By Dena Beck, former staff member
We heard concerns from small business owners and providers across Nebraska in our latest biennial Small Business Needs Assessment survey. We sat down with Randy Kissinger, Nebraska Department of Labor Regional Manager, to address one of them: Nebraska businesses are inhibited from growing because of the lack of employees.
Randy said NEworks is a free service available for small businesses. In many cases, small businesses do not have a human resources department. This website and Nebraska Department of Labor offices serve as a resource and extension of many large and small businesses in Nebraska.
Did you know NEworks targets employment in Nebraska? Last week, the site had 1.2 million page views, more than 44,000 individual visits, and more than 7.1 million hits. Click here to visit.
Recruiting employees
Did you know Nebraska Department of Labor employees will post job listing information on this website for you? Or you, as an employer, can be vetted and given access to post your own job openings and search resumes independently? Employers interested in posting openings and searching resumes should contact their local office for vetting and technical assistance. The 14 local offices can be found by clicking here.
Did you know this service is prepaid through your Federal Unemployment Tax and there is no direct fee for any of these services? Posting a single job on a large job site for 30 days can cost in excess of $390. When you use NEworks, your employment needs are taken care of by local staff.
Did you know the Nebraska Department of Labor has experts in every field available? This service is also prepaid through Federal Unemployment Tax, and is provided no additional cost to small businesses in Nebraska. Click here to find your local office.
Did you know you can customize NEworks to your community, zip code, or county, and link it to your website? This allows you to target and recruit individuals to specific communities, employers, and job opportunities.
Training new employees
Did you know there are programs to assist employers in offsetting the cost of training new employees? New employees must be income eligible adults, youth (between the ages of 18 to 24), or dislocated workers (who have lost their jobs through a layoff or closure). This federal training program will reimburse employers with 50 percent to 75 percent of a new employee’s wages during a training period. Any business in Nebraska is eligible. Individuals must be enrolled prior to starting employment. A direct reimbursement check will be provided to employers who hire eligible individuals. For questions regarding On-The-Job Training, contact your local office.
Did you know the Nebraska Department of Labor provides resources on safety, labor law posters, hiring youth, business retention, and recruitment to aid in the growth and stability of your local communities? NEworks has more information.
Randy can be contacted at andy.kissinger@nebraska.gov, 308.385.6312 or 402.462.1867.
