Assemblyman co-sponsors job fair charging unemployed workers $20

A Brooklyn lawmaker co-sponsored a jobs fair that charged unemployed workers a $ 20 entrance fee.

The event in Midwood was jointly promoted by the Orthodox Union and state Assemblyman Dov Hikind.

The $ 20 admission fee — requested of people who failed to register in advance — shocked other politicos.

“I’ve never heard of an elected official holding a for-pay job fair. That’s not helpful to people who are unemployed,” said former Bronx Assemblyman Michael Benjamin.

“If you don’t get a job, you’re out of $ 20.”

Hikind, who has $ 792,691 in his campaign treasury, defended the fee.

“There are expenses involved. It takes money to put this together,” Hikind said of the Jobs Fair held at Young Israel of Midwood on Thursday.

Hikind said many people who showed up at the door were allowed in for free, if they said they couldn’t afford the fee.

A notice put out by the Orthodox Union Jobs Board last month also required employers to pay $ 200 to participate and not-for-profit groups, $ 100.

The fee is tax deductible because OU is a not-for-profit group .

Corporate sponsors who paid at least $ 500 received additional exposure on the OU Job Board website and in radio and newspaper ads.

More than 400 people attended the fair.

Corporate sponsors included Price Waterhouse, New York Life, Forest Hills Financial Group and B&H Photo, according to the jpupdates website, which first reported on the fee.

“Why are you charging me to enter? I am unemployed,” the website quoted one angry attendee as complaining.

OU Job Board executive director Michael Rosner said job seekers were able to pre-register for free.

He also defended the $ 20 admission, saying OU had to cover costs for the space and security.

“It costs money. It involved a lot of back up work that just doesn’t happen,” Rosner said.

Roser said “95 percent” of the walk-inks who paid the fee were aware of it. And those who said they couldn’t afford the admission fee were allowed in without paying.

“We don’t rudely say goodbye,” he said. “I personally passed through seven or eight people who couldn’t afford it.”

Benjamin, the former Bronx pol, said he’s surprised that Hikind didn’t just tap his huge campaign war chest chest to shoulder some of the costs and avoid charging an entrance fee.

“That’s a legitimate use of funds. You’re helping your constituents,” he said.

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