PRINTER'S NO. 1911
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No.
1275
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY HUGHES, FONTANA, FARNESE, TEPLITZ, SCHWANK, COSTA
AND TARTAGLIONE, JUNE 13, 2016
REFERRED TO LABOR AND INDUSTRY, JUNE 13, 2016
AN ACT
Amending the act of December 18, 2001 (P.L.949, No.114),
entitled, as amended, "An act establishing a unified
workforce investment system; restructuring certain
administrative functions, procedures and entities;
transferring workforce development functions of Commonwealth
agencies; establishing the Pennsylvania Workforce Investment
Board; providing for critical job training grants, for
guarantees for program quality and performance for workforce
development programs, for workforce leadership grants and for
industry partnerships; establishing the Keystone Works
Program; and authorizing local workforce investment boards,"
establishing the Pennsylvania Youth Employment Services
Program and providing for grants.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. The act of December 18, 2001 (P.L.949, No.114),
known as the Workforce Development Act, is amended by adding a
chapter to read:
CHAPTER 8
PENNSYLVANIA YOUTH EMPLOYMENT SERVICES PROGRAM
Section 801. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this chapter
shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Disadvantaged youth." An individual who:
(1) is a resident of this Commonwealth;
(2) is not less than 16 years of age and not more than
23 years of age; and
(3) has a median family income that does not exceed 235%
of the Federal poverty level consistent with the Temporary
Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Grants that serve
purposes similar to those of this chapter.
Educational background shall not be a factor in determining
whether an individual is a disadvantaged youth.
"Eligible applicant." A nonprofit or tax-exempt organization
or a municipal or public agency that provides youth employment
services.
"Grant." A youth employment services grant awarded under
this chapter.
"Participating employer." A private company or nonprofit
organization that provides a qualified employment opportunity to
a disadvantaged youth.
"Private company." A business, professional service company
or other enterprise. The term may include a group of two or more
private companies operating as a consortium in order to operate
a common training program.
"Program." The Pennsylvania Youth Employment Services
Program established under section 802.
"Qualified employment opportunity." A paid internship or
employment opportunity that meets the criteria under section 806
and any other requirements established by the board.
"Youth employment services." Employment assistance or job
training provided to individuals who are not less than 14 years
20160SB1275PN1911 - 2 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
of age and not more than 24 years of age, including, but not
limited to:
(1) youth job placement;
(2) employment readiness training; and
(3) career and life skills counseling.
Section 802. Establishment and purposes of program.
(a) Establishment.--There is established the Pennsylvania
Youth Employment Services Program.
(b) Purposes.--The purposes of the program include the
following:
(1) improve the employability of disadvantaged youths
through exposure to public or private sector work;
(2) enhance basic job and educational skills of
disadvantaged youths;
(3) encourage the completion of high school or
equivalency;
(4) assist disadvantaged youths as they enter
employment, school-to-work transition programs, the military
or postsecondary education or training;
(5) provide educational, career and life skills
counseling; and
(6) issue grants to eligible applicants for job training
and participant support activities.
Section 803. Program operation.
(a) General operation.--The board shall oversee the
operation of the program, with appropriate agency staffing
support as determined by the participating agencies and the
Governor.
(b) Sources of funding.--The board shall work with the
participating agencies and local work force investment boards to
20160SB1275PN1911 - 3 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
identify sources of Federal and State funds to be used for
grants under this chapter.
(c) Grant procedures.--The board shall recommend procedures
for the award of grants to eligible applicants for initiatives
that are consistent with the criteria set forth in section 805.
Section 804. Grant application.
(a) Single application.--There shall be a single multiagency
application for the grants awarded under this chapter. The
application may be combined on the same form as an application
for other programs overseen by a participating agency. An
application must demonstrate:
(1) the number of disadvantaged youths who will receive
youth employment services;
(2) the existence of job opportunities directly related
to the youth employment services provided by the eligible
applicant;
(3) how the training will support disadvantaged youth
employment initiatives within this Commonwealth;
(4) private sector participation in training design and
placement of disadvantaged youths; and
(5) the intended use of grant funds, including the
allocation between administrative, job training and
participant support costs.
(b) Applications and guidelines.--The participating
agencies, in consultation with the board and local work force
investment boards, shall develop grant applications, establish
guidelines, develop forms and institute procedures, including
the utilization of participating agency resources, as may be
necessary to implement the provisions of this chapter.
(c) Preference.--Preference shall be given to eligible
20160SB1275PN1911 - 4 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
applicants with experience in administering youth employment
services and those who have demonstrated efforts to coordinate
Federal and State programs in their locality.
(d) Approval of applications and contracts.--A committee
composed of the participating agencies and the board may approve
a grant application, and the appropriate Commonwealth agencies
shall enter into a contract with an eligible applicant to
provide youth employment services to disadvantaged youths to the
extent that funds are identified by participating agencies for
this purpose.
(e) Board recommendations.--Beginning October 1, 2016, and
each year thereafter, the board may recommend changes in the
operation and funding of the program to the Governor and the
General Assembly. The recommendations shall be made after the
board consults with the appropriate participating agency or
agencies, local work force investment boards, grant recipients
and private sector partners.
Section 805. Grants.
(a) Allocation formula.--The funds available for youth
employment services grants shall be allocated based on a
county's share of the Commonwealth's total disadvantaged youth
population.
(b) Allowable cost categories.--A grant recipient may use up
to 15% of its total award for administrative purposes. The
remainder of the grant award shall be used for a combination of
job training and participant support activities, including
subsidies to participating employers.
(c) Information.--The board shall require such information
and records from a grant recipient as the board deems necessary
to carry out its responsibilities under this chapter.
20160SB1275PN1911 - 5 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
(d) Limitation.--A local work force investment board is not
eligible for a grant as a youth employment services provider.
Section 806. Qualified employment opportunities.
(a) Wage rate.--The rate of pay for a qualified employment
opportunity shall be the minimum wage. Subsidies provided to
participating employers may not exceed 75% of the minimum wage.
An employer may use its own funds to increase a disadvantaged
youth employee's hourly wage rate.
(b) Part-time employment.--Wages and subsidies provided for
employment opportunities under this chapter may be paid for
part-time employment.
(c) Worker displacement prohibited.--An employer may not lay
off, terminate or reduce the working hours of an employee for
the purpose of hiring an individual with funds provided under
this chapter. An employer may not hire an individual with funds
available under this chapter if any other individual is laid off
from the same or substantially equivalent job.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
20160SB1275PN1911 - 6 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18