 8. Conversion of welfare benefits.
7 The cash benefits of participants eligible for cash
8 assistance may be converted into wage subsidies for work
9 experience projects, supported work and on-the-job training
10 projects.
11 Section 9. Program report.
12 The Department of Public Welfare, with the cooperation of the
13 Department of Labor and Industry, shall submit a report to the
14 General Assembly within six months of the completion of the
15 projects which shall include the following information:
16 (1) Number of persons served.
17 (2) Number of persons completing training.
18 (3) Number of persons obtaining full-time employment.
19 (4) Number of persons who have obtained training-related
20 jobs.
21 (5) Average cost per participant.
22 Section 10. Effective date.
23 This act shall take effect July 1, 1987.
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