Arizona Department of Economic Security
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Arizona's Back to Work Program

Announcement

IMPORTANT DES is aware that individuals who received a Return-to-Work Bonus in 2022 were mailed an incorrect 1099-MISC tax form showing income in box 1 titled, "Rents." Corrected 1099-MISC forms have been mailed with the bonus amount printed in the correct box 3 titled, "Other income." No action is needed from the recipients of the Return-to-Work Bonus Program. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Notice: The Return-to-Work Bonus program is no longer accepting new applications.

On May 13, 2021, Governor Doug Ducey and DES announced Arizona's Back To Work Program to help individuals transition from unemployment and return to the workforce. This program included return-to-work bonuses, education incentives, and child care assistance. With the launch of this new program, Arizona stopped administering the federal government’s supplemental pandemic unemployment benefit effective Saturday, July 10, 2021.

Services


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Available Now

Educational Opportunities

The Back to Work Program was established to provide education incentives to individuals returning to work after having been adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Department of Economic Security has partnered with community colleges across the state to administer the program, providing funding directly to the community colleges to be utilized as financial aid on behalf of eligible individuals. Please contact the Community College of your choice to find more information about this program.

Workforce Services

ARIZONA@WORK and DES provide no-cost employment services that job seekers can access in-person and from home as they prepare to return to Arizona’s workforce. DES offers virtual appointments for employment services including resume, interview, and job search assistance online at workappointment.azdes.gov or by calling 1-833-762-8196.

Job seekers can acquire new skills with ARIZONA@WORK’s no-cost guidance to return to the workforce stronger. The ARIZONA@WORK website provides the tools job seekers need to elevate existing skills, obtain new certifications for their next job and connect with local career counselors to map their goals. Job seekers can explore online training tools and attend workforce readiness workshops and hiring events online or in person. A full list of upcoming events can be found on the events page of our website. 

Additionally, the DES Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment (RESEA) program assists UI claimants in overcoming barriers to employment.

To learn more about ways that ARIZONA@WORK and DES can help job seekers return to work, please visit www.ARIZONAatWORK.com.

Child Care Assistance

The DES Division of Child Care provides child care assistance to eligible families to support their employment or education and training activities related to employment by providing financial support intended to offset a portion of child care costs. This financial support allows families better access to high-quality, early care and education settings for their children. For more information about child care assistance, please visit des.az.gov/child-care.

Employer Assistance

The DES Employer Engagement Administration provides numerous business services to employers, including:

  • Writing effective job orders and descriptions
  • Assistance with mass recruitments
  • Information about employment-related laws
  • On-site visits
  • And more

Learn more about the services available to employers.

Additionally, the Arizona Commerce Authority has resources and support available for Arizona employers. For more information on business support, please visit their website.

Return-To-Work Bonus 1099-MISC

Report a mistake with your 2022 1099-MISC tax form.

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