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COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA OFFICE OF COUNCILMEMBER BROOKE PINTO THE JOHN A. WILSON BUILDING 1350 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, N.W., SUITE 106 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20004
November 14, 2025 Nyasha Howard, Secretary Council of the District of Columbia 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Washington, DC 20004 Dear Secretary Howard, Today, I am introducing the “Youth Employment Program Cohort Expansion Act of 2025” to ensure all young adults in the District have access to employment opportunities and support services to be successful. Please find enclosed a signed copy of the legislation. Connecting young adults with gainful employment is critical for their long-term financial stability and for the District’s economic health. This bill was informed by concerns raised by community members about young people in their mid to late twenties who have had trouble entering the job market or maintaining gainful employment. The unemployment rate for 25–34-year-olds is 4.5% compared to 15.4% for 20–24-year-olds.1 However, it is possible that the District’s robust young professional workforce may obscure employment challenges experienced by low-income residents in the same age bracket. There is a 14.3 percentage point gap in the labor force participation rate between working-age residents born in the District and those born outside DC, which indicates that this disparity likely also applies to those between 20-24 years of age.2 Unfortunately, unemployment data by ward is not disaggregated by age, which also makes analyzing unemployment rates for young people in low-income communities challenging. This bill would help address young adult employment by expanding eligibility for the Marion Barry Summer Youth Employment Program to include participants up to 30 years of age, extending opportunities to young adults in their mid and late twenties who have been unable to secure stable employment. The bill would also require the Department of Employment Services (“DOES”) to place participants who are not enrolled in high school or college with employers that have expressed an interest in retaining them for permanent positions after the program concludes. Additionally, DOES must provide these participants with targeted hard- and soft-skills training to support their success during the program and in securing permanent employment. 1 Department of Employment Services, Talent Forward DC: Annual Economic and Workforce Report 2024, available here. 2 DC Policy Center, Labor force participation in the District of Columbia: Six key facts you need to know, available here.
It is critical that we continue to build pathways to employment and prosperity especially for young adults who have not been able to access jobs and resources in the District. Should you have any questions about this legislation, please contact my Policy Advisor, Ella Hanson, at ehanson@dccouncil.gov. Thank you,
Brooke Pinto Councilmember, Ward 2 Chairwoman, Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety Council of the District of Columbia
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_____________________________ Councilmember Brooke Pinto A BILL __________ IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA _________________ To amend the Youth Employment Act of 1979 to expand the age range of the Marion Barry 1 Summer Youth Employment Program to 30, and to establish a cohort within the program 2 to serve the needs of 25- to 30-year-old participants. 3 4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 5 act may be cited as the “Youth Employment Program Cohort Expansion Amendment Act of 6 2025”. 7 Sec. 2. Section 2a(a)(1) of the Youth Employment Act of 1979, effective January 5, 1980 8 (D.C. Law 3-46; D.C. Official Code § 32-242(a)(1)), is amended as follows: 9 (a) Subparagraph (A) is amended as follows: 10 (1) Sub-subparagraph (i) is amended by striking the phrase “24 years of age” both 11 times it appears and inserting the phrase “30 years of age” in its place. 12 (2) Sub-subparagraph (iv) is amended by striking the phrase “through 24 years of 13 age” and inserting the phrase “through 30 years of age” in its place. 14 (b) New subparagraphs (F) and (G) are added to read as follows: 15 “(F) The Department of Employment Services shall establish the 16 following application and programmatic requirements for youth who have received a high school 17 diploma or general educational development certificate (“GED”) or are over 18 years of age and 18
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are not enrolled in high school or a higher education institution: 19 “(i) Require that applicants identify past work experience, 20 professional interests, and personal goals for long-term employment; 21 “(ii) Prioritize job placements with employers who meet applicant 22 interests and express interest in continuing employment after the program has ended; and 23 “(iii) Provide additional career coaching services on soft and hard 24 skills to help youth be successful in their placement and to support youth in finding sustainable, 25 long-term employment opportunities after the program ends. 26 “(G) The Department of Employment Services shall track participant 27 employment status for 10 years following completion of the program and report the findings to 28 the Council on a bi-annual basis.”. 29 Sec. 3. Fiscal impact statement 30 The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal 31 impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, 32 approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a). 33 Sec. 4. Effective date. 34 This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the 35 Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto) and a 30-day period of congressional review 36 as provided in section 602(c)(l) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 37 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code§ l-206.02(c)(l)). 38