Subsidized Jobs Programs Peaking as Expiration Looms
Off the Charts Blog
June 23, 2010
Profile of the successes of subsidized employment programs such as Put Illinois to Work, administered by Heartland Human Care Services.
From Off the Charts Blog:
I’ve been calling the TANF Emergency Fund the Recovery Act’s best-kept secret, but the secret is out — just ask the nearly 200,000* adults and youth who will get jobs through one of the many subsidized jobs programs the fund supports across the country (see map). The Senate is considering jobs legislation that would extend the fund (which expires September 30) for a year and fully offset the cost. This may be the last chance for congressional action before both the fund and most of those jobs disappear.
If the Senate doesn’t pass a jobs bill with this provision, many states will begin to wind down their programs as early as next week and most programs will end altogether by September 30.
Here’s what’s at stake:
- The program in Illinois — one of 30-odd states to use the Emergency Fund for temporary jobs programs — has placed 14,000 people in jobs paying $10 an hour since it started just a few months ago and is now placing more than 500 a day. The placements are in a mix of private businesses, nonprofits, and government agencies. It’s a win-win for people seeking jobs and employers seeking workers.