A state program launched in 2012 has subsidized the hiring of more than 2,200 Connecticut residents, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s office announced.
The Subsidized Training & Employment Program, or “Step Up,” provides wage subsidies and training grants of up to $12,500 to employers with 100 or fewer employees to help pay for costs related to hiring a new worker. A second piece of the program incentivizes companies to hire military veterans.
The cost to the state has been $16.5 million, officials said, which means the average subsidy/grant amounts to $7,500 per hire.
Malloy’s update on the program’s results comes as the legislature is considering a $10 million renewal of the program.
The average starting wage for employees hired under Step Up so far is just under $16 per hour, officials said.
