MILLBRAE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merit, the platform that provides digital credential issuing, access, verification, and reporting for government agencies, today announced its WorkNow program to assist states with their efforts to get millions of unemployed Americans back to work. Merit is a platform to digitally and centrally store and manage the credentials and certifications that people have already earned, and is helping states efficiently tackle economic recovery as the needed infrastructure to implement and measure constituent-facing policies. By digitizing individuals' achievements, Merit also enables state agencies to provide services, training programs, and jobs that they are uniquely qualified for based on their achievements.
“There are many unknowns about this recovery, but we do know that states need a way to more efficiently deliver the benefits of the public and private sectors – from unemployment insurance and services to trainings and job opportunities,” said Merit CEO, Tomer Kagan. “Merit helps states act as accelerators instead of bottlenecks at a time when speed is the most valuable capability. Verified identity is a better way to get people to work faster, and Merit is already laying the grid system for that in several forward-looking states."
Merit already works with states from Mississippi and California to Washington and Louisiana. In Virginia, Merit is trusted by more than 200,000 Virginia workers across more than 40 industries who have access to digital licenses issued by Virginia’s Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR). Those professionals have access to portable, digital licenses through Merit that can be contactlessly verified by businesses or consumers. Last month, Merit was able to instantly respond to changes required in Virginia under the declared state of emergency, effectively extending tens of thousands of soon-to-expire licenses, allowing many essential workers to continue earning a paycheck without having to worry about replacing or renewing a license during the crisis.
Fully implemented in a state, Merit WorkNow will allow state agencies – including departments of workforce, labor, licensing, regulation, unemployment, and other associated agencies – to track the real-time outcomes of unemployment insurance recipients and help businesses grow by hiring workers with verified credentials. Merit will also support:
- Targeted Workforce Development Programming: By tracking skills and credentials digitally, states can target workforce training dollars towards programs and people who will see the most economic benefit.
- Rules-Based Notifications: Federal and state legislation can be parsed to notify displaced workers about particular services available to them.
- Outcome Tracking & Case Management: Someone who unsuccessfully applies for a certain number of jobs can be connected to a relevant upskilling opportunity to make them a better candidate.
- Data-Driven Opportunities: Trends available in state and federal Department of Labor (and other) data can be used to show people opportunities in emerging or surging industries and geographies.
- Link Sharing: Individuals with desired verified credentials, such as a surveyor who speaks Spanish, can be pointed to relevant job opportunities.
- Reporting, Analytics & Visibility: Details of federal, state, and municipal programs made available for measuring effectiveness of government programs.
In the current economic and public health climate, state unemployment offices as well as departments of workforce, labor, licensing, and regulation need to efficiently communicate with each other and their constituencies digitally. Merit’s platform is a public utility which will allow individuals to connect with both private and public organizations for jobs, benefits, and other opportunities – and serve as a bridge to empower government agencies and the private sector to work together for all of their certification needs to get America back to work.
About Merit
Merit is the first universal verified identity ecosystem for government, businesses and workers to operate with the efficiency, trust, and transparency that comes with having universal mobility. By letting everyone access, track, and organize their achievements in real time, Merit is bringing personal and professional skills verification into the digital age. Through a single, secure platform, Merit puts the power of trusted and verified credentials in the hands of professionals across the public and private sectors, supporting professional licensing, occupational regulation, workforce development, emergency services, recreation, and other digital credentialing applications. Find more information about how Merit is helping everyone shape their future at https://www.merits.com/.
