Van Hollen Bill Would Create Federally Backed Jobs For Long-Term Unemployed Workers

September 30, 2026

Senator Chris Van Hollen has introduced the Ready to Work Act of 2026 to address long-term unemployment affecting nearly 2 million Americans who have been jobless for six months or more. The proposed legislation would establish a federal program through the Department of Labor that creates temporary, paid positions via local workforce boards while also funding training and support services like childcare and transportation. Workers would earn wages starting at approximately $15.

Who is affected

1.93 million Americans who have been unemployed for 27 weeks or longer (representing 27% of the nation's unemployed)
Workers at least 18 years old who are legally authorized to work and have been out of work or school for at least 27 weeks
Areas with persistent poverty (20% poverty rate for three years) and chronically low employment
Families of four at or near the federal poverty line
Employers including government agencies, nonprofits, businesses, and employment social enterprises

What action is being taken

Senator Chris Van Hollen, along with Senators Ron Wyden, Jeff Merkley, Richard Blumenthal, and Chris Murphy, is introducing the Ready to Work Act of 2026. The Bureau of Labor Statistics is reporting unemployment duration data.

Why it matters

This legislation addresses a critical gap where nearly 2 million Americans face extended unemployment, with the average duration reaching 26.3 weeks. Long-term unemployment creates lasting damage beyond lost income, causing workers to lose skills, destabilizing families, and weakening communities in ways the private market cannot remedy on its own. The bill also responds to emerging concerns about artificial intelligence threatening job security, as polling shows 70% of Americans believe AI will reduce job opportunities. By treating paid work as part of the pathway back to employment rather than leaving workers dependent solely on an unresponsive labor market, the program aims to prevent the compounding effects of prolonged joblessness while gathering data on AI's role in employment disruption.

What's next

The main jobs program would receive mandatory federal funding beginning in fiscal year 2026
Competitive grants for high-poverty and low-employment areas would depend on congressional appropriations beginning in fiscal year 2027
The Department of Labor would collect information from participants about AI use in their previous jobs and during their job searches to track AI's role in employment and hiring

Read full article from source: The Washington Informer