We urge congress to immediately pass federal legislation that removes all mandated wages, taxes, and other compensation for any worker that voluntarily engages with a mentor (person or company) to learn a new career skill for up to a maximum of 120 days in a 365 day period. It would require a mutual letter of agreement defining what the value is to each party and the duration. This position could not be a replacement for a employee that was laid off within the last 90 days.
Why is this important?
There are hundreds of thousands of unfilled jobs in the United States due to a shortage of skilled workers.There are millions of unemployed older workers who want to learn these new career skills. This program would facilitate the rapid deployment of new career mentorships/apprenticeships without offering workers compensation for a short period of time. Under most of today's state and federal laws this is impossible.
