JOBS Plan Criticized By the GAO
The governmentÛªs joint effort with business to hire and train the poor ÛÏmay simply be shifting the burden of unemployment from the disadvantaged to other persons not so categorized,Û the General Accounting Office said yesterday.</br></br>The GAO, the governmentÛªs watchdog over its own spending, also cited ÛÏstrong indications" that the Labor Department is not monitoring Job Opportunities in tlie Business Sector (JOBS) adequately.</br></br>It said some JOBS contracts between the department and private employers appear to' contain unreasonably high costs, to be subject to errors of billing, to commit the companies to hire more persons : than needed, to fail to supply trainees with required serv-i ices and to enlist some work-i ers well above poverty levels.</br></br>In presenting testimony for i the GAO, associate director i Henry Eschwege of the civil I division said ÛÏwe are not sur-i prised that it (JOBS) is experi-Ûª encing the problems and grow-i ing pains that typically go with a new program.Û</br></br>GAOÛªs general impression is that the program ÛÏhas served jto focus the attention of businessmen on the need to hire and train the disadvantaged and that it has undoubtedly helped some disadvantaged persons obtain gainful employment,Û Eschwege said. ÛÏWe would hope that the results of our review efforts currently under way will serve to further improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the JOBS program.Û ÐÊ	cials of the business arm of the JOBS program charged that a subcommittee staff and the handling of it in the press had done their efforts irreparable harm.