SCSEP Senior Employment Program Locator
A paid, federally funded path back into the workforce for low-income workers 55 and older — part-time community service training that leads toward unsubsidized employment.
The Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) is a U.S. Department of Labor program for workers 55 and older with family income at or below 125% of the federal poverty level. It pays the federal or state minimum wage (whichever is higher) for part-time community service work at a nonprofit or public agency, typically around 20 hours a week, while building skills toward an unsubsidized job. Use the official CareerOneStop locator below to find the SCSEP grantee serving your area.
Most job-search resources aren't built with older, low-income workers in mind. SCSEP is the one federal program that specifically is, funding paid training placements rather than just referrals to openings you'd be competing for against much younger applicants.
Find SCSEP Near You
CareerOneStop Older Worker Program Finder
The U.S. Department of Labor's own locator for SCSEP grantees — state agencies and national nonprofits that run the program locally. Search by ZIP code to find the organization serving your area and apply directly through them.
Find SCSEP Near Me →Do you qualify?
- Age 55 or older
- Currently unemployed
- Family income at or below 125% of the federal poverty level
Priority for limited slots goes to veterans and qualified spouses first, then to applicants who are 65+, have a disability, have low literacy or limited English proficiency, live in a rural area, are homeless or at risk of homelessness, or have low employment prospects.
SCSEP runs on Title V of the Older Americans Act, and it works differently from a typical job-search program. Instead of just connecting you to openings, it places you in a paid, part-time community service assignment (roughly 20 hours a week, at whichever is higher of the federal or state minimum wage) at a host agency, usually a nonprofit, school, library, or government office. That placement is meant to be temporary: a way to build or refresh job skills, gain recent work experience for a resume, and get case management and job-search support, all aimed at moving into unsubsidized employment. It's not designed as a long-term source of income, and most host agency placements have a time limit.
The program is administered locally by grantees, either state workforce agencies or national nonprofit organizations under contract with the Department of Labor, which is why there's no single national application; you apply through whichever grantee serves your area. The CareerOneStop finder above is the fastest way to identify that organization. If slots in your area are limited, the priority-of-service groups (veterans, those 65+, people with disabilities, rural residents, and a few other categories) get placed first, so it's worth applying even if you don't fall into a priority group, since availability shifts over time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is SCSEP?
The Senior Community Service Employment Program is a federal program, run by the U.S. Department of Labor under Title V of the Older Americans Act, that places low-income workers 55 and older in paid, part-time community service jobs at nonprofits and public agencies while they train for unsubsidized employment.
Who qualifies for SCSEP?
You must be 55 or older, unemployed, and have family income at or below 125% of the federal poverty level. Priority goes to veterans and qualified spouses, then to applicants who are 65+, have a disability, have low literacy or limited English proficiency, live in a rural area, are homeless or at risk of homelessness, or have low employment prospects.
How much does SCSEP pay?
Participants are paid the federal or state minimum wage, whichever is higher, for the hours worked in their community service assignment, typically around 20 hours a week.
Is SCSEP a permanent job?
No. It's a training placement, not permanent employment. The goal is to build skills and experience at a host agency (a nonprofit, school, or government office) that lead to unsubsidized employment elsewhere, with case management and job search help built in.
How do I apply for SCSEP?
Use CareerOneStop's Older Worker Program Finder to locate the SCSEP grantee (a state agency or national nonprofit) serving your area, then apply directly through them. Your local American Job Center can also help.
This page links to CareerOneStop, an official U.S. Department of Labor resource. This site isn't affiliated with the Department of Labor or any SCSEP grantee organization. Eligibility priority groups and local slot availability are set and administered by each grantee, not by this site.