NYSDOL Division of Employment Service in Oneida, Herkimer and Madison Counties Receives Grant

The NYS Department of Labor Division of Employment Service staff in Oneida, Herkimer and Madison Counties received a $614,000 grant from the USDOL in April 2005 to operate a Re-Employment and Assessment (REA) program for Unemployment Insurance recipients within the Workings Solutions One Stop Centers. Debra Giovannetti, Employment Service Manager for Herkimer and Madison counties, worked to obtain the grant and is coordinating the implementation of the program throughout the 3 counties. The goal of this pilot project is twofold: to determine whether conducting one on one assessments with Unemployment Insurance customers will lead to more rapid re-entry in the workforce, thereby decreasing the average duration jobseekers collect benefits, and to identify erroneous UI payments and as a result save money for employers and the UI Trust Fund.

All Unemployment Insurance customers are required to participate in the program. They meet regularly with their assigned case manager who does a continuous assessment of their skills and job search strategies as well as providing referrals to jobs, supportive services, educational opportunities and other services as needed. Conducting the program within the One Stop setting has made accessing these services a smooth process for participants.

A preliminary analysis at the mid-point of the grant period shows some very promising results. A savings of $1.4 million has already been realized based on participants returning to work sooner than the average duration of 16.1 weeks for the Oneida, Herkimer ,and Madison County area. This will be a direct savings to local business through the contribution to Unemployment Insurance. This pilot project is a true example of New York State Department of Labor trying to improve the business climate in New York.