Official Site of The State of New JerseyBusiness Programs and Incentives
We offer a variety of programs and incentives to support workers while meeting employers' needs for a nimble and skilled workforce.
For more information about any of the offerings below, contact your local Business Services Representative.
New Jersey employers (labor unions, businesses, and community organizations) may receive training grants of up to $2,000 per worker to improve existing employees’ skills. Training may be provided by employers at their business or by an eligible training provider.
Contact your local Business Services Representative to learn more.
Employers design the training programs they need to fill skills gap in their industry. A customized training program with participants vetted by employers is created, and upon completion, employers have new hires with the specific skills they have prioritized.
How does Opportunity Partnership work?
In a nutshell, we help employers, like you, identify an appropriate educational institution or training provider. Then you and the school together develop training programs to teach the skills you really need.
Upon completing the program, trainees will be qualified for entry-level positions in your company. The partnership creates opportunities and benefits for all stakeholders: You get workers qualified to fill your job openings. The schools get great results - trainees go from graduation directly to a job. Jobseekers get fresh, desirable skills and a quick connection to the job market. All because we planned it together.
Why should I participate?
The cost of training is covered by grants paid by the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development to the training provider, so there's no cost to employers.
We want employers to be satisfied with the new-hires that result from the partnership. To lay the groundwork for a positive outcome, you get to interview and select applicants to participate in the training program.
Is the Opportunity Partnership program right for me?
Opportunity Partnership is a great opportunity for employers who understand that their active involvement in the partnership will yield the best outcome. This means giving schools your input about what the training program should cover, and working with staff in One-Stop Career Centers to get the best match for potential new hires.
We carefully review partnership proposals to ensure that actual jobs await successful trainees/graduates. We write a contract only if the school can show a tight connection with the named employer-partner(s). A "letter of support" is not sufficient. We will verify information stated on the proposal, and also confirm the positions with you, and when you expect the jobs to be open. Only deserving proposals are funded.
Contact your local Business Services Representative to learn more.
This industry-driven training model is a unique, flexible system that combines work-based learning with classroom instruction. Employees are trained in the latest technologies without losing valuable production time. By investing in employees’ knowledge, employers improve productivity and profitability.
Employers who hire for full-time positions that pay the state minimum wage or more are reimbursed 50% of the salary (capped at $10,000) for agreeing to provide training for a period of up to 26 weeks to an unemployed jobseeker or a public assistance recipient. Employers who hire individuals receiving public assistance may also eligible for no-cost, six-month, $25,000 federal bonds.
Why should you apply for this grant?
- The program is a cost-effective way to fill your positions with job-ready, prescreened candidates.
- Wage reimbursement helps with the expense of onboarding and training new employees to ensure that they meet business expectations.
- This program has no hourly wage caps. Unlike many employment assistance programs, you may hire someone in a higher salary range for more complex positions.
How to participate:
- Your new hires must be New Jersey residents who are unemployed or facing imminent layoffs from their current employer. They either must be currently receiving unemployment benefits OR must have exhausted their benefits within the past 52 weeks OR must meet the criteria to be regarded as a dislocated worker.
- Workers must be paid the state minimum wage or more.
- Positions must be for full-time (at least 32 hours per week) and long-term employment.
- Provide substantive on-the-job training at your location, on your equipment, under your guidelines. The length of training is determined by the participant's demonstrated skills gap and the job description.
- Submit trainee evaulations and payroll records for wage reimbursement, up to 50 percent.
- Depending on the complexity of skills to be learned and the qualifications of your new employee, the contract period will range from 4 to 26 weeks.
Starting the process is easy!
Just call us at 609-633-0587, or contact your local Business Representative. Business Representatives help you cut through the red tape of government services and programs available for businesses of all sizes. Your Representative knows which programs are available right now, and can help you get the services that will help you grow your business. They can also offer no-cost recruitment services, several kinds of hiring incentives, and funding assistance to train your employees.
The new Return and Earn program will provide a $500 incentive for unemployed workers reentering the workforce and receiving job training from businesses with 100 or fewer employees. Click here to learn more.
Private, non-profit employers who offer eligible jobseekers (55 or older, income eligible, and unemployed) the opportunity to gain work experience may do so at no-cost. Participants’ salaries are covered for four weeks by a federal grant. This OJE program provides employers with an opportunity to observe and train the employee before a hire.
This Federal tax credit ranging from $2,400 to up to $9,600 is offered to employers who hire and retain veterans and individuals from other target groups with significant barriers to employment. The application process is simple, but paperwork must be submitted within 28 days of hire. Business Representatives are available to walk employers through the process.
Click here to apply for the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC).
For consultants not yet registered, go to the Registration section on the consultant page. After registering, you may proceed with the application. For employers, you will need to enter your FEIN (Federal Employer Identification Number) and UI PIN (Unemployment Insurance Personal Identification Number) to access the system. Forget your UI PIN? Call 609-292-5879.
Please note that the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development must certify the Work Opportunity Tax Credit before you can claim it on your federal tax return. Once you have received WOTC certification and your employee has worked the minimum number of required hours, use IRS form 5884, Work Opportunity Tax Credit, to claim your credit.
The Federal Bonding program gives you the security you need to hire that candidate with confidence. This unique job-placement tool provides employers with a no-cost, six-month, $25,000, federal bond insuring employers against theft, forgery, larceny or embezzlement for hiring hard-to-place jobseekers such as individuals who have poor credit histories, recovering substance abusers, individuals on public assistance, and parolees.
What is a fidelity bond?
A fidelity bond is a business insurance policy that protects you in case of any loss of money or property due to employee dishonesty.
- The bond provides up to $25,000 of coverage with no deductible.
- There is no cost to employer or employee.
- There is no required paperwork or special records to keep.
- A bond can be issued as soon as the date is set for the applicant to start work.
Who qualifies?
Anyone you consider a risk to hire, such as:
- people who have poor personal credit.
- people dishonorably discharged from the military.
- people lacking work history.
- ex-offenders.
- recovering substance abusers.
What does the bond cover?
The bond insures you against any loss due to theft, forgery, larceny, or embezzlement. It does not cover liability due to an employee's poor workmanship, job injuries, or work accidents. It is not a bail or court bond for legal systems.
For more information or to request a bond, contact:
James Rimalover
New Jersey State Bonding Coordinator
609-292-5763
FederalBonding@dol.nj.gov
Click here for a complete list of current and archived grant opportunities.
Get one-on-one support for your business
Business Services Representatives provide concierge-like services, directing employers to the resources that will meet their business needs. They also offer specialized services for employers who want to hire returning veterans and/or individuals with a disability. Contact your local representative today.
