The "Workforce Reentry Act" amends the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) to establish a new grant program aimed at facilitating the successful reentry of ex-offenders into the workforce. This program authorizes the Secretary of Labor to award both competitive grants and pay-for-performance contracts to eligible entities. These initiatives are designed to foster innovation, improve existing reentry services, and disseminate best practices for preparing ex-offenders for sustained employment. Eligible entities for these grants and contracts include private nonprofits, local governments, employers, and educational institutions. They will provide services such as occupational skills training, job placement, mentoring, and outreach to correctional facilities for individuals released from incarceration within the past two years. Priority will be given to entities that establish partnerships with businesses or educational institutions to offer postsecondary credentials in in-demand occupations , or those providing on-the-job training with a commitment for employment. Grants require a non-Federal matching contribution, starting at 25% for the first award and increasing to 50% for additional periods. The bill mandates that at least 30% of funds be used for pay-for-performance contracts, linking payments to achievement of specific performance levels. While funds can coordinate with other services like substance abuse treatment, they cannot directly provide them, and administrative costs are capped at 5%. The program emphasizes accountability through performance indicators, including recidivism rates, and requires an independent evaluation and annual reports to Congress on its effectiveness.
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
Labor and Employment
Workforce Reentry Act
USA119th CongressHR-1633| House
| Updated: 2/26/2025
The "Workforce Reentry Act" amends the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) to establish a new grant program aimed at facilitating the successful reentry of ex-offenders into the workforce. This program authorizes the Secretary of Labor to award both competitive grants and pay-for-performance contracts to eligible entities. These initiatives are designed to foster innovation, improve existing reentry services, and disseminate best practices for preparing ex-offenders for sustained employment. Eligible entities for these grants and contracts include private nonprofits, local governments, employers, and educational institutions. They will provide services such as occupational skills training, job placement, mentoring, and outreach to correctional facilities for individuals released from incarceration within the past two years. Priority will be given to entities that establish partnerships with businesses or educational institutions to offer postsecondary credentials in in-demand occupations , or those providing on-the-job training with a commitment for employment. Grants require a non-Federal matching contribution, starting at 25% for the first award and increasing to 50% for additional periods. The bill mandates that at least 30% of funds be used for pay-for-performance contracts, linking payments to achievement of specific performance levels. While funds can coordinate with other services like substance abuse treatment, they cannot directly provide them, and administrative costs are capped at 5%. The program emphasizes accountability through performance indicators, including recidivism rates, and requires an independent evaluation and annual reports to Congress on its effectiveness.