GREENE – At a press conference at The Raymond Corporation in Greene Wednesday, State Labor Commissioner Colleen C. Gardner touted the fact that The Raymond Corporation is hiring up to 100 workers over the next 60 days. She also had a message for companies in the Southern Tier.

“If you are a company in the Southern Tier, the Labor Department will be there for you and your workers,” Gardner said.

Last February, at a press conference in Binghamton, The Raymond Corporation joined the Department of Labor to promote its Shared Work program. The program, which The Raymond Corporation actively participated in last year, gives employers an alternative to layoffs. Rather than lay off a percentage of workers to cut costs, an employer can reduce the hours of all or a select group of employees. Those workers can use the program to collect partial UI benefits to make up for the lost wages. The Raymond Corporation credits the program with saving dozens of jobs at the company. For more information on the Shared Work program, call (518) 457-5807.

“And when you have hiring needs, the Labor Department will be there as well,” said Commissioner Gardner.