Training Program For Employees Passes House

Training employees may soon become more affordable for West Virginia businesses.

The Recharge West Virginia Program would reimburse a qualifying employer for the costs of specialized technical training to increase the skill levels of employees. The employee would also have to receive a 25% pay raise.

Del. Evan Worrell, R-Cabell, is one of the bill’s co-sponsors. He said small businesses in his district are thrilled about the program’s potential.

“Right now in a small business, it’s tough to afford $10,000 for welding training, $5,000 for CNC machining programming,” he said. “The other problem they have is they can’t hire the skilled workers. They’re not there.”

Worrell said the Recharge program is intended to create those skilled workers and increase the state’s workforce participation rate.

But House Bill 4004, which establishes the program, does not mention a funding source for the program nor does it provide an estimated cost. It also defers rulemaking for the program to the Department of Economic Development 90 days after the bill becomes law.

Del. Kayla Young, D-Kanawha, pointed out the bill had no legislative reporting requirement, and expressed frustration at the lack of key information.

“I would just think with something that is a landmark piece of legislation, as I’ve seen others describe it, that we would put a little more thought into it and have a little bit more of these questions answered,” she said. “I wish we had a fiscal note, I wish we knew how much this was going to cost, but I’m happy to support it because I want to be up-skilling our workers.”

Del. Clay Riley, R-Harrison, presented the bill on the floor and said that if the legislature saw fit to pass the bill, he would request that the House Finance Chair, Del. Vernon Criss, R-Wood, appropriate some money.

The House of Delegates overwhelmingly passed HB 4004 and it now heads to the Senate for its consideration.