The COVID Pilot by the California Employment Training Panel (ETP) is designed to rapidly support employers and workers in the food supply chain and healthcare industries that have an urgent need to train newly hired staff.

Potential Benefits

• Reimbursement for up to four hours of training costs associated with hiring new employees. Such employees may be hired up to 90 days before the contract term begins.
• Reimbursement rate is $2,000 per employee and the total maximum grant award is $200,000 per company.
• The enrollment invoice is $1,000, completion of training invoice is $500 and final training invoice is $500.

Eligible Industries

The program is focused on industries in the healthcare and food supply chain, as the ETP has deemed them critical to the health and welfare of Californians and the reopening of the economy during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The ETP has specified industries eligible for the COVID Pilot according to the following list of NAICS codes:

• Health Care (62)
• Pharmacies (44611)
• Medical and Pharmaceutical Manufacturing (3254)
• Measuring Device Manufacturing (3345)
• Medical Equipment Manufacturing (3391)
• Testing Laboratories (541380)
• Agriculture (11)
• Food Manufacturing (311)
• Beverage Manufacturing (3121)
• Soap and Toilet Paper Manufacturing (3256)
• Food and Beverage or Grocery Stores (445)

Eligible Costs

Training can be delivered in-person or online and should focus on job-skill training. Applicants are also encouraged to include COVID-19-related safety training topics, but any and all course content will be accepted.

Additional Requirements

Retention requirement of 90 days at a minimum of 20 hours per week. Record keeping and tracking of the training for each trainee is required.

Application Process and Deadline

In order begin the process, applicants must first register their email addresses on the ETP website here.

Following registration, applicants will attend an interactive orientation session. After the session, applicants will complete a preliminary application. At that point, applicants will follow the normal application process but will indicate that they are applying for the COVID Pilot. The ETP will review the application and determine next steps (see summary steps to apply).

The program is expected to be held through Dec. 31, 2020. The duration is based on the program funding lasting until the end of the year.

GHJ encourages interested parties to apply or inquire about the program as soon as possible.

If you have questions about the COVID Pilot, please contact the GHJ Food and Beverage Team to learn more and let us know how we can assist you and your business during COVID-19.

Additionally, GHJ’s COVID-19 Response Team has as an experienced team of consultants specializing in cash-flow projections, strategy and operations consulting and re-organizations. We are here to assist organizations to succeed in these very challenging times.