Employment Services and Jobs Parity Act

The Employment Services and Jobs Parity Act proposes to amend the Wagner-Peyser Act of 1933 to include the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) and American Samoa in the national system of public employment offices. Currently, these territories are excluded from certain federal workforce development resources that are available to the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. By updating federal definitions, the bill aims to ensure that residents in these underserved territories can access the same job training, career counseling, and labor exchange services provided through American Job Centers nationwide.

If enacted, the legislation would modify the federal funding formula to provide these territories with dedicated financial allotments for employment services. Starting in fiscal year 2026, the bill proposes that the CNMI and American Samoa each receive funding equal to half of the amount allotted to Guam, provided total federal funding exceeds certain levels. This change is intended to help local workers find new job opportunities and gain the skills necessary to remain in their home communities, while also ensuring that the territories are subject to the same unemployment compensation law requirements as other U.S. jurisdictions.