HCS HB 89 -- WELFARE TO WORK PROTECTION ACT

SPONSOR:  Gunn (Troupe)

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Committee on Social
Services, Medicaid and the Elderly by a vote of 10 to 4 with 1
present.

This substitute creates the Welfare to Work Protection Act.  In
its main provisions, the substitute:

(1)  Requires all adults receiving Work First Program benefits,
the public assistance program established under federal welfare
reform in 1996, and who are employed or assigned to a work
activity, to be considered an employee of the employer for the
purpose of coverage under all state and federal labor laws;

(2)  Requires that each Work First Program participant receive
leave time on the same basis as regular employees;

(3)  Requires supplemental wage assistance positions to be new
positions within places of employment.  A grievance and
complaint procedure for those who believe they have been
adversely affected by violations of this provision is outlined;

(4)  Prohibits direct placement programs from sanctioning public
assistance recipients who refuse employment or offers of
employment, under certain conditions, including (a)  situations
in which there are 3 or fewer employers who are direct placement
program participants in a given county; and (b)  situations in
which employment or an offer of employment requires excessive
travel time, as defined in the bill; and

(5)  Requires the Department of Social Services to maintain
lists of employers used in supplemental wage assistance, direct
placement, and community work experience programs.  These lists
are to be made available to the public, upon request.

FISCAL NOTE:  Not available at time of printing.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that the bill provides a framework
for fairness in implementing welfare to work efforts.

Testifying for the bill were Representative Monaco; Service
Employees Union; Reform Organization of Welfare; Catholic
Diocese of Springfield; United Auto Workers; AFL-CIO; and
Communication Workers of America.

OPPONENTS:  There was no opposition voiced to the committee.

Debra Cheshier, Senior Legislative Analyst

HB 89 -- Welfare to Work Protection Act

Co-Sponsors:  Troupe, Monaco, Boucher

This bill creates the Welfare to Work Protection Act.  In its
main provisions, the bill:

(1)  Requires all adults receiving Work First Program benefits,
the public assistance program established under federal welfare
reform in 1996, and who are employed or assigned to a work
activity, to be considered an employee of the employer for the
purpose of coverage under all state and federal labor laws;

(2)  Requires that each Work First Program participant receive
leave time on the same basis as regular employees;

(3)  Prohibits the creation of supplemental wage assistance
employment positions if such positions displace current
employees; the positions create or are created as a result of a
strike or labor dispute, or violate any existing collective
bargaining agreement; or such positions are created by
termination, layoff, or reduction in workforce.  A grievance and
complaint procedure for those who believe they have been
adversely affected by violations of these provisions is outlined;

(4)  Requires the Department of Social Services to produce a
workplace impact statement to determine the impact of wage
supplementation, direct placement, and other welfare-to-work
placement programs, before assigning workers to these programs
or granting employer subsidies for these programs; and

(5)  Prohibits direct placement programs from sanctioning public
assistance recipients who refuse employment or offers of
employment, under certain conditions, including (a) situations
in which there are 3 or fewer employers who are direct placement
program participants in counties with a population of 35,000 or
more; and (b) situations in which employment or an offer of
employment requires excessive travel time, as defined in the
bill.