US Codex
Pub. L.
Notes

Title V — Small Business and Employment Matters

114th Congress · Approved Dec 16, 2016 · 130 Stat. 1536 · Lineage

TITLE V Small Business and Employment Matters

SEC. 501. Modification of Treatment under Contracting Goals and Preferences of Department of Veterans Affairs.

(a)
In General.— Subsection (h) of section 8127 is amended—
(1)
in paragraph (3), by striking “ rated as” and all that follows through “ disability.” and inserting a period; and
(2)
in paragraph (2), by amending subparagraph (C) to read as follows:

“(C) The date that—

“(i) in the case of a surviving spouse of a veteran with a service-connected disability rated as 100 percent disabling or who dies as a result of a service-connected disability, is 10 years after the date of the veteran’s death; or

“(ii) in the case of a surviving spouse of a veteran with a service-connected disability rated as less than 100 percent disabling who does not die as a result of a service-connected disability, is 3 years after the date of the veteran’s death.”

(b)
Effective Date.— The amendments made by subsection (a) shall take effect on the date that is 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act and shall apply with respect to contracts awarded on or after such date.

SEC. 502. Longitudinal Study of Job Counseling, Training, and Placement Service for Veterans.

(a)
In General.— Chapter 41 is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

Ҥ 4115. Longitudinal study of job counseling, training, and placement service for veterans

“(a) Study Required.—

(1) The Secretary shall enter into a contract with a non-government entity to conduct a longitudinal study of a statistically valid sample of each of the groups of individuals described in paragraph (2). The contract shall provide for the study of each such group over a period of at least 5 years.

“(2) The groups of individuals described in this paragraph are the following:

“(A) Veterans who have received intensive services.

“(B) Veterans who did not receive intensive services but who otherwise received services under this chapter.

“(C) Veterans who did not seek or receive services under this chapter.

“(3) The study required by this subsection shall include the collection of the following information for each individual who participates in the study:

“(A) The average number of months such individual served on active duty.

“(B) The disability ratings of such individual.

“(C) Any unemployment benefits received by such individual.

“(D) The average number of months such individual was employed during the year covered by the report.

“(E) The average annual starting and ending salaries of any such individual who was employed during the year covered by the report.

“(F) The average annual income of such individual.

“(G) The average total household income of such individual for the year covered by the report.

“(H) The percentage of such individuals who own their principal residences.

“(I) The employment status of such individual.

“(J) In the case of such an individual who received services under this chapter, whether the individual believes that any service provided by a disabled veterans’ outreach program specialist or local veterans’ employment representative helped the individual to become employed.

“(K) In the case of such an individual who believes such a service helped the individual to become employed, whether—

“(i) the individual retained the position of employment for a period of 1 year or longer; and

“(ii) the individual believes such a service helped the individual to secure a higher wage or salary.

“(L) The conditions under which such individual was discharged or released from the Armed Forces.

“(M) Whether such individual has used any educational assistance to which the individual is entitled under this title.

“(N) Whether such individual has participated in a rehabilitation program under chapter 31 of this title.

“(O) Whether such individual had contact with a One-Stop Career Center employee while attending a workshop or job fair under the Transition GPS Program of the Department of Defense.

“(P) Demographic information about such individual.

“(Q) Such other information as the Secretary determines appropriate.

“(b) Annual Report.—

(1) By not later than July 1 of each year covered by the study required under subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a report on the outcomes of the study during the preceding year.

“(2) The Secretary shall include in each report submitted under paragraph (1) the following:

“(A) Information with respect to job fairs attended by One-Stop Career Center employees at which the employees had contact with a veteran, including, for the year preceding the year in which the report is submitted, the following:

“(i) The number of job fairs attended by One-Stop Career Center employees at which the employees had contact with a veteran.

“(ii) The number of veterans contacted at each such job fair.

“(B) Such information as the Secretary determines is necessary to determine the long-term outcomes of the individuals in the groups described in subsection (a)(2).”

(b)
Clerical Amendment.— The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding at the end the following new item:

“4115. Longitudinal study of job counseling, training, and placement service for veterans.”.

SEC. 503. Limitation on Administrative Leave for Employees of Department of Veterans Affairs.

(a)
Limitation.—
(1)
In general.— Chapter 7 is amended by inserting after section 715 the following new section:

Ҥ 717. Limitation on administrative leave

“(a) In General.—Except as provided in subsection (b), the Secretary may not place any covered individual on administrative leave, or any other type of paid non-duty status without charge to leave, for more than a total of 14 days during any 365-day period.

“(b) Waiver.—The Secretary may waive the limitation under subsection (a) and extend the administrative leave or other paid non-duty status without charge to leave of a covered individual placed on such leave or status under subsection (a) if the Secretary submits to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a detailed explanation of the reasons the individual was placed on administrative leave or other paid non-duty status without charge to leave and the reasons for the extension of such leave or status. Such explanation shall include the job title and grade of the covered individual and the location where the individual is employed.

“(c) Covered Individual.—In this section, the term ‘covered individual’ means an employee of the Department—

“(1) who is subject to an investigation for purposes of determining whether such individual should be subject to any disciplinary action under this title or title 5; or

“(2) against whom any disciplinary action is proposed or initiated under this title or title 5.”

(2)
Clerical amendment.— The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 715 the following new item:

“717. Limitation on administrative leave.”.

(b)
Application.— Section 717 of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a)(1), shall apply with respect to any 365-day period beginning on or after the date of enactment of this Act.

SEC. 504. Required Coordination Between Directors for Veterans’ Employment and Training with State Departments of Labor and Veterans Affairs.

(a)
In General.— Section 4103 is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:

“(c) Coordination With State Departments of Labor and Veterans Affairs.—Each Director for Veterans’ Employment and Training for a State shall coordinate the Director’s activities under this chapter with the State department of labor and the State department of veterans affairs.”

(b)
Effective Date.— Subsection (c) of such section, as added by subsection (a), shall take effect on the date that is 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act.