,i #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #fgdf ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,may #h1 #bjbj,ms4 ,del,bene 7for herself1 ,mr4 ,foster1 ,mr4 ,peters1 and ,mr4 ,kilmer7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,education and ,labor ,a ,,bill ,to require the ,secretary of ,labor to establish a program for providing portable benefits to eligible workers1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,emergency ,benefits for ,independent ,workers ,program ,act4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,many independent workers and workers in alternative work arrangements1 constituting a sizable percentage of the workforce in the ,united ,states1 do not have access to benefits and protections typically provided through traditional full-time employment4 7#b7 ,workers in alternative work arrangements include independent contractors1 domestic workers1 temporary workers1 the self-employed1 and others in contingent work arrangements4 7#c7 ,according to a #bjag survey by the ,bureau of ,labor ,statistics1 workers in alternative work arrangements as their primary form of occupation constitute #aj4a percent of the labor force1 roughly #af1jjj1jjj ,americans4 7#d7 ,in response to the global pandemic caused by the coronavirus1 ,congress created the temporary ,pandemic ,unemployment ,assistance program under title ,,ii of division ,a of the ,coronavirus ,aid1 ,relief1 and ,economic ,security ,act 7,public ,law #aaf-acf7 to provide access to unemployment insurance to previously ineligible workers1 such as gig workers1 freelancers1 and the self-employed4 7#e7 ,the people of the ,united ,states should not need an ,act of ,congress to have access to essential benefits and protections during the next economic downturn4 #c4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,coronavirus ,the term coronavirus has the meaning given the term in section #ejf of the ,coronavirus ,preparedness and ,response ,supplemental ,appropriations ,act1 #bjbj 7,public ,law #aaf-abc74 7#b7 ,eligible work ,the term eligible work means any work performed for pay that is not in connection with traditional full-time employment4 7#c7 ,eligible worker ,the term eligible worker means-- 7,a7 any worker who is not a permanent full-time employee of the parent entity hiring the worker for the eligible work1 including any independent contractor1 contract worker1 self-employed individual1 freelance worker1 or temporary worker2 and 7,b7 any worker not traditionally eligible for unemployment compensation under the law of the ,state1 including such a worker who has been affected by the coronavirus4 7#d7 ,portable benefits ,the term portable benefits-- 7,a7 means work-related benefits that are provided to eligible workers for eligible work in a manner that allows the worker to maintain the benefits upon changing jobs2 and 7,b7 includes-- 7i7 contributions on behalf of the eligible worker made by a hiring entity 7including multiple entities1 if applicable7 in connection with eligible work performed by the worker for the entity1 including entities that facilitate the sale of such work2 7ii7 contributions made by the eligible worker2 7iii7 contributions on behalf of the eligible worker made by consumers2 7iv7 contributions on behalf of the eligible worker made by labor organizations or worker advocate non-profit organizations2 or 7v7 a combination of #b or more of the contributions described in clauses 7i71 7ii71 7iii71 and 7iv74 7#e7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of ,labor4 7#f7 ,state ,the term ,state means each of the several ,states of the ,united ,states1 the ,district of ,columbia1 ,puerto ,rico1 ,american ,samoa1 the ,united ,states ,virgin ,islands1 ,guam1 the ,northern ,mariana ,islands1 and ,american ,samoa4 7#g7 ,worker advocate non-profit organization ,the term worker advocate non-profit organization means an entity-- 7,a7 that is an organization described in section #eja7;c7 of the ,internal ,revenue ,code of #aihf and exempt from tax under section #eja7;a7 of such ,code2 7,b7 for which all actions taken by the organization regarding providing benefits to workers are for the sole purpose of maximizing benefits to the workers2 7,c7 that is independent from all business entities1 organizations1 corporations1 or individuals that would pursue any financial interest in conflict with that of the workers2 and 7,d7 that has a board of directors that holds a fiduciary duty to the workers with respect to provision of the benefits4 7#h7 ,work-related benefits ,the term work-related benefits means benefits of a type that are commonly provided to traditional full-time employees1 such as workers' compensation1 paid leave1 skills training1 disability coverage1 health insurance coverage1 retirement saving1 income security1 and short-term saving4 #d4 ,establishment of portable benefits program 7a7 ,emergency portable benefits program established 7#a7 ,in general ,by not later than ,june #a1 #bjbj1 the ,secretary1 in consultation with the head of any other relevant ,federal agency1 shall award grants through allotments described in subsection 7b71 to ,states to-- 7,a7 assist in the technology modernization necessary for the expansion of unemployment insurance2 and 7,b7 support broad innovation and experimentation with respect to portable benefits4 7#b7 ,duration of grant ,a grant awarded under this paragraph shall be for not less than a #b-year period4 7#c7 ,partnerships authorized ,a ,state receiving an allotment under this ,act may carry out the activities under the grant in partnership with a local government1 labor organization1 or worker advocate non-profit organization4 7b7 ,formula ,each ,state's allotment under this section shall bear the same relation to the amount available to carry out this section as the population of the ,state bears to the population of all ,states4 7c7 ,state requirements 7#a7 ,plan and implementation requirements ,a ,state that accepts an allotment under subsection 7a7 shall agree to-- 7,a7 submit a plan for the use of the allotment1 in accordance with the requirements of subsection 7d71 by not later than #ij days after receiving the allotment2 and 7,b7 fully implement the plan submitted under subparagraph 7,a7 by not later than #b years after receiving the allotment4 7#b7 ,return of funds ,a ,state that does not wish to receive an allotment under this ,act or does not submit a plan described in paragraph 7#a77;,a7 by the deadline required under such paragraph shall return the ,state's allotment to the ,secretary of ,labor4 7#c7 ,use of returned funds ,the ,secretary of ,labor shall use any funds returned under paragraph 7#b7 to provide supplemental allotments to the ,states that did submit a plan under paragraph 7#a71 in the same manner as under subsection 7b74 7d7 ,uses of funds 7#a7 ,use of funds to improve unemployment compensation administration ,a ,state receiving an allotment under this section shall use #ej percent of the amount of such allotment for improving the administration systems of its unemployment compensation law1 including by taking such steps as may be necessary to ensure adequate resources in periods of high demand and by modernizing the information technology infrastructure used for such administration4 7#b7 ,use of funds to establish experimental portable benefit programs ,a ,state receiving an allotment under this section shall use #ej percent of the amount of such allotment for the design1 implementation1 and evaluation of new models or approaches for providing portable benefits to eligible workers1 including-- 7,a7 innovative proposals for paid leave2 7,b7 providing a job seeker's allowance2 7,c7 qualified health plans offered on the ,exchanges established under section #acaa or #acba of the ,patient ,protection and ,affordable ,care ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ahjca72 7,d7 retirement-related benefits2 7,e7 the long-term expansion of eligibility for unemployment compensation2 and 7,f7 other programs specific to local economies in the ,state4 #e4 ,report to ,congress ,not later than ,september #cj1 #bjbb1 the ,comptroller ,general of the ,united ,states shall evaluate the outcome of the allotments provided under section #d7;a7 and provide a report on such evaluation to ,congress4 ,such report shall include an assessment of the impact of such allotments on the compensation of workers receiving portable benefits under section #d4 #f4 ,authorization of appropriations 7a7 ,in general ,there is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section #ejj1jjj1jjj for fiscal year #bjba4 7b7 ,availability ,amounts appropriated under subsection 7a7 shall remain available until expended4