Oklahoma § 40-481 - Establishment - Purpose - Administration - Public works

§ 40-481. Establishment - Purpose - Administration - Public works

jobs included in program - Criteria for work experience assignments

- Public projects contracted by private sector contractor which may

be included - Eligible participants - Voluntariness of

participation.

A. There shall be established a Jobs Recovery Program in

accordance with this act. The purpose of the Jobs Recovery Program

shall be to provide public works jobs and training for individuals

not otherwise able to obtain employment, provided they meet the

requirements specified in subsection F of this section, in order to

assist them in obtaining regular public or private employment.

B. The Oklahoma Employment Security Commission shall administer

this program subject to the requirements of this act and

availability of funds.

C. Public works jobs which shall be a part of this program

shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

1. Building, rebuilding or repairing roadbeds, bridges and

sidewalks;

2. Building, rebuilding, remodeling or repairing public schools

and public buildings;

3. Maintaining and improving state and municipal parks,

historical sites and cemeteries; and

4. Building, rebuilding, remodeling or repairing jails,

juvenile facilities and prisons.

D. To the extent possible, the prior training, experience,

skills and abilities of a participant of this program shall be

utilized in making appropriate work experience assignments. The

Jobs Recovery Program established under this act shall provide:

1. Appropriate standards for health, safety and other

conditions applicable to the performance of work;

2. That the program does not result in displacement of persons

currently employed, or the filling of established unfilled position

vacancies;

3. Reasonable conditions of work, taking into account the

geographic region, the residence of the participants and the

proficiency of the participants;

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 40. Labor

4. That participants will not be required, without their

consent, to travel an unreasonable distance from their homes or

remain away from their homes overnight; and

5. Appropriate workers' compensation protection to each

participant performing work under this program.

E. The Jobs Recovery Program may include any public project

which is contracted by a private sector contractor, subject to the

following requirements:

1. A contractor who commits to utilize on a particular project

a labor force of which at least one-half is comprised of

participants of this program shall be preferred in the awarding of

public contracts when his bid and the bid of a nonparticipating

contractor are equal in all respects and are the low bids. To the

extent permitted by law public funds from this program will

compensate the contractor for at least one-half of the labor costs

for participants in the Jobs Recovery Program for a period not

exceeding six (6) months for any project;

2. Contractors participating in this program shall meet the

requirements as stipulated in subsection D of this section; and

3. Contractors participating in this program shall give

priority consideration to qualified participants of this program

when established position vacancies occur.

F. Eligible participants for the Jobs Recovery Program shall be

those unemployed persons who have exhausted all state and federal

unemployment benefits, as certified by the Oklahoma Employment

Security Commission, and/or those economically disadvantaged.

G. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, participation in

the Jobs Recovery Program under this act shall be voluntary only,

and in no event shall any person be subject to legal sanctions for

nonparticipation.

Added by Laws 1988, c. 219, § 1, emerg. eff. June 21, 1988.