If you are a low-income individual and you either have a minor child or are between the ages of 18 to 21 years old, there may be a TEMPORARY JOB AVAILABLE TO YOU.

The "Put Illinois to Work" Jobs Program is putting people to work throughout the state. This program is an initiative of Governor Pat Quinn to create jobs throughout Illinois and provide employment experience to those hardest hit by this recession. Put Illinois to Work is funded by the State of Illinois and federal funding made available in the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families Emergency Contingency Fund created by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

Through Put Illinois to Work, unemployed and underemployed Illinois residents can be placed into subsidized employment positions for up to five months. Under this program, the wages of the worker are provided by state/federal funding, and the employer must provide supervision and training of the worker for the duration of the placement.

Employers will be given funds to hire low income people between now and at least until the end of September (a bill is pending in Congress to extend the time to the end of the year).

Who can get these jobs? You must be legally present in the United States and authorized to work. You must be a parent (custodial or non-custodial) of a minor child, and have an income under 200% of the federal poverty level, unless you are 18 to 21 years old. If you are 18 to 21, you are not required to have a minor child, but you must live in a household with an income under 200% of the poverty level.

You must be willing to work at least 30 hours per week. For further information on qualifications, click here. Even if you meet the guidelines, you are not guaranteed a job under this program. Your potential employer will interview you and reserves the right to make the final hiring decision.

The program is also looking for employers who would like to participate. If you are an employer looking for workers subsidized by the government, click here.

Submitted by: Illinois Department of Human Services
Posted: 04/29/2010