An update from Earl Buford, CEO April 6, 2020

A little more than a week since the CARES Act was signed into law, American businesses and workers look to understand key items including small business relief through the Paycheck Protection Program, stimulus payments, and expanded unemployment compensation benefits. Locally, agencies including the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, Neighborhood Allies and others have mobilized to help small businesses learn about and access the resources provided through the Act. At the same time, Partner4Work (P4W) and its partners drive critical workforce decision-making for the benefit of businesses, workers, and partners in Allegheny County and the City of Pittsburgh.

• With input from P4W and other workforce boards, Labor & Industry continues efforts to develop an employer-focused landing page to advertise immediate hiring opportunities. Labor & Industry also is making available Rapid Response funding to respond to local business needs. Updates will be provided as available.
• On Thursday, P4W joins NAIOP Pittsburgh and community leaders for the presentation, COVID-19’s Impact on the Economy & Workforce. Interested parties can visit  https://www.naioppittsburgh.com/events for more information.
• P4W and its partners are working to provide current local hiring opportunities for job seekers looking to (re)attach to the workforce. Similarly, Labor & Industry recently issued guidance allowing job seekers to sign documentation virtually. This action allows the local PA CareerLink system to provide value-added services – services such as in-depth career coaching and access to training dollars - to new job seekers at a time when services are needed most.
• Last week, P4W released "Training Resources for Workforce Development Providers." These virtual training resources include case management, employer engagement, fiscal and programmatic compliance, and service delivery for front-line staff. These resources are updated weekly.
• We continue to engage with partners weekly to provide critical updates, answer questions, and develop training resources. The recording from the last session can be found at https://youtu.be/VjRDqJHDvpw.
• Our online resource guide with critical information regarding unemployment, layoff aversion, food security, and income assistance is available at https://www.partner4work.org/news/covid-19-resources/. Please share these resources broadly and let us know of additional resources.
• This health emergency will continue to impact vulnerable populations and could result in a reduction in traditional summer job opportunities for young adults. Please continue to encourage young adults to apply for the summer youth employment program, Learn & Earn. The application and a how-to-apply video are available at www.jobs4summer.org.
  
  Earl Buford, CEO
  Partner4Work