This week, Governor Baker announced a new program “HireNow” for eligible employers to receive $4,000 for each new hire beginning on March 23 through December 31, 2022. Employers may be approved for up to $400,000 for 100 eligible newly hired employees. Eligible employers include any for-profit or non-profit Massachusetts employer who is in good standing with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Employers should be up to date on all obligations to the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance and the Massachusetts Department of Revenue. Employers that have been debarred from doing business with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts or the federal government are not eligible to apply. Local, state, or federal government employers are not eligible to apply.
The goal of HireNow is to address hiring challenges experienced by Massachusetts employers because of the COVID-19 pandemic. HireNow provides resources to enable Massachusetts employers to broaden their recruiting practices to include workers who do not meet traditional qualifications but can fulfill job requirements with additional training upon hire. Employers are encouraged to rethink hiring practices, minimum qualifications, and onboarding processes to consider candidates with qualification that may differ from traditional standards to increase staffing levels in a tight labor market.
Grant funds will be awarded to eligible employers at a flat rate of $4,000 per eligible hire. Grant recipients are required to use funds in whatever manner is most helpful in training new hires. To simplify the application process, grantees are not required to document training methods or specific expenses. However, basic documentation is required to determine employer eligibility and verify new hires reported. Funds are awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis for new hires made between March 23, 2022, and December 31, 2022, or until funds are exhausted.
HireNow is administered by Commonwealth Corporation on behalf of the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development. For more information, please click here.