109 HR 3761 IH: Flexibility for Displaced Workers Act U.S. House of Representatives 2005-09-14 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

I 109th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 3761 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 14, 2005 Mr. Boustany (for himself, Mr. Boehner, Mr. McKeon, Mr. Marchant, Mr. Jindal, Mr. Baker, and Mr. Alexander) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce A BILL To provide special rules for disaster relief employment under the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 for individuals displaced by Hurricane Katrina.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Flexibility for Displaced Workers Act.

2.

Special rules for National Emergency Grants related to Hurricane Katrina

(a)

Use of grants for projects outside disaster area

Funds provided to States under section 173(a)(2) of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2918(a)(2)) to address the effects of Hurricane Katrina may be used to provide disaster relief employment under section 173(d)(1) of such Act on projects that provide assistance in areas outside of the disaster area (as such term is defined in section 173(a)(2) of such Act). (b)

Expanded eligibility for disaster relief employment

Funds provided to States under section 173(a)(2) of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2918(a)(2)) to address the effects of Hurricane Katrina may be used to provide disaster relief employment and other assistance under section 173(d)(1) of such Act, or public sector employment authorized under subsection (c) of this Act, to individuals affected by Hurricane Katrina, including those who have relocated from States in which a major disaster was declared under section 102 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5122) due to the effects of Hurricane Katrina, who were unemployed at the time of the disaster or who are without employment history, in addition to individuals who are eligible for such employment under section 173(d)(2) of Workforce Investment Act of 1998. (c)

Authorization for general public sector employment

Funds provided to States under section 173(a)(2) of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2918(a)(2)) to address the effects of Hurricane Katrina may be used to provide temporary employment to eligible individuals in public sector entities for a period not to exceed 6 months in addition to disaster relief employment described in section 173(d)(1) of such Act. (d)

Extension of the duration of disaster relief employment

The Secretary of Labor may extend the duration of employment under this Act and under section 173(d) of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2918(d)) for up to an additional 6 months due to extraordinary circumstances. (e)

Eligibility for needs-related payments

Funds provided to States under section 173(a)(2) of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2918(a)(2)) to address the effects of Hurricane Katrina may be used to provide needs-related payments (described in section 134(e)(3) of such Act (29 U.S.C. 2864(e)(3))) to eligible individuals who do not qualify for (or have ceased to qualify for) unemployment compensation, and who are not employed on a project described under section 173(d) of such Act, for the purpose of enabling such individuals to participate in activities under paragraphs (2), (3), or (4) of section 134(d) of such Act. (f)

Use of available funds

With the approval of the Secretary of Labor, any State may use funds that remain available for expenditure under any grants awarded to the State under section 173 of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2918) to provide any assistance authorized under such section or under this section to assist workers affected by Hurricane Katrina, including workers who have relocated from States in which an emergency or major disaster was declared under section 102 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5122) due to the effects of Hurricane Katrina.

3.

Sense of Congress

(a)

Mobile one-stop centers

It is the sense of Congress that States that operate mobile one-stop centers, established as part of the one-stop delivery system authorized under section 121 of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2841), should, where possible, make such centers available for use in the areas affected by Hurricane Katrina, and areas where large numbers of victims of Hurricane Katrina have been relocated. (b)

Expanded operational hours

It is the sense of Congress that one-stop operators (as such term is defined in section 101 of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998) should increase access for individuals affected by Hurricane Katrina to the one-stop delivery system authorized under section 121 of such Act (29 U.S.C. 2841), including through the implementation of expanded operational hours at one-stop centers and on-site services for individuals in temporary housing locations.