The job search requirement for the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program will soon be upon us.
Under the requirement, the Guam Department of Labor will require PUA recipients to do job searches in order to continue receiving benefits.
Set to be implemented at the end of the month, PUA recipients must do a minimum of 3 job searches each week that they file for unemployment benefits and they must show proof in their PUA portal that they’re actively looking for jobs.
In an interview with NewsTalk K57’s Pauly Suba, GDOL Director Dave Dell’isola says that one of the methods is for the applicants to upload their resumes in the hireguam website portal.
Or, the PUA applicant can do their job search through the traditional way and fill up a form that states that they did apply GDOL is currently working on the final details as the date draws near.
Dell’Isola states that the reason for the job search requirement is to get people used to looking for jobs and get acclimated to working again once PUA phases out in September.
Another program…GDOL is working on is the Bisnes Para I Taotao or Business for Everyone program.
Under the program, the government will cover a new employee’s payroll for the first three months.
“When they hire someone who is unemployed… longer than 4 weeks, if they hire them, then we basically pay $9.25 an hour for the first 480 hours. We will be distributing the awards per company… and that’s to help businesses to open and to hire. And as the businesses grow, the first 3 months of their salary will be covered or first 480 hours,” Dell’Isola said.
With GDOL subsidizing the first 480 hours or 3 months, they are hoping that the new employees will be trained well and become permanent members of the companies they work for.
Dell’Isola also clarified that the company is under no obligation to keep the employee, provided that the new hires are not suited for the company or the new hires are simply not good or well acclimated to the job.
“I’m not gonna tie their hands up if the employee doesn’t work…they have a 70% chance that they turn out to be good or not good. A lot of unemployed have been not working for a long time. So for the 3 months that we will be subsidizing them or the 480 hours, we hope that everybody has a chance to get acclimated, get working, get trained and become productive employees to the company. And you know there’s nothing without risk, and I think this is the closest we’re going to get for a solution for everybody,” Dell’Isola said.
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