American Worker Mobility Act of 2014 - Authorizes the Secretary of Labor to grant a relocation subsidy of up to $10,000 to an individual who: (1) has been totally unemployed for at least 26 consecutive weeks; (2) has exhausted all rights to state or federal unemployment compensation; (3) has not received a relocation subsidy for the two-year period preceding the subsidy application; and (4) is able to work, available to work, and actively seeking work.
Prescribes subsidy program requirements.
Directs the Secretary to issue regulations to prevent program fraud or abuse.
[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4033 Introduced in House (IH)]
113th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 4033
To provide relocation subsidies for the long-term unemployed, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 11, 2014
Mr. Cardenas (for himself and Mr. Mulvaney) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the
Workforce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide relocation subsidies for the long-term unemployed, and for
other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``American Worker Mobility Act of
2014''.
SEC. 2. RELOCATION SUBSIDIES FOR THE LONG-TERM UNEMPLOYED.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Labor may grant a relocation
subsidy to an eligible individual who meets the requirements of this
section.
(b) Meaning of Eligible Individual.--For purposes of this section,
an eligible individual is an individual who, as of the date of the
application for a relocation subsidy under this section--
(1) is totally unemployed and has been totally unemployed
for at least 26 consecutive weeks;
(2) has exhausted all rights to regular compensation under
the law of a State or under Federal law with respect to a
benefit year (excluding any benefit year ending before July 1,
2008);
(3) has not received a relocation subsidy under this
section in the 2-year period preceding such date of
application; and
(4) is able to work, available to work, and actively
seeking work.
(c) Requirements for Grant.--The Secretary of Labor may not grant a
relocation subsidy to an eligible individual under this section unless
the Secretary determines that--
(1) the relocation subsidy will assist such individual in
relocating within the United States, at least 60 miles from the
individual's current residence, for the purpose of attaining
employment;
(2) such individual filed an application with the Secretary
not later than January 1, 2019; and
(3) such individual--
(A) has obtained a bona fide offer of suitable
employment affording a reasonable expectation of long-
term duration in the area in which the individual
wishes to relocate; or
(B) wishes to relocate to an area that has an
unemployment rate that is at least 2 percentage points
less than the unemployment rate of the area of the
individual's initial residence.
(d) Amount of Subsidy.--A relocation subsidy granted to an eligible
individual under this section shall be equal to the lesser of $10,000
or the amount that any contribution by a potential employer of the
individual to the individual's relocation expenses is exceeded by the
sum of--
(1) 90 percent of the reasonable and necessary expenses
incurred in transporting the worker, the worker's family, and
household effects, plus
(2) a lump sum equivalent to 3 times the individual's
weekly benefit amount for the most recent benefit year (as such
terms are defined in the State law), up to a maximum payment of
$1,250.
(e) Regulations.--Prior to granting any relocation subsidies under
subsection (a), the Secretary of Labor shall issue regulations designed
to prevent fraud or abuse relating to the program established under
this Act.
(f) No Additional Funds Authorized.--No additional appropriations
are authorized for any fiscal year to carry out this Act.
(g) Definitions.--For purposes of this section--
(1) the term ``regular compensation'' has the meaning given
the term in section 205(2) of the Federal-State Extended
Unemployment Compensation Act of 1970 (26 U.S.C. 3304 note), as
in effect prior to January 1, 2014; and
(2) the term ``suitable work''--
(A) means suitable work as defined in the
applicable State law for claimants for regular
compensation; and
(B) does not include self-employment or employment
as an independent contractor.
(h) Reports.--Not later than March 15 of each of calendar years
2015 and 2017, the Secretary of Labor shall submit a report to Congress
that identifies, by geographic region--
(1) the total number of relocation subsidies granted to
individuals under this section during the calendar year
preceding each such calendar year;
(2) the total number of relocation subsidies granted to
individuals pursuant to subsection (c)(3)(A) during such
calendar year;
(3) the total number of relocation subsidies granted to
individuals pursuant to subsection (c)(3)(B) during such
calendar year, and the number of such individuals who obtained
employment within 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months,
respectively, after the individual's relocation;
(4) the average amount of a relocation subsidy granted
during such calendar year;
(5) the average distance traveled for relocation by each
individual receiving a relocation subsidy during such calendar
year; and
(6) the number of individuals who received a relocation
subsidy under this section during such calendar year and
subsequently applied for unemployment benefits.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training.
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