SF to Use Federal Funds to Provide 1,000 Jobs for Unemployed Parents for One Year

Yesterday, Mayor Newsom's office announced a new initiative called JOBS NOW!, which aims to fund jobs using federal stimulus money for 1,000 San Francisco residents who have at least one child and earn less than twice the federal poverty level, which equals about $37,000 a year for a family of three or $44,000 for a family of four. The $25 million worth of federal funds will subsidize the successful candidates' salaries at jobs provided by the local government, private businesses, and nonprofits through September of 2010. Employers will be responsible for the workers' Social Security and other payroll taxes.

The initiative had started as a pilot program in May for 200 participants who were on CalWORKS welfare assistance. So far, the program has hired warehouse workers and clerical staff and could be expanded to housekeepers, kitchen staff, or groundskeepers. Robert Miller, director of books at the Internet Archive, told the Chronicle that his organization has hired 40 workers under the program and would like to add dozens more.

Interested job seekers should call 311 for more information about the initiative, and interested employers, who do not have to be located in San Francisco, can call 1-877-JOB1NOW. Additionally, One Stop Employment Center on Mission Street currently has several JOBS NOW! openings posted on its wall.