2023 Connecticut General Statutes › Title 31 - Labor › Chapter 556 - Labor Department › Section 31-3w. - Establishment of state-wide network of job centers.

(a) Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes, the Labor Commissioner, in exercise of any duties including any duties as administrator under chapter 567, shall, within available resources, participate in a state-wide network of job centers which provide to workers, students and employers comprehensive workforce development assistance, including, but not limited to, the following:
(1) Unemployment compensation, retraining allowances and other forms of federal and state income support;
(2) Career, labor market, educational and job training information, and consumer reports on local training providers;
(3) Career planning and job search assistance;
(4) Applicant recruitment and screening, assessment of training needs, customized job training pursuant to this chapter, apprenticeship programs pursuant to chapter 557 and related consultative services to employers based on their employment needs;
(5) Eligibility determinations and referrals to providers of employment and training services; and
(6) Access to information regarding job openings and, where appropriate, referral to such openings.
(b) In carrying out responsibilities under this section, the commissioner shall:
(1) Collaborate with the Governor's Workforce Council established pursuant to section 31-3h, the regional workforce development boards established pursuant to section 31-3k and the Chief Workforce Officer;
(2) Promote coordination of service delivery and collaboration with other public and private providers of education, human services and employment and training services, including, but not limited to, adult education and literacy providers;
(3) Consult with the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development and the Chief Workforce Officer to ensure coordination of service delivery to employers;
(4) Conduct outreach to employers and trade associations to ensure that services meet the needs of business and industry; and
(5) Develop a comprehensive job training assistance application for employer-based training services and programs that allows the applicant to apply for any such assistance offered by the state in one application.
(c) (1) When contacted by a veteran who is in need of employment or workforce development services, the department shall (A) determine whether the veteran resides closer to a workforce development board facility with a veterans unit than to a department facility offering such employment or workforce development assistance and, if so, provide the veteran with contact information for the workforce development board, and (B) provide a veteran who expresses an interest in advanced manufacturing, as defined in section 31-11ss, with information on the Military to Machinists program operated pursuant to section 31-11ss, if such veteran may be eligible for services from such program.
(2) For purposes of this subsection, “veteran” has the same meaning as provided in section 27-103.
(P.A. 94-116, S. 13, 28; May 25 Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-1, S. 122, 130; P.A. 95-250, S. 1; P.A. 96-211, S. 1, 5, 6; P.A. 99-236, S. 4; P.A. 19-129, S. 4; P.A. 21-40, S. 31; 21-79, S. 36; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 21-2, S. 223.)
History: P.A. 94-116 effective July 1, 1994; May 25 Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-1 made technical change, effective July 1, 1994; P.A. 95-250 and P.A. 96-211 replaced Commissioner and Department of Economic Development with Commissioner and Department of Economic and Community Development; P.A. 99-236 amended Subsec. (b) to specify coordination with adult literacy programs, outreach to employers and trade associations and a comprehensive training application; P.A. 19-129 added Subsec. (c) re veterans in need of employment or work force development services; P.A. 21-40 made technical changes in Subsec. (c)(1); P.A. 21-79 amended Subsec. (c)(2) to redefine “veteran”; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 21-2 amended Subsec. (a) by replacing “maintain” with “participate in” and amended Subsecs. (b)(1) and (b)(3) by replacing “Connecticut Employment and Training Commission” with “Governor's Workforce Council” and adding references to Chief Workforce Officer, effective July 1, 2021.