Washington, D.C. - House Republican Leadership Chairwoman Elise Stefanik, a senior member of the Committee on Education and Workforce, reintroduced two bills: the Employer-Directed Skills Act and the Advancing Skills-Based Hiring Act to highlight the importance of workforce development practices and skills hiring practices in the workplace.
The Employer-Directed Skills Act empowers job creators to provide workforce development opportunities that equip workers for in-demand jobs. The Advancing Skills-Based Hiring Act supports employers seeking to adopt skills-based hiring practices that prioritize applicants’ job skills and abilities over academic qualifications. Collectively, these two bills would help bolster workforce development and connect workers to career opportunities.
“I am proud to introduce these two measures to invest in workforce development and empower job creators to evaluate candidates based on what they know how to do, not whether they went to college,” said Chairwoman Stefanik. “Skills gained through prior work experience, military service, life experience, or education can be more effectively recognized by employers which can lead to an increase in job performance. Effective workforce development programs equip more workers for in-demand jobs and provide job creators with the skilled workforce they need.”
“Trucking welcomes Americans from all backgrounds to join our industry. Too often, however, there is a disconnect between job training programs and the skills that businesses need,” said American Trucking Associations SVP of Legislative Affairs Henry Hanscom. “We applaud Rep. Stefanik for introducing the Employer-Directed Skills Act, which would better align workforce development and open the door of opportunity to rewarding careers.”
“This isn’t just about filling jobs, it’s about building careers. The trades offer a solid future, and this bill helps us connect more people to those opportunities through training and support. We thank Congresswoman Stefanik for championing policies that will help industries like ours grow the next generation of talent,” said Doug Ford, Chair of the Northeastern Retail Lumber Association.
“We’ve got the demand; we just need the workforce. This bill helps us train folks and get them into good jobs faster. Appreciate Congresswoman Stefanik for pushing solutions that work for local businesses,” said Rob Bicknell, President of Northern New York Lumber Dealers Association.
“Our industry is facing a turning point, with an aging workforce and a growing need to invest in the next generation. It’s time to shift the focus from résumés to real-world skills. This bill makes that possible, empowering employers to embrace skills-based hiring and provide meaningful on-the-job training. By investing in potential, we’re building a more inclusive, adaptive, and future-ready workforce. We thank Congresswoman Stefanik for her leadership on this important issue,” said Rod Wiles, Chair of the American Building Materials Alliance.
Employer-Directed Skills Act
The Employer-Directed Skills Act would empower job creators to access workforce development, and leverage private sector investments to make employers a stakeholder in the skills based education process.
Specifically, this legislation would:
- Allow employers to identify prospective workers to participate in a skills development program selected by the employer;
- Expand eligible programs to include work-based learning provided by the employer or an outside program from a third-party provider; and
- Provide partial reimbursements for the costs of upskilling programs through an Employer-Directed Skills Account.
Advancing Skills-Based Hiring Act
The Advancing Skills-Based Hiring Act supports employers seeking to adopt skills-based hiring practices through technical assistance on the lawful use of pre-employment assessments and proactive determinations that an employer’s usage of such assessments is consistent with effective performance of the job.
This legislation would:
- Allow employers to voluntarily submit assessment validity evidence to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) for proactive review;
- Provide employers a safe harbor if the EEOC determines their use of an assessment satisfies the legal burden of being “job related;” and
- Ensure employers can participate in this voluntary compliance initiative without risk by preventing the EEOC from using an employer’s participation as a basis for future investigation and protecting the information an employer submits from being used against them.
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