Politics & Government

Southold to Launch Placement Service for Jobless

In the face of high local unemployment rates, Southold Town and Suffolk County team to launch satellite job assistance office at the Human Resource building in Mattituck.

Southold Town has teamed with the Suffolk County Department of Labor to launch a job counseling and placement service to help find jobs for hundreds of residents who don't have one.

Mirroring services at the county's One-Stop Employment Centers in Hauppaugue and in Riverhead, the Mattituck service will give the unemployed help with job-search, resume building tips, online training, and one-on-one counseling with department of labor staff members.

The service kicks off on Monday at the Southold Town Human Resource Center on Pacific Street in Mattituck.

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Up-to-date unemployment numbers for Southold Town are not available from the New York State Department of Labor, which tallies such figures only for municipalities of at least 25,000. Southold Town's current population is estimated to be about 21,605.

But according to a Town of Southold demographic inventory, published in July as part of the Town's ongoing comprehensive plan, Southold's unemployment rate was 9.8 in 2009 — more than double the 4.8 percent recorded during the 2000 census.

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If that held it would put it above the national rate of 9.6 percent recorded in August 2010, the current statewide rate of 8.3, Long Island's August rate of 7 percent and Suffolk County's August rate of 7.2 percent.

Riverhead, the closest municipality tracked by the state, experienced a year-over-year jump in unemployment to 6.7 percent in August 2010 compared to 6.5 percent in August 2009.

Sandra Berliner, Southold Town Supervisor Scott Russell's secretary and coordinator of the unemployment program, said last Tuesday that she had already signed up over a dozen people to meet with job-assistance counselors for 20 minutes sessions, which will take place from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday.

"But we're thinking of adding additional hours to the session or schedule additional days if more response comes in," Berliner said.

The increasing local unemployment statistics inspired Southold Town Supervisor Scott Russell and Deputy Supervisor Phillip Beltz to visit the county unemployment centers this past summer and discuss ways to open similar services to Southold residents.

"Ultimately, we were able to bring a satellite here to Mattituck," Supervisor Russell said. "And we will work to establish a regular presence for this service as we move forward."

Russell added that the local unemployment service is more than a job search for those facing an unexpected career change forced by economic turns. He said everyone from skilled tradesmen to white-collar managers have called about the program.

"For many, the jobs that were lost may never come back," he said. "And this service offers opportunities for people to acquire new skills needed to re-enter the workforce."

According to the Town's demographic inventory , the biggest current employer locally is the education, health and social services industry, which employs 26.7 percent of the population. Retail is the second largest employer at 11.4 percent, and professional, scientific, management, administrative, and waste management services are the next largest employment category at 10.4 percent.

Those interested in receiving unemployment assistance at the Human Resource Center in Mattituck can call Sandra Berliner at Supervisor Russell's office at 765-1889.


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