Summer and year-round youth jobs

(a)

Findings

Congress finds that— (1)a $1,000,000,000 investment in summer and year-round employment for youth, through the program supported under this section, can create up to 1,000,000 jobs for economically disadvantaged youth and stimulate local economies; (2)there is a serious and growing need for employment opportunities for economically disadvantaged youth (including young adults), as demonstrated by statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics stating that, in December 2008— (A)the unemployment rate increased to 7.2 percent, as compared to 4.9 percent in December 2007; (B)the unemployment rate for 16- to 19-year-olds rose to 20.8 percent, as compared to 16.9 percent in December 2007; and (C)the unemployment rate for African-American 16- to 19-year-olds increased to 33.7 percent, as compared to 28 percent in December 2007; (3)research from Northwestern University has shown that every $1 a youth earns has an accelerator effect of $3 on the local economy; (4)summer and year-round jobs for youth help supplement the income of families living in poverty; (5)summer and year-round jobs for youth provide valuable work experience for economically disadvantaged youth; (6)often, a summer job provided under the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 is an economically disadvantaged youth’s introduction to the world of work; (7)according to the Center for Labor Market Studies at Northeastern University, early work experience is a very powerful predictor of success and earnings in the labor market, and early work experience raises earnings over a lifetime by 10 to 20 percent; (8)participation in a youth jobs program can contribute to a reduction in criminal and high-risk behavior for youth; and (9)(A)youth jobs programs benefit both youth and communities when designed around principles that promote mutually beneficial programs; (B)youth benefit from jobs that provide them with work readiness skills and that help them make the connection between responsibility on the job and success in adulthood; and (C)communities benefit when youth are engaged productively, providing much-needed services that meet real community needs. (b)

Definition

In this section, the term green-collar industries means industries throughout the economy of the United States— (1)that promote energy efficiency, energy conservation, and environmental protection, including promoting renewable energy and clean technology; (2)that offer jobs with substantial pay and benefits; and (3)that are industries in which there is likely to be continued demand for workers. (c)

Authorization of appropriations

There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Labor for youth activities under the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2801 et seq.), $1,000,000,000, which shall be available for the period of January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2010, under the conditions described in subsection (d). (d)

Conditions

(1)

Use of funds

The funds appropriated under subsection (c) shall be used for youth jobs and training programs, to provide opportunities referred to in subparagraphs (C), (D), (E), and (F) of section 129(c)(2) of such Act (29 U.S.C. 2854(c)(2)) and, as appropriate, opportunities referred to in subparagraphs (A) and (G) of such section, except that no such funds shall be spent on unpaid work experiences. (2)

Limitation

Such funds shall be distributed in accordance with sections 127 and 128 of such Act (29 U.S.C. 2852, 2853), except that no portion of such funds shall be reserved to carry out 128(a) or 169 of such Act (29 U.S.C. 2853(a), 2914). (3)

Priority

In using funds made available under this section, a local area (as defined in section 101 of such Act (29 U.S.C. 2801)) shall give priority to providing— (A)work experiences in public and nonprofit sector green-collar industries; (B)work experiences in other viable industries, including health care; and (C)job referral services for youth to work experiences in green-collar industries in the private sector or work experiences in other viable industries in the private sector, for which the employer involved agrees to pay the wages and benefits, consistent with Federal and State child labor laws. (4)

Measure of effectiveness

The effectiveness of the activities carried out with such funds shall be measured, under section 136 of such Act (29 U.S.C. 2871), only with performance measures based on the core indicators of performance described in section 136(b)(2)(A)(ii)(I) of such Act (29 U.S.C. 2871(b)(2)(A)(ii)(I)), applied to all youth served through the activities. (e)

Age-related

As used in this Act, and in the provisions referred to in subsections (c) and (d) for purposes of this Act— (1)a reference to a youth refers to an individual who is not younger than age 14 and not older than age 24, and meets any other requirements for that type of youth; and (2)a reference to a youth activity refers to an activity covered in subsection (d)(1) that is carried out for a youth described in paragraph (1).