Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
This bill amends Title I of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to define and rename “customized training” as “employer-directed skills development.” It creates an employer-referral exception allowing employers to refer individuals for on-the-job training without a one-stop interview if the employer certifies eligibility. It authorizes local workforce boards to contract with employers for employer-directed skills development when employers submit an agreement specifying provider, length, credentials or skills, cost, estimated post-completion earnings, employer cost share, and a commitment to hire participants.
Progressives emphasize worker protections and enforceable hiring guarantees
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill provides focused, specific statutory amendments that define a new employer-referral exception and the required elements of employer-directed skills development agreements and integrates those changes directly into WIOA.
This bill amends Title I of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to define and rename “customized training” as “employer-directed skills development.” It creates an employer-referral exception allowing employers to refer individuals for on-the-job training without a one-stop interview if the employer certifies eligibility.
It authorizes local workforce boards to contract with employers for employer-directed skills development when employers submit an agreement specifying provider, length, credentials or skills, cost, estimated post-completion earnings, employer cost share, and a commitment to hire participants.
It also makes a global technical change replacing the term "customized training" with "employer-directed skills development."
Technocratic, narrow change with low controversy increases chances, but isolated bills of this type often only pass as part of larger packages.
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill provides focused, specific statutory amendments that define a new employer-referral exception and the required elements of employer-directed skills development agreements and integrates those changes directly into WIOA. It is comparatively clear about the mechanics of what an employer-submitted agreement must include and identifies responsible entities.
Progressives emphasize worker protections and enforceable hiring guarantees
These are examples from the analysis, not a ranked list of the most-affected groups.
Progressives emphasize worker protections and enforceable hiring guarantees
Supportive of expanded training opportunities in principle, but wary of reduced neutral intake safeguards and weak enforceability of hiring commitments.
Sees potential for employer exploitation of publicly funded training without stronger worker protections and transparency.
Generally favorable to employer involvement and cost-sharing, seeing potential efficiency gains.
Wants clearer accountability, measurable outcomes, and safeguards against misuse before full endorsement.
Likely supportive because it expands employer flexibility, reduces one-stop procedural requirements, and requires employer cost-sharing and hiring commitments.
Views as a market-oriented workforce solution with limited new regulation.
Reached or meaningfully advanced
Reached or meaningfully advanced
Still ahead
Still ahead
Still ahead
Technocratic, narrow change with low controversy increases chances, but isolated bills of this type often only pass as part of larger packages.
The bill has not accumulated any surfaced votes yet.
Progressives emphasize worker protections and enforceable hiring guarantees
Technocratic, narrow change with low controversy increases chances, but isolated bills of this type often only pass as part of larger packa…
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill provides focused, specific statutory amendments that define a new employer-referral exception and the required elements of employer-directed skills development agreem…
Go beyond the headline summary with full stakeholder mapping, legislative design analysis, passage barriers, and lens-by-lens tradeoff breakdowns.