Effective: April 14, 2020
Latest Legislation: House Bill 2 - 133rd General Assembly
(A) As used in this section:
(1) "Low-income individual" has the same meaning as "low-income person" in section 122.66 of the Revised Code.
(2) "Microcredential" has the same meaning as in section 122.178 of the Revised Code.
(3) "OhioMeansJobs web site" has the same meaning as in section 6301.01 of the Revised Code.
(4) "Partially unemployed" and "totally unemployed" have the same meanings as in section 4141.01 of the Revised Code.
(5) "Training provider" means all of the following:
(a) A state institution of higher education as defined in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code;
(b) An Ohio technical center as defined in section 3333.94 of the Revised Code;
(c) A private business or institution that offers training to allow an individual to earn one or more microcredentials.
(B) There is hereby created the individual microcredential assistance program to reimburse training providers for training costs for individuals to earn a microcredential. The development services agency, in consultation with the governor's office of workforce transformation, shall administer the program.
(C) A training provider seeking to participate in the program shall submit an application to the director of development services. The training provider shall include in the application all of the following information:
(1) The number of microcredentials the training provider will seek a reimbursement for and the names of the microcredentials;
(2) The cost of the training for each microcredential;
(3) The total amount of the reimbursement the training provider will seek;
(4) The training provider's plan to provide opportunities for individuals who are low income, partially unemployed, or totally unemployed to participate in a training program and receive a microcredential;
(5) Any other information the director requires.
(D)(1) The director shall consider the following factors in determining whether to approve an application submitted under division (C) of this section:
(a) The duration of the training program;
(b) The cost of the training;
(c) Whether approving an application will promote regional diversity in apportioning reimbursements uniformly across the state;
(d) The training provider's commitment to providing opportunities for individuals who are low income, partially unemployed, or totally unemployed to participate in a training program and receive a microcredential.
(2) In determining regional diversity under division (D)(1)(c) of this section, the director shall use the regions established under division (G) of section 122.178 of the Revised Code.
(3) The director shall not approve an application submitted under this section if either of the following apply:
(a) The microcredentials identified in the application are not included in the list the chancellor of higher education establishes under section 122.178 of the Revised Code.
(b) The training provider has violated Chapter 4111. of the Revised Code within the four fiscal years immediately preceding the date of application.
(4) The director shall notify a training provider in writing of the director's decision to approve or deny the training provider's application to participate in the program.
(E) A participating training provider shall not charge an individual participating in a training program to earn a microcredential for which the training provider is seeking a reimbursement for either of the following:
(1) Any costs associated with the individual's participation in the training program;
(2) Any costs to the training provider resulting from an individual not completing the training program.
(F)(1) Each participating training provider seeking reimbursement for training costs for one or more microcredentials earned by one or more individuals in a training program shall submit an application to the director after the individual or individuals have earned a microcredential. The training provider shall include in the reimbursement application all of the following information:
(a) The actual cost for the training provider to provide each individual with the training;
(b) Evidence that each individual earned a microcredential;
(c) Any demographic information of each individual that the individual provides to the training provider, including race and gender.
(2) The amount of the reimbursement shall be not more than three thousand dollars for each microcredential an individual receives. A participating training provider may not receive a reimbursement for any additional individual who earns a microcredential beyond the number of microcredentials included in the application under division (C) of this section. A participating training provider may receive a total reimbursement of two hundred fifty thousand dollars in a fiscal year.
(3) A training provider may request that an individual participating in the training provider's program provide demographic information to the training provider, including race and gender. An individual is not required to provide that information.
(G) The director shall do both of the following regarding the operation of the program:
(1) Create an application to participate in the program and an application for reimbursement;
(2) Create and distribute a survey to each individual who successfully earned a microcredential because of a reimbursement to a training provider under this section inquiring as to the individual's occupation and wages at the time of completing the survey.
(H) The director shall include on the internet web site maintained by the development services agency, and the governor's office of workforce transformation shall include on the office's internet web site and the OhioMeansJobs web site, all of the content created under division (G) of this section.
(I) The director may adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code as the director considers necessary to implement this section, including establishing priority guidelines for approving applications under division (D) of this section.
(J) Any personal information of an individual the director receives in connection with the individual microcredential assistance program created under this section is not a public record for purposes of section 149.43 of the Revised Code. However, the director may use the information as necessary to complete the reports required under section 122.1711 of the Revised Code.