Article 3.

Employment Service Division.

§ 96-20.  Duties of Division; conformance to Wagner-Peyser Act; organization; director; employees.

The Employment Security Section of the Division of Employment Security, Department of Commerce, shall establish and maintain free public employment offices in such number and in such places as may be necessary for the proper administration of this Chapter, and for the purpose of performing such duties as are within the purview of the act of Congress entitled "An act to provide for the establishment of a national employment system and for cooperation with the states in the promotion of such system and for other purposes," approved June 6, 1933, (48 Stat., 113; U.S.C., Title 29, section 49(c), as amended). The said Division shall be administered by a full-time salaried director. The Division shall be charged with the duty to cooperate with any official or agency of the United States having powers or duties under the provisions of the said act of Congress, as amended, and to do and perform all things necessary to secure to this State the benefits of the said act of Congress, as amended, in the promotion and maintenance of a system of public employment offices. The provisions of the said act of Congress, as amended, are hereby accepted by this State, in conformity with section 4 of said act, and this State will observe and comply with the requirements thereof. The Division is hereby designated and constituted the agency of this State for the purpose of said act. The Secretary is directed to appoint the head, other officers, and employees of the Employment Security Section. (Ex. Sess. 1936, c. 1, s. 12; 1941, c. 108, s. 11; 1947, c. 326, s. 24; 2011-401, s. 2.21.)

§ 96-21.  Duties concerning veterans and worker profiling.

The duties of the Employment Security Section include the following:

(1) To cooperate with all State and federal agencies in attempting to secure suitable employment and fair treatment for military veterans and disabled veterans.

(2) To establish and use a worker profiling system that complies with 42 U.S.C. § 503(a)(10) to identify claimants for benefits whom the Section must refer to reemployment services in accordance with that law. (1921, c. 131, s. 3; C.S., s. 7312(c); Ex. Sess. 1936, c. 1, s. 12; 1979, c. 660, s. 26; 1993 (Reg. Sess., 1994), c. 680, s. 6; 2011-401, s. 2.22.)

§ 96-22.  Employment of and assistance to minors.

The Employment Security Section shall have jurisdiction over all matters contemplated in this Article pertaining to securing employment for all minors who avail themselves of the free employment service. The Employment Security Section shall have power to so conduct its affairs that at all times it shall be in harmony with laws relating to child labor and compulsory education; to aid in inducing minors over 16, who cannot or do not for various reasons attend day school, to undertake promising skilled employment; to aid in influencing minors who do not come within the purview of compulsory education laws, and who do not attend day school, to avail themselves of continuation or special courses in existing night schools, vocational schools, part-time schools, trade schools, business schools, library schools, university extension courses, etc., so as to become more skilled in such occupation or vocation to which they are respectively inclined or particularly adapted, including assisting those minors who are interested in securing vocational employment in agriculture and to aid in the development of good citizenship and in the study and development of vocational rehabilitation capabilities for handicapped minors. (1921, c. 131, s. 4; C.S., s. 7312(d); Ex. Sess. 1936, c. 1, s. 12; 1979, c. 660, s. 27; 2011-401, s. 2.23.)

§ 96-23: Repealed by Session Laws 1985, c. 197, s. 8.

§ 96-24.  Local offices; cooperation with United States service; financial aid from United States.

(a) Agreement. - The Department of Commerce is authorized to enter into agreement with the governing authorities of any municipality, county, township, or school corporation in the State for such period of time as may be deemed desirable for the purpose of establishing and maintaining local free employment offices, and for the extension of vocational guidance in cooperation with the United States Employment Service, and under and by virtue of any such agreement as aforesaid to pay, from any funds appropriated by the State for the purposes of this Article, any part or the whole of the salaries, expenses or rent, maintenance, and equipment of offices and other expenses.

(b) Location. - The Department of Commerce must take into consideration all of the following factors when determining the appropriate number and location of local offices:

(1) Location of the population served.

(2) Staff availability.

(3) Proximity of local offices to each other.

(4) Use of automation products to provide services.

(5) Services and procedural efficiencies.

(6) Any other factors the Division considers necessary in determining the appropriate number and location of local offices. (1921, c. 131, s. 6; C.S., s. 7312(f); 1931, c. 312, s. 3; 1935, c. 106, s. 4; Ex. Sess. 1936, c. 1, s. 12; 2011-401, s. 2.24; 2013-2, s. 8; 2013-224, s. 19.)

§ 96-25.  Acceptance and use of donations.

It shall be lawful for the Employment Security Section to receive, accept, and use, in the name of the people of the State, or any community or municipal corporation, as the donor may designate, by gift or devise, any moneys, buildings, or real estate for the purpose of extending the benefits of this Article and for the purpose of giving assistance to handicapped citizens through vocational rehabilitation. (1921, c. 131, s. 7; C.S., s. 7312(g); 1931, c. 312, s. 3; Ex. Sess. 1936, c. 1, s. 12; 1979, c. 660, s. 28; 2011-401, s. 2.25.)

§ 96-26.  Cooperation of towns, townships, and counties with Division.

It shall be lawful for the governing authorities of any municipality, county, township, or school corporation in the State to enter into cooperative agreement with the Employment Security Section and to appropriate and expend the necessary money upon such conditions as may be approved by the Employment Security Section and to permit the use of public property for the joint establishment and maintenance of such offices as may be mutually agreed upon, and which will further the purpose of this Article. (1921, c. 131, s. 8; C.S., s. 7312(h); 1931, c. 312, s. 3; 1935, c. 106, s. 5; Ex. Sess. 1936, c. 1, s. 12; 2011-401, s. 2.26.)

§ 96-27.  Method of handling employment service funds.

All federal funds received by this State under the Wagner-Peyser Act (48 Stat. 113; Title 29, U.S.C., section 49) as amended, and all State funds appropriated or made available to the Employment Security Section shall be paid into the Employment Security Administration Fund, and said moneys are hereby made available to the State employment service to be expended as provided in this Article and by said act of Congress. For the purpose of establishing and maintaining free public employment offices, the Section is authorized to enter into agreements with any political subdivision of this State or with any private, nonprofit organization, and as a part of any such agreement the Division may accept moneys, services, or quarters as a contribution to the Employment Security Administration Fund. (1935, c. 106, s. 7; Ex. Sess. 1936, c. 1, s. 12; 1941, c. 108, s. 11; 1947, c. 598, s. 1; 2011-401, s. 2.27.)

§ 96-28.  Repealed by Session Laws 1951, c. 332, s. 17.

§ 96-29.  Openings listed by State agencies.

Every State agency shall list with the Division of Employment Security every job opening occurring within the agency which opening the agency wishes filled and which will not be filled solely by promotion or transfer from within the existing State government work force. The listing shall include a brief description of the duties and salary range and shall be filed with the Division within 30 days after the occurrence of the opening. The listing agency shall report to the Division the filling of any listed opening within 15 days after the opening has been filled.  (1973, c. 715, s. 1; c. 1341; 1985, c. 358; 1989, c. 583, s. 16; 1991, c. 357, s. 1; 2011-401, s. 2.28; 2013-382, s. 9.1(c); 2024-23, s. 5.)