AB56,607 Section 607 . 49.1385 of the statutes is amended to read:

AB56,515,15 49.1385 Grants for services for homeless and runaway youth. The department may award not more than $100,000 $400,000 in each fiscal year in grants to support programs that provide services for homeless and runaway youth.

AB56,608 Section 608. 49.141 (1) (n) of the statutes is renumbered 49.141 (1) (Lm) and amended to read:

AB56,515,20 49.141 (1) (Lm) “Trial employment match program job “Subsidized employment placement" means a work component of Wisconsin Works administered under s. 49.147 (3).

AB56,609 Section 609. 49.143 (2r) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB56,515,25 49.143 (2r) Job programs. A Wisconsin Works agency shall collaborate with the local workforce development board to connect individuals seeking employment with employment opportunities, including the trial employment match program subsidized employment placement under s. 49.147 (3).

AB56,610 Section 610. 49.145 (2) (n) 1. (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB56,516,7 49.145 (2) (n) 1. (intro.) Except as provided in subd. 4., beginning on the date on which the individual has attained the age of 18, the total number of months in which the individual or any adult member of the individual's Wisconsin Works group has participated in, or has received benefits under, any of the following or any combination of the following does not exceed 48 60 months, whether or not consecutive:

AB56,611 Section 611. 49.145 (2) (n) 1. a. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB56,516,11 49.145 (2) (n) 1. a. The job opportunities and basic skills program under s. 49.193, 1997 stats. Active participation on or after October 1, 1996, in the job opportunities and basic skills program counts toward the 48 60-month limit.

AB56,612 Section 612. 49.147 (1m) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB56,516,20 49.147 (1m) (b) If the Wisconsin Works agency determines that the appropriate placement for an individual is in unsubsidized employment or a trial employment match program job subsidized employment placement and that the individual needs and wishes to pursue basic education, including a course of study meeting the standards established under s. 115.29 (4) (a) for the granting of a declaration of equivalency of high school graduation, the Wisconsin Works agency shall pay for the basic education services identified in the employability plan developed for the individual.

AB56,613 Section 613. 49.147 (2) (am) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB56,517,3 49.147 (2) (am) 2. A Wisconsin Works agency shall, every 30 days, review the provision of case management services to an individual under this paragraph, if the individual is not successful in obtaining unsubsidized employment after legitimate efforts to secure employment, to determine whether the individual should be placed in a trial employment match program job subsidized employment placement, community service job, or transitional placement. The department shall promulgate rules that specify the criteria for the review process under this subdivision.

AB56,614 Section 614. 49.147 (3) (title) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB56,517,5 49.147 (3) (title) Trial Subsidized employment match program placement.

AB56,615 Section 615. 49.147 (3) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB56,517,15 49.147 (3) (a) Administration. A Wisconsin Works agency shall administer a trial employment match program subsidized employment placement as part of its administration of the Wisconsin Works program to improve the employability of individuals who otherwise are not able to obtain unsubsidized employment, as determined by the Wisconsin Works agency, by providing work experience and training to assist them to move promptly into unsubsidized employment. In determining an appropriate placement for a participant, a Wisconsin Works agency shall give priority to placement under this subsection over placements under subs. (4) and (5).

AB56,616 Section 616. 49.147 (3) (ac) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB56,518,4 49.147 (3) (ac) Employer subsidies and reimbursements. (intro.) The Wisconsin Works agency shall pay to an employer that employs a participant under this subsection a wage subsidy in an amount that is negotiated between the Wisconsin Works agency and the employer but that is not more than the state or federal minimum wage that applies to the participant. The wage subsidy shall be paid for each hour that the participant actually works, up to a maximum of 40 hours number of hours per week, as negotiated between the Wisconsin Works agency and the employer. The employer shall pay the participant any difference between the wage subsidy amount and the participant's wage and must pay the participant at least minimum wage. In addition to paying the wage subsidy, the Wisconsin Works agency may, as negotiated between the Wisconsin Works agency and the employer, reimburse the employer for all or a portion of other costs that are attributable to the employment of the participant, including any of the following:

AB56,617 Section 617. 49.147 (3) (am) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB56,518,9 49.147 (3) (am) Education or training activities. A trial employment match program job subsidized employment placement includes education and training activities, as prescribed by the employer as an integral part of work performed in trial employment match program the subsidized employment placement.

AB56,618 Section 618. 49.147 (3) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB56,518,23 49.147 (3) (c) Time-limited participation. A participant under this subsection may participate in a trial employment match program job subsidized employment placement for a maximum of 6 months, with an opportunity for a 3-month extension under circumstances determined by the Wisconsin Works agency. A participant may participate in more than one trial employment match program job subsidized employment placement, but may not exceed a total of 24 months of participation under this subsection. The months need not be consecutive. The department or, with the approval of the department, the Wisconsin Works agency may grant an extension of the 24-month limit on a case-by-case basis if the participant has made all appropriate efforts to find unsubsidized employment and has been unable to find unsubsidized employment because local labor market conditions preclude a reasonable job opportunity for that participant, as determined by a Wisconsin Works agency and approved by the department.

AB56,619 Section 619. 49.147 (4) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB56,519,14 49.147 (4) (a) Administration. A Wisconsin Works agency shall administer a community service job program as part of its administration of Wisconsin Works to improve the employability of an individual who is not otherwise able to obtain employment, as determined by the Wisconsin Works agency, by providing work experience and training, if necessary, to assist the individual to move promptly into unsubsidized public or private employment or a trial employment match program job subsidized employment placement. In determining an appropriate placement for a participant, a Wisconsin Works agency shall give placement under this subsection priority over placements under sub. (5). Community service jobs shall be limited to projects that the department determines would serve a useful public purpose or projects the cost of which is partially or wholly offset by revenue generated from such projects. After each 6 months of an individual's participation under this subsection and at the conclusion of each assignment under this subsection, a Wisconsin Works agency shall reassess the individual's employability.

AB56,620 Section 620. 49.147 (4) (as) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB56,519,24 49.147 (4) (as) Required hours. Except as provided in pars. (at) and (av) and sub. (5m), a Wisconsin Works agency shall require a participant placed in a community service job program to work in a community service job for the number of hours determined by the Wisconsin Works agency to be appropriate for the participant at the time of application or review and may require a participant to participate in education or training activities for not more than 10 hours per week, except that the Wisconsin Works agency may not require a participant under this subsection to spend more than 40 hours per week in combined activities under this subsection.