Florida Back to Work Program is set to receive its first installment of $61.2 million in funds from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, to be administered by the Agency for Workforce Innovation (AWI), it was announced today. The funds are part of $200 million that the state will receive.
The funds are meant to support the hiring and training of new employees by businesses.
Florida Back to Work uses federal dollars to pay for up to 95 percent of a new hire’s salary. New employees must meet federal low-income guidelines and have a dependent child in the home to be eligible for the positions.
The Florida Department of Children and Families has successfully used similar federal funding to open a call center in Ocala last year. The call center is helping to serve Floridians needing help with temporary assistance while employing dozens of Floridians.
To date, AWI received more than 1,100 applications from employers and businesses throughout the state. These proposals include a wide range of businesses, including local government and non-profit organizations, restaurants, manufacturing companies and child care centers. The majority of the jobs will fall in the $9- to $14-per-hour range.
AWI estimates Florida Back to Work will create as many as 10,000 direct jobs and 15,000 indirect jobs through additional economic activity. Although federal funding for the program ends in September, the goal of Florida Back to Work is that participating businesses will retain the new employees.
To learn more about the workforce services and resources available in Florida, visit: www.EmployFlorida.com.
