MAYOR GIULIANI ANNOUNCES THREE WELFARE TO WORK INITIATIVES
SINCE MARCH 1995, ROLLS HAVE DECLINED BY MORE THAN 304,000
Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani today announced three new welfare to work initiatives as part of the City's successful welfare reform program. The Mayor said that based on a successful pilot program, the City will expand a public-private program to place Work Experience Program (WEP) participants into full-time jobs at Macy's.
The Mayor also announced that the City has agreed to commit as much as $7 million to increase job placement for WEP workers. The Human Resources Administration (HRA) will solicit proposals from up to twelve profit and not-for-profit organizations which will be paid only for the successful placement of welfare recipients into jobs for a sustained period of time.
The Mayor also announced a Task Force, comprised of HRA, the Office of Management and Budget, Department of Employment and representatives from the Mayor's Office to maximize New York City's portion of Federal Welfare-to-Work funding programs that were authorized by the recent passage of the Balanced Budget Act.
Joining the Mayor were HRA Commissioner Lilliam Barrios-Paoli, Department of Employment Commissioner Nora Chang Wang and several former welfare recipients who are now working at Macy's department store after graduating from the City's program with Macy's.
"Since the beginning of our welfare reform efforts in 1995 with the Work Experience Program, our welfare rolls are at the lowest they have been since 1989 -- more than 304,000 people have been moved off welfare," Mayor Giuliani said.
" These new initiatives will allow the City to continue the progress we've made in the last two years. I would also like to thank Macy's for its leadership in helping to show how the private sector can play an important role in welfare reform."
Commissioner Paoli said, "HRA's efforts in moving welfare recipients from dependence to independence are at the forefront of the national effort. I am very proud of HRA's efforts in organizing the successful program with Macy's."
Macy's Initiative:
The Macy's program provides participants in the City's WEP program, who have succeeded and met certain qualifications, an opportunity for full-time employment at Macy's. Started in March 1997, this collaborative effort brought together three organizations, and successfully moved 34 individuals from welfare to work. The organizations include: Business Link, operated by HRA, which provides access to private sector jobs to successful WEP participants; F.E.G.S., a not-for profit human services organization; and Macy's, which had committed to hiring participants as sales associates or clerks contingent upon their successful completion of the training program and a work interview.
More than half of the program participants had been on public assistance for more than three years. All participants combined their training with their WEP assignments. The initial Macy's program was funded from a grant provided by the Leon Lowenstein Foundation, Inc.
Under the pilot program, Business Link developed a protocol for interviewing and screening the volunteer WEP participants. The selected workfare participants were given training tailored to Macy's specifications. The three-week training program included two weeks focusing on job readiness and one week emphasizing specific retail job training. The program also included a field trip to Macy's as well as a general orientation of the program provided by Macy's Director of Recruitment.
"We are pleased to participate in an absolutely terrific program, that already has proven to be highly successful," said Jim Gray, President of Macy's-East, Inc. "We look forward to continued collaboration with the City in the future."
The program will aim to provide training for up to 30 participants per month who are projected to be hired by Macy's. Funding will be provided through HRA and DOE.
Welfare to Work Initiative:
Within the next several weeks, HRA will release a request for Expressions of Interest for a program to refer WEP participants to agencies that specialize in finding private employment for public assistance recipients. Through this initiative HRA will significantly expand its relationship with welfare to work agencies. HRA will contract with both for-profit and non-profit agencies on a basis that requires payment only if a recipient is placed in private employment for a designated period of time.
Welfare to Work Task Force:
The Welfare to Work Task Force, organized with staff from HRA, the Office of Management and Budget, Department of Employment and the Mayor's Office, will ensure that New York City receives its fair share of Federal welfare dollars made available to localities under the $3 billion Federal Balanced Budget Act. The Task Force will also coordinate with State social service agencies regarding the use of funds channeled through state agencies.
The new Federal Balanced Budget Act of 1997 provides $3 billion over two years for grants to States and local communities to create employment opportunities for welfare recipients. New York State is expected to receive a formula grant allocation of $96.7 million in FY 1998 and localities will receive additional amounts directly. These grants will provide job readiness, job placement and other support services to welfare recipients to make the successful transition into employment and self-sufficiency.
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