BALTIMORE, MD—The Maryland Department of Labor this week announced that 63 Maryland employers have received grant awards from the $15 million Jobs That Build Employer fund. Launched on October 14, 2022, the investment will help fund in-house support programs and payroll incentives to improve recruitment and training, as well as foster enduring employee retention for more than 2,600 workers.

“Federal and state investment in construction and infrastructure projects has created tremendous demand for workers in Maryland’s post-pandemic economy,” said Maryland Department of Labor Secretary Portia Wu. “Employers are finding that traditional strategies for building the talent pipeline, such as training and good wages, are not always enough. The Jobs that Build program has supported businesses to launch new and innovative strategies to attract and retain workers.”

Jobs That Build is supported in part by the U.S. Department of the Treasury and helps businesses in the construction and infrastructure sectors address pressing workforce shortages in the post-pandemic labor market. The fund prioritizes employee support programs and payroll incentives as keys to increasing competitiveness to attract and retain the most qualified workers.

The Maryland Department of Labor conducted outreach to eligible employers from every region in the state, encouraging interested employers to apply for grants of up to $10,000 per employee. Examples of support programs implemented under the grant include helping employees pay for transportation, childcare, or housing, and paid training.

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