BILL ANALYSIS
By: Corte
Defense Affairs & State-Federal Relations
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
The federal Jobs for Veterans Act of 2002 created financial and non-financial performance incentive awards for quality services provided to veterans in order to encourage improvement in employment, training and placement services for these deserving individuals. The cash awards are funded entirely by federal funds, which by law amount to 1% of the total funding to each state, or about $100,000 for Texas.
Employees who are eligible to receive the awards include state employees who provide services as Disabled Veterans’ Outreach Program representatives and Local Veterans Employment Representatives. In addition, other employees working at the one-stop workforce centers are eligible.
Last summer, the first awards were made. However, state employees were only able to receive cash awards of $50 or less – without violating state law limiting such awards -- while other employees could receive larger awards.
HB 3113 would allow the Texas Workforce Commission to give incentive awards to certain state employees, similar to those paid to other employees in the one-stop centers, in order to recognize outstanding achievement in services provided to veterans
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS
This bill permits a state agency to make performance incentive awards to certain classified employees who provide services to veterans under the federal Jobs for Veterans Act of 2002. State employees would have to have been employed by the agency in the person's current position for at least six continuous months, and have documented job performance and productivity that are consistently above that normally expected or required in the position.
EFFECTIVE DATE
This Act takes effect September 1, 2005.