Bill > S1651

Introduced Session

Layoff Prevention Act of 2017 This bill requires each state that has already enacted a short-time compensation program to be paid 100% of the amount of short-time compensation paid under such program. Under a short-time compensation program, an employer may avoid a layoff of one or more employees by reducing the hours of all workers in the employer's workforce. Employees affected by a reduction in hours may receive a partial short-time compensation payment to compensate for lost wages. This is a voluntary and temporary program, beginning upon the enactment of this bill and ending five and one-half years later. The bill imposes certain limitations on payments to states and requires employers to pay their states one-half of the short-time compensation paid under the employer plan. The Department of Labor must: (1) award grants to states that enact short-time compensation programs to implement or improve the administration of such plans, (2) develop model legislative language for states in developing and enacting short-time compensation plans, and (3) provide technical assistance to states and establish reporting requirements for such programs.

Committee Categories

Jack Reed (D)*,  Bob Casey (D),  Kirsten Gillibrand (D),  Maggie Hassan (D),  Sheldon Whitehouse (D), 

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S4426-4427) (on 07/27/2017)

Official Document