MEDIA RELEASE

HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i State Department of Labor and Industrial Relations (DLIR) is seeking employers who are hiring and training new employees who were laid-off from their previous employers. Employers are encouraged to take advantage of this rare opportunity to receive 50-90% reimbursement of the wages paid to these new workers.

Hawai‘i obtained $601,873 through a competitive grant from the U.S. Department of Labor for the period June 30, 2010 to June 30, 2012. Interested employers should contact the One-Stop Center in each county.

“On-the-Job Training programs are proven public-private strategies designed to encourage job growth through small businesses while also giving an opportunity for unemployed workers to gain new skills,” stated Workforce Development Division (WDD) Administrator Elaine Young. “We urge employers to contact their local One-Stop Centers to see if this program might be a good fit for them.”

The grant will provide training for up to 70 individuals for a period of up to 6 months. The goal of the program is to provide an incentive to employers to hire individuals who need hands on experience and who are likely to remain with the employer.