A little-known Los Angeles County jobs program is paying $10 an hour to several thousand workers at temporary jobs in businesses around Los Angeles, including hundreds of small firms.

Using federal economic stimulus funds, the county is hiring the jobless to work at these companies for up to a year. In exchange, the businesses provide training, build job skills and get extra workers at little or no cost.

For small businesses hard-hit by the economic downtown, the chance for extra workers is a welcome boost — even if it means providing training and work space for the temps. So far, 435 businesses have gotten 2,574 temporary workers, county officials said.

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