(a) In accordance with section 17b-688c, the Department of Social Services shall administer the employment services program for the purpose of providing services to recipients of benefits under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program pursuant to Title IV-A of the Social Security Act.

(b) The Labor Department shall be responsible for the administration of employment services to recipients of temporary family assistance under the employment services program, administered by the Department of Social Services pursuant to section 17b-688c. The employment services provided by the Labor Department shall include appropriate basic education and occupational skills training combined with subsidized or unsubsidized work experience and employment, as deemed appropriate by the Labor Department, and any other programs or services deemed appropriate by the Labor Department, to the extent permitted under state and federal law, including, but not limited to, the following: (1) Employment; (2) work-study, internship or apprenticeship opportunities; (3) adult skills training, including literacy, mathematics and language proficiency with curriculum related to job opportunities and job search skills; (4) occupational skills training; (5) case management and counseling in successful work skills; (6) enrollment at a public or independent institution of higher education; and (7) access to state-subsidized child care and transportation, where needed. Services may be provided by existing service providers, including, but not limited to, local or regional boards of education or regional educational service centers that offer adult education programs, community-technical colleges, the Technical Education and Career System and public and independent institutions of higher education.

(c) Not later than January 1, 1999, and annually thereafter, the Labor Department shall submit a report to the Governor, the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to appropriations, human services and labor and public employees and the Connecticut Employment and Training Commission. Each report shall contain an evaluation of the operation of the employment services administered by the Labor Department pursuant to this section, including the number of persons who receive employment services, their gender and outcomes. Each such report shall also provide specific information regarding the cost-effectiveness of the employment services.

(P.A. 98-169, S. 2, 8; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 98-1, S. 96, 121; P.A. 12-116, S. 87; P.A. 16-131, S. 5; P.A. 17-237, S. 99.)

History: P.A. 98-169 effective July 1, 1998; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 98-1 made a technical change in subsection (c) to correct the reference to the Connecticut Employment and Training Commission; Sec. 17b-688e transferred to Sec. 17b-688i in 2003; pursuant to P.A. 12-116, “vocational-technical schools” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “technical high schools” in Subsec. (b), effective July 1, 2012; P.A. 16-131 amended Subsec. (b) by deleting provision re extent permitted under Sec. 17b-688c, replacing “17-688c” with “17b-688c”, adding new Subdiv. (6) re enrollment at public or independent institution of higher education, redesignating existing Subdiv. (6) re access to state-subsidized child care and transportation as Subdiv. (7) and adding “and public and independent institutions of higher education”, effective July 1, 2016; P.A. 17-237 amended Subsec. (b) by replacing “technical high schools” with “the Technical Education and Career System”, effective July 1, 2017.