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Rebound Idaho: Receiving benefits? Don't wait until extra $600/week expires to find new work, staffing expert says

Meet staffing experts at drive-thru networking event Monday.
Posted at 9:20 PM, Jul 01, 2020
and last updated 2020-07-02 00:26:06-04

IDAHO — Need a job? Linking up with a local staffing agency might just be a source of help with that. But one staffing expert says it would be wise to act now, before the end of July rolls around.

This is because in roughly three weeks, on July 25, the $600 temporary increase in benefits through the CARES Act is due to end.

Rob Graham, account manager with Express Employment Professionals, says this is why it is important job-seeking Idahoans embark on their job search before that date.

“There’s gonna be quite a lot of competition, I think, right at the end of July.”

Before COVID-19, Idahoans receiving unemployment benefits got on average less than half their weekly salaries. But because approved claimants are currently getting an extra $600 per week, many are receiving more than they would’ve typically earned in their jobs.

Graham says this is leading to local employers struggling to find people.

"I’m going out to businesses every day, and it’s a common theme that I hear, is 'Where are you gonna find these people for me?'"

He also says hesitation from job seekers might be coming from concerns of exposure to the coronavirus.

“Everyone’s got their different 'feel level' of coronavirus, and how they’re managing it. Different health issues make it even scarier," said Graham.

To help with this, next Monday, Express Employment Professionals is hosting a socially-distant drive-through recruiting event, allowing job seekers to easily network with them, so they can get their details to account managers like Graham, while being safe from transmission.

Recruiting event details:
• Monday, July 6
• From 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Express Employment Professionals' Caldwell office, at 5720 E Cleveland Blvd., Caldwell, ID

"It’s a way of celebrating Independence Day," said Graham. "Let’s help people get back to work, and see some financial independence."

Express Employment Professionals specializes in temporary, permanent, and direct hire placement. Their service is free for job seekers because their company clients pay them to recruit. They offer employee benefits like insurance, PTO, and holiday pay.

Plus, Graham says they can even help eligible Idahoans get that return-to-work bonus from the Governor’s office.

“Any requirements that people need to get that $1500, $750 bonus -- we can work with them to ensure that they can get that as well," said Graham.

Click here for the full details on next Monday’s drive-through hiring event.

If you can't attend in-person, you can reach out to staffing agency representatives through their website.