(20 ILCS 630/6) (from Ch. 48, par. 2406)

Sec. 6. Program funds; uses. Funds appropriated for the purposes of the program may be used as follows:

(a) To provide a State contribution for wages and fringe benefits for eligible job applicants for a maximum of 1,040 hours over a maximum period of 52 weeks per job applicant. The minimum allowable hourly wage for job applicants employed in this program shall not be below 120% of the current State minimum wage rate. At least 75% of the funds appropriated for the program must be used to pay wages and fringe benefits for eligible job applicants. State contribution amounts are as follows:

(1) For for-profit business employers, the State contribution for wages shall be 50% of the minimum allowable hourly wage for each eligible job applicant employed. The State contribution for fringe benefits may be up to 25% of the State wage contribution per hour for each eligible job applicant employed. The employer must match wages in an amount equal to or greater than the State contribution for this program. Employers are responsible for the remaining costs of any benefits provided and other employment related costs. The employer may use funds from other sources to provide increased wages and benefits to the applicants it employs;

(2) For non-profit employers participating in this program, the State contribution for wages shall be 75% of the minimum allowable hourly wage for each eligible job applicant employed. The State contribution for fringe benefits may be up to 25% of the state wage contribution per hour for each eligible job applicant employed. The employer must match wages in an amount equal to or greater than the State contribution for this program. The State contribution may be used to provide workers' compensation coverage to applicants employed by government or non-profit agencies under this Act. Employers are responsible for the remaining costs of any benefits. The employer may use funds from other sources to provide increased wages and benefits to the applicants it employs.

(b) To provide child care services or subsidies or other supportive services necessary to maintain employment to applicants employed under the program;

(c) To provide workers' compensation coverage to applicants employed by nonprofit agencies under the program;

(d) To provide job search assistance, labor market orientation, job seeking and work readiness skills, and referral for other services;

(e) To purchase supplies and materials for projects creating permanent improvements to public property in an amount not to exceed one percent of the funds appropriated; and

(f) To reimburse the Department in an amount not to exceed 1% of the funds appropriated for the actual cost of administering this Act, and to reimburse the Employment Administrators in an amount not to exceed 4.5% of the funds allocated to them for their actual cost of administering this Act. The Director and the Employment Administrators shall leverage funds from other sources to cover the administrative costs of this program whenever possible.

The Employment Administrator of each service delivery area shall submit to the Coordinator a spending plan establishing that funds allocated to the service delivery area will be used within one year after the effective date, in the manner required by this Act. Any funds allocated to a service delivery area for which there is no spending plan approved by the Coordinator shall be returned to the Department and may be reallocated by the Coordinator to other Employment Administrators.

(Source: P.A. 97-581, eff. 8-26-11.)