Summer Jobs Program Gets Improvements

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Spring is here, and soon many kids in the District will be entering the city's summer youth employment program. It's had its share of problems in recent years, but on Wednesday, Mayor Adrian Fenty helped kick off early registration by unveiling some big changes.

In the past few years, there have been a number of issues with the program. Some kids claimed they weren't paid, and some said they weren't paid the right amounts. That prompted the changes.

Mayor Fenty and the new program director, Joseph Walsh, unveiled the new system at Ballou High School, and they say will stop fraud and abuse. It involves online registration, where students can quickly register online and avoid a lot of the paperwork problems of the past.

"It's one of the most ambitious in the country, as far as the nation's capital, we see that fitting for our young people," said Mayor Fenty.

"Last year, it was chaotic," said Kaya Lowery, a summer jobs participant. "A lot of papers, social security cards, birth certificates."

Students can quickly register online and avoid a lot of the paperwork.

"It's very simple, basic information," said Derrick Bell, another student who participates in the program.

The mayor and the new director say moving the system online has corrected the payroll problems. They can watch the money online.

"Out in the worksites, youth will be able to clock in and out using computer technology on the work sites," said Walsh. "And we are going to know in real time back at the office how many people have clocked in and out. We know exactly what's going on. If we see there is a problem-- that someone hasn't registered that day-- we can send a monitor to the site right away. We don't have to wait two weeks till the end of payroll."

City workers will sign off on the payroll, and so will supervisors, the Department of Employee Services, and the chief financial officer.

Officials say the number of employers and jobs have also increased for 2009. City leaders expect more than 22,000 students to participate in the summer jobs program.

The theme for the 2009 summer jobs program is 'Together We Can'. The city hopes they can get it right, and that everyone will work together and everyone will get paid.

Kids can register online, or they can go in person at the Youth Job Expo, which will be held March 25-26 at the convention center to register. So far, 3,000 kids have registered online. The summer jobs program starts June 18.