What is Work Share?
The Work Share program helps Oregon businesses avoid layoffs and keep talent during a temporary decline in business. Instead of laying off workers, employers reduce some employees’ hours and then use unemployment insurance benefits to supplement a portion of the wages these employees lose as a result of their hours being cut.
Through Work Share, employers avoid layoffs, keep their trained and highly skilled workers, avoid having to hire and train new employees, and help to maintain employee morale. This allows employees to have more job security, maintain their skills and qualifications, keep their health care and retirement benefits and have access to unemployment insurance benefits without having to file weekly claims.
Hundreds of employers use Work Share in Oregon to avoid layoffs
As an employee, you cannot apply for Work Share. Only employers can apply to participate in the program. Employers are eligible for Work Share if they have three or more employees and those employees are eligible for unemployment insurance benefits.
The employees covered by a Work Share plan must have their hours reduced by at least 20% but not more than 40%, must be available for work, and must have worked for the employer full-time continuously for six months or part-time for one year. Also, the employees covered by the Work Share plan cannot be seasonal workers.
Work Share plans last up to one year. The Employment Department will review eligibility if an employee is no longer available to work for that employer.
Questions?
For more information about the Work Share program, call 503-947-1800 or visit the Work Share page on the Oregon Employment Department website.
Work Share