Frequently Asked Questions

Here are the steps to manually post a job in your GRow1000 account. 

1. Under Publish Jobs in your account, click Post New Job.
2. Complete the required fields, including Job Title, Job Description, and Job Location.
3. Click Proceed to Next Step.
4. Complete any of the remaining optional fields to add more details to your job posting. remaining fields. (Note: The more information you include, the more likely candidates are to apply!)
5. Click Save and Publish.

1. Click Manage Employees under Company Navigation on the far left of the page.
2. Click ADD located in the middle of the page.
3. Fill out the new employee’s information.

1. To edit your GRow1000 company profile, click Manage Company Profile under Company Navigation.
2. You can edit any company information and include a description about your company.
3. Add images (media) or videos by clicking Insert Media or Insert Video. Note: All media and videos must be approved by the job board owner.
4. Add or edit your Company Website.
5. Click Upload Logo to add your company logo.
6. Click Save.

The City of Grand Rapids is the employer of record. A link to the timesheet template will be sent to you and to your youth worker. It is your responsibility to ensure the youth worker correctly completes the timesheet. Timesheets are due on completion of the last day of work each week, but no later than Saturday at 5 p.m. Late timesheets result in pay being delayed until the next pay period. Please refer to the pay schedule. Youth will only be paid for the amount of hours actually worked.

Youth will be paid every two weeks from the City of Grand Rapids via direct deposit unless they do not have a bank account. In such case, a pay card will be mailed to their address. Please see below for the pay schedule.

• Work Weeks 1-2: Sunday, June 13 - Saturday, June 26, 2021   Pay Date: Tuesday, July 7th
• Work Weeks 3-4: Sunday, June 27 - Saturday, July 10, 2021   Pay Date: Tuesday, July 20th
• Work Weeks 5-6: Sunday, July 11 - Saturday, July 24, 2021   Pay Date: Tuesday August 3rd

Yes. A bus pass can be obtained by contacting the City’s Human Resources Department at youthjobs@grcity.us or by calling (616) 456-3176 to schedule a time to pick it up.

Your commitment is to offer an employment experience for 6 weeks of work averaging 20 hours a week from June 14 – July 23, 2021.

You can offer further employment with youth once the summer program is complete. In this case, the employer will need to assume all payroll responsibilities.

Youth applicants 15 to 24 will complete an online application first. They will be contacted by the City’s HR Dept. to fill out all necessary pre-employment paperwork. Businesses will be contacted regarding their placements at least one month in advance of the first day of work which is June 14th. Youth will participate in a paid training session facilitated by the City.

This experience is to promote career exposure and learning about your industry. Expectations are that they be given some leeway as they newly learn your operation. Difficulties could arise. It is encouraged that youth are matched with onsite workplace mentors. Some youth will also be matched with external mentors. In addition, you have access to Our Community’s Children (OCC) at occyouth@grcity.us or 616.456.3558 to help resolve any issues that may arise so the work experience is successful. It is important that OCC be contacted as soon as there is evidence of an unacceptable pattern of behavior.

Absolutely! Notify us of your interest by going to https://www.grandrapidsmi.gov/Government/Programs-and-Initiatives/GRow1000/Donations/Form.

Connie Bohatch, Managing Director, Community Development cbohatch@grcity.us/PH (616) 456-3988

We added the ability to post multiple positions this year, so we can do a better job matching participants to the actual jobs you are offering. There are a few reasons why multiple positions might be warranted for your situation:

#1: Occupation: You may be offering different occupational focus areas within your organization. For example, you are assigned some participants to your manufacturing team and some to your marketing team. We align participants based on their occupational interest and this is an important factor in the matching process.

#2: Worksite Location: You have multiple worksites. Transportation can be a challenge for some of our participants. We calculate their commute to the worksite, so the worksite address is a critical piece of information to ensure participants have a reliable way to navigate to the assigned worksite. 

#3: Virtual: You are offering some but not all a virtual work experience. Not all participants will be set-up to support a 100% virtual experience with a computer and broadband internet connection. We are considering this as we match criteria to ensure our participants and organizations are set up for success.

#4: Age Range: You can accommodate different age ranges. We ask the organization posting a position to enter the age range for the position and you may be looking for participants in a variety of ages. The age ranges are 15-17, 18-21, and 22-24. If you are open to a mix of ages, make sure to indicate the number you would ideally like in each age-range by creating multiple positions. Keep in mind the pay is higher for those over 18-years-old.

#5: Bilingual: You may be looking for some participants that have bilingual proficiency in a specific language. You can indicate this preference as well as the target language in a specific position, and we will use this factor in the matching process.

No. Unfortunately, we are unable to take special placement requests. However, if you were a GRow1000 participant last year, you may indicate on your application if you would like to be placed with the same employer but there are no guarantees. All participants will complete an application, including an assessment and identification of occupation preference. You will be matched with a business or organization based on the following: occupation interest, in-person or virtual work preference, transportation needs, and employer age requirement. Placement matching will occur in the order in which all completed pre-employment paperwork is received by the City. Incomplete paperwork will prevent you from being matched with a job. Be sure to do this as quickly as possible to ensure a placement.

A variety of opportunities exist. Some jobs will be in person, some virtual, and some may be a combination. Please be sure to indicate your preference on your application.

You will be paid $10 per hour if you are 15 to 17-years-old, and $13 per hour if you are 18 to 24-years-old. Pay is based on your age on June 14, 2021.

No. Your rate of pay is determined by your age as of June 14, 2021.

You will be paid every two weeks by the City of Grand Rapids according to the following pay schedule:

• Work Weeks 1-2: Sunday, June 13 - Saturday, June 26, 2021   Pay Date: Tuesday, July 7th
• Work Weeks 3-4: Sunday, June 27 - Saturday, July 10, 2021   Pay Date: Tuesday, July 20th
• Work Weeks 5-6: Sunday, July 11 - Saturday, July 24, 2021   Pay Date: Tuesday August 3rd

Yes. The pre-employment training is mandatory for all program participants. The training provides important program orientation and job readiness information to ensure you and the employer have a great experience.

There are several live Zoom training sessions scheduled. You will attend one of the sessions identified below. A date and time for your assigned session will be emailed to you.

• Tuesday, May 18 - 4 to 7 p.m.
• Wednesday, May 19 - 4 to 7 p.m.
• Thursday, May 20 - 4 to 7 p.m.
• Monday, May 24 - 4 to 7 p.m.
• Tuesday, May 25 - 4 to 7 p.m.
• Thursday, May 27 - 4 to 7 p.m.
• Tuesday, June 1 - 4 to 7 p.m.
• Thursday, June 3 - 4 to 7 p.m.
• Monday, June 7 - 4 to 7 p.m.
• Tuesday, June 8 - 4 to 7 p.m.
• Wednesday, June 9 - 4 to 7 p.m.
• Saturday, June 12 - 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Yes. You can get a bus pass by contacting the City’s Human Resources Department at youthjobs@grcity.us or by calling (616) 456-3176.

If for any reason you are unable to fulfill your work obligation, contact your supervisor directly. The supervisor should be given as much advance notice as possible. Your supervisor will provide you the preferred way to communicate this information (email/call/text).

For issues related to your placement, contact Our Community’s Children at occyouth@grcity.us or (616) 456-3558.

Please email your questions to Our Community’s Children at occyouth@grcity.us.

All applicants are sent a career interest assessment invitation via email and text. The assessment takes 35-40 minutes and can be completed on a computer or mobile device. After completing the assessment you will receive a personalized career fit profile which will be discussed during your mandatory pre-employment training. You can use this career fit profile to understand how to get the most out of your summer employment experience and help you navigate your longer-term job search.