Chamber Joins in Launch of Jobs Now! Providence

The Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce joined Providence Mayor David Cicilline to encouraged unemployed residents to begin applying for JOBS NOW! PROVIDENCE, an initiative funded through federal stimulus dollars which subsidizes employers up to 100% of the cost of hiring an individual.  The City of Providence has begun accepting applications from displaced workers who have a least one child and meet certain income requirements through NetWORKri.

"Ensuring that workers get a pay check is vital to growing the Rhode Island economy," said Janet Raymond, senior vice president of Operations and Economic Development at the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce. "With this program we are providing local employers with access to a pool of qualified workers and giving them the necessary capital to invest in growing their workforce."

JOBS NOW! PROVIDENCE grew out of the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families Emergency Contingency Fund which was created through the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act.  Working in partnership with the Rhode Island Department of Human Services and other state agencies, JOBS NOW! PROVIDENCE will use approximately $13 million in federal funds to significantly expand employment opportunities by subsidizing 100% of the wages paid to unemployed or underemployed workers who meet certain criteria.   Employers will be reimbursed for eligible wages on a monthly basis from the Rhode Island Department of Revenue.

“I want to thank our Congressional delegation and our state partners for helping to establish this program so that we can begin putting people to work right away,”  Mayor Cicilline said at a press briefing on Monday, May 10.  “This is about investing in families, investing in businesses and fueling our economy.”

Edesia, a new start-up company in Providence and Chamber member that manufactures ready-to-use therapeutic food for developing countries, plans to hire as many as 18 employees through JOBS NOW! Providence.

 

“We know this is going to be great, not only for our company but for the employees that we take on because these are permanent jobs for us,” said Kristen Wolfe, Office Manager for Edesia.  “We’re going to keep these people on as long as they can fulfill their responsibilities.  We need them as much as they need us.”

Employer Eligibility
Employers may not use the JOBS NOW! PROVIDENCE program to fill positions for which they have laid off personnel for the same or similar positions.  The program, which runs through September 30, 2010, is ideal for businesses preparing to expand their workforce because it gives employers the opportunity to evaluate and train workers before financially committing to long-term hires.

 

Employers and job seekers can obtain applications for JOBS NOW! PROVIDENCE online at www.providenceri.com or at the NetWORKri offices located at 1 Reservoir Avenue in Providence.  Applications are also available at the NetWORKri office in Pawtucket, 175 Main Street.  Applicants will be able to apply online beginning Thursday, May 13th at www.jobsnowprovidence.com.