An Act To Promote Reemployment of Unemployed Workers

CONCEPT DRAFT SUMMARY

This bill is a concept draft pursuant to Joint Rule 208.

This bill proposes to improve reemployment opportunities for workers who are between jobs in several ways, including:

1. Adjusting orientation and training programs for unemployed workers to prepare those workers to take new jobs in the event their previous jobs may no longer exist due to the transformative nature of economic downturns;

2. Strengthening up-front assessment of worker skills, educational deficits and overall employability for purposes of shaping reemployment plans;

3. Enhancing the Department of Labor's enterprise option program through qualified use of other state programs designed to help innovative entrepreneurs establish businesses;

4. Formulating performance metrics for the unemployment compensation system that emphasize cycle times from job to job, measure the degree of wage restoration over time and assess the efficacy of the unemployment compensation system in placing workers in jobs; and

5. Requiring the Department of Labor to report regularly to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over unemployment compensation matters on the effectiveness of these changes in helping unemployed workers become reemployed.