A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to clarify eligibility for unemployment for participants in the North Carolina Back‑to‑Work Program and to direct the department of commerce, division of employment security, in collaboration with the state board of community colleges, to disseminate information on the program.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  G.S. 96‑14.9(h), as enacted by S.L. 2013‑2, reads as rewritten:
"(h)	Job Training. – An individual has satisfied the work search requirements for any given week if the Division determines for that week that one or more of the following applies:
(1)	Trade Jobs for Success. – The individual is participating in the Trade Jobs for Success initiative under G.S. 143B‑438.16.
(2)	Reemployment services. – The individual is participating in the reemployment services as directed by the Division and is actively seeking work in a manner consistent with the planned reemployment services. The Division must refer an individual to reemployment services if the Division finds that the individual would likely exhaust regular benefits and need reemployment services to make a successful transition to new employment.
(3)	Vocational school or training program. – The individual is attending a vocational school or training program approved by the Division, including participating in the North Carolina Back‑to‑Work initiative authorized under Section 8.10A of S.L. 2012‑142."
SECTION 2.  The Department of Commerce, Division of Employment Security, in collaboration with the North Carolina State Board of Community Colleges, shall develop an outreach plan to disseminate information to unemployed individuals, in particular those individuals who are considered long‑term unemployed, regarding the opportunity to participate in the North Carolina Back‑to‑Work program.
SECTION 3.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2013.