AID Youth Employment Act

Key Points

• This bill creates competitive grant programs for summer and year-round subsidized jobs for young people ages 14 through 24, targeting in-school youth, out-of-school youth, and unemployed individuals.
• The program prioritizes marginalized youth, including those who are homeless, in foster care, involved in the justice system, or living in communities with high poverty, violence, or drug overdose rates.
• The bill authorizes $375 million per year for summer jobs and $500 million per year for year-round jobs from 2026 through 2030, totaling $875 million annually. At least 20% of summer funds go to rural areas and 5% to tribal areas.
• Local governments, tribal organizations, and community groups can apply for grants but must partner with schools, employers, child welfare agencies, and organizations experienced in serving vulnerable youth.
• All subsidized jobs must pay at least the applicable federal, state, or local minimum wage. Construction jobs must meet prevailing wage standards under the Davis-Bacon Act. Summer jobs are capped at 20 hours per week for at least 6 weeks.
• Each participant must be matched with a mentor who contacts them weekly (summer) or twice weekly (year-round). Mentors can include trauma-informed counselors, job coaches, trained supervisors, or peer mentors from the program.

Votes

No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.