Apprenticeship Improvement Act of 1991

Summary: Apprenticeship Improvement Act of 1991 (sic) - Amends the National Apprenticeship Act to direct the Secretary of Labor to establish and maintain a national information collection system for apprenticeships and apprenticeship programs. 
Requires the Secretary to reserve at least one percent of appropriations under such Act to establish outreach recruitment activities to increase the participation of women and minorities, handicapped individuals, displaced  workers, and disadvantaged individuals in the apprenticeship programs. 
Establishes the Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training (the Bureau) in the Department of Labor, under the direction of the Administrator of the Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training.  Transfers to the Bureau all functions of the Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training Administration with respect to the promotion of labor standards of apprenticeship, including research, information, and publications.  Transfers to the Bureau all functions related to apprenticeship, including appropriate administrative and program support services, together with necessary personnel and related funds. 
Directs the Secretary to increase the force within the Bureau to a specified number of full-time employees. 
Limits the authority to conduct reductions in force within the Bureau. 
Directs the Secretary to report to the Congress within six months on whether the apprenticeship program complies with regulations governing equal opportunity.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Apprenticeship Improvement Act of 
1991''.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF INFORMATION COLLECTION SYSTEM.

    Section 2 of the Act of August 16, 1937 (50 Stat. 664; 29 U.S.C. 
50), popularly known as the ``National Apprenticeship Act'', 
(hereinafter in this Act referred to as the ``Act'') is amended--
            (1) by inserting ``(a)'' after ``Sec. 2.'', and
            (2) by adding at the end thereof the following new 
        subsection:
    ``(b) The Secretary shall establish and maintain a national 
information collection system for apprenticeships and apprenticeship 
programs.''.

SEC. 3. OUTREACH PROGRAM.

    The Act is further amended--
            (1) by redesignating section 4 as section 5, and
            (2) by inserting after section 3 the following new section:
    ``Sec. 4. The Secretary shall assure that from the amounts 
appropriated to carry out this Act in each fiscal year, not less than 1 
percent of such amounts shall be available to establish outreach 
recruitment activities to increase the participation of women, 
minorities, handicapped individuals, displaced workers, and 
disadvantaged individuals in the apprenticeship programs authorized by 
this Act.''.

SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF BUREAU OF APPRENTICESHIP AND TRAINING; 
              APPOINTMENT OF EMPLOYEES.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established in the Department of 
Labor, the Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training (hereinafter in this 
Act referred to as the ``Bureau'') which shall carry out the policies 
and functions of this Act in behalf of the Secretary of Labor 
(hereinafter in this Act referred to as the ``Secretary''). The Bureau 
shall be under the direction of an administrator to be known as the 
Administrator of the Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training. The 
Administrator shall report directly to the Secretary.
    (b) Transfer of Functions.--Functions of the Assistant Secretary 
for Employment and Training Administration of the Department of Labor 
with respect to the promotion of labor standards of apprenticeship, 
including research, information, and publications are transferred to 
the Bureau. Functions related to apprenticeship, including appropriate 
administrative and program support services, together with personnel 
necessary to the administration of such functions, and unexpended 
balances of appropriations and other funds related thereto, are 
transferred to the Bureau.
    (c) Appointment of Employees.--The Secretary is authorized to 
appoint such employees as may be necessary for the administration of 
this Act in accordance with laws applicable to the appointment and 
compensation of employees and advisors of the United States.

SEC. 5. INCREASE IN FORCE.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall increase the force within the 
Bureau to 377 full-time employees no later than January 1, 1992.
    (b) Consideration of Employees Working Less Than Full Time.--In the 
administration of subsection (a)--
            (1) a part-time employee shall be counted as a fraction, 
        the numerator of which is the number corresponding to the 
        average number of hours in such employee's regularly scheduled 
        workweek and the denominator of which is 40; and
            (2) an individual employed on a temporary or intermittent 
        basis shall not be counted.

SEC. 6. LIMITATIONS ON REDUCTION IN FORCE.

    (a) In General.--A reduction in force may not be conducted within 
the Bureau if--
            (1) the reduction in force would reduce the total number of 
        civilian employees within such Bureau; and
            (2) such total number, after the reduction in force, would 
        be less than the equivalent of 377 full-time employees.
    (b) Consideration of Employees Working Less Than Full Time.--In the 
administration of subsection (a)--
            (1) a part-time employee shall be counted as a fraction, 
        the numerator of which is the number corresponding to the 
        average number of hours in such employee's regularly scheduled 
        workweek and the denominator of which is 40; and
            (2) an individual employed on a temporary or intermittent 
        basis shall not be counted.

SEC. 7. REPORT.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall prepare and submit to the 
Congress, not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of this 
Act, a detailed report concerning whether the apprenticeship program 
conducted by the Department of Labor under the Act of August 16, 1937 
(50 Stat. 664; 29 U.S.C. 50), complies with regulations governing equal 
opportunity.
    (b) Contents of Report.--The report required by this section shall 
include--
            (1) a detailed description of activities carried out by the 
        Department of Labor to ensure compliance;
            (2) a list of compliance reviews undertaken by the 
        Department; and
            (3) a description of any sanctions imposed as a result of 
        the compliance reviews.