Bill Summary
The "Improving Training for School Food Service Workers Act of 2025" is a proposed amendment to the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 aimed at enhancing the training and certification of local food service personnel in schools. Key provisions of the bill include:
1. **Training Requirements**: The legislation establishes that training programs for food service workers must be scheduled during regular paid working hours, offered in-person when appropriate, include hands-on learning experiences, and be provided at no cost to the participants.
2. **Training Outside of Working Hours**: If training is necessary outside of regular hours, the bill mandates that food service personnel be informed of the schedule, consulted to minimize disruption, compensated at their regular pay rates (including overtime if applicable), and protected from penalties for inability to attend.
3. **Legal Compliance**: The bill clarifies that its provisions do not override existing federal, state, or local laws relating to employee-employer relationships.
Overall, this legislation seeks to ensure that school food service workers receive adequate training that is accessible and structured to support their professional development without financial burden.
Possible Impacts
The "Improving Training for School Food Service Workers Act of 2025" could have several effects on people, particularly those involved in school food service, students, and school administrations. Here are three notable examples:
1. **Enhanced Skill Development for Food Service Workers**: By ensuring that training programs for food service personnel are scheduled during regular paid hours and are provided at no cost, workers will have increased access to professional development. This can lead to improved skills in food safety, nutrition, and food preparation, which not only enhances their job performance but also contributes to a healthier school meal environment for students.
2. **Improved Work-Life Balance**: The legislation mandates that if training occurs outside of regular working hours, food service personnel must be compensated and consulted on scheduling. This ensures that employees are not overburdened and that their time is respected. As a result, food service workers may experience less stress and better job satisfaction, which can lead to reduced turnover rates and a more stable workforce in school cafeterias.
3. **Increased Accountability and Support for School Administrations**: School administrators will need to comply with the requirements for training and certification of food service personnel. This could lead to a more structured approach to staff training and development, ultimately resulting in better compliance with nutrition standards and improved meal quality for students. Schools that invest in their food service staff may also see positive impacts on student health and performance, as well-nourished students are more likely to thrive academically.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1736 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1736
To amend the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to clarify the availability
and appropriateness of training for local food service personnel, and
for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
May 13, 2025
Mrs. Murray introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to clarify the availability
and appropriateness of training for local food service personnel, and
for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Improving Training for School Food
Service Workers Act of 2025''.
SEC. 2. TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION OF ALL LOCAL FOOD SERVICE PERSONNEL.
Section 7(g)(2)(B) of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C.
1776(g)(2)(B)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(iv) Availability and appropriateness of
training.--
``(I) In general.--A training
program carried out under this
subparagraph shall--
``(aa) be scheduled during
regular, paid working hours;
``(bb) be offered in-
person, if appropriate;
``(cc) incorporate
experiential learning; and
``(dd) be provided at no
cost to food service personnel.
``(II) Program outside working
hours.--In the event that a training
program carried out under this
subparagraph is scheduled outside of
regular, paid working hours--
``(aa) efforts shall be
made to inform food service
personnel of the necessity of
the program to be scheduled
outside of regular, paid
working hours;
``(bb) food service
personnel shall be consulted to
schedule the program at a time
that is minimally disruptive to
the personnel participating in
the training program;
``(cc) compensation shall
be provided to food service
personnel attending the program
at the regular rate of pay,
including any applicable
overtime rate; and
``(dd) food service
personnel shall not be
penalized or in any other
manner discriminated against
for not being able to attend
the program.
``(v) Relationship to other laws.--Nothing
in this subparagraph supersedes or otherwise
modifies any Federal, State, or local law or
legal obligation governing the relationship
between an employee and employer.''.
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