The Mayor’s Office, Philadelphia Works, and Hahnemann will host a comprehensive career and resource fair for hospital employees
For Immediate Release: July 16, 2019
Published by: Department of Commerce, Mayor’s Office of Labor, Office of the Mayor
In response to the impending closure of Hahnemann University Hospital, the City of Philadelphia, in collaboration with Philadelphia Works, Inc. and Hahnemann’s human resources department, will host a comprehensive career and resource fair for Hahnemann employees.
“Hire Hahnemann” will take place Thursday, July 25, from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. The fair will provide opportunities for hospital staff to meet directly with local employers and provide transitional and supportive resources for laid-off and soon-to-be laid-off workers.
“A closure of this magnitude requires an intentional and strategic coordinated effort from the public and private sector,” said Mayor Jim Kenney. “We are working very closely with our Workforce Board, Philadelphia Works, to engage local employers from a number of related industries who have open positions for these qualified, dependable workers. We are fully aware of our responsibility to city residents, businesses, and Hahnemann employees and are working tirelessly to mitigate the impact of this closure as much as possible.”
Philadelphia Works is aiming to recruit a minimum of 90 local employers for “Hire Hahnemann.” Given the scope of employment opportunities for a fully functioning health system, employers from industries of all types are being recruited for the event. Interested companies are encouraged to register here. Candidates can register here.
“With this hiring event, we are trying to help as many Hahnemann employees as we can with other employment opportunities,” said H. Patrick Clancy, President and CEO of Philadelphia Works. “This closing will have far-reaching implications into our local and regional workforce system, which is why we are pooling all available resources to connect employers to this experienced pool of candidates. I’d like to thank Governor Tom Wolf and the PA Department of Labor and Industry for the emergency financial assistance to help these workers, as well as Mayor Kenney for his strategic support as we navigate through this difficult time in our city.”
In addition to employer presence, representatives from PA CareerLink® Philadelphia will be available to assist Hahnemann employees with transitional employment services such as resume assistance and skills training. They will also have information and resources on unemployment compensation, student loan assistance, healthcare options, and other supportive services available to laid-off workers. Representatives from BenePhilly, which offers free one-on-one benefits enrollment support, will also be on site.
In addition to Hahnemann’s closure, Philadelphia Works and the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry have also been supporting employees at Philadelphia Energy Solutions (PES), who are facing uncertainty due to a recent decision to close the refinery after a recent fire.
“Pennsylvania stands ready to support Hahnemann employees during this difficult time,” said Governor Tom Wolf. “My administration’s Rapid Response team will connect affected employees with the PA CareerLink® system to ensure they have the information, training, and education they need to mitigate the hardship and stress of this unfortunate pending closure and quickly become reemployed.”
The “Hire Hahnemann” fair will be held in Ballroom B at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, located at 1101 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107. Hahnemann University Hospital is currently slated to officially close effective September 6, 2019.
Philadelphia Works is the city’s Workforce Development Board that assists and serves Philadelphians by connecting employers to workforce talent and by finding individuals careers. Their mission is to grow Philadelphia’s economy by getting more people into the workforce. They influence the public policies that support economic growth and optimize funding and resources to invest in regional solutions to build a skilled and thriving workforce. For more information about their dedicated board members and staff, workforce research, labor market data, services and initiatives, and to view current opportunities to engage, please visit philaworks.org.