The West Hartford-based Seniors Job Bank is continuing to operate amid the COVID-19 pandemic, matching area residents ages 50+ with opportunities in essential businesses.

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The Seniors Job Bank is continuing to serve the Greater Hartford area, even while complying with state public health emergency policies. SJB is concentrating its efforts on “essential” occupations and work that can be performed in accordance with official guidelines.

The Seniors Job Bank is a non-profit volunteer driven organization that connects men and women over 50 years old seeking work, with businesses and households seeking workers.

“In today’s environment of severe economic dislocation, it’s especially important that we be here for our job seekers who want to work, as well as for employers who need help,” said Bernie Weiss, SJB’s president. “We’re doing what we’ve done for 40 years, except that now we’re operating under the terms of the governor’s executive orders,” he added.

While the Seniors Job Bank enables both commercial and residential clients to locate talent, “current economic conditions have affected the number of calls for workers from businesses,” noted SJB Executive Director Sheila Diamond. “We did recently facilitate the hiring of a bookkeeper at a cultural agency, but homeowners account for many of the requests we’re now receiving. There’s always a need for people who can maintain and fix home equipment and appliances or tackle yard and gardening chores. And these kinds of tasks are on the list of essential services,” said Diamond.

The Seniors Job Bank maintains a registry of approximately 650 job seekers, collectively offering about 150 discrete skills and abilities, blue- and white-collar. When a company or homeowner needing to staff a position calls, SJB identifies registrants qualified to handle the role, then provides contact information for several appropriate candidates to be evaluated by the client. The client and candidate selected for the job negotiate the terms of the assignment: its duties, expected results, hours, and compensation.

The Seniors Job Bank does not charge a fee –  to the job seeker or the client –  for facilitating the referral. While all the job seekers are over 50, clients may be of any age.

Many jobs arranged through the Seniors Job Bank are part-time, temporary, or single projects, but others are longer term or result in repeat engagements. Commercial and professional firms commonly turn to SJB when they have openings for office administrators, bookkeepers, and receptionists. Residential clients often use SJB to locate companions, shoppers, pet sitters, repair experts, and skilled trades practitioners.

To join the list of SJB job seekers, or to find one of them to fill a job, call the Seniors Job Bank at 860-521-3210, email [email protected], or consult www.sjbct.org.

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