Public Act 097-0581 Public Act 0581 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
Public Act 097-0581 | HB2927 Enrolled | LRB097 08773 HLH 48903 b |
|
| AN ACT concerning State government.
| Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
| represented in the General Assembly:
| Section 5. The Illinois Emergency Employment Development | Act is amended by changing Sections 2, 3, 6, 7, 9 and by adding | Sections 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, and 18 as follows:
| (20 ILCS 630/2) (from Ch. 48, par. 2402)
| Sec. 2. For the purposes of this Act, the following words | have the
meanings ascribed to them in this Section.
| (a) "Advisory Committee" means the 21st Century Workforce | Development Fund Advisory Committee, established under the | 21st Century Workforce Development Fund Act. | (b) (a) "Coordinator" means the Illinois Emergency | Employment
Development Coordinator appointed under Section 3.
| (c) "Department" means the Illinois Department of Commerce | and Economic Opportunity. | (d) "Director" means the Director of Commerce and Economic | Opportunity. | (e) (b) "Eligible business" means a for-profit business.
| (f) (c) "Eligible employer" means an eligible nonprofit | agency, or
an eligible business.
| (g) (d) "Eligible job applicant" means a person who (1) has | been a resident
of this State for at least one year; and (2) is |
| unemployed;
and (3) is not
receiving and is not qualified to | receive unemployment compensation or
workers' compensation; | and (4) is determined by the employment
administrator to be | likely to be available for employment by an eligible
employer | for the duration of the job. :
| A. (1) has been a resident
of this State for at least | one year; and (2) is unemployed;
and (3) is not
receiving | and is not qualified to receive unemployment compensation | or
workers' compensation; and (4) is determined by the | employment
administrator to be likely to be available for | employment by an eligible
employer for the duration of the | job; or
| B. is otherwise eligible
for services under the Job | Training Partnership Act (29 USCA 1501 et seq.).
| In addition, a farmer who resides in a county qualified | under Federal
Disaster Relief and who can demonstrate severe | financial need may be
considered unemployed under this | subsection.
| (h) (e) "Eligible nonprofit agency" means an organization | exempt from
taxation under the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, | Section 501(c)(3).
| (i) (f) "Employment administrator" means the | administrative entity designated by the Coordinator, and | approved by the Advisory Committee, to administer the | provisions of this Act in each service delivery area. With | approval of the Advisory Committee, the Coordinator may |
| designate an administrative entity authorized under the | Workforce Investment Act or private, public, or non-profit | entities that have proven effectiveness in providing training, | workforce development, and job placement services to | low-income individuals Manager of the
Department of Commerce | and Economic Opportunity Job Training Programs Division
or his | or her designee .
| (j) "Fringe benefits" means all non-salary costs for each | person employed under the program, including, but not limited | to, workers compensation, unemployment insurance, and health | benefits, as would be provided to non-subsidized employees | performing similar work. | (k) (g) "Household" means a group of persons living at the | same residence
consisting of, at a maximum, spouses and the | minor children of each.
| (l) (h) "Program" means the Illinois Emergency Employment | Development
Program created by this Act consisting of temporary | work relief projects in
nonprofit agencies and new job creation | in the private sector.
| (i) "Service Delivery Area" means that unit or units of | local
government designated by the Governor pursuant to Title | I, Part A, Section
102 of the Job Training Partnership Act (29 | USCA et seq.).
| (j) "Excess unemployed" means the number of unemployed in | excess of 6.5%
of the service delivery area population.
| (k) "Private industry council" means governing body of each |
| service
delivery area created pursuant to Title I, Section 102 | of the Job Training
Partnership Act (29 USC 1501 et seq.).
| (m) "Service delivery area" means an area designated as a | Local Workforce Investment Area by the State. | (n) "Workforce Investment Act" means the federal Workforce | Investment Act of 1998, any amendments to that Act, and any | other applicable federal statutes. | (Source: P.A. 94-793, eff. 5-19-06.)
| (20 ILCS 630/3) (from Ch. 48, par. 2403)
| Sec. 3. Illinois Emergency Employment
Development | Coordinator. | (a) The governor shall may appoint an Illinois Emergency | Employment
Development Coordinator to administer the | provisions of this Act. The
coordinator shall be within the | Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, but shall be | responsible directly to the governor. The coordinator
shall | have the powers necessary to carry out the purpose of the | program.
| (b) The coordinator shall:
| (1) recommend one or more Employment Administrators | for each service delivery area for approval by the Advisory | Committee, with recommendations based on the demonstrated | ability of the Employment Administrator to identify and | address local needs Coordinate the Program with other State | agencies ;
|
| (2) enter into a contract with one or more Employment | Administrators in each service delivery area Coordinate | administration of the program with the general assistance | program ;
| (3) assist the Employment Administrator in developing | a satisfactory plan if an Employment Administrator submits | one that does not conform to program requirements Set | policy regarding disbursement of program funds ; and
| (4) convene and provide staff support to the Advisory | Committee; | (5) coordinate the program with other State agencies | and services including public benefits and workforce | programs for unemployed individuals; and Perform general | program marketing and monitoring functions.
| (6) perform general program marketing and monitoring | functions. | (c) The coordinator shall administer the program within the | Department
of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. The Director | of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall provide | administrative support services to the coordinator
for the | purposes of the program.
| (d) The coordinator shall report to the Governor, the | Advisory Committee, Illinois Job
Training Coordinating Council | and the General Assembly on a
quarterly basis concerning (1) | the number of persons employed under the
program; (2) the | number and type
of employers under the program; (3) the amount |
| of money spent in each
service delivery area for wages for each | type of employment
and each type of other
expenses; (4) the | number of persons who have completed participation in the
| program and their current employment, educational or training | status; and
(5) any information requested by the General | Assembly , the Advisory Committee, or governor or deemed
| pertinent by the coordinator ; and (6) any identified violations | of this Act and actions taken . Each report shall include | cumulative
information, as well as information for each | quarter.
| (e) Rules. The Director of Commerce and Economic | Opportunity, with the
advice of the coordinator and the | Advisory Committee , shall adopt rules for the administration | and
enforcement of this Act.
| (Source: P.A. 96-995, eff. 1-1-11.)
| (20 ILCS 630/6) (from Ch. 48, par. 2406)
| Sec. 6. Program funds; uses. Funds appropriated for the | purposes of the program shall not
exceed $10 million per fiscal | year.
| Funds appropriated for the purposes of the program may be | used as follows:
| (a) To provide a State contribution for wages and fringe | benefits for
eligible job applicants for a maximum of 1,040 | hours over a maximum period
of 52 26 weeks per job applicant. | For eligible job applicants participating
in a job training |
| program, the State contribution for wages may be used for a
| maximum period of 52 weeks per job applicant. The minimum | allowable hourly wage for job applicants employed in this | program shall not be below 120% of the current State minimum | wage rate. At least 75% of the funds appropriated for the | program must be used to pay wages and fringe benefits for | eligible job applicants. State contribution amounts are as | follows: | (1) For for-profit business employers, the The State | contribution for
wages shall be 50% of the minimum | allowable hourly wage wages up to a maximum of $4 per hour | for each
eligible job applicant employed.
The State | contribution for fringe benefits may be up to 25% of the | State wage contribution $1 per hour for
each eligible job | applicant employed. The employer must match wages in an | amount equal to or greater than the State contribution for | this program. Employers are responsible for the remaining | costs of any benefits provided and other employment related | costs. The However, the employer may use funds
from other | sources to provide increased wages and benefits to the | applicants it employs .
During the first fiscal year in | which the program is in effect, at least
75% of the funds | appropriated for the program must be used
to pay wages for | eligible job applicants. During each subsequent fiscal
| year in which the program is in effect, at least 85% of the | funds appropriated
for the program must be used to pay |
| wages for eligible job applicants ;
| (2) For non-profit employers participating in this | program, the State contribution for wages shall be 75% of | the minimum allowable hourly wage for each eligible job | applicant employed. The State contribution for fringe | benefits may be up to 25% of the state wage contribution | per hour for each eligible job applicant employed. The | employer must match wages in an amount equal to or greater | than the State contribution for this program. The State | contribution may be used to provide workers' compensation | coverage to applicants employed by government or | non-profit agencies under this Act. Employers are | responsible for the remaining costs of any benefits. The | employer may use funds from other sources to provide | increased wages and benefits to the applicants it employs. | (b) To provide child care services or subsidies or other | supportive services necessary to maintain employment to | applicants employed
under the program;
| (c) To provide workers' compensation coverage to | applicants employed by
nonprofit agencies under the program;
| (d) To provide job search assistance, labor market | orientation, job
seeking and work readiness skills, and | referral for other services;
| (e) To purchase supplies and materials for projects | creating permanent
improvements to public property in an amount | not to exceed one percent of
the funds appropriated ; and .
|
| (f) To reimburse the Department in an amount not to exceed | 1% of the funds appropriated for the actual cost of | administering this Act, and to reimburse the Employment | Administrators in an amount not to exceed 4.5% of the funds | allocated to them for their actual cost of administering this | Act. The Director and the Employment Administrators shall | leverage funds from other sources to cover the administrative | costs of this program whenever possible. | The Employment Administrator of each service delivery area | shall submit to the Coordinator a spending plan establishing | that funds allocated to the service delivery area will be used | within one year after the effective date, in the manner | required by this Act. Any funds allocated to a service delivery | area for which there is no spending plan approved by the | Coordinator shall be returned to the Department and may be | reallocated by the Coordinator to other Employment | Administrators. | (Source: P.A. 84-792.)
| (20 ILCS 630/7) (from Ch. 48, par. 2407)
| Sec. 7. Duties of State agencies. | (a) The Department of Employment Security Commerce and | Economic Opportunity shall
post information publicizing | publicize the program and shall provide staff assistance as | requested by
employment administrators in the screening of | businesses and the collection of
data about participants in the |
| program .
| (b) The Secretary of Human Services shall make available to | each employment administrator lists of local child care | providers through the Child Care Resource and Referral Network | available to persons employed under the program. The Director | of Children and Family Services shall provide to each
| employment administrator lists of currently licensed local day | care
facilities, updated quarterly, to be available to all | persons employed under
the program.
| (c) The Secretary of Human Services shall
post information | publicizing the program to applicants and recipients of take | all steps necessary to
inform each applicant for public aid of | the availability of the program .
| (Source: P.A. 94-793, eff. 5-19-06.)
| (20 ILCS 630/9) (from Ch. 48, par. 2409)
| Sec. 9. (a) Eligible businesses. A business employer is an | eligible
employer if it enters into a written contract, signed | and subscribed to
under oath, with the employment administrator | for its service delivery
area containing assurances that:
| (1) funds received by a business shall be used only as | permitted under the program;
| (2) the business has submitted a plan to the employment | administrator
(1) describing the duties and proposed | compensation of each employee
proposed to be hired under the | program; and (2) demonstrating that with the
funds provided |
| under the program the business is likely to succeed and
| continue to employ persons hired under the program;
| (3) the business will use funds exclusively for | compensation and fringe
benefits of eligible job applicants and | will provide employees hired with
these funds with fringe | benefits and other terms and conditions of
employment | comparable to those provided to other employees of the business
| who do comparable work;
| (4) the funds are necessary to allow the business to begin, | or to employ
additional people, but not to fill positions which | would be filled even in
the absence of funds from this program;
| (5) the business will cooperate with the coordinator in | collecting data
to assess the result of the program; and
| (6) the business is in compliance with all applicable | affirmative
action, fair labor, health, safety, and | environmental standards.
| (b) In allocating funds among eligible businesses, the | employment
administrator shall give priority to businesses | which best satisfy the following
criteria:
| (1) have a high potential for growth and long-term job | creation;
| (2) are labor intensive;
| (3) make high use of local and State resources;
| (4) are under ownership of women and minorities;
| (4-5) meet the definition of a small business as defined in | Section 5 of the Small Business Advisory Act; |
| (4-10) produce energy conserving materials or services or | are involved in development of renewable sources of energy; | (5) have their primary places of business in the State; and
| (6) intend to continue the employment of the eligible | applicant for at
least 6 months of unsubsidized employment.
| (c) (Blank). If the eligible employee remains employed for | 6 months of unsubsidized
employment, his employer may apply for | a bonus equal to 1/6 of the subsidy
provided to the employer | for that employee under this Act.
| (d) A business receiving funds under this program shall | repay 70% of the amount received for each eligible job | applicant employed who does not continue in the employment of | the business for at least 6 months beyond the subsidized period | unless the employer dismisses an employee for good cause and | works with the Employment Administrator to employ and train | another person referred by the Employment Administrator. The | Employment Administrator shall forward payments received under | this subsection to the Coordinator on a monthly basis. The | Coordinator shall deposit these payments into the Illinois 21st | Century Workforce Development Fund. | (Source: P.A. 84-1399.)
| (20 ILCS 630/11 new) | Sec. 11. Illinois 21st Century Workforce Development Fund | Advisory Committee. | (a) The 21st Century Workforce Development Fund Advisory |
| Committee, established under the 21st Century Workforce | Development Fund Act, shall provide oversight to the Illinois | Emergency Employment Development program. | (b) The Advisory Committee shall meet at the call of the | Coordinator to do the following: | (1) establish guidelines for the selection of | Employment Administrators; | (2) review recommendations of the Coordinator and | approve final selection of Employment Administrators; | (3) develop guidelines for the emergency employment | development plans to be created by each Employment | Administrator; | (4) review the emergency employment development plan | submitted by the Employment Administrator of each service | delivery area and approve satisfactory plans; | (5) ensure that the program is widely marketed to | employers and eligible job seekers; | (6) set policy regarding disbursement of program | funds; and | (7) review program quarterly reports and make | recommendations for program improvements as needed. | (20 ILCS 630/12 new) | Sec. 12. Allocation of funds among service delivery areas. | (a) 90% of the funds available for allocation to Employment | Administrators for the program must be allocated among service |
| delivery areas as follows: each service delivery area shall be | eligible to receive that proportion of the funds available | which equals the number of unemployed persons in the service | delivery area divided by the total number of unemployed persons | in the State for the 12-month period ending on the most recent | March 31. | (b) 10% of the funds available for allocation to employment | administrators under the program must be allocated at the | discretion of the Advisory Committee to Employment | Administrators: | (1) who will maximize the use of the funds through | coordination with other programs and State, local, and | federal agencies, through the use of matching funds, or | through the involvement of low-income constituent groups; | (2) who have demonstrated need beyond the allocation | available under subsection (a); and | (3) who have demonstrated outstanding performance in | job creation. | (20 ILCS 630/13 new) | Sec. 13. Allocation within service delivery areas; | priorities. Allocation of funds within a service delivery area | shall be determined by the Employment Administrator in each | service delivery area. The Employment Administrator shall give | priority to job applicants who: (i) live in households with no | other earned income source; (ii) have been unemployed for 6 |
| months or more; or (iii) who would otherwise be eligible to | receive Temporary Aid to Needy Families under Article IV of the | Public Aid Code, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or | general assistance under Article VI of the Illinois Public Aid | Code. | (20 ILCS 630/14 new) | Sec. 14. Employment Administrators; powers and duties. | (a) The Employment Administrator for each service delivery | area has the powers and duties given in this Section and any | additional duties given by the Coordinator. | (b) Each Employment Administrator shall develop an | emergency employment development plan for its service delivery | area under guidelines developed by the Advisory Committee and | submit it to the Coordinator within the period allowed by the | Coordinator. To the extent feasible, the Employment | Administrator shall seek input from potential eligible | employers and the public. The Employment Administrator shall | consult with local sources of information to identify current | local needs, including, but not limited to, local Workforce | Investment Boards, economic development councils, community | action agencies, and local Labor Market Information from the | Department of Employment Security. | (c) Each Employment Administrator shall publicize the | program within its service delivery area to seek maximum | participation by eligible job applicants and employers. |
| (d) Each Employment Administrator shall enter into | contracts with eligible employers setting forth the terms of | their participation in the program as required by this Act. | (e) Each Employment Administrator shall screen job | applicants and employers to achieve the best possible placement | of eligible job applicants with eligible employers. | (f) Each Employment Administrator shall maintain a list of | eligible job applicants unable to secure employment under the | program at the time of application. The list shall prioritize | eligible job applicants and shall be used to fill jobs with | eligible employers as they become available. Each Employment | Administrator shall receive and coordinate referrals from | other local organizations. | (g) Each Employment Administrator shall cooperate with | local educational and training institutions to coordinate and | publicize the availability of their resources to assure that | applicants may receive training needed before or while employed | in jobs which are available under the program. | (h) Each Employment Administrator may disburse funds not to | exceed 1% of the amount allocated to its service delivery area | for the purchase of supplies and materials for projects | creating permanent improvements to public property. | (20 ILCS 630/17 new) | Sec. 17. Work incentive demonstration project. The | coordinator and members of the Advisory Committee shall explore |
| avaliable resources to leverage in combination with the wage | subsidies in this Act to develop a Transitional Jobs program. | This Transitional Jobs program would prioritize services for | individuals with limited experience in the labor market and | barriers to employment, including but not limited to, | recipients of Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, | Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or other related | public assistance, and people with criminal records. | (20 ILCS 630/18 new) | Sec. 18. Worker displacement. | (a) An eligible employer may not terminate, lay off, or | reduce the working hours of an employee for the purpose of | hiring an individual with funds available under this Act. | (b) An eligible employer may not hire an individual with | funds available under this Act if any other person is on layoff | from the same or substantially equivalent job. | (c) In order to qualify as an eligible employer, a | government or non-profit agency or business must certify to the | Employment Administrator that each job created and funded under | this Act: | (1) will result in an increase in employment | opportunity over the level that would otherwise be | available; | (2) will not result in the displacement of currently | employed workers, including partial displacement such as |
| reduction in hours of non-overtime work, wages, or | employment benefits; and | (3) will not impair existing contracts for service or | result in the substitution of program funds for other funds | in connection with work that would otherwise be performed. | Section 10. The Corporate Accountability for Tax | Expenditures Act is amended by changing Section 5 as follows:
| (20 ILCS 715/5)
| Sec. 5. Definitions. As used in this Act:
| "Base years" means the first 2 complete calendar years | following the
effective date of a
recipient receiving | development assistance.
| "Date of assistance" means the commencement date of the | assistance
agreement, which
date triggers the period during | which the recipient is obligated to create or
retain jobs and
| continue operations at the specific project site.
| "Default" means that a recipient has not achieved its job | creation, job
retention, or wage
or benefit goals, as | applicable, during the prescribed period therefor.
| "Department" means, unless otherwise noted, the Department | of Commerce
and
Economic Opportunity or any successor agency.
| "Development assistance" means (1) tax credits and tax | exemptions (other
than given
under tax increment financing) | given as an incentive to a recipient business
organization
|
| pursuant to an initial certification or an initial designation | made by the
Department under the
Economic
Development for a | Growing Economy Tax Credit Act, River Edge Redevelopment Zone | Act, and the Illinois Enterprise
Zone Act,
including the High | Impact Business program, (2) grants or loans given to a
| recipient as an
incentive to a business organization pursuant | to the River Edge Redevelopment Zone Act, Large Business | Development
Program, the
Business Development Public | Infrastructure Program, or the Industrial Training
Program, | (3) the
State Treasurer's Economic Program Loans, (4) the | Illinois Department of
Transportation
Economic Development | Program, and (5) all successor and subsequent programs and
tax | credits
designed to promote large business relocations and | expansions. "Development
assistance" does
not include tax | increment financing, assistance provided under the Illinois
| Enterprise Zone Act and River Edge Redevelopment Zone Act
| pursuant to local ordinance, participation loans, or
financial
| transactions through
statutorily authorized financial | intermediaries in support of small business
loans and | investments
or given in connection with the development of | affordable housing. "Development assistance" includes | assistance under the Illinois Emergency Employment Program | pursuant to the Illinois Emergency Development Act.
| "Development assistance agreement" means any agreement | executed by the
State
granting body and the recipient setting | forth the terms and conditions of
development
assistance to be |
| provided to the recipient consistent with the final
application | for
development assistance, including but not limited to the | date of assistance,
submitted to
and approved by the State | granting body.
| "Full-time, permanent job" means either: (1) the | definition therefor in
the legislation
authorizing the | programs described in the definition of development assistance
| in the Act or (2)
if there is no such definition, then as | defined in administrative rules
implementing such
legislation, | provided the administrative rules were in place prior to the
| effective date of this Act.
On and after the effective date of | this Act, if there is no definition of
"full-time,
permanent | job" in either
the legislation authorizing a program that | constitutes economic development
assistance under
this Act or | in any administrative rule implementing such legislation that | was
in
place prior to the
effective date of this Act, then | "full-time, permanent job" means a job in
which
the new
| employee works for the recipient at a rate of at least 35 hours | per week.
| "New employee" means either: (1) the definition therefor in | the
legislation authorizing
the programs described in the | definition of development assistance in the Act
or (2) if there | is no
such definition, then as defined in administrative rules | implementing such
legislation, provided
the administrative | rules were in place prior to the effective date of this Act.
On | and after the effective
date of this Act, if there is no |
| definition of "new employee" in either the
legislation | authorizing a
program that constitutes economic development | assistance under this Act nor in
any
administrative rule | implementing such legislation that was in place prior to
the
| effective date of
this Act, then "new employee" means a | full-time, permanent employee who
represents a net
increase in | the number of the recipient's employees statewide. "New | employee"
includes an
employee who previously filled a new | employee position with the recipient who
was rehired or
called | back from a layoff that occurs during or following the base | years.
| The term "New Employee" does not include any of the | following:
| (1) An employee of the recipient who performs a job | that was
previously
performed by another employee in this | State, if that job existed in this State
for at least 6 | months before
hiring the
employee.
| (2) A child, grandchild, parent, or spouse, other than | a spouse who is
legally
separated from the individual, of | any individual who has a direct or indirect
ownership
| interest of at least 5% in the profits, capital, or value | of any member of
the recipient.
| "Part-time job" means either: (1) the definition therefor | in the
legislation authorizing the
programs described in the | definition of development assistance in the Act or
(2) if there | is no
such definition, then as defined in administrative rules |
| implementing such
legislation, provided
the administrative | rules were in place prior to the effective date of this Act.
On | and after the effective
date of this Act, if there is no | definition of "part-time job" in either the
legislation | authorizing a
program that constitutes economic development | assistance under this Act or in
any
administrative rule | implementing such legislation that was in place prior to
the
| effective date of
this Act, then "part-time job" means a job in | which the new employee works for
the recipient at a
rate of | less than 35 hours per week.
| "Recipient" means any business that receives economic | development
assistance. A
business is any corporation, limited | liability company, partnership, joint
venture, association,
| sole proprietorship, or other legally recognized entity.
| "Retained employee" means either: (1) the definition | therefor in the
legislation
authorizing the programs described | in the definition of development assistance
in the Act or (2)
| if there is no such definition, then as defined in | administrative rules
implementing such
legislation, provided | the administrative rules were in place prior to the
effective | date of this Act.
On and after the effective date of this Act, | if there is no definition of
"retained
employee" in either the
| legislation authorizing a program that constitutes economic | development
assistance under this
Act or in any administrative | rule implementing such legislation that was in
place prior to | the
effective date of this Act, then "retained employee" means |
| any employee defined
as having a
full-time or full-time | equivalent job preserved at a specific facility or site,
the | continuance of
which is threatened by a specific and | demonstrable threat, which shall be
specified in the
| application for development assistance.
| "Specific project site" means that distinct operational | unit to which
any development
assistance is applied.
| "State granting body" means the Department, any State | department or State
agency
that provides
development | assistance that has reporting requirements under this Act, and | any
successor
agencies to any of the preceding.
| "Temporary job" means either: (1) the definition therefor | in the
legislation authorizing
the programs described in the | definition of development assistance in the Act
or (2) if there | is no
such definition, then as defined in administrative rules | implementing such
legislation, provided
the administrative | rules were in place prior to the effective date of this Act.
On | and after the effective
date of this Act, if there is no | definition of "temporary job" in either the
legislation | authorizing a
program that constitutes economic development | assistance under this Act or in
any
administrative rule | implementing such legislation that was in place prior to
the
| effective date of
this Act, then "temporary job" means a job in | which the new employee is hired
for a specific
duration of time | or season.
| "Value of assistance" means the face value of any form of |
| development
assistance.
| (Source: P.A. 93-552, eff. 8-20-03; 94-793, eff. 5-19-06; | 94-1021, eff. 7-12-06.)
| Section 15. The 21st Century Workforce Development Fund Act | is amended by changing Section 15 as follows: | (30 ILCS 787/15)
| Sec. 15. Use of Fund. | (a) Role of Fund. Subject to appropriation, resources | Resources from the Fund are intended to be used flexibly to | support innovative and locally-driven strategies, to leverage | other funding sources, and to fill gaps in existing workforce | development resources in Illinois. They are not intended to | supplant existing workforce development resources. | (b) Distribution of funds. Funds shall be distributed | through competitive grantmaking processes administered by the | Department and overseen by the Advisory Committee. No more than | 6% of funds used for grants may be retained by the Department | for administrative costs or for program evaluation or technical | assistance activities. | (c) Grantmaking. The Department must administer funds | through competitive grantmaking in accordance with the | priorities described in this Act. Grantmaking must be used to | support workforce development strategies consistent with the | priorities outlined in this Act. Strategies may include, but |
| are not limited to the following: | (i) Expanded grantmaking for existing State workforce | development strategies, including the Job Training and | Economic Development Program and programs designed to | increase the number of persons traditionally | underrepresented in the building trades, specifically | minorities and women. | (ii) Workforce development initiatives that help the | least skilled adults access employment and education | opportunities, including transitional jobs programs and | educational bridge programming that integrate basic | education and occupational skills training. | (iii) Sectoral strategies that develop | industry-specific workforce education and training | services that lead to existing or expected jobs with | identified employers and that include services to ensure | that low-income, low-skilled adults can be served. | (iv) Support for the development and implementation of | workforce education and training programs in the energy | efficiency, renewable energy, and pollution control | cleanup and prevention industries. | (v) Support for planning activities that: ensure that | workforce development and education needs of low-skilled | adults are integrated into industry-specific career | pathways; analyze labor market data to track workforce | trends in the State's energy-related initiatives; or |
| increase the capacity of communities to provide workforce | services to low-income, low-skilled adults.
| (d) Allowable expenditures. Grant funds are limited to | expenditures for the following: | (i) Basic skills training, adult education, | occupational training, job readiness training, and | soft-skills training for which financial aid is otherwise | not available.
| (ii) Workforce development-related services including | mentoring, job development, support services, | transportation assistance, and wage subsidies, that are | tied to participation in training and employment.
| (iii) Capacity building, program development, and | technical assistance activities necessary for the | development and implementation of new workforce education | and training strategies.
| No more than 5% of any grant may be used for administrative | costs.
| (e) Eligible applicants. For grants under this Section, | eligible applicants include the following:
| (i) Any private, public, and non-profit entities that | provide education, training, and workforce development | services to low-income individuals. | (ii) Educational institutions. | (iii) Labor and business associations.
| (Source: P.A. 96-771, eff. 8-28-09.)
|
| Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1, | 2011.
|
Effective Date: 8/26/2011
|