Opportunity KNOCKS Act

To ensure that individuals who are in an authorized job training program or completing work for a degree or certificate remain eligible for regular unemployment compensation. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Opportunity Kindling New Options for Career and Knowledge Seekers Act Opportunity KNOCKS Act 2. Purpose The purpose of this Act is to allow people to seek the training needed in order to find a full time job that allows them to go off of unemployment compensation. 3. Approved training (a) In general Section 3304 26 U.S.C. 3304 (g) Approved training (1) In general For purposes of subsection (a)(8)— (A) the term training (B) such programs shall be treated as approved by the State agency. (2) Educational or job training programs The programs described in this paragraph are— (A) any program on the State's eligible training provider list developed under section 122 of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998; or (B) for purposes of an individual who has been identified as likely to exhaust regular compensation, any coursework necessary to attain a recognized postsecondary credential. (3) Recognized postsecondary credential For purposes of this subsection, the term recognized postsecondary credential . (b) Extended compensation Section 202(a) of the Federal-State Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 1970 ( 26 U.S.C. 3304 (8) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (2), a State agency may elect to approve programs described in subsection (g)(2) of section 3304 . (c) Emergency unemployment compensation Section 4001(d)(2) of the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2008 ( Public Law 110–252 26 U.S.C. 3304 (1) in subparagraph (A), by striking and (2) by inserting at the end the following new subparagraph: (C) that a State agency may elect to approve programs described in subsection (g)(2) of section 3304 . (d) Effective date The amendments made by this section shall take effect 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act. 4. Notification to unemployed individuals (a) In general To the extent feasible and practicable, the State agency shall provide that applications for regular compensation include information regarding the availability of such compensation during periods in which an individual is engaged in training that has been approved by the State agency, as described in section 3304(a)(8) 26 U.S.C. 3304(a)(8) (b) Definitions For purposes of this section, the terms regular compensation State agency

Summary: Opportunity Kindling New Options for Career and Knowledge Seekers Act or the Opportunity KNOCKS Act Amends the Internal Revenue Code and the Federal Unemployment Tax Act to deem approved by the Secretary of Labor any state laws that provide unemployment compensation to an individual for any week while in training, including: (1) any program on a state's eligible training provider list developed under the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, or (2) any coursework necessary to attain a recognized postsecondary credential if that individual is likely to exhaust his or her regular unemployment compensation. Defines "recognized postsecondary credential" as a credential consisting of an industry-recognized certificate, a certificate of completion of an apprenticeship, or an associate or baccalaureate degree. Amends the Federal-State Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 1970 and the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2008 to authorize a state unemployment compensation agency to elect to approve job training or educational programs for purposes of an individual receiving extended or emergency unemployment compensation while in training.