If you’ve been driving around lately, no doubt you’ve been seeing those words plastered on signs on the windows of numerous businesses.

The perception that people aren’t entering the workforce because they are receiving extended unemployment checks is partly valid. But there are other reasons while business owners are pulling their collective hair out trying to find employees.

Theresa Van Son, (photo at right), director of the Genesee County Career Center (Job Development Bureau), indicated as much earlier this week as she reviewed her agency’s 2020 activity to the Genesee County Legislature’s Ways & Means Committee.

“I think that (enhanced unemployment benefits) are part of the issue,” she said, “but I think there are other things that are affecting it as well."

Two of those “things” are the parental need to take care of their children in a remote or hybrid school setting and the New York State Department of Labor being too busy to track if the unemployed are seeking work.

“If schools aren’t fully back again, those parents may not have those options (for childcare) so they may be wanting to stay on their unemployment,” she said. “Another piece of it is when you register for unemployment every week, you have to say that you’re ready, willing and able to work and that you’re doing job search activities. But, right now, the Department of Labor is focused on, still, processing all of those claims and nobody is checking that.”

Van Son said she expects job seeking to “kick into high gear in September when everybody is scrambling to find a job and they don’t have that extra money (when federal unemployment insurance runs out).”

“And we’re prepared for that. We’re doing everything we can to assist local businesses who are looking to find job seekers. You see the (help wanted) signs everywhere. The outlook right now for businesses is that they will look at any candidate,” she offered.

She said that those out of work and receiving benefits are required to come to her office at the Eastown Plaza “to do employment activities and they’re not doing that right now.”

In looking back at 2020, Van Son said the COVID-19 pandemic is putting a huge dent in revenues.

Noting that Genesee County does not directly fund the services of the Job Development Bureau, she said she anticipates a funding shortfall of $70,000 this year compared to 2020. That mostly stems from lost income from the agency’s access contract with New York State Department of Education and its Working To Success program with the Genesee County Department of Social Services.

“It certainly has been a year of challenges and we are justly proud of the work the Job Development Bureau Team has accomplished during the unprecedented time …,” she reported. “We have modified programs, rearranged our space, and adapted plans and schedules multiple times, while adjusting to telework and a virtual environment.”

She said she has cut back on expenses wherever possible, with the plan to use $70,000 of reserves to offset the deficit. Currently, the agency’s cash on hand is about $92,000, she reported.

As far as staffing is concerned, Van Son said three of her five employees are “provisional” and another is of retirement age. She said she hopes all will be staying on for a while longer.

The news wasn’t all gloomy, however, she said, mentioning the cross-training of employees (no more specialized counselors for adult, youth and access) and the signing of a new five-year lease.

“Upgrades were negotiated to increase our building security,” she said. “We added a bathroom off the resource room, which will allow us to limit building traffic, we installed an emergency exit in the back of the building, and we have new carpeting.”

Van Son also said the department has met all contract requirements two months in advance, is “exceeding all of our benchmarks and performance measures” and is serving more citizens than ever.

Other highlights of her report are as follows:

• The agency financially supported 32 people enrolled in occupational training, providing $53,400 for tuition, books and other items. Sixteen more dislocated workers received nearly $35,000 using Trade Act Assistance, which has increased dramatically due to the closing of several local trade-affected businesses. And another 21 people received around $36,500 in work training subsidies as they embarked upon new jobs in the county.

• Thirty-seven youth in jobs at 25 local businesses and nonprofit agencies were subsidized with more than $56,000 in wages during the summer program. The agency began a work ethic awards process and 90 percent of participants received awards. Additionally, two youths were hired into ongoing unsubsidized employment at the end of the summer.

• Five job fairs were conducted, connect 130 job seekers to 56 employers that attended the fairs. Virtual job fairs, however, had to be cancelled due to a lack of registrations.

• The GLOW Workforce Development Area is receiving an increase in funding for this year from the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Grant. It includes a 33-percent increase for dislocated workers, offsetting slight reductions in funds for adult services and youth services. This contract covers salary, fringe, equipment, and operational expenses for WIOA services, which make up 66 percent of the Career Center’s annual budget. 

• The Job Development Bureau was awarded a five-year contract with NYS Department of Education ACCES-VR to provide Assessment, Work Readiness Services, Job Development and Placement Services, and Work Experience Services. The contract is for a maximum of $102,100 per year. Van Son said referrals to the program have been low during COVID-19, resulting in the agency being $46,560 behind on planned revenue.

The Genesee County Job Development Bureau would like to announce that its Summer Youth Employment Program will be available this summer after all.

Through this program we strive to provide young people with the opportunity to: earn money and gain meaningful work experience, learn and develop the skills, attitudes and commitment necessary to succeed in today’s world of work, gain exposure to various career industries, and interact with working professionals in a positive work environment.

The Summer Youth Employment Program is funded by a NYS Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) grant. Eligible participants are youth ages 14 – 20 that are eligible based on family income using the TANF 200 percent of federal poverty guidelines listed below:

Family Size

      Annual

  Monthly

    Weekly

     1

     $25,520

     $2,127

     $491

     2

     $34,480

     $2,873

     $663

     3

     $43,440

     $3,620

     $835

     4

     $52,400

     $4,367

     $1,008

     5

     $61,360

     $5,113

     $1,180

     6

     $70,320

     $5,860

     $1,352

     7

     $79,280

     $6,607

     $1,525

     8

     $88,240

     $7,353

     $1,697

     Each Add'l

     $8,960

     $747

     $172

"We are looking to employ up to 45 youth this year," said Director Teresa Van Son. "We have a very quick turnaround to get the program going as we just received word that funding was released.”

The Job Development Bureau will be scheduling intake appointments for the week of July 13 – 17^th.

Youth will be required to attend mandatory training the week of July 20^th and then begin work at sites throughout the County the week of July 27^th.

Employment will be approximately 20 hours per week for five weeks.

"We want to ensure this is a safe and healthy experience for our youth, so we will be providing training on the expectations of safety in the workplace using CDC and NYS Health Department Guidelines including: social distancing, protective barriers, sanitation, hygiene, and health screening processes to enter workplace using CDC and NYS Health Department Guidelines including: social distancing, protective barriers, sanitation, hygiene, and health screening processes to enter workplace," Van Son said.

"We are also looking for more outdoor worksites and projects around the County.”

Any businesses, agencies, or organizations interested in hosting a youth worksite or who has special projects can call the Job Development Bureau at (585) 344-2042 for more information.

“It is a great deal; you provide the work, a great experience and supervision and we pay the wage and insure the youth," Van Son said.

For more information, please contact the Genesee County Career Center, at (585) 344-2042 and speak with the Senior Counselor, Lisa Smith or by email at:   lisa.smith@co.genesee.ny.us

Do not delay, spots will fill fast.

Photo, from left: Joy and Bill Hume Foxprowl Collectibles owners, Shane Dreyer Work Experience participant, and Jeffrey Young Employment and Training counselor.

Submitted photo and press release:

The Genesee County Job Development Bureau announces Foxprowl Collectables as Business of the Month for October.

The Business of the Month was introduced to acknowledge the exceptional work and the results gained by the contributions of local businesses to the development of a skilled workforce.

The bureau congratulates Foxprowl Collectables for being selected as the inaugural winner of this award and we wish them the best for the future. 

Businesses are nominated based on their demonstrated commitment to the growth of our workforce and thus the well-being of the county.

The Business of the Month Award seeks to recognize contributions to providing paid/unpaid work experiences that allow job seekers to gain experience and develop their skills.

We also consider mentorship, career tracks, innovation in recruitment, hiring, and/or retention, utilization of the One Stop Services, and a commitment to workforce retention in selecting our award winner each month. 

Jeff Young, Employment and Training counselor, says he's proud of his connection to Foxprowl Collectables, which is located at 440 Ellicott St. in the City of Batavia.

“Mr. Hume sets aside time to teach and mentor our customer," Young said. "He is covering all the aspects of his business; and our client is developing many useful transferable skills. His hands-on approach is really benefiting both his business and our client.”

Job Development prides itself on the many business connections that help us to serve our customers. This award is given to commend those most deserving for their hard work and commitment to supporting career goals.

To learn more about how your business can benefit by serving as a work experience site or sponsoring an on-the-job training, please call the Genesee County Job Development Bureau (585-344-2042), and to learn more about Foxprowl Collectables go to their website (http://www.foxprowl.com/).

A new lease was negotiated, but still hasn't been approved by the state, so the landlord hasn't been paid since February, according to Gage.

"It's not a good situation," Gage told the Ways & Means Committee today.

It's unclear when or how the situation will be resolved.

A total of $1.6 million of stimulus money is going to the Job Development Bureau, according to Director Scott Gage.

In one program, out-of-work people can apply either for a job that will involve on-the-job training, and the government will pay 50 percent of their wages, or youths can take part-time jobs in July and August with the agency picking up 100 percent of the tab.

"Our goal is to get the money into the community as quickly as possible," Gage said. "The majority of the money will be spent this year, because obviously, the goal of the stimulus plan is to turn the economy around quickly."

These are not new programs, but the amount of funding for them is substantially more than originally budgeted.

Yesterday, the County's Ways and Means Committee approved an increase in the budget for the youth summer job program so the bureau can hire two additional temporary supervisors.

Youths from 16- to 24-years-old can apply for work through the program and any agency, public or private business, can apply to hire workers from the program.

"There's no commitment for the business to hire the youth after the summer program, but we hope  that if a business likes the youth the employer will pick them up for a permanent job," Gage said. "Obviously, a lot of employers don't have the ability to that immediately."

Youths or employers interested in the program should contact Jay Lazarony at 344-2042, ext. 212.

For the jobs training program, employers must be able to provide documented on-the-job training with specific learning tasks, or out-of-work individuals can apply for job retraining through BOCES or GCC.

Each program is being funded with an additional $600,000 from the stimulus package, with the balance of the stimulus money going to help disadvantaged or underemployed workers.