RIBridges Alert If you may be impacted by the RIBridges data breach, take 5 important steps to protect your personal information today. Please follow this link to find out how to protect your personal information.UPDATED CALL CENTER HOURS AND INFORMATIONPlease call 833-918-6603 Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday – Sunday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.Call center staff will be able to provide general information about the breach as well as steps customers can take now to protect their data. Unfortunately, as the analysis of the data involved is still happening, call center staff will not be able to confirm whether a particular individual’s data is or is not included in the breach at this time. NOTE: The Call Center will not be open Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, December 24 and 25, or New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, December 31 and January 1.
Governor McKee, Department of Labor and Training Unveil “Back to Business” Initiative to Aid Rhode Island Workers and Employers Published on Tuesday, November 02, 2021 PROVIDENCE, RI – Governor Dan McKee and the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training (DLT) today announced the “Back to Business” initiative, an incentive program designed to connect businesses with job seekers. Using up to $4.5 million in CARES Act funds, the Back to Business initiative will address the ongoing workforce challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic by providing grants to employers who have suffered job losses during the pandemic and continue to experience a labor shortage. “Our administration has worked closely with the business community throughout the pandemic. We have listened to concerns from employers who are having trouble finding workers and believe the Back to Business initiative is an innovate approach to get Rhode Island back to work,” said Governor McKee. “Our team worked with the Department of Labor and Training to find a solution that would benefit both employers and employees. There is no single answer to this nationwide workforce challenge, but we believe the Back to Business initiative is part of the solution.” Grant monies can be used for new hire incentives, such as sign-on bonuses; referral incentives, in which an incentive payment is given to employees who successfully recruit a new hire for the employer; and other recruitment activities, such as job fairs, promotional materials, recruitment assistance, or ancillary supports. "The Back to Business initiative will assist in the state’s continued economic recovery. We’ve added thousands of jobs to the labor force over the past several months and this program will ensure our progress continues," said DLT Director Matthew Weldon. "This initiative continues to set Rhode Island apart from the country as a leader in economic recovery post-pandemic. I would like to thank Governor McKee for taking action on this important issue." These grants will be available to employers with fewer than 200 employees who are located in Rhode Island, suffered job losses during the pandemic, and have an ongoing labor shortage causing business interruption. Grant monies will be available on a first come, first served basis. Priority will be given to employers who have not received funding through similar federal initiatives (such as Restaurant Revitalization Funds or Shuttered Venue Operators Grants) and who have fewer than 50 employees. The maximum grant amount is $5,000 per employer. Recruitment incentives are capped at $1,000 per employee. DLT is partnering with the nonprofit Skills for Rhode Island’s Future (Skills RI) to administer the program. DLT and Skills RI will review applications, determine employer eligibility, and disperse funds. The application will open at 9 a.m. on Thursday, November 4, 2021 and will close at 4 p.m. on Friday, November 12, 2021. Subsequent rounds of funding will be announced if available. Employers can find the application form and answers to frequently asked questions at backtobusiness.skillsforri.com. ###