Bill Text: NJ S1363 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes program in DOLWD to address jobs lost due to automation.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-09 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Labor Committee [S1363 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-S1363-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2024 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Senator MICHAEL L. TESTA, JR.
District 1 (Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes program in DOLWD to address jobs lost due to automation.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act establishing a program to address job loss using workforce development funds and amending and supplementing P.L.1992, c.43.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 9 of P.L.1992, c.43 (C.34:15D-9) is amended to read as follows:
9. a. A restricted, nonlapsing, revolving Workforce Development Partnership Fund, to be managed and invested by the State Treasurer, is hereby established to: provide employment and training services to qualified displaced, disadvantaged and employed workers by means of training grants or customized training services; provide for the other costs indicated in subsection a. of section 4 of P.L.1992, c.43 (C.34:15D-4); provide for the New Jersey Innovation and Research Fellowship Program as provided for in section 3 of P.L.2015, c.235 (C.34:15D-26); provide for the Talent Network Program as provided for in section 2 of P.L.2019, c.125 (C.34:15D-29); and facilitate the provision of education and training to youth by means of grants provided by the Youth Transitions to Work Partnership pursuant to the provisions of P.L.1993, c.268 (C.34:15E-1 et al.). All appropriations to the fund, all interest accumulated on balances in the fund and all cash received for the fund from any other source shall be used solely for the purposes specifically delineated by this act.
b. During any fiscal year beginning after June 30, 2001, of the total revenues dedicated to the program during any one fiscal year:
(1) 25% shall be deposited in an account of the Workforce Development Partnership Fund reserved to provide employment and training services for qualified displaced workers, and through fiscal year 2023, not less than 10% of the revenues deposited in that account shall be reserved to provide employment and training services to qualified displaced workers in the pursuit of industry-valued credentials under the pilot program established pursuant to P.L.2019, c.252 (C.34:15D-30 et al.); and during any fiscal year beginning after June 30, 2019, 0.5% shall be deposited in an account of the Workforce Development Partnership Fund reserved for an appropriated to the Department of Labor and Workforce Development for the Apprenticeship Start-Up Grant Program created pursuant to section 3 of P.L.2019, c.417 (C.34:15D-6.1);
(2) 6% shall be deposited in an account of the Workforce Development Partnership Fund reserved to provide employment and training services for qualified disadvantaged workers, and through fiscal year 2023, not less than 10% of the revenues deposited in that account shall be reserved to provide employment and training services to qualified disadvantaged workers in the pursuit of industry-valued credentials under the pilot program established pursuant to P.L.2019, c.252 (C.34:15D-30 et al.);
(3) [37%] 35% prior to July 1, [2022] 2023, and [35%] 33% after June 30, [2022] 2023 shall be deposited in an account of the Workforce Development Partnership Fund reserved for and appropriated to the Office of Customized Training;
(4) 5% prior to July 1, 2022, and 7% after June 30, 2022 shall be deposited in an account of the Workforce Development Partnership Fund reserved for the Youth Transitions to Work Partnership created pursuant to P.L.1993, c.268 (C.34:15E-1 et seq.);
(5) 3% shall be deposited in an account of the Workforce Development Partnership Fund reserved for occupational safety and health training;
(6) 5% shall be deposited in an account of the Workforce Development Partnership Fund reserved for and appropriated to the Talent Network Program established pursuant to section 2 of P.L.2019, c.125 (C.34:15D-29);
(7) 3% shall be deposited in an account of the Workforce Development Partnership Fund reserved for the New Jersey Innovation and Research Fellowship Program established pursuant to section 3 of P.L.2015, c.235 (C.34:15D-26);
(8) 10% shall be deposited in an account of the Workforce Development Partnership Fund reserved for administrative costs as defined in section 3 of P.L.1992, c.43 (C.34:15D-3);
(9) 0.5% shall be deposited in an account of the Workforce Development Partnership Fund reserved for the State Employment and Training Commission to design criteria and conduct an annual evaluation of the program; [and]
(10) 5% shall be deposited in an account of the Workforce Development Partnership Fund to be used, at the discretion of the commissioner, for any of the purposes indicated in subsection a. of section 4 of P.L.1992, c.43 (C.34:15D-4);
(11) 2% shall be deposited in an account of the Workforce Development Partnership Fund reserved for the New Jersey Automation Job Loss Prevention Program established pursuant to section 2 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).
c. Beginning January 1, 1995, through June 30, 2002, the balance in the fund as of the previous December 31, as determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, shall not exceed 1.5 times the amount of contributions deposited for the calendar year then ended. If the balance exceeds this amount, the excess shall be deposited into the unemployment compensation fund within seven business days of the date that the determination is made.
d. Beginning July 1, 2002, and for any subsequent fiscal year, if the unexpended cash balance in any of the accounts indicated in subsection b. of this section, except for the account reserved for the Talent Network Program, less any amount awarded in grants but not yet disbursed from the account, is determined to exceed 20% of the amount of contributions collected for deposit in the account pursuant to this subsection during the fiscal year then ended, the excess shall be regarded as an unemployment compensation contribution and deposited into the unemployment compensation fund within seven business days of the date that the determination is made. If the unexpended cash balance in the account reserved for the Talent Network Program, less any amount awarded in grants but not yet disbursed from the account, is determined to exceed 20% of the amount of contributions collected for deposit in the account pursuant to this subsection during the fiscal year then ended, the excess shall be deposited into the Workforce Development Partnership Fund account reserved for the Office of Customized Training.
e. $250,000 shall be allocated to the Apprentice Assistance and Support Services Pilot Program established pursuant to section 1 of P.L.2019, c.419 (C.34:15D-6.2) from the $29,690,000 which was appropriated pursuant to the annual appropriations act for State fiscal year 2019 from the Workforce Development Partnership Fund for the purpose of funding Work First New Jersey Work Activities and Work First New Jersey-Training Related Expenses, and, $1,100,000 shall be allocated to the pilot program in each of fiscal years 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024 from the amounts appropriated pursuant to the annual appropriations act in those fiscal years from the Workforce Development Partnership Fund for the purpose of funding Work First New Jersey Work Activities and Work First New Jersey-Training Related Expenses. Of the funds allocated to the pilot program pursuant to this subsection, 90% shall be dedicated to the Child Care Stipend program and 10% to transportation reimbursement.
f. Upon the effective date
of P.L.2022, c.89 (C.34:15E-6 et al.) and notwithstanding the provisions of any
law or regulation to the contrary, in addition to the amount deposited in an
account of the Workforce Development Partnership Fund reserved for the Youth
Transitions to Work Partnership pursuant to subsection b. of this section,
$1,000,000 shall be allocated to the Youth Transitions to Work Partnership from
the $22,500,000 which was appropriated pursuant to the annual appropriations
act for State fiscal year 2022 from the Workforce Development Partnership Fund
for the purpose of funding the NJ Apprenticeship Network, the Career Accelerator
Internship Program, the Workforce Development Policy and
Evaluation Lab, the NJ Career Network, and such other priority workforce initiatives recommended by the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development.
(cf: P.L.2022, c.89, s.2)
2. (New section) a. The Department of Labor and Workforce Development, in consultation with the New Jersey Economic Development Authority and the Secretary of Higher Education, shall establish the New Jersey Automation Job Loss Prevention Program.
b. The New Jersey Automation Job Loss Prevention Program shall be funded through the funds reserved for that program from the Workforce Development Partnership Fund pursuant to section 9 of P.L.1992, c.43 (C.34:15D-9). The funds shall be distributed by the department for the following purposes:
(1) the department shall work in consultation with the New Jersey Economic Development Authority and Secretary of Higher Education to fund job training and career development programs that connect employers located throughout the State with workers whose jobs have been lost or are endangered by automation as identified pursuant to section 3 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill);
(2) the job training and career development programs funded pursuant to P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) shall be hosted by employers at any place of business located in this State or at an institution of higher education located in this State. The programs shall focus on career development as well as any specialized training that prepares at risk employees or those who have lost jobs for immediate employment with a host employer upon completion of a job training and career development program;
(3) the job training and career development programs funded pursuant to P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) shall provide employers the ability to train workers at no cost to the employer; and
(4) the job training and career development programs funded pursuant to P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) shall connect participants with, and provide at least partial funding for, wrap around services to encourage participation in the programs. The wrap around services shall include, but not be limited to, transportation, child care, mental health services, and training on personal finance.
3. (New section) a. The department shall identify jobs that have been or are in danger of being lost due to an increase in automation in that industry, and provide that information to the New Jersey Automation Job Loss Prevention Program.
b. The department, in consultation with the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, shall promulgate rules and regulations providing for the establishment, administration, and evaluation of the New Jersey Automation Job Loss Prevention Program.
c. The department, in consultation with the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, shall conduct an evaluation of the effectiveness of the New Jersey Automation Job Loss Prevention Program overall, and its capacity to promote the growth of businesses and employment, and prevent unemployment, no later than five years after the approval of the first job training and career development program.
4. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill will dedicate workforce development funds for a New Jersey Automation Job Loss Prevention Program in the Department of Labor and Workforce Development. The program will be designed by the department in consultation with the New Jersey Economic Development Authority.
The program will fund job training and career development programs, administered by the department, which focus on connecting employers located throughout the State with workers whose jobs have been lost or are endangered by automation as identified pursuant to the bill. The job training and career development programs will be hosted by employers at any place of business located in this State or at an institution of higher education located in this State and shall focus on career development as well as any specialized training that prepares at risk employees or those who have lost jobs for immediate employment with a host employer upon completion of a job training and career development program. The programs funded by the bill will provide employers the ability to train workers at no cost to the employer.
The job training and career development programs funded pursuant to the bill are to connect participants with, and provide at least partial funding for, wrap around services to encourage participation in the programs. The wrap around services include, but are not limited to, transportation, child care, mental health services, and training on personal finance.
The bill requires the
department to identify jobs that have been or are in danger of being lost due
to an increase in automation in
that industry, and provide that information to the program. The bill also requires the department to conduct an evaluation of the program five years after approval of the first job training and career development program to determine the effectiveness of the program overall.
