# § 49b. Duties of Secretary
**(a)** **Assistance to State public employment service offices** The Secretary shall assist in coordinating the State public employment service offices throughout the country and in increasing their usefulness by developing and prescribing minimum standards of efficiency, assisting them in meeting problems peculiar to their localities, promoting uniformity in their administrative and statistical procedure, furnishing and publishing information as to opportunities for employment and other information of value in the operation of the system, and maintaining a system for clearing labor between the States.
**(b)** **Provision of unemployment compensation information** 42 U.S.C. 60142 U.S.C. 6517 U.S.C. 2011
It shall be the duty of the Secretary to assure that unemployment insurance and employment service offices in each State, as appropriate, upon request of a public agency administering or supervising the administration of a State program funded under part A of title IV of the Social Security Act [ et seq.], of a public agency charged with any duty or responsibility under any program or activity authorized or required under part D of title IV of such Act [ et seq.], or of a State agency charged with the administration of the supplemental nutrition assistance program in a State under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 ( et seq.), shall (and, notwithstanding any other provision of law, is authorized to) furnish to such agency making the request, from any data contained in the files of any such office, information with respect to any individual specified in the request as to (1) whether such individual is receiving, has received, or has made application for, unemployment compensation, and the amount of any such compensation being received by such individual, (2) the current (or most recent) home address of such individual, and (3) whether such individual has refused an offer of employment and, if so, a description of the employment so offered and the terms, conditions, and rate of pay therefor.
**(c)** **Public labor exchange services** The Secretary shall—
**(1)** assist in the coordination and development of a nationwide system of public labor exchange services, provided as part of the one-stop customer service systems of the States;
**1** assist in the development of continuous improvement models for such nationwide system that ensure private sector satisfaction with the system and meet the demands of jobseekers relating to the system, and identify and disseminate information on best practices for such system; and and [^1]
So in original.
**2** ensure, for individuals otherwise eligible to receive unemployment compensation, the provision of reemployment services and other activities in which the individuals are required to participate to receive the compensation.[^2]
So in original. The period probably should be “; and”.
**(4)** in coordination with the State agencies and the staff of such agencies, assist in the planning and implementation of activities to enhance the professional development and career advancement opportunities of such staff, in order to strengthen the provision of a broad range of career guidance services, the identification of job openings (including providing intensive outreach to small and medium-sized employers and enhanced employer services), the provision of technical assistance and training to other providers of workforce development activities (including workplace learning advisors) relating to counseling and employment-related services, and the development of new strategies for coordinating counseling and technology.
**(d)** **Colocation of employment service offices and one-stop centers** section 49f(a) of this title
In order to improve service delivery, avoid duplication of services, and enhance coordination of services, including location of staff to ensure access to services under statewide in underserved areas, employment service offices in each State shall be colocated with one-stop centers.
**(e)** **Development of national electronic tools** The Secretary, in consultation with States, is authorized to assist the States in the development of national electronic tools that may be used to improve access to workforce information for individuals through—
**(1)** the one-stop delivery systems established as described in section 3151(e) of this title; and
**(2)** such other delivery systems as the Secretary determines to be appropriate.
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**Source Credit**: (June 6, 1933, ch. 49, § 3, 48 Stat. 114; Sept. 8, 1950, ch. 933, § 1, 64 Stat. 822; Aug. 3, 1954, ch. 655, § 6(a), 68 Stat. 665; Aug. 1, 1956, ch. 852, § 17(a), 70 Stat. 910; Pub. L. 86–624, § 21(a), July 12, 1960, 74 Stat. 417; Pub. L. 93–198, title II, § 204(c), Dec. 24, 1973, 87 Stat. 783; Pub. L. 94–566, title V, § 508(a), Oct. 20, 1976, 90 Stat. 2689; Pub. L. 97–300, title VI, § 601(a), formerly title V, § 501(a), Oct. 13, 1982, 96 Stat. 1392; renumbered title VI, § 601(a), Pub. L. 100–628, title VII, § 712(a)(1), (2), Nov. 7, 1988, 102 Stat. 3248; Pub. L. 99–198, title XV, § 1535(b)(2), Dec. 23, 1985, 99 Stat. 1584; Pub. L. 104–193, title I, § 110(m), Aug. 22, 1996, 110 Stat. 2173; Pub. L. 105–220, title III, §§ 302(a), 310, Aug. 7, 1998, 112 Stat. 1080, 1086; Pub. L. 110–234, title IV, § 4002(b)(1)(A), (B), (2)(Q), May 22, 2008, 122 Stat. 1095–1097; Pub. L. 110–246, § 4(a), title IV, § 4002(b)(1)(A), (B), (2)(Q), June 18, 2008, 122 Stat. 1664, 1857, 1858; Pub. L. 113–128, title III, § 303, July 22, 2014, 128 Stat. 1625.)
## Editorial Notes
### References in Text
The Social Security Act, referred to in subsec. (b), is , . Part A of title IV of the Social Security Act is classified generally to part A (§ 601 et seq.) of subchapter IV of chapter 7 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. Part D of title IV of such Act is classified generally to part D (§ 651 et seq.) of subchapter IV of chapter 7 of Title 42. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see and Tables.
The Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, referred to in subsec. (b), is , , , which is classified generally to chapter 51 (§ 2011 et seq.) of Title 7, Agriculture. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under and Tables.
### Codification
and made identical amendments to this section. The amendments by were repealed by .
### Amendments
2014—Subsec. (a). , substituted “service offices” for “services”.
Subsec. (c)(2). , substituted “, and identify and disseminate information on best practices for such system; and” for semicolon.
Subsec. (c)(4). , added par. (4).
Subsecs. (d), (e). , added subsecs. (d) and (e).
2008—Subsec. (b). , (B), (2)(Q), which directed amendment of the “Wagner-Peysner Act” by substituting “supplemental nutrition assistance program” for “food stamp program” wherever appearing and “Food and Nutrition Act of 2008” for “Food Stamp Act of 1977” wherever appearing, was executed by making the substitutions in subsec. (b) of this section, which is section 3 of the Wagner-Peyser Act, to reflect the probable intent of Congress.
1998—Subsec. (a). , substituted “Secretary” for “United States Employment Service”.
Subsec. (b). , substituted “Secretary” for “Secretary of Labor”.
Subsec. (c). , added subsec. (c).
1996—Subsec. (b). substituted “State program funded under part A of title IV” for “State plan approved under part A of title IV”.
1985—Subsec. (b). inserted reference to a State agency charged with the administration of the food stamp program in a State under the Food Stamp Act.
1982—, amended section generally, substituting provisions which set out functions of the Service and duties of the Secretary of Labor for provisions which had stated the purposes of the Service, including services to veterans and supplying of data for the administration of programs in aid of families with dependent children, and defined “State”.
1976—Subsec. (a). provided that the bureau has a further duty to assure that the employment offices in each State, upon request of a public agency administering or supervising the administration of a State plan approved under part A of title IV of the Social Security Act or of a public agency charged with any duty or responsibility under any program or activity authorized or required under part D of title IV of such Act, furnish to such agency making the request, from any data contained in the files of any such employment office, information with respect to any individual specified in the request as to whether such individual is receiving, has received, or has made application for, unemployment compensation, and the amount of any such compensation being received by such individual, the current (or most recent) home address of such individual, and whether such individual has refused an offer of employment and, if so, a description of the employment so offered and terms, conditions, and rate of pay therefor.
1973—Subsec. (a). , struck out function of maintaining a public employment service for the District of Columbia from the functions of the bureau.
Subsec. (b). , included District of Columbia in definition of “State” or “States”.
1960—Subsec. (b). struck out “Hawaii, Alaska,” before “Puerto Rico”.
1956—Subsec. (b). Act , inserted “Guam” after “Puerto Rico”.
1954—Subsec. (a). Act , inserted provisions relating to employment counseling and placement services for handicapped persons.
1950—Subsec. (b). Act , included Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands in definition of “State” or “States”.
## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
### Effective Date of 2014 Amendment
Amendment by effective on the first day of the first full program year after (), see , set out as an Effective Date note under .
### Effective Date of 2008 Amendment
Amendment of this section and repeal of by effective , the date of enactment of , except as otherwise provided, see , set out as an Effective Date note under , Agriculture.
Amendment by section 4002(b)(1)(A), (B), (2)(Q) of effective , see , set out as a note under , The Congress.
### Effective Date of 1998 Amendment
Amendment by effective , see , formerly set out as a note under .
### Effective Date of 1996 Amendment
Amendment by effective , with transition rules relating to State options to accelerate such date, rules relating to claims, actions, and proceedings commenced before such date, rules relating to closing out of accounts for terminated or substantially modified programs and continuance in office of Assistant Secretary for Family Support, and provisions relating to termination of entitlement under AFDC program, see , as amended, set out as an Effective Date note under , The Public Health and Welfare.
### Effective Date of 1982 Amendment
Amendment by effective , but with Secretary authorized to use funds appropriated for fiscal 1983 to plan for orderly implementation of amendment, see , which was formerly classified to .
### Effective Date of 1973 Amendment
, , , provided in part that title II of [amending this section and and enacting provisions set out as notes under and , Government Organization and Employees], shall take effect on .
### Effective Date of 1954 Amendment
> “The amendments made by this Act [enacting
>
> , Education, and amending this section, sections 31 to 41, 42, and 49g of this title, sections 107, 107a, 107b, 107e, and 107f of Title 20, and section 155a of former Title 36, Patriotic Societies and Observances] shall become effective
>
> .”
, , provided that:
### Definitions of Terms in Pub. L. 113–128
Except as otherwise provided, definitions in , which is classified to , apply to this section.