Wage subsidies of up to $6,000 are available from Arapahoe/Douglas Works to Douglas County businesses to help reimburse the cost of hiring and training a new employee.

Businesses who hire a Douglas or Arapahoe County resident for a full-time, paid, on-the-job training before June 30 may be eligible to receive a subsidy up to $6,000 to recover the costs of recruiting, training and wages for each individual. Subsidies are only available for full-time positions that provide at least 32 hours of work per week.

To qualify, a business must have been in operation in Colorado for at least 120 days, pay into workers’ compensation and unemployment insurance programs, and not laid-off employees within the past six months.

Arapahoe/Douglas Works is one of eight workforce centers across the Metro Area that is offering wage subsidies to businesses through a pilot project funded by the Colorado Department of Human Services in partnership with the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment.

Coined “HIRE Colorado,” the program offers businesses an innovative resource for recruiting new employees which gives them on-the-job experience and reduces their demand for public assistance when unemployment benefits run out. Arapahoe/Douglas Works will administer more than $1.4 million in HIRE Colorado funds in Arapahoe and Douglas counties and anticipates it will provide about 219 subsidies to businesses.

The workforce center also has a diverse pool of registered job-seekers and can connect interested businesses with qualified candidates, as well as offer no-cost recruitment support and hiring events.

To apply for a subsidy or for more information about the workforce center’s free services for businesses, contact Arapahoe/Douglas Works business development supervisor Dawn Gardner at 303-636-1275 or dgardner@co.arapahoe.co.us or visit http://www.adworks.org/HIRE.html