State funding will pay wages for some unemployed

LISBON - Columbiana County will receive $154,000 in additional state funding to help pay the wages of unemployed residents hired by participating local businesses for up to six months.

County commissioners on Wednesday agreed to participate in the subsidized employment program, the funding for which is coming from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

Eileen Dray-Bardon, director of the county JFS, said the state recently made an additional $10 million in public assistance funding available, with the money earmarked specifically to help subsidize jobs at a time when the unemployment rate is at the highest level in nearly 30 years.

The county is eligible for $154,000, which Dray-Bardon said will be used to help pay the wages and benefits of unemployed residents hired by local businesses that want to participate in the program. The company would agree to employ the person for at least three months, with the JFS helping cover expenses for up to six months. How much the JFS covers would be negotiated.

The program is open to the unemployed who come from households earning up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level, or $44,100 a year for a family of four.

Dray-Bardon said participants don't necessarily have to be those on public assistance, but she expects to draw from the list of those already receiving food and cash assistance through the JFS.

A third-party administrator will be hired to run the program because the JFS lacks the staff and time to take on the additional duties. Dray-Bardon said their standard administrative fee is usually about 10 percent.

The remaining money is expected to be enough to hire 40 to 50 people, depending on how much of their wages and benefits are picked up by the JFS. Dray-Bardon said they are hoping employers will choose to keep some of these workers on after the six months has expired.

"We're trying to get the commitment they will hire them afterwards," she said.

In other action, commissioners acted on the recommendation of Dray-Bardon and reduced the number of steps on the longevity pay ladder from five to four for non-union JFS employees, which is expected to save $20,000 between now and 2011. There are 30 administrative employees who would be affected but none immediately. The last longevity pay raise now will occur when the worker reaches their 13th year of employment.

tgiambroni@mojonews.com