The Return to Earn initiative was launched in June of this year to help small businesses find and retain the talent they need while also helping unemployed Virginian’s transition back into the workforce.
As a program incentive, businesses can receive $500 per hire for a maximum of 25 employees. That means your business could receive up to $12,500 depending on hiring and staffing needs.
Basic eligibility requirements for program participation follow.
Employers must:
- Be incorporated in Virginia
- Be in good standing with the state
- Have 99 employees or less
For new hires:
- Must have been brought on board after May 31, 2021
- The position must be W2 and come with a wage of $15 an hour or more (tips can be included in wage determination)
- Must attest to having been unemployed at the time of hire*
The SkillSource Group, Inc. and Virginia Career Works Northern Region are working hard to make this program available to the small business community and to make the application, enrollment and reimbursement process as simple as possible. Stand out from the competition, increase new employee morale and take part in the Return to Earn Program. Click here to access an online application.
*Length of unemployment is dependent on time of hire
This week’s Pet of the Week is Yzma, a darling senior who’s looking for a human committed to giving her the care and love she deserves.
Here’s what her friends at Operation Underdog WV have to say about her:
Yzma is a joy, and if you are looking for a darling senior to pour your heart into, you couldn’t find a more deserving girl. Found roaming in South Carolina, Yzma was a pitiful sight. She had a poor body score and coat, and she had a noticeable weakness in her rear quarters, but despite her shaking fear, there was an infinite sweetness about her. And as soon as she left the shelter and was settled in a foster home, we were rewarded with a brilliant smile. Yzma is happy and loving and does best when she can follow the lead of a confident canine companion. She is house trained and does well without being crated. She likes to spend her time rotating between the dog beds and exploring the yard. And she is always up for a treat or a pet. She absolutely loves snow.
Yzma has degenerative disc disease, and our vet does not feel she is a candidate for surgery. This means she will need an owner who is committed to managing her condition with a combination of oral medication and other therapies, which may include things like laser, acupuncture, etc. Other considerations like managing her weight, and restriction of high-impact activity (avoiding stair use, not allowing her to jump on or off furniture) would be important for Yzma as well as quality food and supplements. Being that her condition is both chronic and there is the possibility of acute flare-ups, it is important for an adopter to know that this will be an ongoing process.
We realize that Yzma’s needs won’t be the right match for every applicant, but this is a truly special girl in more ways than one, and we do believe that there could be a special someone out there who will see that the love and devotion they give to Yzma will be returned tenfold. She’s totally worth the effort.
Are you and Yzma the perfect match?
