Madison – Legislation that will create new jobs in Wisconsin has been introduced by State Representative Tamara Grigsby (D-Milwaukee) and is moving through the state legislature. Today, Representative Grigsby announced that the Wisconsin Family Jobs Act (Assembly Bill 898/Senate Bill 653) has been scheduled for public hearings in the Assembly and Senate, illustrating the legislature’s ongoing effort to create new jobs in Wisconsin.
“Jobs are priority number one,” Grigsby said. “A good job provides someone with the opportunity to provide for their family, invest in their community, and support our state. The Wisconsin Family Jobs Act will provide yet another way to increase opportunities for those seeking employment and at the same time give businesses and other employers the chance to expand their enterprise.”
The Wisconsin Family Jobs Act will present opportunities for both employers and those seeking employment by expanding two existing subsidized employment programs in the state. Under the proposed legislation, an employer that hires an eligible participant in the Trial Jobs or Transitional Jobs program would receive a 100 percent wage subsidy at the minimum wage for the hours worked by that employee, up to 40 hours per week for a maximum of 1,040 hours-a maximum of six months.
The Wisconsin Family Jobs Act will utilize potentially untapped funds through the TANF Emergency Fund that was created as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Among other things, funding from the TANF Emergency Fund can be used to increase spending on subsidized employment programs. As of last week, 26 states plus the District of Columbia have received nearly $300 million for spending on subsidized employment. These states range from California and Mississippi to Indiana and Tennessee, highlighting the broad interest in using the TANF Emergency fund to create new jobs.
“The Wisconsin Family Jobs Act has the potential to benefit countless families throughout Wisconsin, Grigsby said. “Its focus is both urban and rural and it is designed to benefit employers as well as employees. We can only ‘make work pay’ when we provide that necessary link between those in need with the jobs and wages they seek. The Wisconsin Family Jobs Act is timely, cost-effective, and consistent with Wisconsin’s economic goals, which is precisely why we must move this bill forward.”
The Wisconsin Family Jobs Act is coauthored by Senator Spencer Coggs. Cosponsors include Senators Lehman, Jauch, and Miller, as well as Representatives Sinicki, Roys, Pasch, and Molepske, Jr.
