Delaware County Council Hopes Initiatives Help Workers, Small Businesses

Delaware County is trying several initiatives to get residents working again and to help invigorate small businesses post-pandemic, writes Justin Udo for KYW Newsradio.

Two pandemic relief programs funded with $350,000 from the federal American Rescue Plan were approved by Delaware County Council last week.

A $1,000 summer camp credit for unemployed caregivers will come from a $100,000 allocation.

It’s aimed at parents looking for work in need of childcare.

“(This) will really be helpful to people who have had their childcare arrangements…disturbed and upended during the pandemic, so this will help our parents get back to work,”  said County Councilwoman Elaine Paul Schaefer.

She developed the summer camp credit with the county’s workforce development and commerce center.

The remaining $250,000 will fund $250 Back to Work Bonuses to potential workers hired by small local businesses. The bonuses will help  small businesses compete with large companies who can pay more to hire workers.

The hired employees must stay with the company for 30 days to qualify.

Council also allocated $60,000 for a digital literacy series to help adults learn to access information and online job services.

Read more at KYW Newsradio about incentives to get people back to work.