A grant from the U.S. Department of Labor (U.S.DOL) recently funded enhancements to Oregon’s Work Share program, which offers employers an alternative to layoffs if their business experiences a downturn. With this program, instead of letting skilled employees go, employers can reduce workweeks of three or more team members, and subsidize their lost wages with part-time unemployment insurance benefits from the Oregon Employment Department.
The U.S.DOL grant enabled the Employment Department to streamline the program, making it simpler for businesses to use. “We understand that government programs are often seen as cumbersome,” said Salena De La Cruz, Work Share project manager. “We’ve reduced the paperwork and made the program very accessible. The enhanced program provides a really good option for businesses to consider when facing market fluctuations.”
More than 8,400 jobs have been saved by the Work Share program since it began in 1983. Many different types of businesses use the program and experience a variety of benefits through their participation, such as the retention of skilled employees, preservation of quality and efficiency, and an ability to go back to full-time operations as soon as the market allows.
Webformix is an internet service provider in Bend, Oregon. Retaining talented, trained staff is a key benefit to the Work Share program according to the Webformix’s Matt VanSooy.
“In a niche business like ours, it can take years to fully and properly train an employee,” VanSooy said. “The risk of losing that employee to required job seeking activities made short term or part time hour reductions an unrealistic option.
The introduction of the Work Share program allowed our business to spread the hour reduction over three employees, rather than completely letting one person go. The time and cost savings of not having to re-hire and re-train a new employee in the future is hard to quantify – but it is by no means insignificant to a small, growing business like ours.”
Since its inception, the Work Share program has helped more than 1,700 different employers avoid layoffs in Oregon. Companies interested in the program can contact a program specialist at 503-947-1800, toll free 800-436-6191 or by emailing OED_WorkShare@Oregon.gov.
