(a) The Labor Commissioner shall, within available appropriations, establish and operate the Incumbent Worker Training Program, the purposes of which shall be to: (1) Sustain high growth occupation and economically vital industries identified by such commissioners; and (2) assist workers in obtaining skills to start or move up their career ladders. Such job training program may include training designed to increase the basic skills of employees, including, but not limited to, training in written and oral communication, mathematics or science, or training in technical and technological skills and such other training as such commissioners determine is necessary to meet the needs of the employer. No more than five per cent of the appropriation for the program may be used for administrative purposes.

(b) Not less than fifty per cent of the cost of such training shall be borne by the employer requesting the training.

(c) Fifty per cent of any funds appropriated for the Incumbent Worker Training Program in a fiscal year shall be used for companies that have not received Incumbent Worker Training Program funding in the previous three fiscal years.

(d) The Labor Commissioner shall allocate funds for the Incumbent Worker Training Program on a regional basis and may designate an entity to administer such program in each region.

(e) The application for the Incumbent Worker Training Program shall be on a form prescribed by the Labor Commissioner.

(f) The Labor Commissioner is authorized to adopt, pursuant to chapter 54, any regulations required to carry out this section.

(P.A. 06-187, S. 14; P.A. 07-166, S. 10; P.A. 13-140, S. 16.)

History: P.A. 06-187 effective July 1, 2006; P.A. 07-166 made a technical change in Subsec. (a)(2), effective June 19, 2007; P.A. 13-140 amended Subsec. (a) by deleting provision re Labor Commissioner to consult with Commissioners of Economic and Community Development and Education and replacing “Twenty-First Century Skills Training Program” with “Incumbent Worker Training Program”, added new Subsecs. (c), (d) and (e) re use and allocation of funds and application form for the program, and redesignated existing Subsec. (c) as Subsec. (f), effective June 18, 2013.