Employers in New York avoided cutting more than 3,000 jobs in 2012 by using a shared work program, with Central New York and the Mohawk Valley each being home to about 250 preserved positions, the Department of Labor said today.
The state Department of Labor’s Shared Work program can kick in for employers who reduce workers’ hours. Those employees then collect partial unemployment-insurance benefits to compensate for lost wages.
That arrangement is designed to benefit both the worker and the employer, according to the state. Employers do not have to go through layoffs, retaining their trained workers. Workers maintain their health insurance, retirement benefits, and vacation pay.
In 2012, a total of 3,280 jobs were retained through the program, the Labor Department estimates. That includes 260 positions in Central New York, 245 in the Mohawk Valley, and 75 in the North Country. The Finger Lakes region had an estimated 530 jobs preserved because of the initiative.
A total of 65 Shared Work plans covering 990 workers were approved in the Central New York region during the year. The Mohawk Valley had 35 plans approved for 950 workers, and the North Country was home to 25 plans with 295 participating workers. The Finger Lakes region had 120 approved plans with 2,030 participating employees.
“As New York’s job growth continues, we also need to do everything possible to help businesses retain their workers and avoid layoffs,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a news release. “Our successful Shared Work program has worked for 3,280 New Yorkers and their families, and I urge any employer who is struggling to contact the Labor Department immediately.”
Employers can apply for the program by calling (518) 457-5807.
Contact Seltzer at rseltzer@cnybj.com