ELIGIBLE PROJECT TYPES:

Business Hiring and Training Incentives Existing Employee Training Program

Program Description:

This program provides $2 million in Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act funds to businesses to train their existing employees in specific occupational skills needed by that business or industry that lead to job advancement.

The position(s) targeted for training must exist and be filled at the time the proposal is submitted. Part time employees are eligible for training under this grant if they have a permanent, year-round attachment to the business. Temporary employees, seasonal employees, public (federal, state, county, municipal, public authority and public benefit corporation) employees and volunteers are not eligible for training under the Existing Employee Training Program.

Allowable costs under this program include:

1. The costs of outside vendors or in-house trainers to provide on-site or off-site classroom training and the costs of textbooks or training materials directly associated with the training. Training provided by in-house staff may not be billed at a per trainee rate. NYSDOL will only reimburse for the actual hourly wage rate (salary only, no fringe benefits) of the in-house trainer. Training by in-house staff must be for a minimum of two trainees per course. 2. Distance learning fees (i.e., the fee for the training slot and software that is required to

deliver the program of training). This grant will not pay for the cost of any hardware that may need to be purchased in order to access the instruction.

3. Credentialing exam fees.

The method of selection will be based on a point system with the technical portion of NYSDOL’s rating criteria at 60% of the total and cost at 20% of the total. The REDC will also review the proposal and award a maximum of 20 points (20%). Scores for the Existing Employee Training Program will be tabulated separately from the other three NYSDOL programs available under this RFP because of the different source of funding. Existing Employee Training Program proposals will be awarded in rank order beginning with the proposal(s) with the highest total points until the WIA Statewide Activities funds allocated to the program have been exhausted.

166 New Hire Training Program

Program Description:

This program provides $1 million in Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act funds to businesses to train dislocated workers who require on-the-job training upon being hired. Businesses hiring new workers that need training on specific occupational skills will be eligible to receive reimbursement for up to 50% of the employee’s wages for a period of time

appropriate for the employee to become proficient in the occupation, but not to exceed six (6) months.

A “Dislocated Worker” is defined as any of the following:

• An individual who has been terminated or laid off, or who has received notice of termination or layoff, and is unlikely to return to a previous industry or occupation;

• An individual who has been terminated or laid off, or has received notice of termination or layoff, as a result of any permanent closure of, or any substantial layoff at, a plant, facility, or enterprise;

• An individual who was self-employed, but is unemployed as a result of general economic conditions or because of natural disasters; or

• An individual who is a displaced homemaker - an individual who has been dependent on the income of another family member, but is no longer supported by that income; and is

unemployed or underemployed and is experiencing difficulty in obtaining or upgrading employment.

Funds may be used to pay up to 50% of the new hire’s wages to compensate for the business’ extraordinary costs associated with the additional demands on the supervisor’s time. There are no funds available for any other costs (e.g., equipment, tools, hardware, software, textbooks, etc.). Additional program requirements include the following:

1. The New Hire Training must occur at a physical business location in New York State. 2. The New Hire Training must apply to a job opportunity for full-time employment (defined as

35 hours or more per week) in New York State paying a minimum of $10.00/hour.

3. Wage calculations to determine New Hire Training Program reimbursement may not include payment for holiday or overtime hours worked.

4. The training must occur on-the-job while the trainee is engaged in productive work. 5. The new hires must be employees of the business, and not independent contractors or

contract employees.

6. Eligible applicants may only apply for one New Hire Training Program grant under this solicitation, not one per location. Submission of multiple New Hire Training Program applications by one or more locations of an applicant may result in the rejection of all of the applications.

7. The applicant may not apply for seasonal positions or positions based on the addition of commission or tips to a sub-minimum wage base salary.

8. The hiring business must be willing to assure that:

a. The intention in hiring is for the newly hired employee to remain employed with the business at the same or higher rate of pay upon completion of the training.

b. The training will take place during the newly hired employee’s work hours (i.e., during the shift/hours for which the worker was hired) and the employee will be compensated at no less than their normal rate of pay.

c. No currently employed worker shall be displaced by the newly hired employee, including a partial displacement such as a reduction in the hours, wages, or employment benefits.

d. It will be in compliance with New York State labor law and federal law for the protection of workers.

167

The method of selection will be based on a point system, with the technical portion of

NYSDOL’s rating criteria at 60% of the total and cost at 20% of the total. The REDC will also review the proposal and award a maximum of 20 points (20%). Scores will be tabulated for the New Hire Training Program separately from the other three NYSDOL programs available under this RFP. Proposals will be awarded in rank order beginning with the proposal(s) with the highest total points until the WIA Rapid Response funds allocated to the New Hire Training program have been exhausted.

Unemployed Worker Training Program

Program Description:

This program provides Workforce Investment Act funds to provide occupational skills training of dislocated workers to prepare them for full-time jobs (35 hours per week or more) needed by a business or group of businesses in the region. Training is provided in a classroom setting, and there must be a commitment from business(es) to interview individuals who successfully complete the training.

A “Dislocated Worker” is defined as any of the following:

• An individual who has been terminated or laid off, or who has received notice of termination or layoff, and is unlikely to return to a previous industry or occupation;

• An individual who has been terminated or laid off, or has received notice of termination or layoff, as a result of any permanent closure of, or any substantial layoff at, a plant, facility, or enterprise;

• An individual who was self-employed, but is unemployed as a result of general economic conditions or because of natural disasters; or

• An individual who is a displaced homemaker - an individual who has been dependent on the income of another family member, but is no longer supported by that income; and is

unemployed or underemployed and is experiencing difficulty in obtaining or upgrading employment.

Allowable costs under this program include:

1. The costs of training providers to provide classroom training to dislocated workers. 2. The cost of credentialing exam fees.

3. The costs of textbooks or training materials directly associated with the training. 4. The cost of software that is required to deliver the program of training.

The method of selection will be based on a point system, with the technical portion of

NYSDOL’s rating criteria at 60% of the total and cost at 20% of the total. The REDC will also review the proposal and award a maximum of 20 points (20%). Scores will be tabulated for the Special Populations Training Program and Unemployed Worker Training Program and then combined into one master list. Proposals will be awarded in rank order beginning with the proposal(s) with the highest total points until the WIA Rapid Response funds allocated to the Unemployed Worker Training and Special Populations Training programs have been exhausted. A total of $2 million has been allocated to fund the two programs.

168 Special Populations Training Program

Program Description:

This program provides Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act funds to provide for training of dislocated workers in special populations (e.g., ex-offenders, limited English proficiency,

individuals with disabilities, recipients of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, veterans) who require classroom-based occupational skills training in order to be qualified to be hired for full-time employment (35 or more hours per week) in the region.

Allowable costs under this program include:

1. The costs of training providers to provide classroom training to unemployed workers in special populations.

2. The cost of credentialing exam fees.

3. The costs of textbooks or training materials directly associated with the training. 4. The cost of software that is required to deliver the program of training.

The method of selection will be based on a point system, with the technical portion of

NYSDOL’s rating criteria at 60% of the total and cost at 20% of the total. The REDC will also review the proposal and award a maximum of 20 points (20%). Scores will be tabulated for the Special Populations Training Program and Unemployed Worker Training Program and then combined into one master list . Proposals will be awarded in rank order beginning with the proposal(s) with the highest total points until the WIA Rapid Response funds allocated to the Special Populations Training and Unemployed Worker Training programs have been exhausted. A total of $2 million has been allocated to fund the two programs.