Return and Earn: An Incentive Program for Garden State Employers and Workers

The new Return and Earn program benefits employers and their new employees as the New Jersey economy continues to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic.

In 2021 New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy announced that the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL) will begin implementation of the Return and Earn program. This new initiative will provide a $500 incentive for unemployed workers reentering the workforce and receiving job training from businesses with 100 or fewer employees.

“Throughout this pandemic, I have heard much about the issues facing small businesses and the dedicated, hard-working men and women who enable their success,”said Governor Murphy.“Our Administration is committed to assist businesses in hiring workers, while providing benefits to those entering and re-entering the workforce that will set them up for success in their new jobs and their future careers. This program will help both businesses and their workers, and is yet another step that we have taken to boost our economy.”

“The Murphy Administration is committed to doing everything we can to help our workers and businesses overcome the labor challenges of the economic recovery,” said Department of Labor Commissioner Robert Asaro-Angelo. “The Return and Earn program will assist New Jerseyans in returning to the workforce, and provide employers with the resources they need to fill the vital positions that will allow them to grow and thrive. The pandemic may have put our workers through the ringer, but this Administration is prepared with the tools to get every Garden State worker back on track and earning a steady income.”

Facilitated by NJDOL’s Business Support Unit, Return and Earn takes advantage of New Jersey’s existing On-the-Job Training infrastructure to provide wage reimbursement support to New Jersey employers that hire eligible applicants with identifiable skills gaps.

Employers will then be reimbursed for 50% of the wages paid for regular hours worked during the contracted employer-provided training period. Employers can receive the wage subsidy for up to 6 months, up to the cap of $10,000 per Return and Earn employee and are limited to a total Return and Earn subsidy across all employees of $40,000.

Visit the NJ Department of Labor & Workforce Development website to learn more about the program.