HARRISBURG, PA — The Pennsylvania Office of Administration (OA) and Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) have introduced a pilot program aimed at recruiting and retaining bilingual employees to expand access to state services. The initiative focuses on positions supporting employment services and unemployment compensation (UC), with a particular emphasis on Spanish-speaking individuals.
Under an agreement with Service Employees International Union Local 668, eligible employees proficient in both written and spoken Spanish will be offered an additional $1.00 per hour during the six-month pilot. This can provide participants with up to $1,000 in additional compensation. Covered roles include UC Intake Interviewers, UC Claims Supervisors, PA CareerLink® Program Supervisors, and other positions critical to delivering these services.
Governor Josh Shapiro emphasized the importance of eliminating language barriers in state government services, stating, “There should be no wrong door for Pennsylvanians who want to contact state government and access the information and services they deserve. This pilot will ensure we’re recognizing and rewarding employees who can speak multiple languages while continuing to deliver faster, more effective results for the good people of Pennsylvania.”
The pilot is part of Governor Shapiro’s Hire, Improve, Recruit, Empower (HIRE) Executive Order, which seeks to enhance employment opportunities and modernize service delivery across the Commonwealth. According to a Pew Research Center analysis, Pennsylvania’s Latino population has grown by nearly 400,000 since 2010, underscoring the need for expanded language accessibility.
“We want to make sure that Pennsylvanians can access services from the Commonwealth that meet them where they are in language and accessibility,” said OA Secretary Neil Weaver.
Approximately 1,100 employees will have the opportunity to qualify for the bilingual pay incentive by meeting Spanish proficiency standards set by L&I. New hires in eligible positions may also be certified for the incentive.
Job seekers can view and apply for open positions at Employment.pa.gov.
For the latest news on everything happening in Chester County and the surrounding area, be sure to follow MyChesCo on Google News and MSN.