Hire Now: New Hiring and Training Grants for MA Employers

in Latest News Articles, Workforce Development

To help employers quickly hire and train new workers amid current staffing challenges, the Baker-Polito Administration recently announced a new HireNow program that provides eligible employers a $4,000 per employee grant

  • What employers can take part? The program is open to all Massachusetts employers, including both for-profit and non-profit, who are in good standing with the Department of Unemployment Assistance and Department of Revenue obligations. While you don’t need to be headquartered in Massachusetts, you must have a Massachusetts business location (employees’ homes are not considered an acceptable location).
  • Who are eligible hires? Eligible hires are those you bring on after March 23, 2022, who are scheduled to work at least 30 hours per week. In addition, they must be paid between minimum wage ($14.25/hour) and a maximum of $42.50/hour for non-exempt employees and $21,375 and $85,000 annually for exempt employees.
  • How do I apply for a grant? To get started, you’ll need to create a HireNow account online at Mass.Gov/HireNow and pre-register as an employer. Once you hire an eligible worker, you’ll complete a newly hired employee registration. This step must take place within 60 days of their first day of employment.
  • What amount will I receive? You can be awarded up to $4,000 for each employee hired, with a limit of $400,000 per employer.
  • Are there limits on my use of the funds? The funds can be used for several hiring and training activities, including:
  • Subsidizing additional time spent shadowing or an extended on-the-job training during onboarding
  • Hiring an external training provider
  • Offering a sign-on bonus
  • Giving a retention bonus
  • Offering tuition reimbursement benefits
  • When do the funds get issued? Once you hire an employee and they remain employed for 60 days, you’ll be prompted to confirm that they retained employment, which will result in grant approval and trigger the payment process. The funds will be made by EFT.

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