Older American community service employment program

To foster individual economic self-sufficiency and promote useful opportunities in community service activities (which shall include community service employment) for unemployed low-income persons who are age 55 or older, particularly persons who have poor employment prospects, and to increase the number of persons who may enjoy the benefits of unsubsidized employment in both the public and private sectors, the Secretary of Labor (referred to in this subchapter as the “Secretary”) may establish an older American community service employment program. Amounts appropriated to carry out this subchapter shall be used only to carry out the provisions contained in this subchapter. To carry out this subchapter, the Secretary may make grants to public and nonprofit private agencies and organizations, agencies of a State, and tribal organizations to carry out the program established under subsection (a). Such grants may provide for the payment of costs, as provided in subsection (c), of projects developed by such organizations and agencies in cooperation with the Secretary in order to make such program effective or to supplement such program. The Secretary shall make the grants from allotments made under section 3056d of this title, and in accordance with section 3056l of this title. No payment shall be made by the Secretary toward the cost of any project established or administered by such an organization or agency unless the Secretary determines that such project— will comply with an average participation cap for eligible individuals (in the aggregate) of— will ensure that safe and healthy employment conditions will be provided, and will ensure that participants employed in community service and other jobs assisted under this subchapter will be paid wages that shall not be lower than whichever is the highest of— will post in such project workplace a notice, and will make available to each person associated with such project a written explanation— will provide to the Secretary the description and information described in— The Secretary may establish, issue, and amend such regulations as may be necessary to effectively carry out this subchapter. An assessment and service strategy required by paragraph (1)(N) to be prepared for an eligible individual shall satisfy any condition for an assessment and service strategy or individual employment plan for an adult participant under subtitle B of title I of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act [29 U.S.C. 3151 et seq.], in order to determine whether such eligible individual also qualifies for career or training services described in section 134(c) of such Act [29 U.S.C. 3174(c)]. An assessment and service strategy or individual employment plan prepared under subtitle B of title I of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act [29 U.S.C. 3151 et seq.] for an eligible individual may be used to comply with the requirement specified in subparagraph (A). The Secretary may pay a Federal share not to exceed 90 percent of the cost of any project for which a grant is made under subsection (b), except that the Secretary may pay all of such cost if such project is— The non-Federal share shall be in cash or in kind. In determining the amount of the non-Federal share, the Secretary may attribute fair market value to services and facilities contributed from non-Federal sources. Of the grant amount to be paid under this subsection by the Secretary for a project, not to exceed 13.5 percent shall be available for any fiscal year to pay the administrative costs of such project, except that— if the grantee under subsection (b) demonstrates to the Secretary that— For purposes of this subchapter, administrative costs are the costs, both personnel-related and nonpersonnel-related and both direct and indirect, associated with the following: The costs of performing general administrative functions and of providing for the coordination of functions, such as the costs of— To the extent practicable, an entity that carries out a project under this subchapter shall provide for the payment of the expenses described in paragraph (4) from non-Federal sources. Amounts made available for a project under this subchapter that are not used to pay for the administrative costs shall be used to pay for the costs of programmatic activities, including the costs of— From the funds made available through a grant made under subsection (b), a grantee under this subchapter— A grantee may submit to the Secretary a request for approval— In submitting the request the grantee shall include in the request— The grantee shall submit a request described in clause (i) not later than 90 days before the proposed date of implementation contained in the request. Not later than 30 days before the proposed date of implementation, the Secretary shall approve, approve as modified, or reject the request, on the basis of the information included in the request as described in clause (ii). Each grantee under subsection (b) shall annually prepare and submit to the Secretary a report documenting the grantee’s use of funds for activities described in clauses (i) through (v) of subparagraph (A). Whenever a grantee conducts a project within a planning and service area in a State, such grantee shall conduct such project in consultation with the area agency on aging of the planning and service area and the local workforce development board and shall submit to the State agency, the local workforce development board, and the area agency on aging a description of such project to be conducted in the State, including the location of the project, 90 days prior to undertaking the project, for review and public comment according to guidelines the Secretary shall issue to assure efficient and effective coordination of projects under this subchapter. The Secretary, in addition to exercising any other authority contained in this subchapter, shall use funds reserved under section 3056d(a)(1) of this title to carry out demonstration projects, pilot projects, and evaluation projects, for the purpose of developing and implementing techniques and approaches, and demonstrating the effectiveness of the techniques and approaches, in addressing the employment and training needs of eligible individuals. The Secretary shall enter into such agreements with States, public agencies, nonprofit private organizations, or private business concerns, as may be necessary, to conduct the projects authorized by this subsection. To the extent practicable, the Secretary shall provide an opportunity, prior to the development of a demonstration or pilot project, for the appropriate area agency on aging to submit comments on such a project in order to ensure coordination of activities under this subchapter. Such projects may include— demonstration projects and pilot projects designed to— To the extent practicable, entities carrying out projects under this subsection shall consult with appropriate area agencies on aging, with the State workforce development board and local workforce development board, and with other appropriate agencies and entities to promote coordination of activities under this subchapter.