The Northam administration said Friday it was investing $3 million into a pilot program that could pay people up to $1,000 for returning to work following the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Return to Earn grant program will match bonus payments from eligible small businesses to new hires. It is earmarked to serve businesses with less than 100 employees on their payrolls.
The $3 million comes from the Virginia federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. The governor’s office said additional funds could be allocated based on demand. “These bonuses will serve as an incentive for unemployed workers to get back into the workforce while also helping employers fill vacant jobs,” Gov. Ralph Northam said in a statement accompanying the announcement.
The program matches bonuses paid by qualifying employers of up to $500 to employees hired after May 31. Payment would come either as a lump sum or in installments. The funding would apply to full- or part-time positions that pay at least $15 per hour and are considered W-2 employment.
The May 31 date coincides with the reinstatement of the requirement that citizens collecting unemployment must make weekly contact with potential employers. Virginia also reopened its in-person career centers.