# Title 52 — Social Security

## Chapter 52-08.1 — North Dakota Workforce 20/20 Program

### § 52-08.1-01. North Dakota workforce 20/20 policy and goals.

1. The legislative assembly finds that a highly skilled workforce is critical to the present
and future competitiveness of North Dakota's economy. The legislative assembly,
therefore, declares that it is the policy of the state to support and promote skill training,
retraining, and upgrade training for North Dakota workers. It is the goal of the state to:
a. Improve the skills of North Dakota workers;
b. Promote and sponsor effective and responsive training programs for employed
and unemployed North Dakotans who need job-related training;
c. Promote programs that lead to family wage jobs;
d. Secure the active participation and full cooperation of North Dakota industry
leaders, business owners, and employee representatives in developing programs
to increase and improve worker skill training;
e. Promote the coordination of North Dakota's education and job training systems to
more fully respond to the increasingly complex training needs of workers; and
f. Promote access to education and job training programs for all North Dakotans
regardless of their economic status or geographic location within the state.
2. The legislative assembly declares that it is the policy of this state to integrate skill
training and development programs into its economic development strategies.
### § 52-08.1-02. North Dakota workforce 20/20 program administration.

Job service North Dakota shall administer the North Dakota workforce 20/20 program within
the state.
1. Job service North Dakota shall give priority to applicants that:
a. Are compatible with statewide economic development strategies.
b. Demonstrate business and community financial support and participation.
c. Coordinate activities and resources with other training programs.
d. Provide for followup and evaluation of program results.
e. Provide customized training, retraining, and upgrade training in occupations that
pay not less than two hundred percent of the federal and state minimum wage.
f. Provide training to unemployed and employed residents of North Dakota for new
businesses creating new jobs and expanding businesses.
2. Funding through the program is limited to training for permanent jobs or occupations
that have significant career opportunities and which require substantive instructions
resulting from:
a. Introduction of new technologies or new equipment; or
b. Significant changes in business operations or production methods.
3. An applicant may be eligible for funding of sales and marketing training that is
necessitated due to technology or equipment changes that affect manufacturing or
production.
4. Training funded through the program is limited to upgrade training or retraining of
current workers in situations in which training is required for continued employment
and to training of trainees if the company gives successful graduates hiring priority.
Only trainees approved by participating parties are eligible for training funded through
the program.
5. Training funded through the program is limited to state residents.
6. All direct training costs are allowable for funding through the program. Direct training
costs may include:
a. Program promotion.
b. Instructor wages, per diem, and travel.
c. Curriculum development and training materials.
d. Lease of training equipment and training space.
e. Miscellaneous direct training costs.
f. Administrative costs.

g. Assessment and testing.
### § 52-08.1-03. North Dakota workforce 20/20 priority of industry requirements.

1. The program is designed to assist companies that are undergoing major technological
changes and where training is deemed critical to the company and in occupations that
are deemed to have inadequate trained personnel.
2. Job service North Dakota shall encourage training assistance for small companies and
companies located in rural areas.
3. Job service North Dakota shall encourage companies to participate with in-kind
contributions of training space, training equipment, training supplies, and technical
assistance.
4. Training programs must require the direct participation of the sponsoring company and
an employee representative.
5. If new job openings are created through upgrade training, the sponsoring company
should give priority consideration to individuals eligible for other state and federal job
training programs.
6. Job service North Dakota shall encourage training assistance for a company that
manufactures or otherwise produces a product. However, the class of occupations
eligible to receive training through such a company is not limited to manufacturing or
production.
### § 52-08.1-04. North Dakota workforce 20/20 program implementation and coordination.

1. All programs must be conducted through contractual arrangements made with job
service North Dakota.
2. Programs must be conducted in cooperation with appropriate state board for career
and technical education approved training providers and institutions.
3. Final screening of trainees must be conducted by the company with the assistance of
job service North Dakota when required.
4. Program effectiveness will be determined by post-training monitoring that will address
such issues as:
a. Company satisfaction with the program.
b. Company transition to new technologies or products.
c. Post-training wage levels versus pretraining wage levels.
d. Number of trainees successfully completing the program.
e. Number of trainees who are retained by the company as a result of the training
program.
f. Number of new jobs created at entry level as a result of upgrade training.
### § 52-08.1-05. North Dakota workforce 20/20 application procedure.

1. A proposal or concept paper must be submitted by the appropriate company, trade
representative, or employee representative to job service North Dakota.
2. The proposal or concept paper should address the key guideline points but be kept
brief.
### § 52-08.1-06. North Dakota workforce 20/20 gifts and grants.

Job service North Dakota is authorized to accept and use any funds, including gifts and
grants, made available for the purpose of defraying expenses involved in carrying out this
chapter.
