WOTC is a Federal tax credit incentive that employers may receive for hiring individuals from certain groups who have consistently faced barriers to employment.  The groups that qualify include: 1) Qualified IV-A (“TANF”) recipient; 2) Qualified Veteran; 3) Qualified Ex-Felon; 4) Designated Community Resident; 5) Vocational Rehabilitation Referral; 6) Summer Youth Employee; 7) Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP or “food stamps”) recipient; 8) Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipient; 9) Long-term Family Assistance (Long-term TANF) recipient; and 10) Qualified Long-term Unemployment recipient. The main objective of this program is to enable the targeted groups to gradually move from economic dependency into self-sufficiency as they earn a steady income and become contributing taxpayers, while participating employers are compensated by being able to reduce their federal income tax liability.

Employers make the hiring decision, and there is no limit to the number of new hires who can qualify the employer for the tax savings.  Employers must identify individuals as members of one of certain targeted groups before a job offer is made. The amount of the tax credit will be based on a percentage of qualified wages paid to the new employee for the first year of employment only (with the exception of the long term TANF – Temporary Assistance for Needy Families recipient).  Both the percentage and the cap on qualifying wages vary based on which target group the new employee falls into. For more details on WOTC benefit amounts, visit: www.doleta.gov/business/incentives/opptax/.

There are forms that must be completed.  Employers complete Page 1 of IRS Form 8850, Pre-Screening Notice and Certification Request for the Work Opportunity Tax Credit, by the date of the job offer; and then Page 2 of the form, after the individual is hired.  This form is available at: www.irs.gov/form8850 or by calling 1-800-829-3676.

Another form, the ETA Form 9061, Individual Characteristics Form, is used if the new hire has not been given an ETA Form 9062; OR ETA Form 9062, Conditional Certification Form, if provided to the job seeker by a Participating Agency, an SWA, or a Vocational Rehabilitation Agency.  Employers can obtain the ETA 9061/9062 at:  www.doleta.gov/business/incentives/opptax/.

The IRS ETA Form 8850 which attests that the job seeker is a member of a target group is forwarded by the employer to the MassHire Department of Career Services (DCS) no later than the 28th day after the job seeker began work at the following address: Work Opportunity Tax Credit Unit, MassHire Department of Career Services, 100 Cambridge Street, Boston, MA 02114.

For Fiscal Year (FY) 2023, State workforce agencies (SWAs) received $18,485,000 to support the administration of WOTC, which includes the certification process and reporting data on a quarterly basis to DOL/ETA.

• In FY 2023, SWAs issued 1,982,858 certifications
• in FY 2022, 2,569,056 certifications
• in FY 2021, 2,081,474 certifications
• in FY 2020, 1,620,806 certifications
• in FY 2019, 2,068,417 certifications.

To view a WOTC fact sheet please visit: https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ETA/wotc/pdfs/WOTC-Fact-Sheet-2024.pdf, or contact your Career Center Business Services Representative.

Tri-Community YMCA, 43 Everett Street, Southbridge, MA 01550, (508) 765-5466

BrightStar Care, Milford

115 Water Street

Milford, MA 01757

www.brightstarcare.com

Shelly Sun founded BrightStar Care in 2002 in the Chicagoland area after facing a challenging personal experience seeking home care services for her grandmother and not finding the breadth of services – both medical and non-medical that her grandmother needed.  BrightStar Care provides medical and non-medical home health care and medical staffing services through a national network.  BrightStar Senior Living and BrightStar Care Homes provide assisted living and memory care in a senior living community setting.  Most recently, the company launched a medical staffing agency.  In 2005, to diversify and localize the company’s operations, franchising was offered, and over the last 20 years, BrightStar Care has grown to more than 365 franchised and company-owned locations nationwide employing 15,000 caregivers and 5,700 registered nurses who oversee the care and safety of clients.

The company’s mission has been to provide to seniors, families, and those needing home care services a full continuum of care and to become a premium home care provider committed to deliver a higher standard of care, evidenced by network-wide nurse-led care and Joint Commission accreditation – the gold standard within the healthcare industry.  BrightStar Care® offers in-home care for people of all ages.  The caregivers and nurses deliver professional and compassionate care in the comfort and familiarity of clients’ homes. They provide a range of services from companionship and hygiene and mobility assistance to in-home blood draws and skilled nursing care that are available around the clock.  The care teams are led by a Director of Nursing who is a Registered Nurse (RN) to deliver expert compassionate personal care that empowers clients to live well at every stage of life in every setting, making it possible for them and their families to receive the support needed to get the most out of life.

Another service they provide is BrightStar® Medical Staffing which delivers staffing solutions to augment a company’s recruiting efforts by providing personnel to hospitals, nursing homes, doctors’ offices, labs and anywhere healthcare staff is needed. This service helps to fill clinical and administrative positions across organizations on a per diem, temporary, contract or permanent basis. National account services range from insurance assessments and IV infusion therapy to home health, and flu clinic services to corporate, commercial, and retail clients.

The company also offers BrightStar® Senior Living for those individuals who don’t want to remain in their homes.  These Senior Living Communities (with Assisted Living and Memory Care) offer suites in a homelike environment with nurse-led care.  In addition, the company now offers BrightStar® Care Homes that are actual houses built or remodeled specifically for up to 8 to 12 residents that provide an attractive staff-to-resident ratio of 1:6 or better.  With made-to-order breakfasts, daily meals tailored to residents’ palates, and the option to bring in special furnishings, residents feel right at home with their caregivers and friends in their new BrightStar Care Homes setting.

BrightStar Care has consistently ranked among the fastest growing companies in America by Inc. Magazine and has made Entrepreneur Magazine’s Franchise 500 list for the last thirteen years.  The company has also continuously ranked on Franchise Business Review’s Top Franchise list, the Franchise Times Top 400 list, and was named a top Women-Centric business by Global Franchise Magazine. On the clinical side, BrightStar Care is the only national home care franchise to receive The Joint Commission’s Enterprise Champion for Quality award every year since the award’s inception.

For more information on BrightStar Care services, call 866.618.7827.

Through the Department of Unemployment Assistance (DUA), the WorkShare Program is an option for Massachusetts companies covered by the unemployment insurance (UI) system to manage employee hours in partnership with the UI benefit system.  The program allows employers to bring back furloughed employees and hire new employees on a reduced basis to incentivize a return to work, or to avert full layoffs.  Employees continue to receive a percentage of regular wages for the hours they work and receive a supplement from WorkShare through UI benefits.  In addition to that, if an employee is eligible, they can receive an allowance of $25 per dependent child if they are the main or sole provider.

Before a business can apply for participation in the WorkShare Program, a WorkShare plan must be created. You must certify that the reduction in work hours is instead of layoffs; define the participants (definable unit with at least two employees such as a facility, department, shift, job function, etc.); provide the duration of the WorkShare plan (from 1 to 52 weeks); and provide the reason for the expected duration of the work reduction. The reduction percentage must be shared by all employees in the unit or units you have defined. The reduction percentage may range from 10-60%. The WorkShare Plan can be modified or canceled at any time. Employers can have more than one plan at a time. Employees listed in a WorkShare Plan must be permanent full-time or part-time workers; seasonal and temporary workers are not eligible.

The WorkShare Program is voluntary, and an employee can decline participation.  WorkShare can include salaried workers if the employer reduces both hours and pay.  Employer owners/officers of the organization must be eligible to receive UI benefits to participate in WorkShare.  By law, a minimum of 2 employees must be listed on a WorkShare Plan.  Your WorkShare Plan can include a scheduled shutdown for up to 2 weeks.  Once a WorkShare Plan is approved, workers must work or be paid for the reduced hours stated on the plan each week.  Any discrepancies in hours reported to the DUA (such as a worker working fewer or more hours in a week than the hours listed on the plan) must be reported.  If employees did not work the set number of hours for a certain week, they can supplement by using other paid leave for a part of the week to make up for it.  Employers must report weekly income earned by the employees from their second job for each week that the WorkShare Plan is in effect.  Any wages that are exceed $246 will be deducted dollar-for-dollar from the weekly WorkShare benefit payment.

The DUA can revoke a plan with good cause for example failure to comply with the assurances given in the plan; unreasonable revision of the productivity standards for the affected unit; or conduct or occurrences that are intended to defeat the purpose and effective operation of the plan.

For more details or questions, please send email to: workshare@detma.org or contact the Program Office at 617-626-5521 or contact your Career Center Business Services Representative.  To see a recorded webinar on the subject visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIS12J1XAus.

Tri-Community YMCA, 43 Everett Street, Southbridge, MA 01550, (508) 765-5466

Since, 1882 the Tri-Community YMCA has built a strong reputation for having health, fitness and social programs for area residents and families, and has grown to include assistance for at-risk children and families. The Southbridge branch is one part of several locations of the YMCA of Central Massachusetts that also includes Westboro, Worcester (2 locations), Leominster, and Fitchburg.

Pre-school and after school childcare, older adult services, teen programs, summer camp programs, rehabilitation, health and wellness programs, and literacy and family activities have all provided a long history of opportunities for members and non-members to enhance their lives by building healthy spirit, mind, and bodies. And it is through their largest program called the Annual Campaign, that the Y secures the financial gifts needed to deliver the programs and services. And besides memberships, other events such as LIVESTRONG Y Cancer Support Program and the annual Golf Classic also contribute towards fundraising and the delivery of all programs.

The Southbridge branch has had some major capital improvements recently such as an expanded childcare program that can service an additional 25 children; a new HVAC system in the gym; a new concrete floor in the fitness room with additional cardio vascular and other exercise machines; a cancer survivor wellness program; a program called “What’s For Dinner” where people can call ahead or walk in for pre-packaged meals Thursdays through Saturdays (currently serving 300 families every week); and a new water safety swim program for grade 3 school students called “Just Get In The Water”.

Technology has even become part of the organization bringing the “YMCA360” experience that is offered 24/7 on mobile devices, TV, and the web (in participating markets). All branches of the YMCA of Central Massachusetts, including the Southbridge branch, are involved with this new experience, and it is available to all current members to enjoy a collection of on-demand and livestream classes on their devices in cinematic 4K wherever they are and whenever they want.

If you have any questions, please contact the Member Service Center at (508) 770-6451 ext. 0 or send email to: membersupport@ymcaofcm.org.

MassMEC Initiative, Old Baker Chocolate Factory, One Adams Street, Milton MA, (888) 763-2759

The MassMEC (Manufacturing Energy Collaboration) is a new initiative created to decrease the energy bills of commercial, industrial, and municipal entities within the state. MassMEC combines the energy usage of many companies into buying groups, then negotiates volume rates with the power supply companies so businesses can save on energy. Buying in bulk can reduce a company’s electricity and natural gas costs. The initiative provides businesses with a trusted resource to:

– Ensure your business is paying the lowest available electricity and natural gas supply costs

– Avoid paying sales tax on utilities unnecessarily when eligible for exemption

– Save money on energy efficiency upgrades by leveraging available state and utility incentives

– Explore and evaluate onsite solar, community solar, onsite battery storage, electric vehicle charging, and other energy-related projects

By placing businesses into groups with similar energy needs, aspects such as rate class, load factor, capacity, and location can be used to determine with whom a company is best grouped. EarlyBird Power, the licensed energy company that was selected by MassDevelopment to manage the program, then negotiates on behalf of MassMEC with qualified power suppliers in the region for the lowest available market price. It’s easy to see how this kind of competition and forward planning can create fantastic energy pricing for companies. To participate and get started (as long as your business has at least one electricity and/or natural gas utility account), email one recent utility bill for each electricity and/or natural gas account to: billaudit@massmec.com.

To discuss specific questions or learn more about the program, call (888) 763-2759. You are also invited to ask any questions you may have about energy and get the latest quarterly energy market report at no cost after you submit a participation form. This report will give you insights into the energy market in the state of Massachusetts and how it may be affecting your business. The participation form is found at: https://massmec.com/contact-us/.

Over 68 years ago, in May of 1956, a young mother of 10 was encouraged to start a Chapter of the “Association for Retarded Children (Arc)” in the 10-town Southern Worcester County Area. Anita Anderson of Charlton, along with a small group of other parents, began the research to educate themselves and the public about people with disabilities. It was commonly accepted before this movement that all people born with severe disabilities would never improve, so the best course of action was to leave these children in institutions. These advocacy groups changed all that through their grass roots efforts, which locally led to the establishment of a school for children with disabilities named the Center of Hope on Walnut Street in Southbridge (a former garage of the Wells family donated by the former American Optical Company). Since those early $5,000.00 budget days, the agency has grown to serve over 700 families in 64 towns in Massachusetts and Connecticut. The administrative offices in Southbridge are now housed in a 100,000 sq. ft. building at 100 Foster St./1 North St. acquired in 2003.

The expanded agency now has 5 large Day Habilitation Programs, including a location on West Street which is also consists of 9 apartments for folks to succeed living on their own with some supports.

They have a thriving, comprehensive Vocational Program that helps people succeed in competitive employment within the community and/or work in 13 small businesses sponsored by the agency, such as the Noress Corp. (assembly and packaging company); Just the Details (auto cleaning); Vivid Print (printing and graphics solutions); Cans of Hope (can redemption); Yards of Hope (lawn care); Scoops of Hope (ice cream shop); Clean-Out/Removal Services; Hope’s Treasures (thrift store); Fair and Square Construction (renovations); The Festive Home ( wreath décor); Shred of Hope (shredding service); and Janitorial Services.

In addition to day programs, housing, and vocational enrichment, they also have Camp, Individual and Family Supports Programs, an ABI Waiver Program, Youth Internship and Employment Programs, Special Olympics, Recreational Dances, Outings and Trips, Emergency Relief, Volunteers of Hope, Self-Advocates Groups, Legislative Advocacy, and other community programs.

The Center of Hope has grown to be one of the top five employers in Southbridge and has also become a well-respected and vital part of the community involved in many things from renovating town parks, providing volunteers at the local hospital, and being members of committees, boards of directors and chambers of commerce and other business groups. Their goals continue to allow them to move forward, providing innovative and avant-garde services for an ever-widening circle of people with special needs.

To learn more about the current events in Day Habilitation Programs, Family Supports, Employment Supports, and the multiple entrepreneurial business developments, please visit the Center of Hope Foundations website at: https://www.thecenterofhope.org/. To explore current job openings, click HERE.

The Department of Industrial Accidents (DIA) wants to assist businesses reduce the risk of injury and illness to workers and promote safe and healthy conditions in the workplace through training, education, and other preventative measures.

• Businesses will find that implementing safety and health programs will:
• Prevent workplace injuries and illnesses
• Improve compliance with laws and regulations
• Reduce costs, including significant reductions in workers’ compensation premiums
• Engage workers
• Enhance social responsibility goals

Did you know that businesses in the US reported 2.6 million injury and illness cases in 2021? To help Massachusetts-based and operating employers’ workplaces be free of known health and safety hazards they offer a Workplace Safety Grant every year. The grant provides eligible employers in good standing with funding for employee training to prevent or redress a history of workplace injuries. The maximum grant request is up to $25,000.

This is a reimbursement program. All training(s) must be pre-approved and only conducted after the execution of a standard contract form signed by the applicant and countersigned by the Commonwealth. Approved funds will not be distributed until all contractual documents are signed by all parties. Training(s) or other costs incurred conducted prior to a signed contract shall not be eligible for reimbursement; invoices dated prior to contract execution will not be considered for payment by the DIA, Office of Safety. The training period is tied to the Commonwealth’s fiscal year (FY), which runs July 1-June 30 (aka the “grant year”); all grant-funded training must be completed by June 30 of the applicable fiscal year. All invoices seeking reimbursement for approved training must be received by July 15 of the FY grant year.

The following are examples of popular trainings (not an all-inclusive list): Accident Avoidance, Active Shooter/Workplace Violence De-Escalation, Aerial Lift, Arc Flash Electrical Safety, Basic Electrical Safety for Non-Electrical Skilled Workers, Bloodborne Pathogens, Boom/Truck/Scissor Lift, Bucket Truck, Calm, Chain Saw Safety, Chemical/Biological Toxins, Cold Weather Safety, Competent Person, Confined Space Entry, Confined Space Rescue, CPR, First Aid, Crane Rigger Training, Crane Mobile Elevated Work, Defensive Driving, Disaster Response, DOT Hazmat Training, Electrical Hazards and Injury Prevention, Electrical Lock Out Tag Out, Ergonomics, Excavation Safety, Fall Protection, Fire Safety, Forklift, Hand and Power Tools, Hazard Communication/Identification/Materials/ Waste, Health Hazards, Hoisting, Job Hazard Analysis, Laboratory Safety, Ladder Use, Lead Hazards/Safe Renovator, Lifeguard, Machine Guarding/Operation, Manual Lifting, Marina Safety, Material Handling, Mobile Elevated Work Platform, Mobile Lift, Office Safety, Personal Protective Equipment Training, Pesticide Applicator, Prevent Repetitive Stress Injuries, Safe Patient Lifting, Scaffolding Safety, Slips, Trips and Falls, Stress Management, Traffic Control, Water Safety, Winter Driving, Workplace De-Escalation.

To apply, you must first sign in to the Workplace Safety Grant Portal at: https://workplacesafetygrant.mass.gov/.

For details about the Workplace Safely Grant Program visit: https://www.mass.gov/workplace-safety-grant-program.