Employers

Recruiting and retaining employees to ensure a competitive edge in today’s changing market is a top priority for many Santa Cruz County companies. The programs and services below provide employers with the information you need to connect to local business services that will help solve your productivity issues by ensuring you have access to skilled workers and to quality training to upskill current employees.

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businessrep@workforcescc.com | 831-763-8872

Summary of Workforce Services and Benefits for Employers

Learn about employer subsidies and support to train employees, hire new talent, retain employees, and assist with layoffs; find a directory of workforce contacts who will connect your business to services; get information about workforce tax credits; and learn how to access labor market data. Most of the resources available are provided to the employer at little to no cost. Workforce Santa Cruz County is ready to work with your business to achieve more!

TRAIN

On-the-Job Training

How this service helps: Provides a training subsidy to bridge your new hires’ skill gaps

Financial benefit: Max/person is 50% of pay, up to $10,000

Qualifying employees: WIOA new hires

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Registered Apprenticeship

How this service helps: Provides training support; grant funding may be available to certify employees

Financial benefit: Cost share varies

Qualifying employees: New hires and current employees

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Incumbent Worker Training

How this service helps: Provides a training subsidy to upskill staff, promote employees, and backfill vacant positions

Financial benefit: Max/person is $10,000, with cost share

Qualifying employees: Current employees

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Employment Training Panel

How this service helps: Provides a training subsidy match to upskill any employee

Financial benefit: Match per $1; limit varies

Qualifying employees: New hires and current employees

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RECRUIT

Recruiting

How this service helps: Assists with job advertising, hiring events, and candidate search

Financial benefit: Low to no cost

Qualifying employees: New hires

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Work Experience Internship

How this service helps: Prepares interns for workplace assignments and covers employers’ intern costs

Financial benefit: No cost

Qualifying employees: College students or WIOA youth

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Work-Study

How this service helps: Provides worker subsidy for students on financial aid to work part-time at nonprofits

Financial benefit: Max/person is 50% of pay, up to $3,000

Qualifying employees: Students receiving financial aid

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SmartHIRE

How this service helps: Provides a hiring subsidy for entry-level talent

Financial benefit: Max/person is $12,000

Qualifying employees: CalWorks participants

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Disabled Talent Hiring Initiative

How this service helps: Provides a hiring and training subsidy for disabled talent

Financial benefit: Max/person is $5,000

Qualifying employees: New hires through the Department of Rehabilitation

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Labor Market Information

How this service helps: Access to local market-level wages, labor supply, and projections

Financial benefit: No cost

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RETAIN

Small Business Consulting

How this service helps: SBDC business advising to retain jobs through recommendations for capital assistance and operational improvements

Financial benefit: No cost

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Work Sharing

How this service helps: Reduces up to 60% of staff’s hours; employees can receive partial unemployment insurance benefits for loss of hours

Financial benefit: No cost

Qualifying employees: Current employees

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Incumbent Worker Training

How this service helps: Provides a training subsidy to upskill current employees to avert layoffs

Financial benefit: Max/person is $10,000, with cost share

Qualifying employees: Current employees

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ALIGN

Layoff Services

How this service helps: Provides rapid re-employment services to help affected staff with their next step and to lower unemployment claims

Financial benefit: No cost

Qualifying employees: Current employees

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