The purpose of the ES program is to bring together individuals looking for employment and employers looking for job seekers

The Puerto Rico Department of Labor and Human Resources received a $5.61 million formula grant from the U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration (ETA) under the Employment Service/Wagner-Peyser Funded Activities program (CFDA 17.207) for the period July 1, 2025 through September 30, 2028. This universal access program delivers a comprehensive suite of employment services to all job seekers and employers without eligibility restrictions. Services for job seekers include career interest assessments, career guidance, job search workshops, labor market information dissemination, and referrals to employment and training opportunities. Employer-focused services include job order posting, candidate matching based on skills and experience, recruitment assistance for hard-to-fill positions, and support for workforce transitions following layoffs.

The Puerto Rico Department of Labor may subaward portions of this funding to conduct labor market information research and provide the aforementioned employment services through its local workforce system partners. The program explicitly excludes direct training services, focusing instead on labor exchange mechanisms and rapid workforce reentry facilitation. These services are delivered through the American Job Centers network and represent a critical component of Puerto Rico's public workforce infrastructure for connecting job seekers with employment opportunities and assisting employers in identifying qualified candidates.

Activities

The ES is a universal access program that provides services to all individuals who need services. Allowable services include assessments of career interests, career guidance when appropriate, job search workshops, and referral to jobs or training as appropriate. Services offered to employers include referral of job seekers to job openings matching job requirements with applicants experience, skills and other attributes helping with special recruitment needs assisting employers with hard-to-fill job orders assisting with job restructuring and helping employers assist laid-off workers. Training services are not provided and not allowable under ES program.

Expected outcomes

The ES program outcomes are to ensure that individuals are able to access and receive the services they need to overcome barriers to employment and reenter the workforce system as quickly as possible.

Intended beneficiaries

This is a universal access program that is available to all individuals.

Subrecipient activities

The grantees may subaward funds to conduct LMI research as well as the provision of specific services such as assessments of career interests, career guidance, job search workshops, referral to jobs or training as appropriate, and others.