The Mayor shall establish and implement programs, subject to the annual appropriation of funds, for the employment and training of young persons who are domiciliaries of the District of Columbia, as follows: A summer youth jobs program to provide for the employment or training each summer of not fewer than 10,000 or more than 21,000 youth 14 to 21 years of age on the date of enrollment in the program. Youth ages 14 to 15 years at the date of enrollment shall receive an hourly work readiness training rate of not less than $5.25. Youth ages 16 to 21 years at the date of enrollment shall be compensated at an hourly rate of $8.25. Registration for the summer youth jobs program shall occur on or before the last day of January and shall conclude by the last day of April of each year. The weekly number of hours of employment under the summer youth jobs program shall be established according to the age of the youth to be employed and the nature and requirements of the job, but shall not be fewer than 20 hours or more than 40 hours per week. Participants in this program shall be employed for a period of no more than 6 weeks. Employment may include an appropriate number of supervisory positions at an hourly wage of $9.25 to $13. Supervisory positions shall not be subject to the requirements under this paragraph regarding the number of hours and weeks of employment. The Department of Employment Services shall implement the summer youth jobs program subject to the appropriation of funds or availability of funds through public-private partnerships between the District government and a District business that has the ability to employ youth under this program; provided, that these partnerships shall be subject to all federal and District laws, rules, and regulations relating to the procurement and award of contracts, grants, or other government assistance. For purposes of this paragraph, the term “District Business” means a corporation or any entity carrying on any trade or business in the District of Columbia that is subject to taxation under § 47-1807.02 or § 47-1808.03 . Repealed. An in-school employment and work readiness training program to provide for the employment or training during the school year of students aged 14 through 21 years on a part-time basis at no less than the federal minimum wage, or work readiness training rate at no less than $5.25 per hour. Priority shall be given to students who meet the eligibility criteria and standards of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, approved July 22, 2014 (128 Stat. 1425; 29 U.S.C. § 3101 et seq.) (“Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act”), as identified in regulations issued to implement this subchapter. The Mayor may provide financial incentives to increase performance outcomes. An out-of-school, year-round employment and work readiness training program to provide youth 16 through 24 years of age with employment at the prevailing entry level wage for the job being performed and no less than the federal minimum wage, or work readiness training at a training rate no less than $5.25 per hour. The Mayor may provide financial incentives to promote work readiness training activities and to increase performance outcomes. Priority shall be given to youth who meet the eligibility criteria and standards of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, as identified in regulations issued to implement this subchapter. The program shall include safeguards to assure that the prospect of employment resulting from this program does not induce students to drop out of school. An on-the-job training program for unemployed individuals at least 18 years of age. Priority shall be given to participants who meet the eligibility criteria and standards of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, as identified in regulations issued to implement this subchapter. The District government shall reimburse participating employers no more than 75% of the prevailing wage paid for an occupation, as determined by the Mayor, for a period not to exceed 12 months. The employer shall pay all wages in excess of the allowable reimbursement and all fringe benefits. The Mayor shall require that participating private-sector employers agree to hire persons who successfully complete the program. On-the-job training participants shall not displace existing employees or be used as substitutes for regular workers. Programs for pre-employment training and retraining for persons 16 years of age and above. Priority shall be given to participants who meet the eligibility criteria and standards of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, as identified in regulations issued to implement this subchapter. Training programs established pursuant to this paragraph may be coupled with those conducted pursuant to paragraphs (3) and (4) of this subsection. Employment under the programs established pursuant to subsection (a) of this section may be provided directly with the government of the District of Columbia or with the private sector on a fully funded, partially or match-funded basis through grants to or by contract with nonprofit or profit-making organizations, associations, institutions or businesses. The Mayor shall not use more than 10% of funds for the programs for administrative and vendor costs. The Mayor may enter into performance-based contracts to implement programs described in subsection (a) of this section. The programs established pursuant to subsection (a) of this section may include, but shall not be limited to, the following supportive services and activities: Transportation; orientation; counseling and training; supplies and equipment; and program promotion. For the purposes of this section, to give priority to participants who meet the eligibility criteria and standards of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act means to engage in a good-faith effort to fill at least 30% of a program’s available positions with persons who meet the eligibility criteria and standards of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. An employer required by law to pay a minimum wage higher than that specified in this section shall pay such higher wage to persons employed pursuant to this section. The Mayor of the District of Columbia shall issue regulations to implement this section. The rules and regulations issued by the Mayor for the purpose of implementing the provisions of this section shall be submitted by the Mayor to the Council of the District of Columbia for a 45 calendar-day review period, excluding days of Council recess. No such rules or regulations shall take effect until the end of the 45 calendar-day period beginning on the day such rules or regulations are transmitted by the Mayor to the Chairman of the Council, and then only if during such period the Council does not adopt a resolution disapproving such rules and regulations in whole or in part. The Department of Employment Services shall collect, and publish on its website, aggregated information on the participants of the summer youth jobs program, including statistics on: The demographics of participants; Participants’ activities in the program; and Participants’ employment following the end of the program. The information required by paragraph (1) of this subsection shall be published by February 1, 2016 and annually thereafter. It is the sense of the Council that the Department of Employment Services shall consult with the Council on revising the existing evaluation requirement for the summer youth jobs program to focus on program outcomes and program effectiveness. With regard to the summer 2015 program only, the Mayor shall conduct an assessment and evaluation of employment outcomes for summer employment participants 22 through 24 years of age.
‹ Prev All District Of Columbia sections Next ›
Lexace provides legal information, not legal advice, and no attorney–client relationship is created. Statute text is provided for general information and may not reflect the most recent amendments; verify against the official state code.