FUNDING: Advanced Manufacturing Training for Incumbent Workers

The Chemung Schuyler Steuben Workforce New York (CSS WF NY) on behalf of the Southern Tier of New York 13-N (STNY 13-N) Partnership, is requesting proposals for Advanced Manufacturing Training for Incumbent Workers. Please go to www.csswfny.com to view/print the proposal.

The purpose is for advanced manufacturing employers to train their existing workforce in short-term training initiatives that improve the current skills sets. This RFP represents a strategic partnership between the STNY 13-N Partnership and the Workforce Development Institute (WDI). The STNY 13-N Region consists of Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, Allegany, Chemung, Schuyler, Steuben, Tompkins, Broome, Tioga, Chenango, Delaware, and Otsego Counties. Applications will be accepted on a first come/first serve basis while funds are available. Questions and/or correspondence should be directed to Lori Haner, Business Services Manager via e-mail to hanerl@csswfny.com or at (607) 937-8337 ext. 1113.

NYSERDA is offering On-The-Job Training (OJT) Funding

NYSERDA is offering On-The-Job Training (OJT) Funding for candidates hired to fill new job openings. On-the-Job Training (OJT) funding is available for new workers to develop job skills related to their occupation. For the new hire, the desired candidate may begin his or her employment at any time after the date of the award letter is issued to the business. To be eligible to apply for funding Applicants must be a business (public or private, for-profit or not-for-profit) that has a current Partnership Agreement or contract agreement with NYSERDA, (for example, Home Performance Program Contractors, FlexTech contractors, Multifamily Performance Program Partners, EmPower Contractors, Clean Energy Training Partners, etc.), and whose partnership/contract status is in good standing.

OJT Program Overview:

• Available on first-come, first-served basis. OJT Contracts must be developed with training outlines, and signed, before newly hired candidates' physically start work.

• Applicants can receive a maximum of $10,000/newly hired employee for a six-month period, and up to a maximum of $50,000 per Applicant (for five hires) for partial reimbursement of the trainee’s wages. Businesses must provide a 50 percent match.

• In some cases, incumbent employees may be eligible for OJT to, for example, learn supervisory skills.

• An additional $4,000 per trainee can be used by Applicants for NYSERDA-approved training support that is not available on-site.

• Applicants choose a candidate for hire, work with CDO Workforce to design an OJT program, and complete the application for OJT funding that will be submitted to NYSERDA. A contract is then developed between the Business and NYSERDA.

• OJT must be for a full-time job opportunity, occur at a physical business location in NYS, and the Applicant must be willing to assure that the intention in participating is for the newly-hired employee to remain employed with the business upon completion of the OJT.

For more information and OJT Application forms please contact the CDO Workforce's Business Services at 607-432-4800 x 103 or e-mail: alan.sessions@labor.ny.gov

Information is also available at www.nyserda.org and search for "on the job training".

New Hire Reporting Law

As of this Friday (July 15, 2011), all New York state employers will have to report their newly hired or rehired employees’ information to the Department of Taxation and Finance. The New Hire Reporting Law is an attempt to move people off NY state-funded health insurance programs that should not be on them. Under the provisions of the law, employers must report an employee’s name, address and Social Security number, along with the employer’s name, address and identification number assigned to them by the Internal Revenue Service, and whether dependent health insurance benefits are available for the new employee. This information must be reported within 20 days of the new hire.

Failure to provide the information in a timely manner or to provide accurate information will result in a $20 fine per employee for which the state did not receive accurate or timely information. Additional information from NYS Dept of Tax & Finance relating to how and where to report new hire information is listed below. If you need additional information, please feel free to contact me.

http://www.tax.ny.gov/bus/wt/newhire.htm

A QR code is a square 2-D barcode that can be scanned by a smart phone’s camera that generates an immediate action

A QR code is a square 2-D barcode that can be scanned by a smart phone’s camera that generates an immediate action. Based on the type of code it contains, it might direct the viewer to a website, display a custom text message, and deliver a vCard or more.

LinkedIn page – direct the reader to your personal LinkedIn page to provide more detail and depth to your professional background. It would be best if you have a robust LinkedIn page, complete with blog links, social media feeds and recommendations.

vCard – although this might not be the best idea if you’re applying to a very large corporation through HR, it could work well if you’re submitting your resume directly to an identified hiring manager. Knowing that they will likely want to contact you directly at some point, you can have your QR code download a vCard with all of your contact information directly into their smartphone.

Blog page – if you have a professional blog, direct the reader to your page so they can read your posts and get a sense of how you think about industry issues and gauge how well you communicate.

Internships Can Benefit Businesses and Students

Unpaid summer internships can benefit businesses and students, but only if all parties follow the rules.

Jay Zweig, partner and chairman of the employment group in the Phoenix office of global law firm Bryan Cave, is an expert on the Department of Labor’s rules governing unpaid internships.

Here are his tips on how businesses can avoid legal problems when engaging a student for such positions:

• Training received by the intern must be for his or her benefit.
• Training must be general, not for the immediate advantage of the business, and it may even slow normal operations.

• Interns can’t be used to replace paid employees.
• Interns must be closely supervised or mentored.
• Interns can do real work as long as they are closely supervised, are learning and aren’t necessarily creating a final product.

• Both the intern and the business must agree that the internship will be unpaid.
• Both parties must agree that no job is promised at the end of the internship.
• High schools, technical schools and colleges can partner with businesses to set up compliant unpaid internships in which the student receives course credit. This lends credibility to the internship’s benefit for the student.

• Decide beforehand if the business has the time and personnel to closely supervise and mentor an unpaid intern.

• When in doubt, businesses can avoid legal problems by paying interns at least minimum wage.

Workforce Management Online, July 2008

Business Services Reps are available to help businesses develop and fill internships. Contact a Business Services Rep: http://www.cdoworkforce.org/index.php/business-services/ask-a-business-representative/