Explanation
Background: This legislation authorizes the Director of the Department of Development to enter into contract with the Central Ohio Workforce Investment Corporation (COWIC) to support Work Readiness/Job Preparedness programs and services.
COWIC is a one stop employment service provider. COWIC’s mission is to meet the employment needs of businesses and job seekers to support economic development in Central Ohio. Every employer today requires candidates to be prepared and ready to go to work, and job seekers need to understand employers’ expectations. A drug test, background check, and mental health assessment are three components of pre-employment screening. Pre-employment screenings, including, but not limited to background checks are components of the pre-employment process. By providing these services as part of COWIC’s candidate referral process, COWIC can refer candidates whose experiences and backgrounds fit the job specifications. Therefore, COWIC will ensure the appropriate screenings are conducted provide drug testing and background checks on behalf of employers, upon request, prior to referring candidates to job openings as part of the employer’s pre-employment process. This would serve as an incentive for the employers to consider the referred candidates. COWIC will conduct comprehensive Work Readiness Training or Job Preparation sessions to enhance the employability (soft skills) and computer literacy (online applications) skills needed to obtain and maintain employment.
Fiscal Impact: $50,000 is available in the 2012 General Fund budget and $40,000 from the Jobs Growth Fund for this purpose.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Development to enter into contract with the Central Ohio Workforce Investment Corporation (COWIC) to support Work Readiness/Job Preparedness programs and services; to authorize the appropriation of $40,000.00 within the Jobs Growth Fund; to authorize the transfer of $40,000.00 from the Jobs Grow...
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