Workforce Development, Rehabilitation Services, and Unemployment Insurance Programs
The Division of Employment and Rehabilitation Services (DERS) manages several employment and training programs provided by the Department of Economic Security (DES) across Arizona. A participant, based on their circumstances, has an opportunity to participate in an employment and training program that is appropriate for them.
Registered Apprenticeship Program
Arizona’s Registered Apprenticeship Program works with employers and education providers to develop and register occupation-based programs to meet the specific skills needed by the employer. Registered Apprenticeships are employment this allows the apprentice to earn while they learn through a combination of on-the-job training and related technical instruction.
For more information, see the following website:
Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment Program
The Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment (RESEA) Program assists claimants currently receiving Unemployment Insurance (UI) Benefits by offering employment services to overcome barriers and secure a job faster, thereby reducing their need for benefits. Some UI claimants may be selected to participate in RESEA. When selected, cooperation with RESEA is mandatory to continue receiving UI benefits.
For more information, see the following website:
Vocational Rehabilitation
Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) provides a variety of services to participants with disabilities to prepare for, enter into, or retain employment. See
Contact information regarding general information or to receive assistance completing a referral for services.
For more information, see the following website:
Business Enterprise Program
The Business Enterprise Program (BEP) offers opportunities for participants who are legally blind and participate in Vocational Rehabilitation to own and operate merchandising businesses. To participate, participants need to complete a Vocational Rehabilitation Program training.
For more information, see the following website:
ARIZONA@WORK Employment Services
Under the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, Employment Services provides essential career assistance to job seekers and support to employers by connecting them with qualified candidates. Services to job seekers include all of the following:
• Skill assessments.
• Labor market insights.
• Referrals to support programs.
• Job search assistance.
• Personalized services offer tailored career and vocational counseling.
For more information, see the following website:
Independent Living Older Blind Program
The Independent Living Older Blind (ILOB) Program is for persons 55 years of age or older who are blind or visually impaired. ILOB offers assessment and training with an intent to maintain independence, including all of the following:
• Orientation and mobility.
• Communication skills.
• Personal home management.
For more information, see the following website:
Federal Bonding Program
The Federal Bonding Program (FBP) provides Fidelity Bond Insurance to qualified employers at no cost and no deductible to hire at-risk or hard-to-place job seekers, including justice-involved participants.
For more information, see the following website:
Foreign Labor Certification Program
The Foreign Labor Certification (FLC) Program supports employers facing a shortage of United States workers for agricultural, temporary, or seasonal jobs. Eligible employers can receive assistance through the H-2A or H-2B Temporary Labor Certification Program. These programs enable U.S. employers to temporarily hire foreign workers for agricultural tasks (H-2A) or unskilled, non-agricultural positions (H-2B) when there are not enough U.S. workers available. This service is provided to employers at no charge.
For more information, see the following website:
Migrant and Seasonal Farmworker Outreach Program
The Migrant and Seasonal Farmworker (MSFW) Outreach Program assists farm workers through workforce services and information on labor rights. MSFW assists agricultural employers through recruitment services and information about agricultural employment laws.
For more information, see the following website:
Senior Community Service Employment Program
The Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) assists eligible participants aged 55 and older with employment barriers by providing paid work-based training and community service opportunities.
For more information, see the following website:
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Career Advancement Network
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Career Advancement Network (SNAP CAN) aids adults in households receiving NA benefits by providing employment and training opportunities leading to economic independence.
For more information, see the following website:
TANF Jobs Program
The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Jobs Program is a mandatory employment and training initiative for work-eligible parents receiving Cash Assistance.
For more information, see the following website:
Trade Adjustment Assistance Program
The Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) Program helps United States workers who lose jobs due to foreign trade or outsourcing. It aims to provide affected workers with skills, credentials, and resources to find suitable reemployment quickly.
For more information, see the following website:
Unemployment Insurance Program
The Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund provides the necessary funds for temporary income support to eligible workers who have lost jobs without fault while they search for new employment.
The Unemployment Insurance Program in Arizona manages taxes accounts for employers, collecting payroll taxes and wage data to ensure the integrity of the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund.
For more information, see the following website:
Wilson-Fish TANF Coordination Program
The Wilson-Fish TANF Coordination (WFTC) Program offers tailored employment services to federally designated refugee families with minor children to remove barriers to becoming economically independent.
For more information, see the following website:
Work Opportunity Tax Credit
The Workforce Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) is a federal tax credit that lowers employer tax liability when hiring job seekers from specific target groups facing employment barriers.
For more information, see the following website:
Veteran Employment Services (Jobs for Veterans State Grant))
The Jobs for Veterans State Grants (JVSG) program offers personalized career services to eligible veterans and participants facing significant employment barriers, as well as education to employers regarding the benefits of hiring veterans, military members, and their families.
For more information, see the following website:
Community and Prison-Based Employment Services
DES, the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry (ADCRR), and the Federal Bureau of Prisons work together to offer employment services to justice-involved persons in state and federal prisons. Post-release, employment counselors provide employment services to those on parole, probation, or who are experiencing barriers to employment.
For more information, see the following website: