The National Council on Aging (NCOA) is issuing a call for COVID-19 Contact Tracer employers in the states/areas listed below to participate in the Senior Community Service Employment Program's (SCSEP) Trial Employment Plan.

Many Americans over age 55 want to return to the workforce, and many companies could benefit from mature, experienced employees. That’s why the SCSEP was created—to help make connections between older adults and employers.

For more than 40 years, NCOA has operated SCSEP, which places mature workers in temporary paid community service jobs while training them for permanent employment. NCOA has successfully moved thousands of older adults into jobs—helping employers meet their needs for qualified workers while providing older adults opportunities to contribute their skills and experience. NCOA currently operates 25 SCSEP projects in 10 states and Puerto Rico. NCOA administers the Senior Community Service Employment Program through a grant from the Department of Labor (DoL). The total value of the grant for Program Year 2019 is $38,444,997, of which $34,600,497 (90%) is federally funded and $3,844,500 (10%) is from non-federal funding.

About the Trial Employment Program

Trial employment is a true “Try-Before-You-Hire” opportunity for candidates to work for an agreed upon period without any risk to you. During that time, AWA SCSEP pays the candidate’s wages and workers compensation coverage. At the end of the trial, you can hire the employee, or if you determine they are not a good fit, we will handle informing them and finding a new opportunity for them. Whether or not you hire the candidate, you do not pay the worker or NCOA anything for the trial.

Whether or not you hire the candidate, you do not pay the worker or NCOA anything for the trial.

Contact your local NCOA SCSEP office with your available position(s), and you will be provided with candidates who have been pre-screened with the right skills and experience. Then you can decide to hire them outright or participate in the trial employment program.

COVID-19 Contact Tracing

This is an opportunity for all employers who are seeking Contact Tracers. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, there is great need of a special workforce and we are actively searching for employers willing to hire qualified older adults to work or train as Contact Tracers. We can offer candidates with the right background, skills, and who have completed contact tracing certified online training from the Association of State & Territorial Health Officials and the World Health Organization.

Regions Where Participants Are Available

NCOA is currently training qualified COVID-19 Contact Tracer participants in the following regions:

• California (San Francisco Bay area)
• California (San Joaquin Valley)
• California (San Jose Area)
• Georgia
• Kentucky (Eastern)
• Kentucky (Northern)
• Kentucky (Northeastern)
• New Jersey
• New York (Down State)
• New York City
• North Carolina
• Ohio
• Pennsylvania (Statewide)
• Puerto Rico
• Tennessee
• Virginia (Southern)
• Virginia (Northern)
• Virginia (North West)
• West Virginia (Southern)
• West Virginia (Northeastern)

Information for Older Adults

Job Opportunity - Contact Tracing: As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, there is great need of a special remote workforce. We will train you and connect you to employers willing to hire Contact Tracers.  You will work remotely to support local and/or national organizations to perform COVID-19 contact tracing in communities across the United States.

Your job will be to call every person diagnosed with COVID-19, establish all contacts of this person, and proceed to call and maintain ongoing communication with every contact. The jobs we connect you to may also include virtual needs checks and referral to community resources. Our search for participants who are qualified to do contact tracing is in line with national and statewide-wide efforts to increase testing, improve communication and knowledge of effective strategies to reduce transmission, and implementation of isolation and quarantine.

Contact Tracing Duties

• Conduct initial notifications of persons under investigation
• Conduct thorough interviews
• Assess for the presence of symptoms
• Monitor contacts
• Work in collaboration with local health departments
• Call contacts of new diagnosed cases
• Communicate with contacts in a professional and empathetic manner maintaining emotional and cultural awareness.
• Collect and record information on symptoms and needs with accuracy.
• Provide contacts with approved information about isolation and quarantine procedures.

Qualifications for Contact Tracers

• Ability to speak, read, and write English clearly and concisely. Fluency in a second or multiple languages would be a plus.
• Ability to work remotely - owns telephone, computer, wireless internet (WiFi), and electronic equipment.
• Ability to exhibit a professional, positive attitude and independent work ethic.
• Excellent interpersonal skills required and ability to interact professionally with culturally diverse individuals.
• Excellent organizational and communication skills.
• Sound judgment required.
• Ability to handle confidential information with discretion and professionalism.
• Proficiency with computers and data entry into electronic tracking systems.

How Do I Apply to Become a Contact Tracer for SCSEP?

To apply, simply find your local SCSEP office to complete an application. If you’re eligible and there is no waiting list, you will be enrolled to train at a nonprofit organization in your community. **Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.

For More Information

You can learn more about SCSEP at the U.S. Department of Labor. For more information on what Contact Tracing entails, please reference this helpful article.