NJBIA is supporting a pair of workforce development bills in the Senate Labor Committee today to bolster job opportunities amid high unemployment numbers in the state.

Bill S-3593 (Beach, D-6), known as the New Jersey Works Act, allows businesses to apply for tax credits after establishing approved pre-employment and work readiness training programs in partnership with schools, nonprofit organizations, or educational institutions.

“NJBIA strongly supports this bill because it reflects a principle we consistently champion,” said NJBIA Vice President of Government Affairs Althea D. Ford. “Workforce policy works best when it is driven by employers, aligned with real labor market demand, and built through strong partnerships with education and training providers.

“Businesses across New Jersey are struggling to find workers with foundational skills and job readiness, even for entry-level and middle-skill positions. This bill directly addresses that challenge.

“By incentivizing employers to invest in paid, pre-employment and work readiness training in partnership with high schools, colleges, vocational schools, and nonprofits, S-3593 creates a true earn-and-learn pipeline,” Ford said.

Additionally, Bill S-1381 (Lagana, D-38; Bucco, R-25) requires the state Department of Labor and Workforce Development to identify and recruit unemployed individuals for employment in health care facilities.

With this legislation, NJBIA is also encouraging an amendment to expand the scope of employment opportunities to include home care and hospice services, language which was adopted by the Assembly during the previous legislative session.

“This legislation efficiently and effectively deploys the human capital and resources of NJDOLWD to engage in workforce development by connecting prospective workers to employment opportunities in an in-demand field,” Ford said.

“NJDOLWD is strategically positioned to interact with individuals seeking employment and direct them to training opportunities that can directly impact the critical workforce shortages we are experiencing in healthcare.

“This bill demonstrates one way that workforce development can truly be accomplished using our existing state infrastructure to address a very real workforce gap,” Ford said. “We thank the sponsors of both bills to help bolster workforce development in New Jersey.”