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119-hr-5779119th CongressWALLET

American Workforce Act

Sponsored By: Representative Miller, Max L. [R-OH-7]

Introduced

Summary

Employer-based paid workforce training through a new American Workforce Division pays employers to run full-time on-the-job training for people without bachelor’s degrees, sets wage floors, caps subsidies, and demands public disclosures and reporting.

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  • Workers and households: Eligible trainees must be U.S. citizens with a high school diploma or equivalent and no bachelor’s degree. Trainees work full time, earn at least the higher of the federal or state minimum wage, and qualifying positions must pay at least 80% of the county median household income. Completing a project can lead to a $1,000 hiring bonus for the employer and possible permanent hire.
  • Employers: Employers can receive a workforce education subsidy up to $1,500 per month and up to $9,000 per trainee, plus a $1,000 hiring bonus paid after hire. Employers must use E‑Verify, keep current employees’ wages steady during training, and guarantee a wage increase on completion equal to at least 25% of the subsidy value.
  • Training partners and transparency: Employers may partner with community colleges, nonprofits, unions, credentialing bodies, and others. The Division must publish a standard contract template, maintain a public website, collect annual metrics, and provide 5 and 10 year reports to Congress.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

4 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Complaint rights and employer penalties

Trainees could file complaints if an employer breaks program rules. The Director would start an investigation within one month and make a preliminary finding within 90 days of starting. Penalties could include warnings, fines up to the subsidies the employer received in the past two years, and suspensions up to five years. Employers would have 90 days to appeal a proposed suspension, with review by the Secretary of Commerce. The office could run random checks and flag projects with completion rates below 25% over four years, and employers could not retaliate against trainees.

Wage floor for trainees and raises

This bill would set a pay floor for jobs tied to training. Employers would have to train you for a job that pays at least 80% of the county median household income, converted to an hourly rate using 2,080 hours. If the county is outside a metro area, they would use the nearest metro’s median income. For remote jobs, your county would set the pay if you live in the U.S. and file federal taxes. If an employer enrolls a current employee, they must keep that pay during training and, after completion, raise annual pay by at least 25% of the training subsidy amount.

Training subsidies and $1,000 hire bonus

This bill would let the program pay employers for training costs after a contract is approved, but not for wages. Employers would have to pay at least the higher of the federal or local minimum wage and follow safety and nondiscrimination laws. Funds could not be used for diversity, equity, and inclusion training, and joining the program would not trigger federal contractor rules under Executive Order 11246. If you hire a graduate into a full‑time job at the contract pay, you could get a $1,000 bonus, paid no sooner than six months after the hire. The bonus would be on top of any training subsidy and could be used to boost the worker’s pay.

New workforce office and contract rules

This bill would create an American Workforce Division at the Commerce Department, led by a Senate‑confirmed Director, subject to funding. The Director would post a short contract template and review each proposed contract within one month; if not disapproved, it would be treated as approved on day 32. Contracts would last at least six weeks, list hours, training, and wages, and disclosure documents would be public. Employers could use many training partners, like community colleges, unions, trade groups, and certification bodies, and must tell trainees about common credentials without blocking related exams. The office would run a public website and provide 5‑ and 10‑year reports to Congress.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Miller, Max L. [R-OH-7]

OH • R

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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