1998 Minnesota Statutes

     268.9783 Retraining and targeted training grants. 

    Subdivision 1.    Established.  The commissioner may 
 make grants to substate grantees or other eligible organizations 
 designed to provide for the employment of dislocated workers or 
 targeted training assistance to workers at risk of dislocation.  
 The focus of the grants must be on the provision of skill-based 
 training required by the worker's employer or prospective 
 employer.  The grants must be developed to meet the worker 
 training needs of employers individually or together.  Two or 
 more organizations may jointly apply for a grant. 

    Subd. 2.    Retraining grants.  An organization 
 interested in applying for a grant to retrain workers who are at 
 risk of becoming dislocated workers must apply to the 
 commissioner.  As part of the application process, an applicant 
 must provide: 

    (1) a statement of need that identifies the causes 
 contributing to the workers being at risk of dislocation, the 
 prospects for reemployment of the workers in the employer's 
 industry or the worker's occupation, and the employer's past 
 record of permanently laying off workers; 

    (2) a description of the current skill level of the workers 
 targeted for training and the skills needed by the workers to 
 significantly reduce their vulnerability to becoming displaced 
 from employment; 

    (3) a description of the actions and investments made and 
 planned by the employer to avert or minimize worker dislocation, 
 including the adoption of high performance workplace and worker 
 participation systems and practices; 

    (4) a training plan that details who will receive training, 
 the type and scope of training assistance to be provided to 
 workers, the providers of the training, and any impact on worker 
 wages; 

    (5) evidence that the proposal has the support and 
 involvement of labor; and 

    (6) any other relevant information the commissioner 
 requires in the grant application. 

    Subd. 3.    Targeted training grants.  An organization 
 interested in applying for a grant to target training for 
 dislocated workers being hired by an employer must apply to the 
 commissioner.  As part of the application process, applicants 
 must provide: 

    (1) a statement of need; 

    (2) a description of local labor market characteristics, 
 including the area's unemployment rate, types of workers 
 available to be employed in terms of occupation, and the local 
 availability of workers in the industry of the employer or 
 employers; 

    (3) a description of the actions and investments made and 
 planned by the employer or employers to create and retain jobs, 
 including past employment history, wages paid for the same or 
 similar work, and whether high performance workplace and worker 
 participation systems and practices have been adopted; 

    (4) a description of the type of work to be performed, the 
 work-related skills needed, projected wages, and the target 
 group of workers requiring the training assistance; 

    (5) a training plan that details who will receive training, 
 the type and scope of training assistance to be provided 
 workers, and the providers of the training; 

    (6) evidence that the proposal has the support and 
 involvement of labor; and 

    (7) any other relevant information the commissioner 
 requires in the grant application. 

    Subd. 4.    Criteria.  The criteria used to award 
 targeted training grants must include the severity of need, the 
 target group of workers, training assistance, worker wages, 
 utilization of resources, cost-effectiveness, grantee management 
 capability, and other considerations adopted by the commissioner.

    Subd. 5.    Coverage.  Persons eligible to receive 
 retraining assistance under this section include workers at risk 
 of dislocation from employment and dislocated workers as defined 
 in section 268.975, subdivision 3.  Workers are considered to be 
 at risk of dislocation as evidenced by a pattern of worker 
 layoffs from an employer, a pattern of substantial layoffs or 
 plant closures in the same or related industry, or where worker 
 skills needed by the employer have become obsolete due to 
 advances in technology. 

    Subd. 6.    Funding.  The commissioner may award 
 retraining and targeted training grants, if approved by the 
 workforce development council, through a request for proposal 
 process if:  

    (1) employers benefiting from a retraining and targeted 
 training grant provide a match of at least one for one that may 
 be in the form of funding, equipment, staff, instructors, and 
 work release time for workers enrolled in training; 

    (2) employers benefiting from a retraining and targeted 
 training grant to retrain workers at risk of dislocation 
 maintain their past rate of expenditure from other sources for 
 that training during the grant period; and 

    (3) employers benefiting from a retraining and targeted 
 training grant to train new workers do not have workers in 
 layoff status, unless it can be documented the layoff is 
 temporary or seasonal. 

    Subd. 7.    Limitation.  No more than five percent of 
 the amount available under section 268.022, subdivision 2, 
 paragraph (e), may be used for the grants authorized under this 
 section.  The funds must be used from the allocation under 
 section 268.022, subdivision 2, paragraph (e), clause (2). 

    Subd. 8. Repealed, 1996 c 452 s 40; 1996 c 460 art 2 s 3 

    HIST: 1994 c 632 art 4 s 68; 1995 c 131 s 2; 1Sp1995 c 3 art 4 
 s 30