Employment Development Department: training benefits: reports.

Existing law provides unemployment compensation benefits to eligible persons who are unemployed through no fault of their own. Existing law, the California Training Benefits Program, until January 1, 2019, authorizes an unemployed individual, who is otherwise eligible for unemployment benefits, to apply to the Employment Development Department for a determination of potential eligibility for benefits during a period of training or retraining. Existing law sets forth the eligibility criteria for the program, including that the individual is a journey level union member and the training or retraining course of instruction is industry-related training necessary due to changes in technology, or industry demands, or is necessary to retain employment or to become more competitive in obtaining employment. This bill would recast these provisions to permit eligibility for a member of a union or trade association, a participant in training sponsored by an employer, or an individual who is a participant in a state or federally approved apprenticeship program. Existing law sets the maximum benefit amount under the program at 52 times the weekly benefit amount, including the maximum award under the parent compensation claim, as defined, and requires that benefits received under any federal unemployment compensation law be included as benefits payable under these provisions. This bill recast those provisions to set forth certain federally funded unemployment benefits to be included within these benefits. Because the bill would make changes to existing eligibility requirements for training and benefits, which would result in additional amounts being payable from the Unemployment Fund for those benefits, the bill would make an appropriation. This bill would make changes to delete references to the repealed federal Workforce Investment Act of 1998 and instead refer to the successor federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. Existing law requires the Director of Employment Development to report to the Legislature by June 30 of each year on the Employment Development Department's fraud deterrence and detection activities. This bill would instead require the report to be made to specified committees of the Legislature. Existing law requires the director to prepare and report to specified committees of the Legislature and the State Office of Information Technology on the department's automation plans, including recommendations on improvements and long-term goals and strategies. Existing law requires the report to provide a strategic information plan. This bill would revise what committees are to receive the report, as specified, and replace references to the State Office of Information Technology with the California Department of Technology.