Current Hot Job List – Click here!
COVID RESOURCES FOR JOB SEEKERS AND BUSINESSES
Workforce Center Services
A pandemic like COVID-19 has profound impacts on our workers and businesses, so we must come together to support those who may lose their jobs and employers whose companies will be impacted.
Since March 23, 2020, our career centers have closed to the public for in-person services and we have been serving you by phone, email, and other virtual means. However, we recognize that there is an increased need and urgency for employment services. Beginning June 1, 2020, we will open our centers for appointments only. Please contact any of the workforce centers below, or your case manager, to schedule an appointment.
What to expect when you arrive for your appointment:
• All clients will undergo a quick “contactless” temperature check and be asked a few brief questions about your potential exposure to COVID-19.
• All clients will be required to wear a mask/mouth covering (like a bandana or scarf). If you do not have a mask, we will have disposable masks for your use.
• All clients will be asked to observe social distancing of 6 feet between themselves and anyone else in the center.
• We encourage clients to wash their hands and/or use the hand sanitizer provided in the centers both before and after your visit.
• If you are found to have a fever of 100.4 degrees or above, refuse to answer the brief questions about exposure or be found to have potential exposure based on your answers, OR refuse to wear a mask, you will not be allowed to remain in the workforce center – but we can serve you in many other ways. Please leave us your name, phone or email so that we may continue to serve you virtually at a later time.
Our career centers are continuing to take every possible measure to shift many of our previously in-person services to remote, and many resources can still be accessed over the phone, via email or online. All in-person large group meetings or events, including workshops, orientations, and hiring events, are on hold until further notice. However, we will be rolling out a variety of virtual orientations, workshops, and hiring events in May 2020 to serve you better. Please follow us on social media to stay up to date on announcements about those new virtual meetings and events.
For more information, connect with your local center, or if already enrolled in our programs, contact your career advisor directly. If you cannot reach someone, please leave a message or email.
All messages will be returned as soon as possible.
Johnson County Workforce Center
(913) 577-5900
FDJO@workforcepartnership.com
Wyandotte County Workforce Center
(913) 279-2600
FDWY@workforcepartnership.com
Leavenworth County Workforce Center
(913) 651-1800
FDLV@workforcepartnership.com
KansasWorks.com
KansasWorks.com and its virtual chat function are up and running, ready to serve you. There you may create a job seeker or employer account, search or post jobs, upload your resume, and chat with our service agents if you have questions. There are a host of resource links also available through the KansasWorks.com website. Please connect with us at www.kansasworks.com.
Unemployed Due to COVID?
If you have lost work or have had your hours reduced, we encourage you to apply for Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits through the Kansas Department of Labor (KDOL). In Kansas, Governor Kelly has waived the one-week waiting period for benefits and has expanded UI claim offerings.
For comprehensive guidance and resources about state benefits related to employment and COVID-19, we highly recommend this FAQ page from KDOL: www.dol.ks.gov/covid19response. You can file a claim online at www.getkansasbenefits.gov or file by phone at (800) 292-6333. Please understand that at this time, customers are currently experiencing very long wait times on the phone. We encourage your patience and recommend filing online, if possible.
Area Employers Are Hiring
If you have been laid off or lost your job due to COVID-19, know that there are employers in our community who are hiring immediately. Click to view Workforce Partnership’s most current Hot Jobs List – Click here for a list of current openings, compiled over the last week from speaking with our employer clients about the positions they need to fill right now.
Visit KansasWorks.com for a listing of all job openings in our area. Be sure to create a job seeker account and upload your resume.
Uploading your resume allows our employer clients and our staff to include your profile in a search when we are looking for particular skills.
KU-Edwards
KUEC published a blog detailing all of the training, certificates, and degree programs that are available online. This is a resource for local professionals and students trying to continue their professional development and education while staying at home. Click the link to view the post.
Businesses Affected by COVID
Whether your business has slowed dramatically or has seen an increase in the need for your services during this time – we have a Business Services Team ready to assist you.
If you are a business owner or HR representative for an employer considering work stoppages, layoffs, or furloughs, we encourage you to submit layoff notices via email to our Rapid Response Coordinator, Molly Turney at mollyt@workforcepartnership.com or call her at (913) 279-2628. She can assist you in the next steps to help affected employees.
If you have had to close your doors either temporarily or permanently due to the virus, there are many resources to assist you from interest-free loans to federal support dollars.
Small Business Development Center at JCCC
U.S. Small Business Administration
Unified Government of Wyandotte County/KCK – Small Business Grants
Leavenworth County Development Corporation
If you are an employer needing to hire immediately and would like assistance in recruitment, please contact any of our Business Services Team Members.
They can help advertise your openings on KansasWorks.com, through our social media outlets, on our Hot Jobs List, and can also assist with screenings/assessments.
Lars Leininger
larsl@workforcepartnership.com
Sloane Gage
sloaneg@workforcepartnership.com
Roberta Rowland
robertar@workforcepartnership.com
Celeste Jasperson
celestegj@workforcepartnership.com
Have a job posting?
LinkedIn is offering FREE job postings for healthcare and essential industries. Click the link below to learn more.
Employer ADA and EEOC Guidance
- Great Plains ADA Center COVID-19 Guidance for Businesses and Employers
- EEOC Guidance on Coronavirus
- COVID-19 and the ADA
- ADA Guidance on COVID-19
Other Resources
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) published its first round of implementation guidance according to the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). The guidance addresses critical questions such as:
• How does an employer count its number of employees to determine coverage?
• How can small businesses obtain an exemption?
• How does an employer count hours for part-time employees?
• How does an employer calculate wages employees are entitled to under the FFCRA?
The initial WHD guidance is available in three-parts:
Fact Sheet for Employees
Fact Sheet for Employers
Questions and Answers
Job seekers wanting to pivot into a new job, you can explore your natural skills and competencies using the Agile Work Profiler. Once you know your current Agilities, use the interactive Career Explorer Tools to learn about the income, preparation, work activities, and demand for each career. Workforce Partnership loves this tool as it was developed by the DeBruce Foundation, a local Kansas City-based foundation using local data and local high demand careers.
For a national career interest tool, check out the O-Net Interest Profiler at My Next Move.
Job seekers interested in continuing their training or education should check out Kansasworks.com to find colleges and training providers that match your career goals.
AltCap Announces Small Business Relief Loan Fund to Provide Financial Support During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Small businesses can apply for the loan fund at: www.alt-cap.org/covid-relief-fund or contact (816) 216-1851, info@alt-cap.org
Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
The IRS is offering tax help for taxpayers, businesses, tax-exempt organizations and others – including health plans – affected by coronavirus (COVID-19). For more information on how the IRS can help you, click here.