2006 Minnesota Statutes

116L.561 MINNESOTA YOUTH PROGRAM.
    Subdivision 1. Purpose. The Minnesota youth program is established to:
(1) improve the employability of eligible applicants through exposure to public or private
sector work;
(2) enhance the basic educational skills of eligible applicants;
(3) encourage the completion of high school or equivalency;
(4) assist eligible applicants to enter employment, school-to-work transition programs, the
military, or postsecondary education or training;
(5) enhance the citizenship skills of eligible applicants through community service and
service-learning; and
(6) provide educational, career, and life skills counseling.
    Subd. 2. Wage rate. The rate of pay for Minnesota youth program positions with public,
private nonprofit, and private for-profit employers is the minimum wage. Employers may use
their own funds to increase the participants' hourly wage rates. Youths designated as supervisors
may be paid at a higher level to be determined by the local contractor.
    Subd. 3. Employment contracts. The commissioner may enter into arrangements with
existing public and private nonprofit organizations and agencies with experience in administering
youth employment programs for the purpose of providing employment opportunities for eligible
applicants in furtherance of this section and section 116L.56. The Department of Employment
and Economic Development shall retain ultimate responsibility for the administration of this
employment program.
    Subd. 4. Contract administration. Preference shall be given to local contractors with
experience in administering youth employment and training programs and those who have
demonstrated efforts to coordinate state and federal youth programs locally.
    Subd. 5. Allocation formula. Seventy percent of Minnesota youth program funds must be
allocated based on the county's share of economically disadvantaged youth. The remaining 30
percent must be allocated based on the county's share of population ages 14 to 21.
    Subd. 6. Allowable cost categories. Of the total allocation, up to 15 percent may be used
for administrative purposes and the remainder may be used for a combination of training and
participant support activities.
    Subd. 7. Reports. Each contractor shall report to the commissioner on a quarterly basis in a
format to be determined by the commissioner.
Data collected on individuals under this subdivision are private data on individuals as
defined in section 13.02, subdivision 12, except that summary data may be provided under section
13.05, subdivision 7.
    Subd. 8. Part-time employment. Wages and subsidies under this section may be paid
for part-time employment.
    Subd. 9. Layoffs; worker reductions. An employer may not lay off, terminate, or reduce the
working hours of an employee for the purpose of hiring an individual with funds provided by this
section. An employer may not hire an individual with funds available under this section if any
other individual is laid off from the same or a substantially equivalent job.
History: 1994 c 483 s 1; 1994 c 632 art 4 s 67; 1Sp1995 c 3 art 4 s 30; 2004 c 206 s 52;
2005 c 112 art 2 s 41