Federal funding would support temporary jobs for long-term job seekers

Federal payments would help local workforce boards provide paid temporary jobs, training, and support. Workers generally must have gone at least 27 weeks without employment or full-time study and sought work for at least four weeks. Workers must be at least 18 and allowed to work in the United States. Selected grant-funded programs could use different waiting periods. Federal payments would cover allowed costs minus any required employer share.

Participating employers would have to protect existing workers when filling program jobs. Employers could repeatedly fill a permanent job with temporary program workers only for intended promotions into other permanent jobs or job-based training leading to a recognized credential. Union-covered workplaces would need placement consent from all unions and joint labor-management groups representing workers there.

Workers would have to send the Labor Department a report before applying for a program job. The report would cover their most recent job, why it ended, and artificial intelligence used at work or during their job search. Workers would provide the information to the best of their abilities.

The Labor Department would award competitive grants to help local jobs programs operate with adjusted rules. Priority would go to areas with poverty of at least 20 percent for at least three years, or employment among residents ages 25–54 below the national share for at least three years. Congress would need to provide grant money. Rule adjustments must reasonably be expected to help programs meet performance targets. Grants would last four years. The proposal would allow Congress to provide funding for fiscal year 2027 and each later fiscal year.