Section 122.178 - TechCred program(A) As used in this section, "microcredential" means an industry-recognized credential or certificate that an applicant may complete in not more than one year and that is approved by the chancellor of higher education.(B) There is hereby created the TechCred program to reimburse employers from appropriations made for that purpose for training costs for prospective and incumbent employees to earn a microcredential. The department of development, in consultation with the governor's office of workforce transformation and the department of higher education, shall develop the program.(C)(1) An employer seeking to participate in the program shall submit an application to the director of development during an application period established by the director. The employer shall include in the application all of the following information: (a) Proof that the employer is registered to do business in this state;(b) Proof that the employer is current on all tax obligations to the state;(c) Proof that the employer is in compliance with all environmental regulations applicable to the employer;(d) The name of the training provider from which a prospective or incumbent employee will receive the training and earn the microcredential;(e) The cost of the training;(f) The positions for which earning the microcredential will make a prospective or incumbent employee qualified or the occupational skill set that the prospective or incumbent employee will acquire on completing the training;(g) The address of the facility or location at which the prospective or incumbent employee is expected to be employed after completing the training;(h) Any other information the director requires.(2) In addition to the information required under division (C)(1) of this section, an employer seeking to participate in the program also may submit any of the following information the employer wishes to provide to the director: (a) The estimated wage after completing the training and earning the microcredential;(b) The employer's certification as a minority business enterprise under section 122.921 of the Revised Code or certification as an EDGE business enterprise under section 122.922 of the Revised Code if applicable;(c) The demographic information of the employer, including race and gender;(d) Any demographic information of a prospective or incumbent employee that the employee provides to the employer, including race and gender;(e) Any other information the employer wishes to provide to the director.(D)(1) The director shall consider all applications submitted during an application period after the application period ends. The director shall consider the following factors in determining whether to approve an application: (a) The duration of the training program;(b) The cost of the training;(c) A prospective or incumbent employee's estimated wage after completing the training and earning the microcredential; (d) Whether approving an application will promote regional diversity in apportioning reimbursements uniformly across the state;(e) Any other factors the director considers relevant in determining whether to approve an application.(2) The chancellor of higher education shall establish a list of approved microcredentials. The director shall not approve an application submitted under division (C) of this section unless the microcredentials identified in the application are included in the chancellor's list. Not later than ninety days after April 14, 2020, the director shall create a list of training providers that offer a microcredential included in the chancellor's list. Thereafter, the director shall annually update the list of training providers.(3) If the director approves an employer's application for participation in the program, the approval is valid as long as the employer maintains accurate application information under division (C)(1) of this section with the director. The employer shall submit the updated information to the director at the beginning of the third fiscal year the employer participates in the program and every other subsequent fiscal year thereafter.(4) The director shall not approve an application for participation in the program if the employer has violated Chapter 4111. of the Revised Code within the four fiscal years immediately preceding the date of application.(E)(1) Each participating employer seeking reimbursement for training costs for a prospective or incumbent employee shall submit an application to the director that includes all of the following information for each prospective or incumbent employee: (a) The prospective or incumbent employee's name and position, if applicable, at the time of submitting the application;(b) The actual amount the employer paid to the training provider for the training; (c) Evidence that the prospective or incumbent employee earned a microcredential;(d) Evidence that the prospective or incumbent employee is a resident of this state.(2) The amount of the reimbursement shall be not more than two thousand dollars for each microcredential a prospective or incumbent employee receives.(F) No participating employer shall require a prospective or incumbent employee who receives a microcredential because the employer participated in and received a reimbursement through the employer's participation in the TechCred program to accept or continue employment with the employer.(G) For the purposes of determining regional diversity under this section, the following constitute the regions of the state: (1) The counties of Allen, Crawford, Defiance, Fulton, Hancock, Hardin, Henry, Lucas, Ottawa, Paulding, Putnam, Sandusky, Seneca, Van Wert, Williams, Wood, and Wyandot are one region;(2) The counties of Ashland, Ashtabula, Columbiana, Cuyahoga, Erie, Geauga, Huron, Lake, Lorain, Mahoning, Medina, Portage, Richland, Stark, Summit, Trumbull, Tuscarawas, and Wayne are one region;(3) The counties of Auglaize, Champaign, Clark, Clinton, Darke, Fayette, Greene, Mercer, Miami, Montgomery, Preble, and Shelby are one region;(4) The counties of Delaware, Fairfield, Franklin, Knox, Licking, Logan, Madison, Marion, Morrow, Pickaway, and Union are one region;(5) The counties of Adams, Athens, Gallia, Highland, Hocking, Jackson, Lawrence, Meigs, Pike, Ross, Scioto, and Vinton are one region;(6) The counties of Belmont, Carroll, Coshocton, Guernsey, Harrison, Holmes, Jefferson, Monroe, Morgan, Muskingum, Noble, Perry, and Washington are one region;(7) The counties of Brown, Butler, Clermont, Hamilton, and Warren are one region.(H)(1) The director shall do both of the following regarding the operation of the program: (a) Create an application to participate in the program and an application for reimbursement;(b) Create an internet web site with the applications for and information regarding the program created in this section. (2) The governor's office of workforce transformation shall include on the office's internet web site either of the following: (a) The applications for and information regarding the program created in this section; (b) An internet link to the internet web site created under division (H)(1)(b) of this section.(I) The director may adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code regarding the operation of the program as the director considers necessary to administer the program, including establishing priority guidelines for approving applications under division (D) of this section.Amended by 134th General Assembly, HB 110,§101.01, eff. 9/30/2021.Added by 133rd General Assembly, HB 2,§1, eff. 4/13/2020.