CDO Workforce coordinates and focuses employment, training and education development resources across three counties, providing service to employed people, unemployed people and employers alike. Our goal is to improve the long-term growth and development of the work force.
All CDO Workforce Offices will be closed in observance of Columbus Day, Monday, October 12th.
Check out the news, opportunities and events in our October newsletter! We've got a lot to share with you this month.
The NYS Workforce Strategy Group, a group convened by Invest in Skills NY (ISNY), has released a range of policy, funding and programmatic recommendations to address persistent labor market issues that were exacerbated by Covid-19.
The report, A New Way Forward: Bold Actions to Reshape New York’s Labor Market, compiles immediate, short-term, and long-term actions for Governor Andrew Cuomo and state policymakers to stabilize the economy and workers; to get more New Yorkers trained for the jobs of today and tomorrow; and to rebuild, rethink and reform that state’s workforce and training systems.
“This crisis has afforded New York a real shot, and truly an imperative, to be deliberate about how we rebuild our labor market and workforce,” said Melinda Mack, co-chair of ISNY and executive director of New York Association of Training and Employment Professionals. “Tapping into New York’s leading experts, the NYS Workforce Strategy Group has laid out pragmatic, actionable and achievable steps that will ultimately help New Yorkers get back on their feet and ultimately access better jobs. ”
The recommendations focus on:
• Getting New Yorkers back to work by stabilizing small businesses, the working poor and eliminating barriers to employment
• Using existing federal and state funding, state authority and increased coordination to expand opportunity for all New Yorkers
• Rebuilding local and regional labor markets with an emphasis on quality job growth
• Deepening the coordination of economic and workforce development
The NYS Workforce Strategy Group included representatives from business intermediaries, leading workforce providers and advocates all with the common goal of supporting an equitable economic recovery and getting New Yorkers back to work.
The NYS Workforce Strategy Group recommendations follow ISNY's “Accounting for Success: A Blueprint for Measuring the Performance of New York State’s Workforce Development System” report, which aims to guide policymakers in the development of a statewide, 21st century data system for workforce development. "A 21st century workforce development strategy must be able to answer basic questions on the performance of the system to ensure that we are effectively connecting labor supply with labor demand," said Marjorie Parker, president and CEO of JobsFirstNYC, a co-chair organization of ISNY.
"We need your support to make sure that the recommendations that have been developed are adopted and implemented across New York. Sign on today to show your support!"
"Join us on Wednesday, October 7th at 10am for a full overview of the A New Way Forward: Bold Actions to Reshape New York’s Labor Market report"
Register Here
Previously Ineligible New York State Small Businesses Can Receive Low-Interest Working Capital Loans.
Available to Small Businesses That Received PPP Assistance of $50,000 or Less.
Empire State Development (ESD) today announced that Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) recipients are now eligible to receive low-interest loans from the New York Forward Loan Fund (NYFLF). This conditional change will provide the Fund's network of lenders and financial institutions with greater flexibility and enable them to provide more small businesses with working capital to cover expenses associated with reopening.
ESD Acting Commissioner, and President and CEO-delegate Eric Gertler said, "The coronavirus pandemic was an unprecedented challenge to the state’s business community, of which ninety-eight percent are small businesses. Providing assistance and opportunity – particularly to our state’s minority- and women-owned businesses – to help them reopen is essential toward revitalizing our economy and building New York back better."
When the NYFLF launched in May, the federal Small Business Administration had just issued rules regarding companies’ eligibility for federal assistance. The goal of the NYFLF was to help New York-based small businesses that did not receive PPP funding with flexible working capital to reopen and adapt to post-COVID needs. Companies with 20 employees or less make up 90% of New York’s business community, and it was critical to provide a funding lifeline to those businesses shut out of federal assistance.
However, some NYFLF applicants who needed assistance were deemed ineligible because they had already received PPP funds. Through discussions with lenders and applicants, it became apparent that PPP loans did not go far enough to support New York-based small businesses. Legislative criteria restricted how the government assistance could be spent, and oftentimes PPP amounts were a fraction of what was needed and requested.
Starting today, NYFLF Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) will contact previously ineligible applicants to determine if they are still interested in funding and begin the underwriting process. This is limited to small businesses who received $50,000 or less in PPP assistance. The fund is prepared to process the new applications from this change while also working with existing applicants. Small business who did not receive any federal assistance are still eligible and encouraged to apply. Additionally, the program goal of providing at least 60% of loans to Minority- and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (MWBEs) remains, and that goal will not change due to the newly-expanded eligibility.
Eligible small businesses and small residential landlords can apply for a 60-month, no-fee loan with a 3% fixed interest rate; while eligible non-profits can apply for a 60-month, no-fee loan at 2% fixed interest. The maximum loan amount is $100,000. Loan funds can be used for working capital including payroll, operating and emergency maintenance, property taxes, utilities and costs associated with refitting physical space to follow social distancing guidelines. More information is available online at nyloanfund.com.
The five CDFIs processing applications are Accion East, Community Preservation Corporation, National Development Council, Pursuit and TruFund Financial Services. Seven banks have pledged support for the New York Forward Loan Fund: Apple Bank, BNB Bank, Evans Bank, HSBC, M&T Bank, Morgan Stanley and Wells Fargo. Additionally, the fund has received philanthropic commitments from the BlackRock Charitable Fund, Citi Foundation, Ford Foundation, and the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation. The New York Forward Loan Fund was established with support from Calvert Impact Capital. The Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) is administering the fund, and Connect2Capital is hosting applications.
About Empire State Development
Empire State Development (ESD) is New York’s chief economic development agency. The mission of ESD is to promote a vigorous and growing economy, encourage the creation of new job and economic opportunities, increase revenues to the State and its municipalities, and achieve stable and diversified local economies. Through the use of loans, grants, tax credits and other forms of financial assistance, ESD strives to enhance private business investment and growth to spur job creation and support prosperous communities across New York State. ESD is also the primary administrative agency overseeing Governor Cuomo’s Regional Economic Development Councils and the marketing of "I LOVE NY," the State’s iconic tourism brand. For more information on Regional Councils and Empire State Development, please visit www.regionalcouncils.ny.gov and www.esd.ny.gov.
The Mohawk Valley Regional Economic Development Council has compiled a list of local and federal COVID-19 resources.
Our goal is to help job seekers not just find a job, but develop and manage a career. That means helping them when they have a job and when they are looking. We also strive to help employers find the workers they need quickly and the resources to improve training, workforce retention and workforce restructuring.
A DRC is a Disability Resource Coordinator, someone who helps individuals with disabilities find employment.
High School Equivalency (HSE/GED) A high school equivalency or GED/HSE is a recognized alternative to a high school diploma.
Work-Based Learning (WBL) provides students and job seekers with real-life work experience that compliments their academic studies. Typically they include job shadowing, mentoring, internships, and apprenticeships.
A Team Helper is anyone who is the lead support person to the job seeker with disabilities along their career journey. It can be a family member, friend, employment counselor, Disability Resource Coordinator (DRC), or case manager.
A stop-gap job is temporary employment until something better or more permanent can be obtained.
Basic needs refers to the goods and services necessary for a minimum standard of living. This includes access to food, safe shelter, clothing, and sanitation. Reliable transportation and education can also be considered a basic need.
A safe space is intended to be free of bias, conflict, criticism, or potentially threatening actions, ideas, or conversations.
Competitive integrated employment (CIE) is work performed by a person with an impairment or health-related disability (health impairment) within an integrated setting. Wages are at least minimum wage or higher and at a rate comparable to non-disabled workers performing the same tasks.
For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education.
