On Thursday, July 25 the Lucas County Benefits Bridge Pilot program was announced by the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce, Lucas County Commissioner Lisa Sobecki, and representatives from Jobs & Family Services and Harbor. The program will be managed by Harbor in conjunction with Jobs & Family Services and will officially launch on August 1.
The program is designed to limit the effects of the “benefits cliff”. The benefits cliff occurs when an individual who is receiving public assistance earns too much by working and can immediately lose some or all of their benefits such as assistance with buying food, childcare, or transportation. This impacts individuals, their families, and our region’s employers.
In a dynamic labor market, it is imperative that we address as many barriers to employment as possible. The benefits bridge pilot is just the latest example of efforts by the Chamber to make it easier for employers to attract and retain the talent needed for success. Other efforts have included advocacy around expansion of public transit, encouraging fair chance hiring practices, and expanding training opportunities for individuals.
The benefits cliff is real and often holds individuals and their families back. And it holds back our businesses.
We have heard from employers about individuals turning down well-deserved pay raises or promotions because of the fear of losing childcare benefits. Employers have told us that people limit their availability so that they are only working 4 days instead of 5 to avoid crossing the income thresholds. Losing or limiting a good employee can have a significant impact on the company’s ability to meet customer expectations and provide opportunities for others.
As the voice of business in the Toledo region, Chamber staff led by Vice President for Advocacy & Strategic Initiatives Brian Dicken advocated and worked with the Lucas County Commissioners to develop a program that would help both individuals and employers. Due to our combined efforts, the State of Ohio is investing nearly $2.2M in the benefits bridge pilot program.
The benefits bridge pilot program will create a pathway to provide individuals with the services they need for long-term success and not penalize them trying to advance in their career. This program is a win for both the individuals and our businesses. The Chamber looks forward to working with Harbor and Jobs & Family Services to not only make this a success in our community, but to become an example for other communities to follow and make Ohio a benefits bridge state, not a benefits cliff state.
In a dynamic labor market, it is imperative that we address as many barriers to employment as possible. The benefits bridge pilot is just the latest example of efforts by the Chamber to make it easier for employers to attract and retain the talent needed for success. Other efforts have included advocacy around expansion of public transit, encouraging fair chance hiring practices, and expanding training opportunities for individuals.
The benefits cliff is real and often holds individuals and their families back. And it holds back our businesses.
We have heard from employers about individuals turning down well-deserved pay raises or promotions because of the fear of losing childcare benefits. Employers have told us that people limit their availability so that they are only working 4 days instead of 5 to avoid crossing the income thresholds. Losing or limiting a good employee can have a significant impact on the company’s ability to meet customer expectations and provide opportunities for others.
As the voice of business in the Toledo region, Chamber staff led by Vice President for Advocacy & Strategic Initiatives Brian Dicken advocated and worked with the Lucas County Commissioners to develop a program that would help both individuals and employers. Due to our combined efforts, the State of Ohio is investing nearly $2.2M in the benefits bridge pilot program.
The benefits bridge pilot program will create a pathway to provide individuals with the services they need for long-term success and not penalize them trying to advance in their career. This program is a win for both the individuals and our businesses. The Chamber looks forward to working with Harbor and Jobs & Family Services to not only make this a success in our community, but to become an example for other communities to follow and make Ohio a benefits bridge state, not a benefits cliff state.
RSS Feed
