 The governor announced this week that he is ending the program that
was supposed to help low-income workers get work experience and
skills, with the hope of finding them a new job.About 26,000
Illinoisans found subsidized, part-time work through Put Illinois to
Work.
A spokesman with the Illinois Department of Human Services said
close to 6,000 people found permanent jobs because of the program.
But 20,000 others will be out of a job when the program ends Jan 15.
"All of the people who are working will understand that the
program does come to an end on Jan 15. At that time, of course, the
employers have the option of retaining the employees. ... However,
the subsidized program will end on that date," said DHS spokesman
Tom Green.
Put Illinois to Work used federal stimulus money to pay the costs
of hiring the workers when it launched in April. Quinn twice
extended the program, using state dollars. In September the governor
ordered a $75 million "bridge." Quinn extended Put Illinois to Work
again in late November, this time using $47 million in tobacco bond
sale money to keep the program running through the holidays, said
Green.
"A little over $100 million in state funds went into extending
the program as a bridge as Congress debated whether to extend the
program at the federal level," he said.
Green adds that Put Illinois to Work was never meant to be a
permanent fix. He said the state wanted to help get some low-income
workers on-the-job experience and teach them some skills. Green said
the program succeeded at that.
But because Put Illinois to Work is viewed as a training program
and not a jobs program, the 20,000 workers who did not find
full-time jobs will not be getting unemployment when their jobs
disappear in mid-January.
"People who participated in Put Illinois to Work are not eligible
for unemployment, as it was a federal work-relief program," said
Green.
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The 20,000 workers who will see their jobs disappear in
mid-January, however, will be counted in Illinois' unemployment
rate.
Greg Rivara with the state's unemployment office said the jobless
rate is based on the number of people looking for work, not just
those collecting unemployment checks.
"As long as these folks are looking for employment, they will be
counted in the January jobless report," said Rivara.
Illinois' last unemployment report put the jobless rate at 9.8
percent, with close to 650,000 people out of work. New unemployment
numbers are due later this week.
But it could be months before the impact of the end of Put
Illinois to Work is seen. Rivara said the January jobless report
usually doesn't come out until sometime in March.
[Illinois
Statehouse News; By BENJAMIN YOUNT]
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