I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5779 
To establish a program of workforce development as an alternative to college 
for all, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 17, 2025 
Mr. MILLER of Ohio introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Education and Workforce 
A BILL 
To establish a program of workforce development as an 
alternative to college for all, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘American Workforce 
Act’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) AMERICAN
WORKFORCE
CONTRACT.—The 
term ‘‘American workforce contract’’ means a con-
tract approved by the Director, and entered into by 
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an employer and a prospective trainee under section 
4(b)(6). 
(2) AMERICAN
WORKFORCE
PROGRAM.—The 
term ‘‘American workforce program’’ means a pro-
gram established under section 4(a) that provides, 
for each participating trainee, a paid, full-time posi-
tion in which the trainee is engaged in— 
(A) structured on-the-job work, as speci-
fied by the American workforce contract in-
volved; and 
(B) educational workforce training de-
scribed in section 4(f), as specified by the 
American workforce contract. 
(3) COMPETENCY-BASED
CREDENTIAL.—The 
term ‘‘competency-based credential’’ means a cre-
dential awarded on the basis of a performance-based 
test that— 
(A) is taken to demonstrate proficiency in 
knowledge and abilities essential to the industry 
or occupation; and 
(B) does not place restrictions on how, 
when, or where the test taker studied and ac-
quired the knowledge and abilities. 
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(4) DIRECTOR.—The term ‘‘Director’’ means 
the Director of the American Workforce Division, 
appointed under section 3(b). 
(5) EMPLOYER.—The term ‘‘employer’’ means 
a for-profit employer, as defined in section 3 of the 
Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 203), 
other than a public agency, as defined in that sec-
tion. 
(6) PROSPECTIVE TRAINEE.—The term ‘‘pro-
spective trainee’’ means an individual who— 
(A) applies to an employer to enter into an 
American workforce contract; and 
(B) on the date of application, meets the 
requirements of paragraph (8)(A). 
(7) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Commerce. 
(8) TRAINEE.—The term ‘‘trainee’’ means any 
individual who— 
(A) on the date of application to an em-
ployer to enter into an American workforce con-
tract— 
(i) is a United States citizen; 
(ii) has a high school diploma or its 
generally recognized equivalent; and 
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(iii) has not earned a bachelor’s or 
higher degree, such as a master’s or doc-
toral degree; and 
(B) entered into an American workforce 
contract, which is still in effect, with the em-
ployer. 
(9) WORKFORCE PROJECT.—The term ‘‘work-
force project’’ means a project carried out under an 
American workforce contract as part of the Amer-
ican workforce program. 
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF AMERICAN WORKFORCE DIVI-
SION. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established in the 
Economic Development Administration of the Department 
of Commerce an American Workforce Division that ad-
ministers, subject to the availability of appropriations, the 
American workforce program established under section 
4(a). 
(b) DIRECTOR.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The American Workforce 
Division shall be headed and administered, in ac-
cordance with the provisions of this Act, by a Direc-
tor. The Director shall be appointed by the Presi-
dent, by and with the advice and consent of the Sen-
ate. The Director shall report directly to the Sec-
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retary and shall perform, in addition to any func-
tions specified in law for or required to be delegated 
to such officer, such additional functions as the Sec-
retary may prescribe. 
(2) QUALIFICATIONS.—The Director shall have 
significant experience in the private sector. 
(3) AUTHORITY
BEFORE
CONFIRMATION.— 
Until the initial appointment of an individual to the 
position of Director, by and with the advice and con-
sent of the Senate, and, thereafter, if the individual 
serving as the Director dies, resigns, or is otherwise 
unable to perform the functions and duties of the of-
fice of the Director, the Secretary of Commerce shall 
designate an officer or employee of the Department 
of Commerce to perform the functions and duties of 
the Director under this Act temporarily in an acting 
capacity. 
(c) RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE DIRECTOR.—The Di-
rector shall be responsible for each of the following: 
(1) Reviewing, and approving or disapproving, 
each proposed American workforce contract received 
by the Director not later than 1 month after the 
date of receipt of the proposed contract. 
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(2)(A) Maintaining records of American work-
force contracts and ensuring compliance with the 
contracts. 
(B) Publishing a standardized template for 
American workforce contracts, which template shall 
not exceed 3 pages, and shall be used by prospective 
trainees and employers to draft a proposed Amer-
ican workforce contract to submit to the Director for 
review and approval. 
(3) In accordance with subsection (d), receiving 
complaints, carrying out investigations, and taking 
disciplinary and corrective action. 
(4) In accordance with subsection (e), making 
determinations and taking disciplinary and correc-
tive action. 
(5) Coordinating activities with State govern-
ments and local governments to— 
(A) publicize the opportunity to receive 
workforce education subsidies for workforce 
projects, with employers in high-wage, high-de-
mand industries and occupations; and 
(B) encourage employers to recruit stu-
dents from secondary schools to participate in 
the workforce projects. 
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(6) Developing and maintaining a comprehen-
sive, publicly accessible, and user-friendly website to 
allow employers from each State to simply indicate 
their demand for workers in their industry or occu-
pation, post it online, and accept applications for 
training from prospective trainees and ensures pro-
spective trainees can easily search and compare op-
tions. 
(7) Preparing 5- and 10-year reports under sec-
tion 6, and submitting the reports to Congress. 
(8)(A) Collecting, on an ongoing basis, up-to- 
date contact information, including an email, phone 
number, and mailing address, for each employer par-
ticipating in a workforce project in the American 
workforce program. 
(B) Annually collecting the following informa-
tion about the American workforce program: 
(i) The total number of new and con-
tinuing trainees training in each workforce 
project under an American workforce contract. 
(ii) The annual completion rate for train-
ees, calculated by comparing the number of 
trainees in a designated American workforce 
program cohort who successfully completed a 
workforce project with an employer and were 
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hired as full-time regular employees by the 
same employer, with the number of trainees in 
that cohort who began participating in a work-
force project. 
(iii) The annual rate of trainees who suc-
cessfully completed a workforce project with an 
employer but were not hired as full-time regular 
employees by the same employer compared with 
the number of trainees who began participating 
in a workforce project. 
(iv) The median length of time for work-
force project completion. 
(v) A survey conducted by the Director, 
based on a random sample and designed to gen-
erate statistically significant results, to estimate 
the post-American workforce program employ-
ment retention rate for former trainees, cal-
culated 1 and 2 years after completion of a 
workforce project, broken down by— 
(I) former trainees who are employed 
by the employer with whom they completed 
their workforce project; 
(II) former trainees employed in the 
same industry or occupation as the indus-
try or occupation in which they completed 
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that workforce project, but by a different 
employer; and 
(III) former trainees who are em-
ployed, but in an industry or occupation 
that is not the industry or occupation de-
scribed in subclause (II). 
(vi) The credentials attained by trainees 
through the American workforce program, bro-
ken down by type (such as competency-based 
credentials, certifications, and licenses) and the 
number of such credentials attained. 
(vii) The annualized average earnings of 
former trainees, calculated over a significant 
time period after completion of a workforce 
project. 
(viii) Median and mean workforce edu-
cation subsidy provided per trainee. 
(ix) Basic demographic information, such 
as age, sex, and area of residence, on trainees. 
(d) WHISTLEBLOWER COMPLAINTS.— 
(1) COMPLAINT.—A trainee (including an em-
ployee participating as a trainee) in a workforce 
project may file a complaint with the Director alleg-
ing that the employer involved is not complying with 
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the terms of the American workforce contract in-
volved. 
(2) PRELIMINARY
DETERMINATION.—The Di-
rector shall begin an investigation into the complaint 
within 1 month after the date of receipt of the com-
plaint. Not later than 90 days after the beginning of 
the investigation, if the Director determines that 
there is clear and convincing evidence that the com-
plaint is valid, the Director shall make a preliminary 
determination on disciplinary or corrective action. 
(3) NOTICE AND OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND.— 
If the Director makes a preliminary determination 
under paragraph (2) of noncompliance, the Director 
shall provide the employer with reasonable notice 
and opportunity to respond to the preliminary deter-
mination. 
(4) DISCIPLINARY OR CORRECTIVE ACTION.— 
Disciplinary or corrective action under this sub-
section may consist of— 
(A) issuing to the employer a warning or 
temporary suspension, of not more than 5 
years, from participation in the American work-
force program; and 
(B) assessing a civil penalty against the 
employer of not more than the amount of funds 
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received by the employer through workforce 
education subsidies during the past 2 years. 
(5) APPEAL.—If the Director so determines 
that the appropriate disciplinary or corrective action 
includes a suspension, the employer shall have 90 
days to appeal the validity of the disciplinary or cor-
rective action to the Director, with mandatory review 
by the Secretary of Commerce. 
(6) FINAL DETERMINATION.—After such man-
datory review, the Director shall make a final deter-
mination on the validity and on the appropriate dis-
ciplinary or corrective action, contingent on approval 
from the Secretary of Commerce. 
(e) NONCOMPLIANCE DETERMINATIONS.— 
(1) ACCOUNTABILITY.—The Director— 
(A) may, in order to make a preliminary 
determination about whether there is clear and 
convincing evidence that employers partici-
pating in workforce projects are complying with 
the terms of the American workforce contracts 
involved and meeting the requirements of the 
American workforce program— 
(i) demand and review relevant mate-
rials from the employers; and 
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(ii) conduct random, periodic compli-
ance reviews of workforce projects; and 
(B) shall review information in public dis-
closure documents submitted under section 
4(g), including reviewing completion rates pro-
vided under section 4(g)(2)(A) to make a pre-
liminary determination about whether there is 
clear and convincing evidence that employers 
are participating in a workforce project with a 
completion rate below 25 percent over 4 years. 
(2) NOTICE AND OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND.— 
If the Director makes a preliminary determination 
under paragraph (1) of noncompliance or participa-
tion in a workforce project described in paragraph 
(1)(B), the Director shall provide the employer with 
reasonable notice and opportunity to respond to the 
preliminary determination. 
(3) WARNING OR CIVIL PENALTY.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Director may, at 
the discretion of the Director, issue a warning 
to or assess a civil penalty against an employer 
if, after carrying out paragraph (2), the Direc-
tor makes a final determination that there is 
clear and convincing evidence that— 
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(i) the employer is participating in a 
workforce project described in paragraph 
(l)(B); or 
(ii) the employer is violating the terms 
of an American workforce contract or the 
requirements of the American workforce 
program. 
(B) CALCULATION OF CIVIL PENALTY.—A 
civil penalty assessed under subparagraph (A) 
shall be in an amount that is not more than the 
amount of funds received by the employer 
through workforce education subsidies during 
the past 2 years. 
(4) SUSPENSION.—The Director may, at the 
discretion of the Director, temporarily suspend an 
employer from the American workforce program for 
not more than 5 years if, after carrying out para-
graph (2), the Director makes a final determination 
that there is clear and convincing evidence that— 
(A) the employer is participating in a 
workforce 
project 
described 
in 
paragraph 
(1)(B); or 
(B) the employer is consistently or egre-
giously violating the terms of an American 
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workforce contract or the requirements of the 
American workforce program. 
(f) INTERFERENCE WITH PROCEEDINGS OR INQUIR-
IES.—It shall be unlawful for any employer to discharge 
or in any other manner discriminate against any trainee 
because such trainee— 
(1) has filed any complaint under subsection 
(d); 
(2) has given, or is about to give, any informa-
tion in connection with any inquiry or proceeding 
under this Act (including any inquiry or proceeding 
under subsection (d) or (e)); or 
(3) has testified, or is about to testify, in any 
such inquiry or proceeding under this Act. 
SEC. 4. AMERICAN WORKFORCE PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Director shall establish, sub-
ject to the availability of appropriations, an American 
workforce program, and carry out the program by sup-
porting workforce projects with American workforce con-
tracts, distributing workforce education subsidies and bo-
nuses for hiring, and providing technical and administra-
tive support. 
(b) CONTRACTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—To be eligible to receive a 
workforce education subsidy, bonus for hiring, or 
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technical support under this Act for a workforce 
project, an employer and prospective trainee shall 
prepare a proposed American workforce contract 
under this subsection, based on the standardized 
template created by the Director, and submit the 
proposed contract to the Director for approval. The 
page limitation placed on the Director’s template 
under subsection (c)(2)(B) shall not apply to the 
proposed American workforce contract prepared by 
the trainee and employer or the final American 
workforce contract. 
(2) PROVISIONS.—The proposed contract be-
tween an individual who is a prospective trainee and 
the employer shall include each of the following: 
(A) PARTIES INVOLVED.—The name of the 
individual, the employer participating in the 
workforce project, and any third-party entity 
with whom the employer is partnering to pro-
vide the educational workforce training compo-
nent of the project (referred to in this Act as 
a ‘‘third party training entity’’). 
(B) TERM.—The term, which shall not be 
shorter than 6 weeks, of the workforce project 
(including specifying total time to completion) 
and the amount of time the individual will 
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spend in structured on-the-job work and in edu-
cational workforce training (including specifying 
hours per week, month, and year). 
(C) WORK AND TRAINING PLAN.—A de-
tailed overview of the curriculum for the edu-
cational workforce training, a description of the 
structured on-the-job work, and a description of 
skills and competencies to be attained through 
the workforce project. 
(D) WRITTEN WORKFORCE AGREEMENT.— 
A proposed written workforce agreement for the 
individual that outlines each of the following: 
(i) The terms and conditions of the 
individual’s work and training. 
(ii) The wage or salary an individual 
will receive as a trainee and the estimated 
starting wage or salary, in accordance with 
the requirements of subsection (e), for 
each position, described in subsection (e), 
that the individual is receiving training for 
and being considered for. 
(iii) The technical and professional 
standards that will be met by the indi-
vidual for successful completion of the 
workforce project. 
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(iv)(I) Expected long-term and short- 
term outcomes for the individual, including 
qualifying positions of the type the indi-
vidual is being trained for at the employer 
and third-party training entities (if appli-
cable), and the estimated wage or salary 
range for the occupation the individual is 
being trained for. 
(II) The projected growth of the rel-
evant industry or occupation, if informa-
tion on that growth is available to the em-
ployer or obtainable with such technical as-
sistance as the Director may provide. 
(v) The circumstances under which 
the individual’s wage or salary will increase 
during the workforce project. 
(vi) 
A 
description 
of 
voluntary 
mentorship opportunities that may be 
available. 
(vii) A disclosure of the amount of the 
payment from a workforce education sub-
sidy that the employer will receive per pay-
ment period from the Director and any 
costs or expenses that will be charged to 
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the trainee or could reasonably be expected 
to be charged to the trainee. 
(viii) If 1 or more competency-based 
credentials exist for the relevant industry 
or occupation, a description of the top 1 to 
3 such credentials that the individual 
might earn on successful completion of the 
workforce project. 
(ix) If no competency-based credential 
exists for the industry or occupation, a de-
scription of any other credential, such as a 
certification or license, that the individual 
might earn in the relevant industry or oc-
cupation due to experience in the work-
force project. 
(3) REVIEW OF CREDENTIALS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 month 
after receiving for review a proposed American 
workforce contract, the Director shall review 
the credentials specified in the contract under 
clause (viii) or (ix) of paragraph (2)(D) and 
may note any additional credentials the Direc-
tor determines a trainee should consider earn-
ing. Any such credential noted by the Director 
shall be described in the contract. 
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(B) RULES OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing 
in this section shall be construed to— 
(i) permit the Director to reject an 
entire proposed American workforce con-
tract solely because of the Director’s view 
of a credential described in the proposed 
contract; or 
(ii) require a trainee to agree to earn 
a competency based credential or another 
credential specified in the American work-
force contract, as a condition of using 
funding provided through a workforce edu-
cation subsidy under this section. 
(4) REVIEW OF CONTRACT.— 
(A) In General.—Not later than 1 month 
after receiving a proposed American workforce 
contract, the Director shall review, and approve 
or disapprove, the proposed contract (including 
conducting the review under paragraph (3) and 
determining whether the employer has provided 
the appropriate written disclosure document 
under subsection (g)). 
(B) 
Presumption 
of 
Approval.—There 
shall be a presumption of approval for a pro-
posed American workforce contract, in that 
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such a contract that has not been disapproved 
by the Director shall be considered to be ap-
proved on the 32nd day after the date of that 
receipt. A proposed American workforce con-
tract may only be disapproved for failing to 
meet the requirements of this Act. If such a 
proposed contract is disapproved, the Director 
shall describe the reason, with a citation to the 
requirement not met, and a recommendation for 
how the proposed contract shall be amended to 
comply with this Act. 
(5) REVIEW
OF
RESUBMISSION.—If an em-
ployer and individual submit a proposed contract 
under paragraph (1) that is not approved under 
paragraph (4), the employer and individual may re-
submit the amended proposed contract for review as 
described in paragraph (4). For purposes of para-
graph (4)(B), the reference to the date of receipt 
shall be considered to be the date of receipt of the 
resubmitted proposed contract. 
(6) ENTRY INTO CONTRACT.—Once a proposed 
contract has been approved under paragraph (4) or 
(5), the individual and employer involved may enter 
into the contract and initiate the workforce project. 
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(7) CURRENT
EMPLOYEES.—A participating 
employer may enter into an American workforce con-
tract with, and enroll into their workforce project, 
an employee who holds a position with the employer 
if the employer agrees to— 
(A) maintain employment for that em-
ployee at the employee’s wage or salary on the 
date of enrollment, or a higher wage or salary; 
and 
(B) provide an increase to the employee’s 
annual wage or salary, if the employee success-
fully completes the workforce project, that is 
equal to not less than 25 percent of the value 
of the educational workforce subsidy provided 
for the project. 
(c) WORKFORCE EDUCATION SUBSIDIES.—Not ear-
lier than the date on which an individual and employer 
enter into an American workforce contract approved by 
the Director, the Director shall provide an education work-
force subsidy to the employer operating the workforce 
project. Each of the following rules shall apply to the 
workforce education subsidy and the trainee involved and 
employer: 
(1) The workforce education subsidy may be 
used to subsidize the cost of educational workforce 
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training (onsite or with an eligible third-party train-
ing entity), not the wage or salary of the trainee. 
(2) The employer shall pay, at regular intervals, 
the trainee a wage or salary at a rate that is not less 
than the higher of— 
(A) the rate in effect under section 6(a)(l) 
of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 
U.S.C. 206(a)(l)); or 
(B) the rate in effect under a State or 
local minimum wage law that applies to the 
State or locality in which the trainee is engaged 
in labor or service for the employer. 
(3) The employer shall provide a working envi-
ronment for the trainee that meets all applicable 
Federal, State, and local safety laws and regula-
tions. 
(4) Neither the Director nor any other officer 
or employee of the executive branch of the Federal 
Government may make the workforce education sub-
sidy contingent on any requirement not specified in 
this Act. 
(5) The employer shall not currently be sus-
pended from participating in workforce projects sub-
section (d) or (e) of section 3. 
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(6) Participation in the workforce project in-
volved shall not make the employer subject to the ju-
risdiction of the Office of Federal Contract Compli-
ance Programs of the Department of Labor as a 
Federal contractor, including not being subject to 
Executive Order 11246. 
(7) The employer shall comply with all applica-
ble Federal, State, and local statutory laws per-
taining to nondiscrimination in employment. 
(8) The workforce education subsidy may not 
be used for— 
(A) diversity, equity, and inclusion train-
ing, or culturally responsive training; or 
(B) any other training that may violate— 
(i) title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 
1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000e et seq.), by con-
tributing to a hostile work environment; or 
(ii) title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 
1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000d et seq.), including 
its prohibition, on the grounds of race, 
color, or national origin, of discrimination 
under any program or activity receiving 
Federal financial assistance. 
(9) The workforce education subsidy may not 
be used for political spending, electioneering, or any 
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other purpose that is not directly related to edu-
cational workforce training. 
(10) The Director shall make payments from 
the workforce education subsidy to the employer— 
(A) in even installments, following the end 
of each financial quarter in which the training 
and on-the-job work specified in the American 
workforce contract have been completed by the 
trainee; 
(B) in sums of not more than $1,500 per 
month; and 
(C) for a total amount of not more than 
$9,000, as determined on the basis of the 
American workforce contract. 
(11) A State government or locality may sup-
plement the workforce education subsidy with addi-
tional funds, if the State government or locality does 
not make accepting such funds or any conditions at-
tached to the funds a requirement of accepting Fed-
eral funding. 
(12) If the trainee chooses to leave a workforce 
project after the halfway point of the term of the 
workforce project, the trainee will be considered to 
have used the entirety of one of the workforce edu-
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cation subsidies through which the trainee is eligible 
to receive educational workforce training. 
(13) If the employer ceases operations, the 
trainee shall not be held at fault, meaning that the 
trainee may receive educational workforce training, 
funded with the full value of the workforce education 
subsidy, for a workforce project with a subsequent 
eligible employer, notwithstanding the time require-
ment of paragraph (15). 
(14) The maximum period of time for which an 
employer (including a subsequent employer described 
in paragraph (13)) may receive payments, provided 
through the workforce education subsidy for edu-
cation workforce training of a trainee, shall be 3 
years. 
(15)(A) In order for a trainee to enroll in a 
workforce project with a subsequent eligible em-
ployer through a second or third such subsidy, the 
trainee shall receive the related educational work-
force training not less than 1 year after the conclu-
sion of the trainee’s most recent training through a 
workforce education subsidy. 
(B) The time limit described in subparagraph 
(A) shall not apply to a trainee who— 
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(i) completed a workforce project with, but 
was not hired by, an employer; and 
(ii) seeks to receive such training through 
a workforce project with the trainee’s next em-
ployer. 
(16) The employer shall meet the applicable 
minimum ratios specified under section 5(d). 
(17) The employer shall use E-Verify for each 
trainee enrolled and individual hired or employed 
during the period for which the employer accepts 
funds through a subsidy provided under this Act, re-
gardless of whether the trainee or individual partici-
pated in a workforce project. 
(18) The employer shall publish a public disclo-
sure document, consistent with subsection (g). 
(d) BONUS FOR HIRING.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—If a trainee, on completion 
of a workforce project, is hired as a full-time, reg-
ular employee of the employer participating in the 
workforce project, with a wage or salary described in 
subsection (e)(l), the employer shall receive a bonus 
of $1,000 (in addition to any payment received 
through a workforce education subsidy). The Direc-
tor shall pay the bonus not sooner than the date 
that is 6 months after the trainee is so hired. 
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(2) RULES.—Subject to paragraph (3), each of 
the rules described in paragraphs (5), (6), (8), (9), 
(11), (16), (17), and (18) shall apply to the bonus, 
and the trainee hired and employer, except that a 
reference in those paragraphs— 
(A) to a workforce educational subsidy 
shall be considered to be a reference to the 
bonus; and 
(B) to a trainee shall be considered to be 
a reference to the trainee hired. 
(3) USE OF BONUS.—An employer who receives 
a bonus under this subsection may use the bonus 
funds to supplement the wage or salary of the train-
ee hired. 
(e) POSITION FOR THE TRAINEE.— 
(1) WAGES.—An employer participating in a 
workforce project shall be training each trainee and 
considering each trainee for a position that would 
have an annual wage or salary of not less than 80 
percent of— 
(A) the annual median household income 
of the county in which the job involved is lo-
cated (or an hourly wage based on that income 
and adjusted for a 2,080-hour annual work pe-
riod), as determined by the 5-year estimates of 
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the American Community Survey of the Bureau 
of the Census; or 
(B) if the county involved is not in a 
micropolitan or metropolitan area, the annual 
median household income for the nearest 
micropolitan or metropolitan area, as deter-
mined by the Bureau of the Census. 
(2) REMOTE WORK.—An employer providing re-
mote work for a trainee or employee (in a position 
referred to in paragraph (I)) shall use the trainee’s 
or employee’s location when determining an applica-
ble wage or salary under this Act. Such a trainee or 
employee engaging in remote work shall live in the 
United States and file Federal income taxes in the 
United States. 
(3) WORK.—An employer participating in a 
workforce project shall provide structured on-the-job 
work for each trainee in a job that requires special-
ized knowledge and experience and involves the per-
formance of complex tasks, to prepare the trainee 
for a position referred to in paragraph (1). 
(f) EDUCATIONAL WORKFORCE TRAINING.—In pro-
viding for educational workforce training through a work-
force project to a trainee, an employer shall meet each 
of the following requirements: 
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(1) SKILLS.—The employer shall ensure that 
the training is designed in a manner that enables 
trainees to obtain and demonstrate competency and 
obtain progressively advancing and portable skills 
that are necessary for the industry or occupation in-
volved. 
(2) PARTNERS.—The employer may partner 
with any of the following eligible third-party training 
entities, and may pay such a third-party training en-
tity with funds from a workforce education subsidy, 
in order to provide the training for trainees in the 
workforce project: 
(A) A trade, industry, or employer group 
or association. 
(B) A corporation or other related orga-
nized entity. 
(C) An educational institution, such as an 
institution of higher education, including a com-
munity college, or a secondary school. 
(D) A State or local government agency or 
entity. 
(E) A nonprofit organization. 
(F) A union. 
(G) A joint labor-management organiza-
tion. 
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(H) A certification or accreditation body or 
entity for an industry or occupation. 
(I) A consortium or partnership of entities 
such as entities described in any of subpara-
graphs (A) through (H). 
(3) CREDENTIALS.—The employer shall ensure 
that, in conjunction with that training, the trainee 
shall be made aware of any widely used competency- 
based credentials in the employer’s industry or occu-
pation. If a competency-based credential is described 
in the trainee’s American workforce contract, the 
employer shall not forbid the trainee, or provide a 
disincentive to discourage the trainee, from taking a 
related competency-based credential exam. 
(4) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection: 
(A) COMMUNITY
COLLEGE.—The term 
‘‘community college’’ means an institution of 
higher education (as defined in section 101(a) 
of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 1001(a))) at which the highest degree 
that is predominately awarded to students is an 
associate degree. 
(B) 
INSTITUTION
OF
HIGHER
EDU-
CATION.—The term ‘‘institution of higher edu-
cation’’ has the meaning given that term in sec-
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tion 102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
(20 U.S.C. 1002). 
(g) PUBLIC DISCLOSURE DOCUMENT.— 
(1) In General.—The Director shall require 
each participating employer seeking approval for a 
proposed American workforce contract to provide a 
written disclosure document, about the employer’s 
workforce project, that includes each of the following 
statistics and information: 
(A) The total expected cost, if any, for a 
trainee during or at the completion of the work-
force project, such as the cost of fees for a cer-
tification examination. 
(B) The expected wage or salary for the 
position of the employer that the workforce 
project is designed to train for. 
(C) The length of the workforce project. 
(D) The total expected number of hours of 
structured on-the-job work per week, and of 
hours of educational workforce training per 
week, for a trainee during the workforce 
project. 
(E) The total expected number of hours 
for which a trainee will be paid during the 
course of the workforce project. 
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(F) The hourly wage or salary for a train-
ee during the course of the workforce project. 
(G) Information stating any certifications, 
licenses, or other credentials that trainees in 
the workforce project might earn on successful 
completion of the workforce project. 
(2) ADDITIONAL PUBLIC DISCLOSURE FOR ES-
TABLISHED
WORKFORCE
PROJECTS.—Three years 
after an employer has completed a workforce project, 
the Director shall require the employer to include, in 
its written disclosure document, documentation that 
includes each of the following statistics: 
(A) The completion rate for trainees in a 
workforce project with the employer, calculated 
over the previous 3 years. 
(B) The percentage of trainees that com-
pleted a workforce project with, and were hired 
by, the employer participating in the project, 
calculated over the previous 2 years. 
(C) The average wage or salary of cur-
rently employed (as of the date of collection of 
the wage or salary information) trainees who 
completed a workforce project, during the last 
3 years, presented in a way that does not reveal 
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individually identifiable wage or salary informa-
tion. 
(3) AVAILABILITY.—The disclosure documents 
described in paragraphs (1) and (2) shall be made 
available to the general public by the Director. 
SEC. 5. GENERAL PROVISIONS. 
(a) WORKFORCE PROJECT AFTER PAYMENT PE-
RIOD.—Nothing in this Act shall be construed to require 
a workforce project to end after 3 years, the maximum 
period of time for which an employer may receive pay-
ments through a workforce education subsidy for a train-
ee, if the employer pays for the cost of the associated edu-
cational workforce training for the portion of the project 
after that maximum period. 
(b) RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER PROJECTS.—Individ-
uals who do not meet the criteria described in section 
2(8)(A) may participate in projects, structured like work-
force projects described in this Act, if the employer or an 
organization other than the Federal Government provides 
the necessary funding for wages or salaries, and edu-
cational workforce training. 
(c) THIRD-PARTY TRAINING ENTITY.—The Sec-
retary may not pressure, or provide an incentive or dis-
incentive to, an employer to choose 1 eligible entity over 
another as a third-party training entity. The choice of a 
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third-party training entity shall be made entirely by an 
employer. 
(d) REGULATIONS ON RATIOS.— 
(1) RATIOS.—Beginning 5 years after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Secretary may issue 
regulations that specify 1 or more ratios, based on 
categories of jobs as defined by the Secretary, be-
tween the number of job openings for a prospective 
position, as a full-time regular employee, related to 
a workforce project, and the number of trainees in 
that project. 
(2) OBJECTIVES.—In issuing the regulations, 
the Secretary shall consider the following objectives: 
(A) Assuring that a trainee has a reason-
able opportunity to be hired as a full-time, reg-
ular employee by the employer participating in 
the workforce project. 
(B) Ensuring that an employer’s hiring 
discretion is not limited in a manner that would 
incentivize an employer to lower standards for 
a position that is particularly difficult or dan-
gerous. 
(e) CRITERIA.—The Secretary may establish criteria 
regarding technical matters and provide technical assist-
ance for meeting the requirements of this Act. 
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