PHILADELPHIA RECEIVES APPROVAL TO LAUNCH WAY TO WORK !

May 19, 2010rnrnStimulus-Funded Program Will Help Put Unemployed Philadelphians Back to WorkrnrnPhiladelphia, May 19, 2010 – The City of Philadelphia, in partnership with the Philadelphia Workforce Investment Board and the Philadelphia Workforce Development Corporation, are officially launching Way to Work Philadelphia!. This program, funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act through the Department of Health and Human Services, aims to help provide eligible individuals with subsidized employment experiences. The funding that the City will receive will help local businesses grow and put Philadelphians back to work.rnrn“I want to thank Pennsylvania Labor Secretary Sandi Vito, Department of Public Welfare and Acting Secretary Harriet Dichter for approving Philadelphia’s application for the Way to Work! program,” said Mayor Michael A. Nutter. “We will work hard to take advantage of every possible program to get Philadelphians back to work. We do not want to leave a single dollar on the table that could help Philadelphia’s economy grow.”rnrnWay to Work Philadelphia! will currently last through September 30, 2010, when federal funding will end. Positions created by the program must pay at least minimum wage but can pay much more, with Way to Work Philadelphia! subsidizing wages up to $13 per hour. Jobs must employ workers between 25 and 40 hours of work per week. This program cannot be used to fill positions behind laid off employees, displace current employees or impede promotional opportunities rnrn“This program is another important tool on our road to full economic recovery,” said Sallie A. Glickman, CEO of the Philadelphia Workforce Investment Board, the organization responsible for overseeing Philadelphia’s program. “Right now we have an overabundance of unutilized talent and employers who are not quite ready to hire. Way to Work Philadelphia! is just what we need: it puts people to work, gives employers needed labor to prepare for the coming increases in demand, and gives each employer and worker the opportunity to try each other out for a potential permanent match down the road.” rnrn“Way to Work should be particularly helpful to the area’s small businesses, which are credited with providing a significant portion of the net job creation in this region,” says Ernest Jones, President & CEO of the Philadelphia Workforce Development Corporation. “First, this program can reduce a significant portion of the costs associated with hiring new employees. This will add to the bottom line and help strengthen a company’s financial condition. Secondly, the program will serve as a valuable human resource support by providing candidates who are pre-screened for job compatibility and who are work-ready and prepared to perform reliably.”rnrnThis effort will be managed locally by the Philadelphia Workforce Development Corporation and operate through Philadelphia’s EARN Centers (for individuals currently engaged with those centers) and the City’s five CareerLink Centers. Individuals must be qualified as eligible for the program, which involves income verification and status of dependents. Eligibility will be determined at the point of service, where assessment and other job screening also will occur. To find out more, individuals should stop by their local CareerLink Center or call (215) 557-2625.rnrnAll employers are invited to take part in the program, and in doing so will have the opportunity to select employees from a pool of pre-screened candidates for jobs up to 40 hours a week paying minimum wage or above. Program rules prevent wage subsidies being used to fill positions behind laid-off employees, displace current employees, or impede promotional opportunities. Businesses that are interested in hiring workers through this program should visit the Way to Work Philadelphia! website at www.waytoworkphilly.org or call the Employer Hotline at 888- 557-2535.rnrnSEPTA, a long time user of Philadelphia’s workforce system, plans to participate in Way to Work Philadelphia!. “For many years, SEPTA has benefited from the public workforce system,” said General Manager Joseph M. Casey. “It has provided us with great people, and training to make them even greater. I encourage employers across the City to explore the multiple benefits of Way to Work — it’s great for your company – great for the employee and great for our community.”rnrn####rnrnAbout the Philadelphia Workforce Investment BoardrnFounded in 1999, the Philadelphia Workforce Investment Board is a volunteer commission appointed by the Mayor of Philadelphia with the legislated responsibility to govern the public workforce system in the city, including the CareerLink Centers. The organization that supports the commission – Philadelphia Workforce Investment Board, Inc. – provides expertise in all facets of workforce development, and works to align the skills of the region’s labor force to meet the needs of industry, ultimately supporting the region’s growth and prosperity. The organization’s vision is a thriving and inclusive regional economy and its mission is to advocate and advance a demand-driven opportunity agenda that effectively prepares Philadelphians to compete in the economic mainstream. rnrnAbout the Philadelphia Workforce Development CorporationrnThe Philadelphia Workforce Development Corporation (PWDC) is a private non-profit organization that has been providing quality employment services to the residents of Philadelphia for over thirty-five years. As the fiscal agent for federal and state employment and training dollars, PWDC invests resources in hundreds of job training providers and employers in the region to provide services to unemployed and underemployed individuals.