Nebraska launches first-in-the-nation re-employment program

has announced that Nebraska will be launching a new re-employment program on October 1, 2015 — the first of its kind in the nation. Funded in part by the U.S. Department of Labor, the new program aims to assist individuals as they get back into the workforce after a bout of unemployment. The program would require individuals to become involved in a personalized “re-employment plan” in order to maintain their eligibility for unemployment benefits. The program would include consultations with career counselors, individualized plans to help job seekers determine their career objectives and goals, and assistance to those job seekers as they reach for those goals. Individuals would also have access to free resources both within the unemployment office and online, including career assessments, job listings, resume assistance, and meetings with virtual recruiters. “This program provides the one-on-one assistance that workers need as they look to transition off unemployment benefits and into good jobs that fit their skills and experience. Providing Nebraskans with an individualized plan as they seek new employment opportunities will aid them in expeditiously re-entering the workforce,” said Gov. Ricketts. Nebraska previously had a limited service, primarily for assisting individuals at risk of using up all the unemployment benefits available to them. Under the new program, one can still lose their benefits if they fail to meet qualifications (such as missed appointments with guidance staff), but they will also have the ability to re-qualify. Nebraska’s Department of Labor estimates that up to 18,000 people within the state could benefit from the new and improved employment services. In the first quarter of 2015, 1,700 people participated in Nebraska’s employment programs. “We are now taking a more aggressive approach to accelerate the re-employment process for all job seekers, to ensure that all of our agency’s customers have the highest level of support as they seek re-employment,” said John H. Albin, Commissioner of Labor.]]>