Pocono News Section

Unemployment Centers Hiring Retired Workers to Meet Demand

Unemployment Centers Hiring Retired Workers to Meet Demand - Thursday, December 11, 2008 at 4:00PM EST

Reported by: Laurie Monteforte Thursday, Dec 11, 2008 @ 04:00pm EST
TANNERSVILLE - Sky high unemployment numbers means one state agency needed to hire hundreds of people. Pennsylvania's unemployment centers called on retired state workers to help. Since those people already passed civil service exams, they can get right to work. Unemployment centers have hired more than 2oo emergency workers since November.

They will help people like Tina Gould of Bartonsville. She heard the click of a phone followed by a busy signal at least a hundred times while she tried to reach a Pennsylvania Unemployment center. For some, getting through seems like a full time job.

As America's unemployment rate exploded, more people stopped by the Monroe County Career Link office to use a direct line to unemployment. Receptionist Jackie Richardson said some people waited for up to two hours. "There have been times when it's almost standing room only here," she said.

"To help ease the pressure on people like Tina, the state is hiring more unemployment workers. They're actually retired state workers. One of them will be at the Tannersville Career Link on Monday to help people fill out the paperwork they need. "That's gonna help us relieve some of the pressure with the unemployment lines," said Richardson.

She added that combined with the education and services offered at Career Link will help people get their lives back together. People like Joe Baldwin. He was laid off Tuesday. Career Link has already helped him find training for a new job.
"Very nice. Very friendly. Very helpful," he said.

Richardson said, "By the time we finish working with them at CareerLink they're walking out of here with some kind of hope."

The state plans to hire 300 more temporary full time unemployment workers. It prefers retired state workers but will consider anyone who is willing to take a civil service exam.

For more information you can call 717-425-5755.