Welfare hiring help

The Welfare to Work Partnership says it has put 410,000 people to work, and small businesses are a big part of it.

Formed in May 1997 by a handful of large companies to encourage other businesses to hire workers off the dole, the nonprofit, nonpartisan group has expanded its membership to include 10,000 companies--half of which employ 25 or fewer workers. About 200 Southern California companies belong to the organization.

“Small companies are the engine for job growth in this country,” said Eli Segal, president and chief executive of the partnership. “That’s who we need to service going forward.”

The group joins with social service agencies and other community-based groups to help small firms screen, hire and train welfare recipients with little or no cost. A recent membership survey conducted by an outside agency showed that eight out of 10 firms surveyed said they are pleased with the caliber of people they’ve hired off welfare. More than two-thirds say their retention rate is the same or higher for former welfare recipients.

For more information on the Welfare to Work Partnership, check out its Web site at https://www.welfaretowork.org or call (888) USA-JOB1.