The House Labor and Industry Committee, May 21, approved a bill designed to get unemployed Pennsylvanians back in the workforce, says State Rep. Jim Cox (R-129)
House Bill 1539 would establish the Keystone Works Program to match unemployed individuals with employers interested in filling open positions within their organizations.
Under the bill, an employer must be able to provide the claimant with a maximum of 24 hours of unpaid training weekly for a maximum of eight weeks.
Eligible claimants are those who are collecting regular unemployment compensation benefits, which they will continue to do during the training period.
At the end of the eight-week period, the employer must consider the claimant for the job opening but is not required to hire him or her. Similarly, claimants would not be required to accept an offer of employment.
The Department of Labor and Industry will determine whether the job being offered by the business is acceptable for the program and whether the claimant is an acceptable match for the job.
The bill now awaits consideration by the full House.