National intermediary to support the Interstate Paid Leave Action Network

(a) Authority To make grants Subject to the availability of appropriations under section 6(a), the Secretary, acting through the Employment and Training Administration, shall award a grant to one national intermediary to facilitate the activities of the I–PLAN. (b) Use of funds A national intermediary awarded a grant under subsection (a) shall use funds for the costs related to each of the following: (1) Meetings Meeting activities, including— (A) convening the State focals as described in section 3(a)(3), including reasonable travel, transportation, and other expenses of State focals and staff of the national intermediary (and any necessary accompanying State personnel); (B) making publicly available information on the agendas and outcomes of such meetings; and (C) (i) not later than 12 months after the date of enactment of this Act, making publicly available the roadmap described under section 3(a)(5); and (ii) making any updates to such roadmap publicly available. (2) Annual report Producing and making publicly available on an annual basis a report that compares State programs, including information on— (A) benefit eligibility; (B) the maximum number of weeks an eligible employee is allowed to receive benefits— (i) for each qualifying reason; and (ii) in aggregate; (C) wage replacement rate and how that may vary based on prior earnings; (D) maximum weekly benefit amount; (E) how such programs are financed by employees and employers, including the payroll tax rate and amount of wages subject to tax; (F) whether and how such programs allow employers to provide employer plans, taking into consideration elements such as— (i) benefit payment timeliness; and (ii) employer and employee administrative complexity; (G) whether and how such programs coordinate with other types of paid-time off and leaves of absence; (H) the reasons, including qualifying reasons, under which an individual is eligible to take paid family and medical leave; and (I) other activities essential for the success, effectiveness, and sustainability of the I–PLAN. (3) Outreach and coordination Engagement, consulting, and gathering relevant information in coordination with I–PLAN States from a wide range of external stakeholders, including— (A) State legislatures; (B) Governors; (C) employees; (D) representatives of employers, including— (i) employers with employees in multiple States; and (ii) employers with fewer than 50 employees; (E) self-employed individuals; (F) policy experts and other organizations with expertise on paid leave and unemployment compensation programs; and (G) Tribal governments. (4) Standardized and interoperable technology system for wages Providing a standardized technology-based system to facilitate States’ ability to carry out the I–PLAN Agreement, allowing States to process interstate claims and strengthen program integrity, that— (A) adopts or leverages modular technology that— (i) ensures privacy, security, and prompt data availability; (ii) enhances and streamlines the claimant, employer, and participating State experience; and (iii) is interoperable with other relevant State systems; and (B) permits States to report on, to the extent reasonable and technologically feasible, and disaggregated by qualifying reason, on trends such as— (i) the number of initial and continued benefit claims; (ii) average duration of benefits; (iii) average weekly benefit amount; (iv) average time between filing a claim and receiving an initial benefit payment; and (v) the accuracy of benefit payment amounts. (5) Additional uses Additional activities, including— (A) hiring and compensating staff; (B) formulating guidance, recommendations, and best practices for States; (C) providing training on program administration; (D) providing technical assistance to States; and (E) creating or leveraging technology essential for the success and effectiveness of the I–PLAN. (c) Duration of award (1) In general Subject to paragraph (2), the period during which payments are made to an entity from an award of a grant under subsection (a) shall be 5 years. (2) Compliance The Secretary shall annually evaluate whether the national intermediary is complying with the requirements of this Act and, if the Secretary determines that the national intermediary is not so complying, shall withhold any payment or part of the payment to the national intermediary under this section for the following fiscal year unless and until the Secretary determines the national intermediary has remedied such compliance issue. (d) National intermediary oversight The Secretary shall— (1) monitor the national intermediary to ensure compliance with the requirements of this Act; (2) provide technical assistance to assist the national intermediary with such compliance; and (3) require regular reports on the performance of the national intermediary, including on the roadmap under section 3(a)(5), the use of funds under section 4(b), and other methods of evaluation.