CDO Workforce coordinates and focuses employment, training and education development resources across three counties, providing service to employed people, unemployed people and employers alike. Our goal is to improve the long-term growth and development of the work force.
The FY 2023-24 Enacted State Budget included a one-time income disregard for individuals whose income does not exceed the 200% federal poverty level (FPL) and completing an approved employment program can retain full public assistance benefits for six months for purposes of mitigating a benefits cliff. We are grateful for this progress and would like to advocate to ensure ALL New Yorkers can have an opportunity to utilize this disregard. To ensure this economic recovery is equitable and does not leave New Yorkers behind, we ask that the final budget includes the following items from the Senate One House Budget Proposal:
● The establishment of a task force to study fiscal benefit cliffs in New York state's Public Assistance Program and make recommendations to reduce and eliminate such fiscal cliffs and the $500,000 in funding for OTDA for expenses incurred for the study.
● Increase the income threshold to 400% from 200% of the Federal Poverty Level for the one-time, six-month earned income disregard for public assistance recipients who enter a job after completing an employment training program.
About the author
Our goal is to help job seekers not just find a job, but develop and manage a career. That means helping them when they have a job and when they are looking. We also strive to help employers find the workers they need quickly and the resources to improve training, workforce retention and workforce restructuring.
A DRC is a Disability Resource Coordinator, someone who helps individuals with disabilities find employment.
High School Equivalency (HSE/GED) A high school equivalency or GED/HSE is a recognized alternative to a high school diploma.
Work-Based Learning (WBL) provides students and job seekers with real-life work experience that compliments their academic studies. Typically they include job shadowing, mentoring, internships, and apprenticeships.
A Team Helper is anyone who is the lead support person to the job seeker with disabilities along their career journey. It can be a family member, friend, employment counselor, Disability Resource Coordinator (DRC), or case manager.
A stop-gap job is temporary employment until something better or more permanent can be obtained.
Basic needs refers to the goods and services necessary for a minimum standard of living. This includes access to food, safe shelter, clothing, and sanitation. Reliable transportation and education can also be considered a basic need.
A safe space is intended to be free of bias, conflict, criticism, or potentially threatening actions, ideas, or conversations.
Competitive integrated employment (CIE) is work performed by a person with an impairment or health-related disability (health impairment) within an integrated setting. Wages are at least minimum wage or higher and at a rate comparable to non-disabled workers performing the same tasks.
For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education.