Hiring & Training Incentives

Hiring individuals from target populations supports your business growth through insurance policies and tax credits.

• Federal Bonding Demonstration Grant funds are only available to people with a criminal record and a documented job offer.
• General Federal Bonding funds can be used for returning citizens, justice-involved, recovery, little/no work history, low credit score, military dishonorable discharge.
• Bonding is available for $5,000-$25,000 per employee.
• No charge to employer or employee
• Any full or part-time paid position with federal taxes deducted is eligible including temporary staffing agencies.
• Incumbent workers are eligible to prevent lay-off or to secure a promotion with current employer.

The Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) is a Federal tax credit available to employers for hiring individuals from certain targeted groups who have consistently faced significant barriers to employment.

WOTC targeted groups include qualified: 1) Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF or MA TAFDC) recipients; 2) Veterans; 3) Ex-felons; 4) Designated community resident; 5) Vocational rehabilitation referral; 6) Recipient of SNAP benefits (food stamps); 7) Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipient; 8) Long-term family assistance recipient; and 9) Qualified Long-term unemployment recipient.

Contact the MassHire Franklin Hampshire Career Center Biz Team (bizteam@masshirefhcareers.org) to learn more or click below for more details.

U.S. Department of Labor Work Opportunity Tax Credit

The Workforce Training Fund provides businesses with funds to train current and newly hired employees.  In order to qualify, businesses must pay into the Fund. All for-profit companies automatically pay into the fund. If you are a non-profit, click here to learn if you qualify. Government agencies are not eligible to apply.

While available to businesses of all sizes, the Workforce Training Fund focuses on small to medium-sized businesses that would not be able invest in improving employee skills without the assistance of the Fund.  Contact the Business Services Team for more information or apply online here.

Registered Apprenticeship combines classroom instruction with on-the-job learning under the supervision of a mentor.  The goal is to provide workers with advanced skillsets that meet the specific needs of employers.  Apprenticeships run the gamut from traditional jobs such as carpenters, electricians and public safety officials to new technology-focused occupations including those in cloud computing, advanced manufacturing, and healthcare.  Registered apprenticeship allows businesses to tailor their training to fit the needs of their business.  Apprentices are employees who work and train from their first day, which helps address the shortage of skilled workers and the need for a highly-skilled workforce.

Benefits for Businesses:

• Massachusetts Tax Credit:
  • $4800 per eligible registered apprentice or 50% of wages paid for each apprentice in Healthcare, Manufacturing, Tech
  • Employers are eligible for up to $100,000 in credits each calendar year
• Employers can customize both the on-the-job training component and the classroom instruction
• Reduced turnover costs
• Increased productivity and knowledge transfer
• More diverse workforce

Contact the Business Services Team to learn more about designing an apprenticeship program to meet your workforce needs.
bizteam@masshirefhcareers.org

On-the-Job Training (OJT) provides employers the opportunity to train new employees on the knowledge or skills essential to performance of a permanent job with the intention that upon successful completion of the OJT, the employee will continue to be employed as a regular member of your workforce.  An OJT may also be used to train existing employees in skills to advance to a new position in the workplace.

Employer benefits:

• Reduction in the cost of hiring and training
• Pre-screened applicants for a position: the employer decides who to hire
• Customized training for new hires
• Reimbursement to the employer for a percentage of the wages during the predetermined training period

Contact the Business Services Team to learn more about OJT. bizteam@masshirefhcareers.org