Employment Opportunities Act of 1983

Summary

Employment Opportunities Act of 1983 - Declares that the purpose of this Act is to provide employment opportunities in the current period of high unemployment by providing for: (1) additional funding of labor intensive programs; (2) incentives to employers to hire the long-term unemployed; and (3) additional retraining opportunities for dislocated workers and long-term unemployed individuals. Title I: Labor Intensive Programs - Directs the Secretary of Labor to transfer funds to labor intensive programs from funds authorized pursuant to this Act. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1983 for such purpose. Provides that such funds shall be available for expenditure for one year from the date on which such funds are obligated under this title. Designates as a labor intensive program any Federal program or activity which: (1) involves Federal operation, contract, or assistance; (2) received in the aggregate at least $100,000,000 for FY 1983; and (3) will produce at least a month of direct employment by an individual employee through an additional expenditure of $1,250. Authorizes the Secretary to determine the direct employment effects of labor intensive programs on the basis of: (1) actual experience relating to expenditures and employment; or (2) estimates made as a result of assurances as to proposed expenditures. Authorizes the Secretary to transfer funds to the head of the appropriate Federal agency having responsibility for a labor intensive program, during the period from 30 to 60 days after the date of enactment of the appropriation Act providing funds for the program authorized under this title. Prohibits any such transfer until: (1) the head of each Federal agency requests additional amounts for labor intensive programs and certifies that there is an urgent public need for the work to be done by the additional funds requested; and (2) the Secretary reviews such requests. Requires that such requests be accompanied by such supporting assurances as are submitted by any recipient of applicable Federal financial assistance. Limits such transfers to ten percent of the estimated outlays of the labor intensive program for FY 1983. Directs the Secretary to consider: (1) the degree of labor intensity; (2) the extent to which transferred funds will be used in areas of high unemployment (i.e. where the unemployment rate exceeds the national average for the three months preceding the Secretary's transfer determination); (3) the degree to which expected hiring of employees for all transfers will reflect the demographic composition of unemployed individuals in the United States; and (4) the speed with which the transferred funds will be used to implement the labor intensive program. Authorizes the Secretary to make necessary arrangements to transfer funds. Directs the head of each Federal agency to which the Secretary has transfered funds to: (1) waive administrative provisions with respect to allocation, allotments, reservations, priorities, or planning and application requirements (other than audit requirements) for such funds; (2) allot at least 75 percent of such funds to areas of high unemployment, and the remainder in accordance with the law authorizing the labor intensive program; and (3) cooperate with the Secretary in the administration of this title. Provides that any assurances required to be submitted by grantees and recipients of Federal financial assistance under this title shall be deemed program requirements under the law authorizing the labor intensive program. Title II: Dislocated Workers - Designates as a dislocated worker any individual who has been identified as such under title III of the Job Training Partnership Act or who: (1) has at least 20 quarters of coverage under title II of the Social Security Act; (2) is unemployed; and (3) is certified by the appropriate local office of the U.S. Employment service or by the individual's last employer as not likely to be reemployed within six months of termination of employment. Directs the Secretary of Labor to provide for issuance of documentation to individuals identified as dislocated workers. Allows documented dislocated workers to withdraw contributions to, and interest on, an individual retirement account without incurring the tax penalty under the Internal Revenue Code. Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to disregard, in any case in which a student is a certified dislocated worker, all equity in a single place of residence and the amount of unemployment benefits, for purposes of computation of assets and income for the proposed family contribution schedule for determination of Pell grants. Authorizes additional appropriations for FY 1983 for employment and training assistance for dislocated workers under title III of the Job Training Partnership Act. Amends such Act to waive State matching requirements with respect to such additional funds. Title III: Promoting Employment for Recipients of Federally Funded Employment Benefits - Defines "Federal unemployment benefits" as unemployment benefits paid from Federal general revenues (other than benefits paid pursuant to provisions of Federal law covering Federal employees) to individuals for weeks beginning after March 31, 1983, pursuant to agreements made with State agencies. Allows any recipient, within one month after becoming eligible to receive Federal unemployment benefits, to elect to receive a reemployment voucher. Allows each recipient to receive counseling with respect to such voucher from the appropriate U.S. employment service office. Makes such vouchers equal to 75 percent of the maximum potential benefit of the recipient (as determined by a specified formula), less any Federal unemployment benefit received prior to election to receive such voucher. Directs the appropriate State agency to: (1) issue such voucher to any recipient making such election; and (2) pay to the employer the amount of the voucher in accordance with a payment schedule. Prohibits voucher payments to any employer who was an employer of the recipient during the base period defined under State unemployment compensation law. Requires employers, in order to receive voucher payments, to certify to the State agency: (1) that such employment will not displace currently employed workers nor fill a job opening created by laying off or terminating any regular employee; (2) the beginning date of the voucher employment; and (3) that the employee has been employed for an average of 30 hours a week for the period for which voucher payment is made. Sets forth a voucher payment schedule of four payments over a ten-month period. Allows any recipient who is unable to use such voucher or who is laid off without cause after voucher issuance to return the unused voucher in order to qualify to receive the remainder of Federal unemployment benefits. Directs the Secretary to carry out a public information program to encourage businesses to participate in the voucher program. Prohibits denial of Federal unemployment benefits to any recipient for any week because the recipient is in training or attending an accredited educational institution or because of the application of State law to any such recipient relating to the availability for work, the active search for work, or the refusal to accept work on account of such training or attendance, unless the State agency determines that such training or attendance will not improve the recipient's employment opportunities. Disqualifies for Federal unemployment benefits any recipient who refuses State referral to suitable free training, on the same basis as if the recipient had refused referral to suitable work under State law. Authorizes additional appropriations for FY 1983 to the U.S. Employment Service, Department of Labor, for grants to States for payments for counseling and furnishing information on training opportunities under the Wagner-Peyser Act. Title IV: Procurement Targeting in Labor Surplus Areas - Directs the head of each Federal agency which procures supplies and equipment at a rate in excess of $1,000,000,000 in FY 1982 to set targets, in each fiscal year, for such procurement within labor surplus areas, as defined by the Secretary of Labor. Directs the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to report to specified congressional committees on: (1) the amount and percentage of contracts awarded by each Federal agency in labor surplus areas; (2) the impact of such contracts on the area unemployment rate; and (3) whether such contracts could be increased without adverse impact on Federal procurement.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

1. 27 January 1983

   Introduced

   Read twice and referred to the Committee on Labor and Human Resources.

   Source: IntroReferral

2. 27 January 1983

   Introduced

   Introduced in Senate

   Source: IntroReferral

3. 17 February 1983

   Committee

   Subcommittee on Employment and Productivity. Hearings held prior to introduction and/or referral.

   Source: Committee

4. 22 February 1983

   Referred

   Referred to Subcommittee on Employment and Productivity.

   Source: Committee

5. 23 February 1983

   Committee

   Subcommittee on Employment and Productivity. Hearings concluded. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 98-39.

   Source: Committee

6. 25 April 1983

   Committee

   Subcommittee on Employment and Productivity. Approved for full committee consideration with amendments favorably.

   Source: Committee

7. 22 June 1983

   Reported

   Committee on Labor and Human Resources. Ordered to be reported with amendments favorably.

   Source: Committee

8. 14 July 1983

   Calendars

   Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 286.

   Source: Calendars

9. 14 July 1983

   Reported

   Committee on Labor and Human Resources. Reported to Senate by Senator Hatch with amendments and an amendment to the title. With written report No. 98-181. Additional views filed.

   Source: Committee

10. 14 July 1983

    Reported

    Committee on Labor and Human Resources. Reported to Senate by Senator Hatch with amendments and an amendment to the title. With written report No. 98-181. Additional views filed.

    Source: Committee

Votes

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Versions

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Documents

2 official files

• Reported to Senate with amendment(s)

  summary · EN · 14 July 1983

  Open at official source

• Introduced in Senate

  summary · EN · 27 January 1983

  Open at official source

Sponsors

• Sen. Quayle, Dan [R-IN] · R · Sponsor
• Sen. Hatch, Orrin G. [R-UT] · R · Sponsor
• Sen. Hawkins, Paula [R-FL] · R · Cosponsor
• · sshr00 · Standing

Related records

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