1Providing for the establishment, implementation and
2administration of a comprehensive retiree welfare-to-work
3mentoring program for certain individuals; and imposing
4additional powers and duties on the Department of Aging.

5The General Assembly finds and declares as follows:

6(1) Nationally, employment retention and job advancement
7for former welfare clients and other low-wage workers has
8become a major focus in work force development.

9(2) Mentoring provides an avenue for job advancement for
10those clients so that they can continue to not only be
11productive but also to enjoy prosperity and stay on the job.

12(3) The Retiree Mentoring Works Program is advantageous
13for business and government because it addresses problems on
14the employment site, thereby alleviating costly turnover for
15companies, and because it ensures job retention so welfare
16rolls may be reduced.

17(4) By giving benefits to employers, they are made part
18owners in a program that is helping solve America's pressing
19problem of transitioning people from welfare to work and that

1ensures that those people will remain productive, independent
2Americans with pride and dignity.

3(5) In essence, retiree mentors pragmatically teach
4welfare clients to fight their war on poverty by working
5their way to prosperity.

6(6) The Kansas Welfare to Work Senior Mentoring
7Initiative, known as "Mentoring Works," has been
8exceptionally effective, exceeding planned enrollment and job
9placement goals, generating enthusiastic interest among
10employers and moving individuals from welfare to work. The
11program has received an award from the United States
12Committee for the Celebration of the United Nations
13International Year of Older Persons 1999-United States
14Committee's National Awards for Excellence in Aging Programs.
15The United States Department of Labor named the program the
16winner of the 1999 "Architect of Change Award" for what labor
17defines as "the most innovative and forward thinking program
18in the workforce development system."

19(7) Pennsylvania is fortunate to have the second largest
20percentage of older persons in the country and inherent in
21that distinction is the deep well of knowledge and expertise
22found in this Commonwealth's population of retired
23individuals. It is incumbent upon the General Assembly,
24therefore, to utilize the valuable network of retired
25Pennsylvanians who may be willing to share their knowledge
26and expertise for the benefit of all Pennsylvanians.

27The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
28hereby enacts as follows:

29Section 1. Short title.

30This act shall be known and may be cited as the Pennsylvania

1Retiree Mentoring Works Program Act.

2Section 2. Definitions.

3The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
4have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
5context clearly indicates otherwise:

6"Client." A resident of this Commonwealth who receives or 
7has received welfare payments or who is a low-wage worker.

8"Department." The Department of Aging of the Commonwealth.

9"Program." The Pennsylvania Retiree Mentoring Works Program 
10established by this act.

11Section 3. Pennsylvania Retiree Mentoring Works Program.

12(a) Establishment.--There is hereby established within the
13department a demonstration program to be known as the
14Pennsylvania Retiree Mentoring Works Program. The purpose of the
15program shall be to provide mentoring services to assist
16individuals who are transitioning from welfare or who are low-
17wage workers to find and retain employment.

18(b) Mentors.--The department shall select retired
19individuals who are 55 years of age or older to serve as mentors
20in the program. The mentors shall assist clients in removing
21barriers that have been major obstacles to finding and retaining
22quality employment in rural, urban and suburban regions of this
23Commonwealth.

24Section 4. Powers and duties of the Department of Aging.

25(a) Mentor recruitment and training.--The department shall
26establish a process for recruiting quality retiree mentors,
27training those mentors and purchasing the needed technology to
28make the program operational.

29(b) Funding opportunities.--The department may seek
30potential funding opportunities in the form of grants through

1government agencies as well as private sector dollars to fund
2the program.

3(c) Interagency cooperation.--The department shall work in
4cooperation with the Team PA Workforce Investment Board, the
5Department of Labor and Industry and the Department of Public
6Welfare to ensure the success of this program. The program shall
7act as a resource to the retention, advancement and rapid re-
8employment services of the Department of Public Welfare.

9(d) Local cooperation.--The department shall work in 
10cooperation with the designated area agencies established in 
11section 2206-A of the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.177, No.175), 
12known as The Administrative Code of 1929, to provide local 
13involvement in the program.

14(e) Annual report.--The department shall prepare and submit
15an annual report to the General Assembly on the program. The
16report shall include pertinent information regarding the
17effectiveness of the program, as well as findings and
18recommendations for changes that may be deemed necessary to
19improve the program's outcome.

20Section 5. Responsibilities of mentors.

21Retiree mentors shall volunteer with the department and shall
22work as advisors, counselors and teachers to welfare clients,
23former welfare clients and other low-wage workers in one-on-one
24scenarios where they cover topics on job-seeking and job-keeping
25skills, work ethic, responsibility as a trusted employee and the
26difference between wants and needs.

27Section 6. Rules and regulations.

28The department shall develop and promulgate rules and
29regulations necessary to provide for the administration of the
30program, no later than six months after the effective date of

1this section. Implementation of the program shall commence no
2later than six months following final approval of the
3regulations.

4Section 7. Program expiration.

5The program shall remain in effect from the effective date of
6this section through the close of the third full year of
7operation.

8Section 20. Effective date.

9This act shall take effect immediately.