Senator Kennedy Announces Upcoming Deadline for NY Youth Works Employment Program

Kennedy reminds residents that youth must apply for certification in NY Youth Works program by December 31, 2012. Businesses must apply for certification by November 30, 2012. 

NY Youth Works helps address unemployment among inner-city youth with job-training for applicants and tax credits for employers. 

Kennedy encourages more businesses to get involved in NY Youth Works to help alleviate unemployment in City of Buffalo.

BUFFALO, N.Y. –  Senator Tim Kennedy, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Economic Development Committee, announced the quickly-approaching deadline for Buffalo youth to take advantage of the NY Youth Works program. To participate, individuals must apply for certification from the NYS Department of Labor by December 31, 2012.

After pushing for legislative approval of this innovative job-training and placement program, Senator Kennedy has worked to ensure the success of the program through outreach to business owners, community leaders and youth. The NY Youth Works program connects unemployed, inner-city youth – aged 16 to 24 years – with jobs at local businesses, which receive a tax credit for hiring new employees through the program.

“The NY Youth Works program is proving to be a real solution to the lingering challenge of youth unemployment – which is unacceptably high, especially in urban areas like the City of Buffalo,” said Senator Kennedy. “NY Youth Works connects unemployed youth to new job opportunities and helps alleviate the challenges communities face as a result of high unemployment. The program is working as it was designed – it’s getting our young people working again, strengthening our workforce and helping local businesses hire more workers.”

Kennedy reiterated that unemployed youth must apply for certification by December 31 in order to participate in this jobs program. In this, its first year, NY Youth Works is only available to residents of urban areas, like the City of Buffalo. To apply online, eligible youth  can visit this link: https://labor.ny.gov/secure/workforce/youth-tax-credit/youth.asp. Once certified, youth may be qualified to participate in skills-training or work-readiness programs.

Hundreds of city youth are already participating in the program, and numerous local businesses are taking advantage of the NY Youth Works tax credit. Kennedy encouraged  more businesses to get involved to ensure ample supplies of potential work experiences for program participants.

“Addressing the challenges facing our community takes a united approach,” Kennedy said. “Government, businesses and non-profits working together to rebuild our economy and strengthen our region. That’s what NY Youth Works is all about, and we could use more help. I encourage more local businesses to get involved with this important employment initiative.”

Any business interested in the NY Youth Works tax credit must apply for certification by the Department of Labor by November 30, 2012. The maximum tax credit for a youth hired full-time is $4,000. The credit is payable as $500 each month for a maximum of six months and an additional $1,000 credit if the youth is retained for six months following his or her initial six months of employment. There is also a tax credit available for youth hired part-time. More information is available at http://youthworks.ny.gov.

There are several eligibility requirements for youth interested in the NY Youth Works program. To participate in the program, local youth must live within the City of Buffalo, be 16 to 24 years old and be unemployed.

Also, one of the following must apply to participating youth. He or she must:

• Be a veteran.
• Receive free or reduced-cost school lunch.
• Be a member of a family that receives Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, SNAP benefits or assistance from Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).
• Be pregnant or a parent.
• Be homeless.
• Have served time in prison, or is currently on probation or parole.
• Be referred by a state-approved rehabilitation agency or an employment network under the Ticket to Work program.
• Be currently or formerly in foster care.
• Be the child of a parent who is in prison or has been within the last two years.
• Be the child of a parent who collects unemployment insurance.
• Reside in a public-housing facility or receive housing assistance.

Senator Kennedy also encouraged job-seekers to visit the NYS Job Bank online at http://ny.jobs or to stop by a local One-Stop Career Center. For more information on the NY Youth Works program, you can call Senator Kennedy’s office at 716-826-2683. You can also visit http://youthworks.ny.gov or call 1-877-226-5724.

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Senator Timothy M. Kennedy represents the New York State Senate’s 58th District, which is comprised of the towns of Cheektowaga, Eden, Hamburg and West Seneca, the city of Lackawanna and parts of the city of Buffalo. More information is available at http://kennedy.nysenate.gov.