The New York Youth Works program will operate with increased funding in the newly enacted 2014-15 state budget.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo made the announcement in a news release distributed today.
The state is increasing the program’s funding to $10 million for each of the program’s four years, the governor’s office said. The figure is up from the original allocation of $6 million per year.
The New York Youth Works program, which is part of the New York State Department of Labor, seeks to help young people find jobs and job-training opportunities.
The program in 2012 provided nearly 1,300 New York businesses the incentive to hire nearly 13,000 at-risk young people across New York, Cuomo’s office said.
Staff members with the New York State Department of Labor conducted outreach to local youth organizations, training providers, and businesses to market the program in 2012, Peter Rivera, New York State Commissioner of Labor, said in the news release.
“We expect further success in the months and years ahead and continue to sign up businesses and youth,” Rivera said.
As in 2012, the state will offer businesses a wage subsidy of up to $3,000 in the form of tax credits to put young people from “at-risk” communities to work, Cuomo’s office said.
The business must retain the worker for at least six months and is eligible for an additional tax credit of up to $1,000 for the following six months if the young worker is retained.
The program will continue through December 31, 2018, Cuomo’s office said.
To qualify, young people between ages 16 and 24 must be considered at-risk and live in one of 13 areas that include Syracuse, Utica, Buffalo, Rochester, Albany, New York City, Hempstead, Brookhaven, Schenectady, New Rochelle, Mt. Vernon, White Plains, or Yonkers, according to the governor’s office.
Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com