Resource WIB January 10, 2013 ♦ Agenda

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RESOURCE Agenda

Thursday, January 10, 2013 3:00 p.m.

121 Cedar Fork Road, Board Room Henrico, VA 23223 Parking and Entry at the Rear of the Building Only (Main Entrance)

I. Call to Order II. Approval of the Minutes of November 8, 2012...Page 1

III. Public Input Period IV. Chair’s Report

A. Strategic Plan Update B. Youth Council Chair Appointment- Kevin Blake

V. Consent Agenda Items

(Approval of the Consent Agenda Means that I tems A thru E are voted on as a single item, not as individual items. I f a member of the Board requests removal of an item from the consent agenda, it may be removed and acted on as an individual item.) A. Renewal of Strumpf Contract...Page 6 B. Resource Budget Amendments...Page 7

VI. Committee Reports

A. Quality Assurance Committee Report- Gail Clay, Chair...Page 8 B. Youth Council Report-Terry Willie Surratt, Operations Committee Chair...Page 10 C. Legislative and Policy Taskforce- Dan Jones, Chair...Page 12 D. Program Planning Committee- Sara Dunnigan...Page 25 E. Finance Committee Report- Sonji Rollins-Tucker...Page 27

VII. Staff Report

A. Introduction of New Business Solutions Coordinator- Liz Lungut B. 203 E. Cary Street Workforce Center Update...Page 29 C. Governor’s Budget Items Related to Workforce Development D. System Progress Reports (Presentations)

1. Strategic Plan Progress 2. Business Solutions Team Performance and Progress Report 3. Youth Program Performance and Progress Reports

a. Out of School b. In School

4. Adult and Dislocated Worker Performance and Progress Report 5. Empyra Progress Report

E. Organization Chart and Staff Responsibilities...Page 31

VIII. Other Business

IX. Adjourn Next Resource Meeting: March 14, 2013

Resource Minutes November 8, 2012 Page 1

Resource Workforce Investment Board

Minutes for November 8, 2012

Member (Representative) Present

Member (Representative) Present

Yes No Yes No

Auchmoody William Crawley Janet

Barnett Steve Wilson Kimberly

Bester Valerie

(2) Education Representatives 1 1

Blake Kevin

Clay Gail Batten Dale

Dawson Susan

Beals Dana

Hunt Robin

Dixon Valena

Jones Daniel Ellison Gregory

Jones Dwight Emmons Charles M.(Pete Gozza)

Lyons Larry

Gibson Barbara

McDaniels Kerri

McGinty Mac

Norris Bill Morrison Patricia

duc Phan Tinh

Roberts Kimberly

Timmons April Rozier Shawn

Thomas Terry Scaggs Fred

Rollins-Tucker Sonji Watson Thelma

Weisiger Lee

Wickham Deborah (12) One-Stop Partners 7 5

Willie-Surratt Terry

Leigers William

Wood Charles Sinclair CB

(2) Organized Labor 1 1

Briggs Cordell

(21) Business Members 11 9 Bruny Kevin

Easter John

McCulla John

Turbyne-Pollard Heather

(3) Other Members 2 1

(2) CBO Members 2 0 (47) Total Members In Attendance 26 21

Aylward Karen

Consortium Members or Alternates

Guests

Dunnigan Sara Jane Crawley, Henrico

Shawn Robinson, Clear Channel Clarence McGill, Youth Council Sheila F. Lewis, ResCare Nury Mojica, ResCare Keith Lewis, ResCare Glen Jones, Main Street Management Group, LLC Leontine Jameson, G.O.A.L.S Institute

Manion Jamison

Miller Thomas

(4) Economic Dev. Members 3 1

Staff Present: Rosalyn Key-Tiller, Elsie Best, Krishawn Monroe, and Carla Cosby.

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Resource Minutes November 8, 2012 Page 2

I. Chair Deborah Wickham welcomed members and guests. The meeting was called to order.

II. Approval of the September 13, 2012 minutes. The minutes were approved as presented.

Charlie Wood moved to approve the minutes, William Leigers seconded the motion. The

motion carried.

III. Public Input Period. There were no public comments.

IV. Chair’s Report.

A. Strategic Plan Committee Update. The strategic planning session kickoff for the 2013-

2015 Strategic Plan was held on October 4, 2012. Resource Board and CLEO members

attended. The Strategic Planning Team met on October 16th to review feedback from

the October 4th meeting. Resource and CLEO members identified resources, strengths

and opportunities. The Team identified organizational issues related to challenges.

The Strategic Planning Team will meet on November 15th to continue working through

the SWOT analysis and strategic challenges identified. The next meeting will be of the

full Board on December 3rd from 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Members will have opportunity

to look at work done thus far and provide feedback. The final product should be

available at the March, 2013 Resource Board meeting.

Jamison Manion commented that he expressed an interest to be on the Strategic

Planning Team but was not selected.

B. Youth Council Chair Needed. Returning member, Kevin Blake has agreed to serve on

the Youth Council as Chair. Kevin’s nomination will be presented to the CLEs for

approval at their November 21st meeting. Guest, Shawn Robinson expressed an

interest to become a member of the Youth Council.

C. Resource Bylaws Committee. The following members volunteered to serve on the

Committee are: Sara Dunnigan, Terry Thomas, CB Sinclair, Jamison Manion, John

Easter, and Steve Barnett.

V. Consent Agenda Items. Chair Wickham asked if anyone wanted an item removed from

the Consent Agenda. Bill Auchmoody requested Agenda Item A be removed and

Jamison Manion requested that Agenda Item C be removed for discussion.

Barbra Gibson moved to approve Consent Agenda Items B and D; Dale Batten seconded

the motion. The motion carried.

VI. Committee Reports.

A. Quality Assurance Committee Report. Gail Clay reported that the Committee is

working on editing the performance score card, the one-stop certification, and

review of ResCare’s first quarter performance indicators. The Committee is also

reviewing the Youth Council Report.

B. Youth Council Report. Greg Ellison reported that the Youth Council met on October

8th. The Council discussed past years successes including the Youth Summit and the

opening of the new Cedar Fork Road workforce center. The Committee also

reviewed the in-school youth contracts. The 2013 Youth Leadership Summit will be

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Resource Minutes November 8, 2012 Page 3

held on March 30, 2013. The Council has requested the facility rental fee be

waived.

C. Legislative and Policy Taskforce Report. On October 18th, Patrick Murray,

Professional Staff Member to Senator Michael B. Enzi (R-WY), Ranking Member

Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (H.E.L.P.) visited Resource to

learn about Resource and workforce development in the Capital region. Several

Resource Board members and staff were in attendance. CLEO representatives

attending were Hon. William Minnick and Jane Crawley.

The Taskforce is working to expand its effort and develop a regular meeting schedule. Members are encouraged to attend the next meeting on Thursday, November 29. This will be a phone meeting from 4pm-5pm. Steve Barnett and Charlie Wood volunteered to join the Taskforce.

D. Program Planning Committee. Sara Dunnigan. At its last meeting on October 26th,

the Committee made the following recommendations: 1) Modifying the individual

training accounts policy to set a cap of $4,000 per calendar year and 2) Form a free

standing marketing and communications subcommittee. Program & Planning

members may assist with establishing the marketing and communication

subcommittee.

The Committee is also working on developing guidelines for quality of service for

training providers. Incorporating the new guidelines may become a part of the

recertification review process.

E. Finance Committee Report. Rapid response funds expired September 30th; this

represents a change in the budget. Also change to ResCare’s contract, decrease in

award for adult and dislocated worker program. Rosalyn referred the Board to the

packet to review ResCare’s budget modification and the budget calls.

Consent Agenda Items for Discussion. Consent Agenda Item A - ResCare Contract Budget Modification. Rosalyn stated that ResCare asked for

permission to deliver services to a targeted group and other adults that had major challenges through a

subcontractor. It was determined that the contract was not needed and that services could be

supported through ResCare’s career agents. ResCare also realized significant staffing changes, fourteen

(14) staff turnovers due to low wages. ResCare recommended foregoing the contract and use the

$50,000 to raise wage rates for their current staff as well as be able to recruit additional staff.

In response to comments about serving ex-offenders, Rosalyn noted that the Department of Juvenile Justice and Probation and Parole will be working with Resource. Additional grants and other resources are being sought to serve customers. Members expressed concern regarding ResCare’s hiring practices related to its contract with Resource.

Rosalyn responded that ResCare is a for-profit company and may have simply misjudged salaries for this

region. The Quality Assurance Committee will review their performance and insure their contractual

obligations are met. It is suggested that as an element of the scorecard for future Request for Proposal

(RFP) Review Teams that salary information be included.

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Resource Minutes November 8, 2012 Page 4

Members were asked if anyone had a conflict of interest, there was no response. Steve Barnett moved

to approve ResCare Contract Budget Modification, Bill Auchmoody seconded the motion. Jamison

Manion voted no to the motion. The motion carried.

Consent Agenda Item C – 2013-14 Budget Calls from Local Jurisdictions. Currently, there is no

established formula or process to respond to counties budget calls. The recommendation taken to

Finance Committee for this year’s requests is to use the same process as used in previous years and ask

for the same amount of the previous award for the current year. The second recommendation is for the

Finance Committee to assist in developing a taskforce of CLEO and Finance Committee members to

develop a recommendation for 2014-15.

The motion was made to approve the Finance Committee’s recommendations, Jamison Manion

seconded the motion. The motion carried. Members were asked if anyone had a conflict of interest.

There was no response.

VII. Staff Report A. 203 E. Cary Street. A soft opening is scheduled for December. The grand opening

will occur in January. A meeting will be scheduled with potential and mandated

partners to determine which agencies may occupy the facility. ResCare will place

about seven (7) staff people. A VETEC representative for the entrepreneurship

grant will also be staffed in the facility along with Midlothian staff. The One-Stop

Operator will meet on December 18th. Jim Maris, ResCare serves as the Chair.

Other partners are DARS, VEC, and Henrico County as the fiscal agent. DARS and the

VEC will have space at the Cedar Fork Road center. Veterans Affairs will have a

presence at the Cedar Fork Road center as well.

B. Allianz WARN Notice. Jameo Pollock, VCCS, is the State representative for Rapid

Response. As many as 150 employees may be affected in the layoff. Developing the

language for the warn notice as well as identifying the type of assistance needed for

the layoff and for the remaining staff is being addressed.

DuPont has also issued a WARN notice. The Business Solutions Team may be writing

business plans for their closing.

Interviews were held for the Business Solutions Coordinator position and an offered

is being extended. The One-Stop Systems Manager position was advertised and has

closed. The Systems Manager will work for One-Stop Operator.

Questions were raised regarding the youth performance. Krishawn Monroe stated

that in-school contract performance ended June 30th. Chesterfield and Charles City

County had all their 12th graders to graduate, which is 100% of their contract

performance. Many of those graduates went on to post-secondary education;

however, a few of the records were entered incorrectly into our system of record

and require amendments to ensure it counts towards our local performance.

Goochland also met their performance but once again they have a few data entry

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Resource Minutes November 8, 2012 Page 5

errors which we are working to correct. The City of Richmond has several different

types of contract issues but a meeting is being scheduled with Rosalyn and Dr.

Brandon to address their concerns. It is anticipated to have issues resolved by

December 30th. The out-of-school youth program is just getting underway.

Leontine Jameson, Division Supervisor, has 14 staff working with her. Rosalyn

added that a challenge to serving 17-year olds is that they have not completed high

school and cannot be enrolled in WIA/GED program. They will have to be referred

back to the school.

VIII. Other Business. There was no Other Business.

IX. Adjourn. The motion was made and seconded to adjourn at 4:25 p.m. The motion passed.

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Consent Agenda Item V.A. Renewal of the Strumpf Contract

Background

The Finance Committee reviewed the expenditures on the Strumpf consulting contract and was made aware of the remaining balance at November 28th of, $33,650 (at December 31st the balance is $27,050). This balance is available because:

1. The work to be done on the 501 ( c) 3 has not been completed because of the delays in working through the issues with the Consortium Board

2. There is work to be done at the Cedar Fork Workforce Center related to certification that has been delayed by the late opening and the lack of partner presence during the contract period at the site.

3. There are a few outstanding days of Technical Assistance not yet used by the committees of the Board or the One Stop Operator.

The current contract expired on December 31, 2012 and must be renewed to complete the outstanding work. The renewal agreement incorporates the unexpended balance of the current contract and will be modified as appropriate after the strategic planning process to reflect any additional work required by the Board for the remainder of the renewal period which is through December 31, 2013. Recommendation The Finance and Executive Committees recommend approval of the “No Additional Cost Extension” through April 30, 2013 ($27,050) with the understanding that a contract modification may be in order as additional work for the consultant is identified for the remainder of the contract renewal period (December 31, 2013).

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Consent Agenda Item V.B. Goals Institute (Out of School Youth) Budget Amendment

Background

The Finance Committee received a request from the Out of School Youth Program Director, Leontine Jameson, to amend the line item budget of the Goals Institute to increase the funds available for direct participant services. Funds are being moved from the Staff Salaries and Fringe line items, $180,000 to Direct Participant Services. The $180,000 reflects unexpended funds associated with the late start-up and from not hiring several positions resulting in a cost savings to support more direct participant costs.

Recommendation The Finance and Executive Committees recommend approval of the budget amendment request. This request does not change the amount of the award to the Goals Institute ($1,201,313).

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Agenda Item VI. A. Quality Assurance Committee Report Last meeting held on November 29, 2012 Members in Attendance: Ms. Gail Clay (Chair) Mr. John McCulla Mr. Jamison Manion Mr. CB Sinclair Ms. Angela Kelly-Wiecek During the last meeting, the Quality Assurance Committee reviewed the overall purpose and strategic priorities for 2012-2013. In addition, a copy of the Resource Binder was provided for all committee Members. The binder contained management and fiscal policies; common performance measures at a glance and copies of contracts; previous year and current year performance; and other background information. The members were pleased and very appreciative of the all-inclusive binder, which is an excellent resource for the team. Future Actions: Committee Members will review the contents of the binder in preparation for future discussions on quality assurance related items. The Youth Council meeting information, Youth contracts and the 10 Program Elements were also reviewed with the committee. The discussions centered primarily on performance reporting and contract status. Staff noted that the region is currently under a corrective action plan with the state and that youth performance is slowly improving. In-School Youth contract performance monitoring was reviewed. It was noted that staff is still in the fact finding mode regarding the Richmond’s Public Schools performance and that technical assistance is being provided. The contractor is currently self-correcting and meetings have been scheduled to address issues raised in the process. Committee members recommended that staff reach out to Ms. Robertson, City of Richmond local elected official to keep her apprised of RPS contract issues and resolutions process. During the meeting, all reporting in general was shared with the committee. The Youth Program manager reviewed a potential reporting format for elements for Youth attainment of degree or certificate and employment rates which resulted in conversations of concern. The Adult/DW contract indicators and common measures were also reviewed. The Committee expressed disappointment because, since the selection of the new vendor, they have been unable to get the information timely and in the manner that had been previously requested.

Committee Purpose: This committee is responsible for monitoring the performance of contractors assigned responsibility for service delivery, with input from the Resource Youth Council and Resource staff related to performance progress and the quality of service being delivered. ________________________________ ________________________________ Committee Members: Ms. Gail Clay (Chair) Mr. John McCulla Mr. CB Sinclair Mr. Jamison Manion Ms. Angela Kelly-Wiecek

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Future Actions: Staff noted the concerns and will try to provide a report and dashboard for contract performance indicators and common measures with a consolidated way to look at all contracts simultaneously. Once populated with accurate data, they will be shared with the committee members.

Staff briefed the committee members on the change in the Career Readiness Certificate (CRC) requirement performance levels by the Virginia Workforce Board from the previous 5% of enrollees to 17% of enrollees. Mr. Manion led the discussions on the Training Provider Scorecard and will continue to work with the Program Planning & Development Committee on the process. Future Actions: Develop a cover letter and continue collaboration with the PP&D Committee on the application and process. The committee discussed the monthly meeting location availability challenges. Mr. Manion offered his work location to the group (1500 E. Main Street, Suite 400, Richmond VA 23219), which was well received by everyone. Next Meeting: January 16, 2012 3:00pm to 4:00pm 1500 East Main Street, Suite 400

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VI.B Youth Council Report

Action Planning Session was held on December 13, 2012

The meeting was called to order by the new Youth Council Chair, Mr. Kevin Blake.

The Youth Council held its 2012 Action Planning Session facilitated by Lori Strumpf.

The planning session started with a review of the Aligning Potential Report’s 10 recommendations. The members and community partners present reviewed and then ranked the recommendation in order of priority and responsibility.

After tallying scores and some discussion the Youth Council determined the following recommendations are an immediate priority on the Youth Council’s “to do” list and developed ad hoc committees to complete the work. The ad hoc committees are actively seeking additional members.

Recommendation Four For most of the young people interviewed for the report, if they were fortunate enough to have obtained a job, it was the result of friends connecting them with their employer. Others went to mentors, counselors, teachers, or leaders of the school programs they were involved in for guidance or resources. Connecting with Resource or other community-based agencies supporting young people was rarely on their list of options. The majority of young people interviewed looked for openings on the internet and often made those applications online with varying degrees of success. Similarly, several employers interviewed posted their openings on the Internet and accepted applications online, and preferred when a young person came with the recommendation of a colleague or co-worker. For those young people who do not have connections to the career pathways and the jobs they seek, Resource can help provide that human and technological link. Increase access to information about available training, services, and workforce development opportunities for young people. Ad hoc committee members supporting recommendation four : Shawn Robinson, Clear Channel; Chaya Braxton, Community Partner; and Tynekya Jackson, Chesterfield County Recommendation Seven As the requirements for entering the workforce and advancing in a career in the Capital Region increase, there is a risk of bypassing young people who do not have the academic skills, community support, track record, or financial wherewithal to participate in the new economy.

Committee Purpose:

Develop the Youth Development Portion of the Local Workforce Development Plan. Establish Linkages among Youth Serving Organizations/Agencies with an Impact on the Identified Priority Services Develop Metrics that can be used to evaluate the success of youth development efforts Continually communicate the needs of youth and opportunities for the community to support youth development

Committee Members: Terry Willie Surratt- One Step at a Time Consulting Gregory Ellison- Hanover Community Services Kevin Blake (Chair) - TriMech Dr. Ajai- Blue Saunders- Communities in Schools Queen Zakia Shabazz-Parent of a Youth Tina Miceli-Job Corps Dr. Janet C. Crawley- Charles City Public Schools Steve Hippeard- Virginia College Clarence McGill- Department of Juvenile Justice Shawn Robinson- Clear Channel

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The Capital Region has a lower percentage of disconnected youth compared to the peer regions reviewed. However, there are still a large number of youth who are in need of being reconnected to the community, and many more youth who are at significant risk for becoming disconnected. Minority youth are particularly likely to experience risk factors associated with disconnected youth, compared to Caucasian youth. With effectively designed interventions and support, young people who are vulnerable and disconnected can make the transition to becoming active contributing members of the workforce and the community, providing them with a “second chance” and the region with a more skilled and diverse workforce. Support effective efforts designed to help vulnerable and disconnected youth obtain the credentials they need to find and sustain meaningful employment. Ad hoc committee members supporting recommendation seven: Gregory Ellison, Hanover Community Services; Clarence McGill, Department of Juvenile Justice; and Bill Parks, Chesterfield Public School System Recommendation Eight Local employers and stakeholders still see many of the young people fortunate to find employment as entering the workforce with inadequate training and experience in the “soft skills” needed to succeed professionally. Important “soft skill” competencies include “integrity, professionalism, initiative, dependability and reliability and willingness to learn.” xlvii For young people unable to find work at all, a lack of preparedness inhibits their ability to show up for an interview conveying that they are ready to work and have the requisite interpersonal skills. While there are many training programs in the Capital Region that include job readiness skills in their offerings, programs linked to employment opportunities provide an incentive to complete coursework and an opportunity to put skills to use immediately. In addition, the U.S. Department of Labor has now catalogued resources that share effective and promising approaches to helping youth obtain personal effectiveness skills. Support youth skills training in personal effectiveness (or “soft”) skills that prepares young people for and directly leads them to placement in volunteer, internship, or employment positions. Ad hoc committee members supporting recommendation eight: Ajai Blue-Saunders, Richmond Community In Schools; Leontine Jameson, Out of School Program, Tonia Banks, Chesterfield Schools and Steve Hippeard, Virginia College. Next Youth Council Meeting: March 24 from 2:30 pm- 4:30pm 121 Cedar Fork Road Richmond, VA 23223

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Agenda Item VI. C. Legislative & Policy Task Force Report Last meeting held on December 13, 2012 Members in Attendance: Mr. Dan Jones (Chair) (present) Ms. Jane Crawley (present) Ms. Deborah Wickham (present) Mr. Steve Barnett (present) Mr. Jamison Manion (excused) Mr. Charlie Wood (present) The meeting consisted of a conference call to discuss the 2013 legislative visit to Capitol Hill and talking points, the Federal Workforce Act Update, a Sequestration discussion, a Virginia General Assembly update, a Virginia Workforce Board update and the Jan-June 2013 Task Force meeting schedule. The Hill visit was set for March 11 o r 12, depending upon the availability of the Congressional members. Chairman Jones will invite the CLEOs to participate in the Capitol Hill Visit. A rough draft of key issues for the policy platform/talking points will be discussed at the January meeting and shared with the Board as soon as it is finalized. There is no new news from Congress regarding the Federal Workforce Act and Sequestration until after the first of the year. Updates were given on the Virginia General Assembly and the Virginia Workforce Board. The Task Force intends to track issues in both groups and address them as necessary regarding the region’s best interests. The Task Force agreed to meet quarterly (January, April, July, October) and hold any other meetings by conference call as needed. The schedule through March is as follows: January 17th at 1:00 PM – Meeting at New Richmond Workforce Center, Feb 21st at 4:00 PM – call, March 7th at 10:00 AM – call, March 11th or 12th - Hill Visit. Members interested in joining the Legislative and Policy Taskforce should make the Chairman aware of your interest so that you may be included in future meetings and discussions. Next Meeting: January 17, 2013 @ 1:00pm New Richmond Workforce Center (203 East Cary Street, Richmond, VA 23219)

Task Force Purpose: This task force is responsible for monitoring the workforce related legislative and policy initiatives at the local, state and federal level; and for informing elected and other relevant officials regarding the Regions’ workforce system and advocating for to address the Regions’ workforce needs. ________________________________ ________________________________ Committee Members: Mr. Dan Jones (Chair) Ms .Jane Crawley Ms. Deborah Wickham Mr. Steve Barnett Mr. Jamison Manion Mr. Charlie Woods

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Attachment for Agenda Item VI. C. Legislative Report

January 2, 2013

On December 31, Senate leaders and the White House arrived at an agreement to avert the fiscal cliff. The American Taxpayer Relief Act (H.R. 8), passed the Senate 89-8 and the House 257-157, and is now awaiting President Obama’s signature.

H.R. 8 primarily addresses tax rates, deductions and credits, and extends authorization for certain existing federal programs. The White House has a full summary of what was included in the agreement. H.R. 8 also addresses several issues that would directly impact workforce development programs.

Sequestration

H.R. 8 delays the sequesters—which were scheduled to go into effect on January 2—until March 1, 2013, giving Congress and the Administration additional time to consider a permanent alternative. H.R. 8 delayed the sequesters by coming up with $24 billion in other deficit reduction measures, essentially stopping the trigger for the sequester. The $24 billion reduction will be paid for with 50 percent spending cuts and 50 percent revenues, and the spending cuts will be achieved by reducing the discretionary spending caps by $12 billion over 2 years – divided equally between defense and non-defense discretionary (NDD). Because H.R. 8 already cut spending by $24 billion, if the sequesters go into effect in two months the total cut for FY 13 will be $85.33 billion, down from $109 billion. It is unclear at this time how lower spending caps will affect funding for workforce development programs in FY 13 and FY 14.

Sequestration is now set to coincide with the United States hitting the debt ceiling in early March. A sequestration-debt ceiling deal has the potential to be even more harmful NDD programs than sequestration itself. House Republicans, many of whom were unsatisfied with the fiscal cliff agreement, are likely to push for deeper cuts to NDD programs in exchange for a vote to raise the debt ceiling. Congress will also need to deal with funding for the remainder of FY 13, as the current continuing resolution (CR) expires at the end of March, as well as begin the FY 14 budget process. All of this means that it will almost certainly be a contentious debate and funding for NDD programs—including workforce development—will continue to face significant threats. Policymakers will begin positioning themselves around this issue over the next few weeks, and we should soon have a better sense of how the debate will play out.

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Other Provisions

Importantly, H.R. 8 also extends unemployment insurance (UI) benefits through 2013. Without an extension, 2.2 million families would have lost access to UI benefits on January 1. National Skills Coalition strongly supported a long-term extension of UI benefits and is pleased workers and their families will continue to have the financial assistance they need during periods of unemployment.

The fiscal cliff deal also extends the Farm Bill, which authorizes the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Employment & Training (SNAP E&T, formerly Food Stamps Employment & Training or FSET) program, through the end of the fiscal year. SNAP E&T was previously funded by the continuing resolution (CR), which expires in March. Under H.R. 8, SNAP E&T “100 percent funds” will be funded at the 2012 level of $79 million, which is $11 million lower than the amount allocated in the Senate-passed version of the Farm Bill, but level with the funding allocated in the House version of the bill.

NSC will continue to monitor sequestration talks and weigh in with policymakers as necessary. Follow us on Twitter or like us on Facebook for up-to-the-minute updates.

House & Senate Committee Assignments: House Committees: Click here: Boehner Statement on GOP Steering Committee Recommendations for Committee Chairmanships in the 113th Congress | Sp (see below) Click here: Pelosi Announces Ranking Members for the 113th Congress | Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (see below) Senate Committees yet to be finalized: Click here: Committee Assignments For 113th Congress Approved By Democratic Steering Committee | Senate Democrats (see below) In the Senate, Democrats on December 12 announced their committee membership recommendations for Democratic Senators in the 113th Congress. Those recommendations are subject to Democratic caucus and full Senate approval, which will occur when the 113th Congress convenes in early January. Notable new assignments include Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), who will chair the Senate Budget Committee, and Senator-elects Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Chris Murphy (D-CT), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), who will be joining the Senate HELP Committee. Due to the passing of Senator Daniel Inouye (D-HI) on December 18, Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) will chair the full Appropriations Committee. These changes, along with likely appointment of Senator Kerry (D-MA) as Secretary of State, will probably result in further committee changes early in the 113th Congress. Senate Republicans have not yet announced their committee assignments for the 113th Congress.

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Boehner Statement on GOP Steering Committee Recommendations for Committee Chairmanships in the 113th Congress Posted by Speaker Boehner Press Office November 27, 2012 Press Release

WASHINGTON, DC – House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) issued the following statement today on the House Republican Steering Committee’s chairmanship recommendations for the 113th Congress. The Steering Committee’s recommendations will be presented to the full House Republican Conference tomorrow for ratification. “Our team will continue focusing on reforms that will grow our economy and create new jobs, and on holding the Obama administration accountable through aggressive oversight of the Executive Branch. The House of Representatives is an outpost in Democratic-controlled Washington for the priorities of the American people, and I have every confidence that the chairmen selected today are up to the task of translating those priorities into solutions Americans are counting on to get our economy moving again.” HOUSE COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN FOR THE 113TH CONGRESS

• Agriculture – Rep. Frank Lucas (R-OK)

• Appropriations – Rep. Hal Rogers (R-KY)

• Armed Services – Rep. Howard “Buck” McKeon (R-CA)

• Budget – Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI)

• Education and the Workforce – Rep. John Kline (R-MN)

• Energy and Commerce – Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI)

• Financial Services – Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX)

• Foreign Affairs – Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA)

• Homeland Security – Rep. Mike McCaul (R-TX)

• Intelligence – Rep. Mike Rogers (R-MI)

• Judiciary – Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA)

• Natural Resources – Rep. Doc Hastings (R-WA)

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• Oversight and Government Reform – Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA)

• Rules – Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX)

• Science, Space, and Technology – Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX)

• Small Business – Rep. Sam Graves (R-MO)

• Transportation and Infrastructure – Rep. Bill Shuster (R-PA)

• Veterans’ Affairs – Rep. Jeff Miller (R-FL)

• Ways and Means – Rep. Dave Camp (R-MI)

NOTE: Chairmanship selections for the House Administration and Ethics Committees will be announced at a later date. A full list of House Republican leadership for the 113th Congress can be found here. UPDATED 11/30/12: Rep. Candice Miller (R-MI) was appointed to serve as chair of the House Administration Committee.

Pelosi Announces Ranking Members for the 113th Congress December 5, 2012

Washington, D.C. – Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi announced today that the House Democratic Caucus has approved Ranking Members of House committees in the 113th Congress. Please see the attached graphic.

“Our caucus looks like America – and so do our Ranking Members,” Leader Pelosi said. “With decades of experience, wisdom, and public service, these men and women will ensure that the voices of all Americans have a seat at the committee table, as we work together to create jobs, grow the economy, and strengthen the middle class.”

The Democratic Ranking Members for the next Congress are:

• Agriculture – Collin Peterson of Minnesota • Appropriations – Nita Lowey of New York • Armed Services – Adam Smith of Washington • Budget – Chris Van Hollen of Maryland • Education & the Workforce – George Miller of California • Energy & Commerce – Henry Waxman of California • Ethics – Linda Sanchez of California • Financial Services – Maxine Waters of California • Foreign Affairs – Eliot Engel of New York • Homeland Security – Bennie Thompson of Mississippi

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• House Administration – Robert Brady of Pennsylvania • Judiciary – John Conyers of Michigan • Natural Resources – Edward Markey of Massachusetts • Oversight & Government Reform – Elijah Cummings of Maryland • Rules – Louise Slaughter of New York • Science, Space & Technology – Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas • Small Business – Nydia Velazquez of New York • Transportation & Infrastructure – Nick Rahall of West Virginia • Veterans’ Affairs – Michael Michaud of Maine • Ways & Means – Sander Levin of Michigan • Select Committee on Intelligence – Dutch Ruppersberger of Maryland • Joint Economic Committee – Carolyn Maloney of New York

Virginia Congressional Members (January 2013)

Virginia

SENATORS

Kaine, Tim - (D - VA) B40C DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 (202) 224-4024

Warner, Mark R. - (D - VA) 475 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 (202) 224-2023 Web Form: www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=Contact

Senator Warner serves on the following committees and subcommittees:

• Committee on Banking, Housing & Urban Affairs

• Housing, Transportation, and Community Development • Security and International Trade and Finance • Securities, Insurance, and Investment

• Committee on the Budget

• Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation

• Aviation Operations, Safety and Security • Communications & Technology • Competitiveness, Innovation, and Export Promotion • Science and Space • Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine

• Committee on Rules & Administration

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• Select Committee on Intelligence • Joint Economic Committee

Source: http://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/committees 1/4/13

REPRESENTATIVES

By congressional district:

Virginia District Name Party 1 Wittman, Robert J. R 2 Rigell, Scott R 3 Scott, Robert C. D 4 Forbes, J. Randy R 5 Hurt, Robert R 6 Goodlatte, Bob R 7 Cantor, Eric R 8 Moran, James D 9 Griffith, Morgan R 10 Wolf, Frank R 11 Connolly, Gerald E. "Gerry" D

Source: http://www.house.gov/representatives/#state_va 1/4/13

Committee Assignments For 113th Congress Approved By Democratic Steering Committee Dec 12, ’12 3:20 PM Categories News Tags committees

Reid: Assignments “Will Allow All Members Of Our Caucus To Bring Their Unique Talents And Expertise To Bear As We Work Together To Advance The Interests Of The Middle Class.”

Washington, D.C. – In a meeting today, the Democratic Steering Committee approved committee assignments for Democratic senators in the 113th Congress. A list of the anticipated assignments is below.

“I am excited to work with the members of our expanded majority. Our caucus is more diverse than ever, with a record sixteen female Democratic senators serving in the next Congress,” said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. “These committee assignments will allow all members of our caucus to bring their unique talents and expertise to bear as we work together to advance the interests of the middle class.”

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The anticipated committee assignments are subject to approval by the full Democratic caucus and approval of an organizing resolution by the full Senate when the 113th Congress convenes in January.

Anticipated Committee Democratic Assignments for the 113th Congress (Subject to Caucus and full Senate approval)

Names listed in descending order of seniority with new committee members in italics:

AGRICULTURE – 113th Congress Leahy Harkin Baucus Stabenow – CHAIRMAN Sherrod Brown Casey Klobuchar Bennet Gillibrand Donnelly Heitkamp APPROPRIATIONS – 113th Inouye – CHAIRMAN Leahy Harkin Mikulski Murray Feinstein Durbin Tim Johnson Landrieu Reed Lautenberg Pryor Tester T. Udall Shaheen Merkley ARMED SERVICES – 113th Levin – CHAIRMAN Reed Bill Nelson McCaskill Mark Udall

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Hagan Begich Manchin Shaheen Gillibrand Blumenthal Donnelly Kaine King BANKING – 113th Tim Johnson – CHAIRMAN Reed Schumer Menendez Sherrod Brown Tester Warner Merkley Hagan Manchin Warren Heitkamp COMMERCE – 113th Inouye Rockefeller – CHAIRMAN Kerry Boxer Bill Nelson Cantwell Lautenberg Pryor McCaskill Klobuchar Warner Begich Blumenthal ENERGY – 113th Wyden – CHAIRMAN Tim Johnson Landrieu Cantwell Sanders Stabenow

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Mark Udall Franken Manchin Coons Hirono Heinrich EPW – 113th Baucus Boxer – CHAIRMAN Carper Lautenberg Cardin Sanders Whitehouse Tom Udall Merkley Gillibrand

FINANCE – 113th Baucus – CHAIRMAN Rockefeller Kerry Wyden Schumer Stabenow Cantwell Bill Nelson Menendez Carper Cardin Sherrod Brown Bennet FOREIGN RELATIONS – 113th Kerry – CHAIRMAN Boxer Menendez Cardin Casey Shaheen Coons Tom Udall Murphy Kaine

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HELP – 113th Harkin – CHAIRMAN Mikulski Murray Sanders Casey Hagan Franken Bennet Whitehouse Baldwin Murphy Warren HSGAC – 113th Levin Carper – CHAIRMAN Pryor Landrieu McCaskill Tester Begich Baldwin Heitkamp INTELLIGENCE – 113th Rockefeller Feinstein – CHAIRMAN Wyden Mikulski Mark Udall Warner Heinrich King JUDICIARY – 113th Leahy – CHAIRMAN Feinstein Schumer Durbin Whitehouse Klobuchar Franken Coons Blumenthal Hirono

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AGING – 113th Wyden Bill Nelson – CHAIRMAN Casey McCaskill Whitehouse Gillibrand Manchin Blumenthal Baldwin Donnelly Warren BUDGET – 113th Murray – CHAIRMAN Wyden Bill Nelson Stabenow Sanders Whitehouse Warner Merkley Coons Baldwin Kaine King JOINT ECONOMIC – 113th Casey – CHAIRMAN Klobuchar Warner Sanders Murphy Heinrich RULES – 113th Inouye Feinstein Schumer – CHAIRMAN Durbin Murray Pryor Tom Udall Warner Leahy

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King SMALL BUSINESS – 113th Levin Harkin Kerry Landrieu – CHAIRMAN Cantwell Pryor Cardin Shaheen Hagan Heitkamp VETERANS’ AFFAIRS – 113th Rockefeller Murray Sanders – CHAIRMAN Sherrod Brown Tester Begich Blumenthal Hirono ETHICS – 113th Boxer – CHAIRMAN Pryor Sherrod Brown

INDIAN AFFAIRS – 113th Inouye Tim Johnson Cantwell –CHAIRMAN Tester Tom Udall Franken Begich Heitkamp

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Agenda Item VI. D. Program Planning & Development Committee Report Last meeting held on November 27, 2012 Members in Attendance: Ms. Sara Dunnigan (Chair) Mr. Mac McGinty Mr. John Easter Ms. April Timmons Guests: Mr. James Maris, ResCare Ms. Stacey Crump, ResCare Ms. Shelia Lewis, ResCare Resource WIB Staff: Ms. Rosalyn Key-Tiller Connie Green The November 27, 2012 Program Planning and Development Committee meeting focused primarily on a presentation on the ResCare Academy, the review of training provider program applications and potential updates to the Resource Individual Training Account (ITA) policy. Service Provider Applications: The Virginia Barber School – Barber Stylist Program – Recertification request was reviewed and in light of the fact that this program produces graduates in a non-targeted industry that has low demand in the region, the motion to approve the moving the program forward for recertification consideration by the Resource Workforce Investment Board was tabled. Presentation: The ResCare Academy Overview PowerPoint and live site (www.rescareacademy.com) demonstration discussion surrounded the purpose, which individuals (intensive access based on contract and core access volunteered by ResCare) may access the system and to what degree, how access and use of the system occurs, what courses and certificates are available, challenges for the non-computer literate and those without at-home computer and/or email and internet access. Challenges and concerns regarding expectations, roles and information sharing were discussed.

Discussion Items: The language of the current Individual Training Account (ITA) policy was reviewed, including potential pros and cons of capping the ITA amount at $4,000 per participant per year. Costs, impacts on training

Committee Purpose: This committee is responsible for recommending future programs and policy; planning new programs; developing policies for the WIA operational plan; focusing on the business customer; initiating requests for programs and strategic alliances between economic development and education; and aligning program development across the workforce system. ________________________________ ________________________________ Committee Members: Ms. Sara Dunnigan (Chair) Mr. Mac McGinty Mr. Kevin Bruny Ms. Barbara Gibson Mr. William Leigers Ms. Dale Batten Ms. Heather Pollard Ms. Thelma Watson Ms. Karen Aylward Ms. Kerri McDaniels Mr. Shawn Rozier Ms. April Timmons Mr. John Easter Mr. Jamison Manion

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enrollments and credential rates, and the need to marry the programs with the high demand industries and occupations were considered and it was deemed that additional information may be needed. The committee’s intent is to implement the policy change in early 2013 and then to apply it to all re-certifications in June to take full effect by July 1, 2013. The Chair is working on a draft update of the ITA policy for potential consideration. The Program & Development Committee will also be working with the QA Committee to update the training provider application and incorporate the scorecard. Finally, the Committee members will be reviewing the document “The Promise of Career Pathways System Change: What Role Should Workforce Investment Systems Play? What Benefits Will Result?” for discussion in January.

Next Meeting: January 24, 2013 8:30am to 10:30am Cedar Fork Workforce Center

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Agenda Item VI. E. Finance Committee Report Last meeting held on November 28, 2012 Members in Attendance: Ms. Sonji Rollins-Tucker (Chair) Ms. Jane Crawley Mr. Dwight Jones (via Phone) Mr. Larry Lyons Guests in Attendance:

Leontine Jameson, Director, Goals Institute (Out of School Youth)

Erin Kapoor, Goals Institute

Staff in Attendance:

Rosalyn Key-Tiller, Resource Director

Elsie Best, Resource Finance Manager

Carla Cosby, Administrative Assistant

The Finance Committee met on November 28th and considered three (3) items for decision:

A. Identify the Members of the Finance Committee to serve on a sub-committee charged with examining how the region might approach general fund contributions from the eight jurisdictions that comprise the Capital Region. The committee

agreed to appoint the following four members and to request that Mr. Holland appoint four members of the Consortium to serve. The Finance Committee members asked to serve on the sub-committee are:

1. Larry Lyons 2. Cordell Briggs 3. C.B. Sinclair 4. Sonji Rollins-Tucker

In addition to the appointment of the members, the Committee also discussed using a facilitator to assist the sub-committee in its work. Staff was directed to contact Dr. William Bosher at Virginia Commonwealth University to determine his interest in and willingness to facilitate the process given his involvement with the WIB and the CLEOs during the merger of the region.

B. Strumpf and Associates “No Cost Extension” through April 30, 2013. The Committee was made

aware of the remaining balance at November 28th on the Strumpf Contract, $33,650. The items not completed to date from the current contract are related to the development of the Non-Profit 501 ( c ) 3; completion of the strategic plan process to the final document; assistance in developing the Business and Continuous Quality Improvement Plans for Cedar Fork and Richmond; and some yet unused on site Technical Assistance Days budgeted for committees.

Committee Purpose:

The purpose of the Finance Committee is to prepare and oversee the budget for the WIB for each fiscal year. The Committee reviews program needs based on Committee work and develops a budget based on these items. The Committee recommends the budget to the Executive Committee and the full WIB. This Committee also: ∙Develops New Sources of Funds∙Oversees the Financial Stability of the Organization∙Monitors the∙Allocation of Resources∙Reviews Expenditures∙and makes Recommendations to the WIB on all Budget Amendments. ________________________________

Committee Members:

Ms. Sonji Rollins-Tucker (Chair)

Mr. William (Bill) Auchmoody

Mr. Cordell Briggs

Ms. Jane Crawley

The Honorable James Holland

Mr. Dwight Jones

Mr. Larry Lyons

The Honorable Ellen Robertson

Mr. CB Sinclair

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The Strumpf Contract is renewable and therefore a renewal agreement must be developed that reflects the no additional cost for the outstanding work which will be detailed in the renewal. The remainder of the renewal contract requirements cannot be included until the Strategic Plan is completed and the Board has identified any additional work that Strumpf, Inc. will be asked to support during the period January 1, 2013 through December 31, 2013. The Finance Committee approved the “No Cost Extension” only.

C. Request to Amend the Out of School Youth Contract Budget

The Committee received a request from the Out of School Youth Program Director, Leontine Jameson, to amend the line item budget of the Goals Institute to increase the funds available for direct participant services. Funds are being moved from the Staff Salaries and Fringe line items, $180,000 to Direct Participant Services. The $180,000 reflects unexpended funds associated with the late start-up and from not hiring several positions resulting in a cost savings to support more direct participant costs. The Committee approved the budget amendment.

There was only one item of Discussion at the meeting which did not require a decision by the committee.

Update on the KRA Audit KPMG initiated the audit of KRA after several false starts and has agreed to have the audit completed no later than December 31, 2012. The Finance Committee will receive the audit report and will make a report to the Board at the appropriate meeting as soon as possible.

Next Meeting: February28, 2013 3:00pm to 5:00pm Resource Workforce Center 121 Cedar fork Road, Board Room

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RESOURCE Agenda Item VII.B. and C. Staff Report

B. Earlier Than Expected Move to 203 E. Cary Street A request was made by Goodwill Industries to have the Resource Workforce Center move from the Midlothian facility by December 21, 2012 on December 3, 2012. Staff contacted the Real Property Officer at Henrico County. It was staff’s understanding that the lease was on a month to month arrangement with January, 2013 being the final month to allow for a smooth transition to the new facility at 203 E. Cary Street. Apparently, no document was prepared that provided for staying in place through January, 2013. Staff implemented its emergency plan and began arranging for the move without having furniture, telephones or internet services in place and with several items of repair to be done on the facility. The Board should recall that none of the furnishings or equipment could be requisitioned until after October 1, 2012 given the caps on expenditures in the WIA program. The move is scheduled to occur the week of Christmas and will mean that the Midlothian facility will be closed. Customers have been informed that if enrolled their services will continue at Whitepine or Cedar Fork Road until the new site is ready to receive them on December 31, 2012. New customers may also utilize either of the two existing Centers and may transfer to the Richmond location effective December 31, 2012. Phones are expected to be installed the week of Christmas, but we have arranged for ResCare to transfer its existing phone system, Ring Tone, in the event no new service is in place. All of the cabling and computers to be used until the new equipment is made available has been installed and will be operational if at all possible by December 31, 2012. Comcast has been the hold up on the connection. We are setting up the Resource Room, one classroom, and one computer lab for the initial move and will have the conference room available as well. Offices will be outfitted with tables and chairs until new furnishings are available. All new equipment and furnishings are expected to be delivered and installed sometime around the middle of January. The installation will be arranged to create as little interruption as possible to service delivery. Staff will keep you posted.

C. Governor’s Budget for Workforce Development Attached is a copy of the information contained in the Governor’s Budget for Workforce Development. Note the large sums associated with Career Pathways.

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Governor McDonnell’s Workforce Budget Package

The proposed workforce budget proposals move forward the three primary goals of the Governor’s Workforce Development strategy: increasing the number of education and workforce credentials attained by Virginians; increasing the number of Virginians trained and prepared for technician level jobs in key industry sectors;and increasing collaboration and resource sharing between federal and state funded career and technical education and workforce programs in Virginia to drive improved performance against common outcomes identified by the Governor, Virginia Workforce Council, and industry advisory groups. The initiatives focus oncollaboration and leveraging of resources between community colleges and other higher education partners, school divisions, economic and workforce development entities, business and industry, and Workforce Investment Boards (WIBs) for the purpose of increasing education credential attainment and employment in targeted industry sectors. State and Regional Career Pathways Development ($1,750,000)

Provides for 15 regional career pathways grants to support sector strategies and lifelong career pathways development statewide

Requires engagement of WIBs, community colleges, other higher education entities, school divisions, economic development and business and industry

Pathways grants must target priority industry sectors: manufacturing, IT, life sciences, energy, logistics Funding provides for state outreach and marketing, technical assistance to regions, and evaluation

Virginia Longitudinal Data System ($191,355)

Provides for sustainability and improvements in multi-agency VLDS system Funding for acquiring additional data through National Student Clearinghouse and technology and data

analysis functions

Planning Grant for Advanced Manufacturing Center at Thomas Nelson Community College ($125,000) Support community college and WIB planning of advanced manufacturing center to meet projected

regional needs for more than 11,000 positions in 11 occupations in 14 major manufacturing companies. Proposed center will provide high school career and technical education, community college credit

bearing courses and programs, and non-credit workforce training

Planning Grant for Governor’s Academy for Student Apprenticeships and Trades ($100,000) Support regional planning team of school divisions, community college, business and industry and other

stakeholders in developing a Governor’s Academy to target high school students who want to graduate and go to work.

Focus on improving and expanding high school training in trades through applied math and science for targeted occupations and a robust pre-apprenticeship program

Precision Machining Center at Danville Community College ($3,700,000)

Supports expansion of Center and equipment to double the training capacity of precision machining programs with a 95% job placement rate and current wait list of 40.

Plan is to provide high school dual-enrollment instruction in advanced manufacturing as well as community college credit and non-credit instruction

$2 million committed through private sources and $1,075,000 by the college.

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Staff Report Agenda Item VII. E.

RESOURCESTAFFING CHART

John A.Vithoulkas

COUNTY MANAGER

Jane D. Crawley

DEPUTY COUNTY MANAGER FOR COMMUNITY SERVICES

ROSALYN KEY-TILLERDIRECTOR/FISCAL AGENT

REPRESENTATIVE

Connie Green

Program Manager

Employment & Training Specialist -Adult/DW

VACANT

Employment & Training Specialist

Adult/DW Replacement

VACANT

Employment & Training Specialist

Adult/DW New

Tracy Richardson

Technology

Support Specialist I

Elsie Best

Business Supervisor

All Grants

VACANT

Accounting Clerk III

All Grants

Krishawn Monroe

Program Manager

Employment & Training Specialist - Youth

VACANT

Employment & Training Specialist - Youth

Replacement

VACANT

Employment & Training Specialist -

Youth New

Adam Austin

Communications Officer

Coordinator I

Carla Cosby

Administrative Assistant

Liz Rennie Lungut

Business Solutions Coordinator I

Business Solutions Team

CLEOSChief Local Elected

Officials WIB

One Stop Operator Team

One Stop System Manager

VETEC

Employment & Training Specialist

Whitepine GreeterVETEC

Employment & Training Specialist

Raymond Jones

Facilities Manager

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Unemployment Insurance

North Carolina lawmakers next year plan topush a major unemployment insurance re-form that will reduce benefits, raise taxesand change eligibility requirements to pro-mote rapid reemployment ..........................189

WIA Reauthorization

As reauthorization of the Workforce Invest-ment Act becomes nearly a decade overdue,workforce policy experts reached no clearconsensus on what is in store for 2013, otherthan funding uncertainty ............................190

Disability

Promising new longer-term outcomes froma diversion demonstration project suggestthat a hefty impact on work and earnings ispossible by offering Social Security Disabil-ity Insurance beneficiaries health care andemployment counseling ..............................191

PovertyAdults moved in with relatives and ac-quaintances for economic reasons ingreater numbers and proportions in 2011than before the recession. Their food aid up-take is also higher, but public assistance re-ceipt remains flat .........................................193

Youth ProgramsEvaluations of the dynamics of youth em-ployment programs after the summer of 2009find that year-round programs asked moreresponsibility of participants and focusedon private jobs in 2010 ...............................194

African-Americans

When the Central Florida Urban Leaguestarts training 12 Orlando African-Ameri-cans in broadband wiring installation nextmonth, it will be the latest step in an initia-tive to bridge the so-called digital dividethrough employment ...................................195

Trade AdjustmentDespite widespread employer satisfactionand job retention in Trade Adjustment As-sistance for Firms, some officials chal-lenged the program’s performance and fundsreporting .......................................................196

EmploymentSurveyed California farmers said they hadtrouble finding enough workers to tend andharvest crops ................................................198

Training ProvidersATI Career Training schools in Albuquerque

and Oklahoma City reportedly shut down,suddenly locking out students .................198

Labor Market InformationNewer companies may pay less and havefewer jobs, but they offer more opportunitiesto advance .....................................................198

Fraud and AbuseA former senior manager of a Chicago-areaworkforce agency pleaded guilty to falsify-ing intake and eligibility documents .....199

Occupational OutlookSome holiday jobs, such as playing Santa,can be surprisingly rewarding, according tojob search analysis ......................................200

Bulletin Board: .............................................................................................................. 188

The next issue of the Employment & Training Reporter will be published Jan. 14, 2013 .

✰ Employment & Training Reporter ✰12/17/12 ✰ Copyright © 2012 by MII Publications Inc.

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✰ Employment & Training Reporter ✰

188

Bulletin Board

IN MEMORIAM

JAMES HODGSON — Twelfth Secretary of LaborJames Hodgson, 96, died on Nov. 28, his family an-nounced last week.

Serving the Nixon Administration, Hodgson ledthe department from 1970 to 1973, overseeing thei n i t i a l imp l emen t a t i o n o f t h e Eme rgencyEmployment Act, which provided transitionalpublic sector jobs to troops returning from theVietnam War, as well as the Occupational Safety andHealth Act. At the end of his first year in office, heissued a statement of goals, accomplishments andpriorities, calling to “improve, streamline anddecentralize the delivery of services to people.”Hodgson touted an increase in the number of localveterans representatives deployed across the countryas well as the establishment of job banks in 60metropolitan areas and an overhaul of Job Corps thatclosed low-performing centers and opened new ones(ETR 1/13/71, p. 213).

Before leading DOL, he served in the Navy duringWorld War II and rose to become vice president forindustrial relations at Lockheed Corporation.Hodgson later served as U.S. Ambassador to Japan,during the Ford Administration.

COLLEAGUES

FLORIDA — JESSE PANUCCIO was selected byGov. Rick Scott (R) to serve as executive director of

the Department of Economic Opportunity. Panucciohas been the governor’s deputy general counsel aswell as a state prosecutor. He replaces HuntingDeutsch, who resigned amid questions from newspa-pers and state lawmakers about his receipt of unem-ployment benefits from September 2009 throughMay 2011, while he reportedly vacationed in Europeafter the failure of BankUnited, where he was execu-tive vice president of wealth management.

EMPLOYMENT & TRAINING REPORTER — Published in Washington, D.C., weekly, except for publishing holidays.(ISSN: 1529-4102). Year 44, Issue 2132.

Executive Editor: CECILIO MORALES; Senior Editor: RYAN HESS; Desk Editor: LUCY W. SCOTT

Customer Service: MII Publications, P.O. Box 34504, Washington, D.C. 20043. E-mail: service@miipublications.com.Web: www.miipublications.com

Editorial: MII Publications, 1800 I Street N.W., Suite 301, Washington, D.C. 20006-5437. Telephone: (202) 347-4822.Fax: (202) 347-4893. E-mail: editor@miipublications.com. Web: www.miipublications.com

A one-year full-price subscription to the EMPLOYMENT & TRAINING REPORTER includes:✰ a news briefing on policy, program design, audit, management, and practical problem-solving✰ ETR’s custom directory compiled exclusively for subscribers✰ occasional source documents

$897 per year. Visa / MasterCard accepted.Site and group licenses available, contact: lucyscott@miipublications.com.To order, submit subscriber’s name, address, telephone, and e-mail to MII Publications, P.O. 34504, Washington, D.C.20043, or PHONE: (202) 347-4822. FAX: (202) 347-4893. E-MAIL: service@miipublications.com; WEB:www.miipublications.com.

THIS PUBLICATION MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED IN ANY FORM WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION.SUBSTANTIAL PENALTIES APPLY UNDER FEDERAL LAW.

see BULLETIN BOARD, p. 200

The San Francisco Office of Economicand Workforce Development (OEWD)

Workforce Development Division iscurrently recruiting a Business Services

Manager.

Applications are due January 7, 2013.

To apply, visit our website athttp://www.oewd.org/About_OEWD-Employment

.aspx

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Current National Developments

Unemployment Insurance

N.C. PLAN PUSHES RAPID JOB GRABTHROUGH BENEFIT CUTS, TAX HIKE

North Carolina lawmakers next year plan to pusha major unemployment insurance reform that will re-duce benefits, raise taxes and change eligibility re-quirements to promote rapid reemployment.

At least one critic labeled the plan “extreme” evencompared with UI reforms proposed or enacted overthe past few years by conservative state policymak-ers. One part of the measure could force UI claim-ants to accept jobs paying $10.50 per hour.

The General Assembly’s Revenue Laws StudyCommittee met Dec. 5 to unveil an unemploymentinsurance reform designed to reduce the costs of job-less benefits and accelerate repayment of a trust fundsolvency loan owed to the federal government.

The proposal bundles together several differentmethods for cutting back on UI payments that aremodeled after measures adopted separately by otherstates over the past two years.

North Carolina was among the majority of statesthat took out trust fund solvency loans from the fed-eral government when recession-level UI claimsdrained the state’s UI trust fund. Borrowing there,however, was relatively high and the state has strug-gled to pay the money back under its UI financingmeasures.

The state owes $2.4 billion in principal and is pro-jected to be charged another $500 million in interest.This is the third largest outstanding loan balance be-hind those of California and New York.

Because of the outstanding balance, NorthCarolina, like 19 other states, is incurring a FederalUnemployment Tax Act credit reduction, meaningthat employers faced an automatic additional tax ofabout $42 per employee.

If the state does nothing to raise revenue or con-tain costs, the tax credit reduction and employers’costs will grow until the loan is paid off. State legis-lative analysts project that North Carolina will be be-hind on this loan through 2019.

The Revenue Laws Study Committee is a specialpanel of House and Senate lawmakers that convenesto address specific ways and means related issues.Republicans, in charge of both chambers of the Gen-eral Assembly, control the panel and decided to pro-pose a series of UI reforms to be taken up next year,when the state will have a Republican governor, for-mer Charlotte mayor Patrick McCrory, for the firsttime since 1993.

The plan unveiled by the special committee is ex-pected to generate sufficient savings and revenue inthe state’s UI program to pay off the solvency loanand eliminate the additional tax on employers by2016.

The centerpiece of the reform is a reduction in thenumber of weeks of benefits available to jobseekers.North Carolina, like most states, offers a maximumduration of state benefits of 26 weeks. The proposalwould introduce graduated weeks of benefits eligi-bility, based on the state’s unemployment rate at thetime a claim is filed.

If the jobless rate is 5.5 percent or less, 12 weeksof benefits would be available. At 6 percent unem-ployment, maximum duration would be 13 weeks.The scale would progress to the point where a maxi-mum of 20 weeks of benefits would be available to aclaimant filing when the unemployment rate is 9 per-cent.

Florida Pattern

This reform would be patterned after a similargraduated scale for benefit weeks, enacted in Floridain 2011, though Florida’s version of this policy isslightly more generous, offering a maximum of 23weeks of state UI benefits (ETR 10/10/11, p. 76).

The reform plan also calls for a change to motivatequick reemployment by disqualifying claimantswho refuse jobs because of their wage offerings, af-ter they have received 10 weeks of benefits.

UI claimants generally must accept “suitablework” though definitions for suitable work differsignificantly among states.

The proposal for North Carolina would disqualifyclaimants who reject jobs paying at least 120 percentof their weekly benefit amount.

Michigan lawmakers enacted a similar (slightlyless restrictive) reform in January (ETR 1/9/12, p.217).

The difference between this proposal and policiesin other states that define suitable employment interms of the offered wage is that in other states thebenchmark is the wage at the claimants’ previousjob, not the UI benefit.

Magnifying the effect of this measure, the pro-posal would reduce weekly benefit amounts.

North Carolina pays an average UI benefit of $291per week, capped at $525, in line with the nationalaverage but generous when compared with othersouthern states.

The reform plan would lower the maximumweekly benefit to $350 and make several changes in

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the way benefits are calculated to lower the averagepayment.

In addition, after the 10th week of benefits, evenjobseekers who previously worked in high-payingpositions could lose their benefits if they reject a jobpaying as little as $420 per week. That’s $10.50 perhour.

The legislative proposal contains several otherchanges to UI eligibility. It cuts out good-cause poli-cies that allow jobseekers to claim UI after they vol-untarily leave a job, making exceptions only for vic-tims of domestic violence and military spouses fol-lowing a station transfer.

Taxes

The reform plan would also raise payroll taxes.North Carolina’s UI tax rates currently start at 1.2

percent for new employers and can range from zeroto 5.7 percent, depending on an employer’s experi-ence rating. The taxable wage base to which theserates are applied is $20,900.

The proposal would increase the minimum andmaximum tax rates by 0.06 percentage point.

It would also change UI coverage options that al-low nonprofits to reimburse the state for UI pay-ments rather than pay up front. The proposalrequires these groups to make a down payment in or-der to qualify for the reimbursement option.

The proposal would also eliminate programs thatfund employment and training services with UI trustfund interest in times of solvency.

The North Carolina Chamber praised the proposalin a statement that said, “We understand that busi-nesses will have to shoulder more taxes in order tohelp make the fund solvent.”

Chamber President Lew Ebert, in a column pub-lished by the Charlotte Observer, wrote that the“single biggest storm cloud” hanging over the state’seconomy is uncertainty about the FUTA tax and thestate’s ability to pay off the federal loan.

“A boost in the cost of N.C. jobs, especially at atime our unemployment rate is higher than the na-tional average, is certainly not an ideal solution forthis serious problem,” he wrote.

Bill Rowe, director of advocacy, for the NorthCarolina Justice Center, responded that the proposalplaces an undue burden on the unemployed for stateUI system solvency.

“The proposal is the most extreme reduction ofbenefit amounts, duration, and eligibility that anystate has enacted or seriously considered. It putsNorth Carolina out of line with other states and dis-connects the unemployment insurance system fromthe economy that it is meant to protect in a downturn.It is a proposal that is neither effective reform, bal-anced, or fair,” Rowe said in a statement.

—Ryan Hess

WIA Reauthorization

EXPERTS’ PANEL CRINGES ATFUTURE OF WORKFORCE POLICY

Acknowledging that reauthorization of theWorkforce Investment Act is now nearly a decadeoverdue, a panel of experts on the nation’s workforcepolicies weighed in without clear consensus on whatis in store next year, other than funding concerns anddebate over whether there really is a skill shortage.

WIA was signed into law on Aug. 7, 1998, andwas due for reauthorization before Sept. 30, 2003.Five Congresses and two and a half presidentialterms have since passed.

On Dec. 12, the Brookings Institution invitedwell-regarded workforce development policy ob-servers to opine on the future of workforce develop-ment policy.

“You have to keep hope alive,” said Andy VanKleunen, executive director of the National SkillsCoalition, regarding the prospects for reautho-rization.

“If you have been working on these issues forquite a while, you have to find a silver lining,” hesaid, explaining that he was impressed that duringthis year’s presidential campaign, both candidatestalked about skills and workforce training.

Mitt Romney focused mainly on Paul Ryan’s bud-get proposal to consolidate programs, but the victor,President Obama, spent much of 2011 and 2012building a platform of proposals that tell us wherehis interests might be, according to Van Kleunen.

The suite of reemployment programs called for bythe American Jobs Act included subsidized employ-ment, increased reemployment services for unem-ployment insurance recipients, work sharing andwage insurance (ETR 9/19/11, p. 30). In March, theadministration called on Congress to replace theTrade Adjustment Assistance program with a uni-versal dislocated worker program that would pro-vide training to more workers (ETR 3/19/12, p. 325).

“This was a platform that the president was start-ing to develop on these issues, that he hoped to ad-dress in his second term,” Van Kleunen said.

Still, the makeup of the 113th Congress will besimilar to that of the 112th, and House Republicansare likely to push program consolidation and re-duced spending, he conceded.

WIA has drawn “significantly less attention thanone might imagine on the ground,” given the joblosses of the recession and relatively slow growthsince, said Elisabeth Jacobs, a Brookings govern-ment studies fellow.

“Right now we have a stalled system for address-ing what is arguably one of the biggest problems thatwe have today, which is the question of skills in thelabor market,” she said.

Louis Jacobson, president of New Horizons Eco-nomic Research and a significant contributor to

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workforce system evaluation literature, lamentedthat lawmakers complain of a lack of random assign-ment evaluation to show impacts by WIA programs,largely ignoring various cost-benefit analyses thatmake WIA programs attractive.

Jacobson has written several papers over the yearsexplaining that job search assistance tends to helpunemployment insurance claimants find jobs fasterthan other claimants, reducing benefit duration andproviding a positive cost benefit.

Jacobson published one such report, evaluatingthe Wagner-Peyser Employment Service in Wash-ington and Oregon, in 2001 — at a time when it couldhave been useful during an on-time WIA reautho-rization process (ETR 3/12/01, p. 417).

“Fairly Effective”

“I think there is general agreement in the econom-ics profession that these programs are fairly effec-tive. They are not perfect, but they are helpful,” Ja-cobson said.

“What is surprising to me is that the evidence doesnot carry much weight, and as a consequence, thepublic workforce system has been starved for fundsfor so many years … WIA programs should be at-tractive to both Joe Biden and Paul Ryan, becausethey not only benefit the unemployed and economi-cally disadvantaged, but they also boost economicgrowth,” he added.

Peter Cappelli, a management professor at theUniversity of Pennsylvania, said his impression ofwhat policymakers want to talk about — a perceivedskills gap and a need for greater program coordina-tion — hasn’t changed much since he served as astaffer on the DOL Commission on Workforce Qual-ity and Labor Market Efficiency in the late 1980s.

Cappelli is skeptical that there really is a skillsgap and contends that employers are being “cheap”by offering wages too low to attract skilled workersand “picky” in a crowded labor market.

His view was markedly different from that ofJennifer McNelly, president of the ManufacturingInstitute and a former staffer in the Employment andTraining Administration’s Business RelationsGroup, who argued that there is a skills gap and citedemployer survey findings that most manufacturerssay they have trouble attracting workers with theright skills and that few turn to the workforce systemfor help.

Cappelli and McNelly did agree, however, that therecession and years of growing trade expansion lead-ing up to it have changed the business climate con-siderably since WIA was first authorized.

“We’ve now got a context where employers, forall kinds of reasons are requiring more. They are re-quiring more from job candidates, and they are notwilling to do as much as they used to, particularly inwork-based training. The policy problem is if em-

ployers are not going to be involved in this, how arewe going to get it done?” Cappelli said.

McNelly explained that manufacturers and otheremployers face competition from trade partners withlower labor costs.

But the workforce system can engage employersin its programs through industry-recognized creden-tials, she said, explaining that the National Associa-tion of Manufacturers will continue to push for theAmerica Works Act in future policy discussions.

The legislation, S 1243, would require workforceagencies and schools receiving federal technical ed-ucation funding to give programs offering indus-try-recognized credentials top priority.

All the panelists agreed that workforce systemfunding has diminished significantly over the yearsand is still targeted for cuts, which limits the effec-tiveness of programs.

Van Kleunen said he is wary of the deficit talksand threat of sequestration.

“Over the coming weeks, we need to make surethat we actually still have some programs that weneed to reform,” he said.

—Ryan Hess

Disability

SUPPORTS SEEN PROMISING FORATTACHMENT TO LABOR MARKET

New longer-term outcomes from a demonstrationproject that gave new Social Security Disability In-surance beneficiaries a health care plan and employ-ment counseling show a hefty impact on work andearnings, giving promise to the idea of disability di-version services.

These are the conclusions of a Social Security Ad-ministration research official who presented unpub-lished data on outcomes of SSA’s Accelerated Bene-fit Demonstration Project.

The demonstration was authorized as part of theTicket to Work and Work Incentives ImprovementAct of 1999 and launched in 2006.

From 2007 through 2009, the project invited newentrants to the SSDI rolls — typically those leavingthe labor market because of the onset of a disability— to apply, through random assignment, for achance to receive a government-paid health careplan and a package of health and work supports.

One long-term advantage of being on the disabil-ity rolls is Medicare coverage, but SSDI beneficia-ries must wait two years from the date of their eligi-bility (which is sometimes backdated once the deci-sion is made) before the public health program willcover them.

Most new SSDI beneficiaries have some healthcoverage from their previous job or a spouse, but asizable share (about 23 percent, according to 2009

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Mathematica research) are uninsured during the24-month Medicare waiting period.

The Accelerated Benefits Demonstration Pro-gram aimed to test whether providing services thathelped individuals maintain or improve their healthand kept them attached to the labor market wouldlead to gains in health or employment.

Based on random assignment, voluntary appli-cants were given either a paid health insurance planor a health plan and additional counseling servicesor regular SSDI beneficiary treatment, which meantthey had to find their own insurance or do without.

The project was awarded to the research firmMDRC in 2006, with Mathematica serving as a sub-contractor. In early 2011, these groups published afinal report on the project with 12 months of fol-low-up after random assignment.

Findings at the time showed little impact on em-ployment, with rates near 10 percent across two pro-gram groups and a control group. About 16 percentof the group who had health coverage and additionalcounseling reported that they were looking for work,compared with about 12 percent of the controlgroup.

The outside evaluators thought these outcomeswere measured after too little time, and encouragedSSA to continue tracking participants through ad-ministrative records.

The agency has done so, and has seen more prom-ising results, according to Shelly Stegman, of SSA’sOffice of Program Development and Research.

Stegman presented two-year outcomes of thisprogram, at a Dec. 6 discussion hosted byMathematica.

Two Years

“The accelerated benefit demonstration projectprovides evidence that supplemental rehabilitationservices offered to new SSDI beneficiaries may im-prove employment-related outcomes,” she said.“This could be important to making sure they are notdisconnected from the labor force for too long.”

The study originally enrolled almost 2,000 peo-ple, though in presenting the recent findings,Stegman excluded about 500 people who enrolledduring the last year of intake, when participants wereno longer assigned to the group that received worksupports.

To be eligible, new SSDI beneficiaries had to bebetween 18 and 54 years old, uninsured and at least18 months away from qualifying for Medicare.

Applicants were assigned to either an AcceleratedBenefit tracking group, an Accelerated Benefit Plusgroup or the control group.

Both the AB and AB Plus groups received a healthplan; the AB Plus contingent also had access to threetypes of employment and health-related counseling,delivered over the phone.

The health plan for both program groups coveredbasic health care services, including hospitaliza-tions and regular doctor’s visits, as well as some re-habilitative treatments for individuals with mentalhealth and chemical dependency problems.

Copayments were generally lower than those ofMedicare.

Individuals covered by the plan were eligible touse up to $100,000 in coverage until they qualifiedfor Medicare.

AB Plus allowed participants to connect over thephone with three different counseling services.

Goals, Benefits

One counseling service, called the “ProgressiveGoal Attainment Program,” was motivational, en-couraging participants to adopt behavior consistentwith employment, such as a regular sleep schedule.A second service provided benefits counseling,geared toward explaining how employment affectsSSDI and other welfare benefits.

The third service connected clients with nurseswho helped them review medication schedules, un-derstand their insurance and find referrals to otherhealth services.

“We think that if we provide the right supports be-fore they apply, we can prevent them from a lifetimeof reliance on SSDI and Medicare,” Stegman said

Almost all individuals with AB health benefitsused them, most commonly for doctor’s visits, test-ing and prescriptions. The average claims were$19,265.

Close to three in four AB Plus clients used one ofthe additional services available to them. One-thirdmade use of the employment and benefits counsel-ing.

Based on SSA earnings record data at two andthree years after random assignment, agency offi-cials noticed an employment impact that was notevident at 12 months of follow-up.

More than 16 percent of AB Plus clients were em-ployed, compared with about 11 percent of AB cli-ents and control group clients.

Also, average annual earnings in that second yearwere more than $1,600 for AB Plus clients, com-pared with $600 for participants with only the healthcare coverage and $800 for control group members.

In studying the disability benefit rolls, research-ers conceded that many beneficiaries never return topaid employment. Factoring out study participantswho had no earnings, the average earnings of em-ployed AB Plus clients were about $10,000, com-pared with about $8,000 for control group membersand $6,000 for individuals with only the health plan.

SSA also has data on three-year outcomes forstudy participants. These findings show AB Plus cli-ents generally maintaining their second-year em-ployment and earnings levels, with the control group

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and participants with access only to the health cover-age catching up.

“Maybe participants in the AB Plus groups wereencouraged by the services to go back to work faster,but then maybe they decided not to continue a trendtoward more intensive employment to ensure thatthey could maintain their benefit,” Stegman said.

Craig Thornton, of Mathematica’s Health Ser-vices Research Division, had a slightly different takeon why the year-two impacts associated with theprogram faded in year three.

All participants in the program, including the con-trol group members who received none of its ser-vices or benefits, volunteered for the study, a signalof their desire for reemployment.

“I think the lesson is, don’t bet against volunteers.These are people who want to work. They want to getover their disabilities and get on with their lives,” hesaid.

—Ryan Hess

Poverty

RECESSION DRIVES ADULTS TODOUBLE UP WITH FAMILY, FRIENDS

Adults who are neither the spouse nor cohabitingpartner of householders moved in with relatives andacquaintances for economic reasons in greater num-bers and proportions in 2011 than before the reces-sion. Their food aid uptake is also higher, but publicassistance receipt remains flat.

The proportion of “additional adults” rose from16 percent before the recession to 17.9 percent in2011, according to one of three new papers by theU.S. Census Bureau using statistics from the Ameri-can Community Survey.

Adult children lived with their parents in greaternumbers and proportion in 2011 than before the re-cession, the reports state, confirming a much-specu-lated-about trend. Moreover, many adults sharing ahousehold with relatives would have been living inpoverty if they had been living on their own.

The paper explains that the official poverty ratefor additional adults in 2011 was 15.8 percent. How-ever, their individual poverty rate — if the additionaladults had lived alone — was 55.5 percent.

About half of all additional adults were childrenof the householder, 9.6 percent parents, 8.1 percentsiblings and 16 percent other relatives. Nonrelativesaccounted for the remaining 19.2 percent. However,the share of additional adults who were children ofthe householder increased by 1.7 percentage pointsbetween 2007 and 2011, while the percentage whowere parents or nonrelatives declined.

In 2011, these extra adults totaled 41.2 million.Between 2010 and 2011, their number increased by1.9 million, from 17.3 percent to 17.9 percent ofadults.

Sharing Trend

Shared households have increased as a proportionof all U.S. households in recent years. In 2007, be-fore the economic recession, 19.8 million or 17.6percent of households were shared. Shared house-holds peaked in 2010 at 22.2 million or 19.4 percentof all households, then dipped to 22 million or 19.2percent in 2011.

In the District of Columbia, California, Florida,Hawaii, New York and Nevada, 20 percent or moreof the population 18 and older lived in someoneelse’s household in 2011, the highest shares amongstates and equivalent jurisdictions.

The number and percentage of these adults in-creased in 40 states between 2007 and 2011. Floridaexperienced a 4.4 percentage point increase, thelargest increase, followed by Nevada (3.9 points).

More than one in three young adults 18 to 24 wereresidents in someone else’s household in 2011, aswere those ages 25 to 34. However, the older groupincreased by 4.5 points since 2007, compared with a1.7 point increase for those 18 to 24.

States in which more than one-third of youngadults 25 to 34 were additional adults included Cali-fornia, Florida, Hawaii, Maryland, New Jersey andNew York.

Another Census paper shows that in 2011, 14.9million households, or 13 percent, reported receiv-ing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programbenefits during the past 12 months, up from 11.9 per-cent in 2010. Forty-seven states and D.C. experi-enced a rise in participation, with D.C., Alabama andHawaii among the states with the largest increases.Oregon had the highest participation rate (18.9 per-cent).

Meanwhile, 3.3 million households, or 2.9 per-cent, in 2011 reported receiving some form of publicassistance benefits at some point in the previous 12months. “For the first time in several years, there wasno significant increase in the number or percentageof American households receiving public assistancebenefits relative to the previous year,” the Census pa-per explains.

Similarly for the first time in several years, thepercentage of households receiving public assis-tance declined in some states. Four states (Indiana,Iowa, New Hampshire and Utah) and D.C. had lowerparticipation rates in 2011 compared with 2010.However, seven states (Arkansas, Hawaii, Idaho,Maryland, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Virginia) hadincreases.

Seventeen states, mostly in the West and North-east, as well as D.C., had a higher than average par-ticipation rate among households. Conversely, 24states had lower participation rates than the U.S. av-erage, with 11 of them in the South and nine in theMidwest.

—Cecilio Morales

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Youth Programs

SUBSIDIZED WORK AFTER SUMMEROF ARRA SHIFTED DUTIES, FOCUS

New evaluations commissioned by the Employ-ment and Training Administration explore the dy-namics of youth employment programs after thesummer of 2009, finding that year-round programsasked more responsibility of participants and thatmaintenance of effort requirements increased focuson private sector placements in 2010.

ETA studies conducted by Mathematica PolicyResearch explore different aspects of youth employ-ment programs after the Recovery Act summer.

One looks at post-summer, longer-term employ-ment programs provided to out-of-school youth. Theother examines youth employment programs in thesummer of 2010, when TANF Emergency Fund dol-lars supplemented Workforce Investment Act re-sources in keeping these programs running.

These reports follow ETA’s main evaluations ofRecovery Act-funded summer youth programs,which were released in 2010 (ETR 3/29/10, p. 356,and 10/25/10, p. 102).

In 2009, after nearly a decade had passed since thefederal government dedicated funding specificallyfor summer youth employment programs, the Re-covery Act made $1.2 billion available to workforceagencies across the country. Federal officials andlawmakers emphasized using the money quickly,and by the end of the summer, more than 60 percenthad been spent on paychecks and services for about314,000 young people.

There has been no second infusion of federalfunding for youth employment, despite lingeringjoblessness. In June 2010, at the start of the follow-ing summer, the nation’s teen unemployment ratestood at 28.6 percent.

In Beyond a Summer Work Experience: The Re-covery Act 2009 Post-Summer Youth EmploymentInitiative, authors Pamela Holcomb, Jessica Zieglerand Elizabeth Laird examine a small sampling ofprojects that offered out-of-school young peoplelonger-term work placements with the remainder oftheir Recovery Act funding.

ETA, through guidance on the Recovery Act fund-ing, allowed workforce agencies to provide older,out-of-school young people work experiences last-ing up to six months.

Looking at eight sites in seven states, the re-searchers found that workforce agencies were“heavily influenced” in the design of their post-sum-mer programs by the work they had done construct-ing their summer programs.

Most programs simply extended the work experi-ences of older, out-of-school young people who hadparticipated in the summer program.

These were much smaller in scope than summerinitiatives because sites had spent down much of

their funding. Projects ranged from about 40 partici-pants in Bangor, Maine, to 2,000 in Los Angeles.However, all sites saw far greater demand for slots intheir jobs programs than could be fulfilled.

Rather than the six to eight weeks that most sum-mer youth employment programs lasted, these ef-forts subsidized jobs for a much longer duration.Participants who may have started in the summerprograms ended up having subsidized jobs for six to11 months.“Most sites chose to continue workingwith a subset of their SYEI providers, youth and em-ployers to provide a longer work experience to older,out-of-school youth,” according to the researchers.

Differences

But there were differences between summer andlong-term programs.

While it was common among summer programs toincorporate significant classroom-based employ-ability and academic components into their pro-grams, the studied post-summer programs all con-sisted mainly of on-the-job work experience.

Some sites increased wages midway through theprogram; others offered small raises to participantswho took on greater responsibilities.

This relates to another major lesson from thesesites.

“Through the longer work experiences, theseyouth developed more job-specific hard skills andwere entrusted by employers with more responsibil-ity and autonomy — all of the things that make themmore marketable to potential permanent employ-ers,” the study says. “It gave employers an opportu-nity to try out youth, to evaluate the employee’s abil-ity to perform the job satisfactorily and, regardlessof whether the experience ended with a permanenthire, to benefit from participants’ increased abilityto carry out tasks and take on greater responsibilityover time.”

The study does not report on employment out-comes of these projects.

However, the authors point out, program opera-tors, sometimes without needing to be instructed todo so by the agencies funding them, provided signif-icant transition planning to participants before theirexperiences ended.

To make these long-term projects feasible, half ofthese sites leveraged other sources of funding, rang-ing from other federal programs to their local schooldistricts.

A lack of extra Workforce Investment Act youthfunding going into the summer of 2010 providescontext for the second evaluation released by ETA.

Using TANF Funds to Support Subsidized YouthEmployment: The 2010 Summer Youth EmploymentInitiative, authored by Linda Rosenberg, MeganHague Angus, Cassandra Pickens and Michelle Derrexamines 2010 summer youth programs funded en-tirely or in part with federal welfare dollars.

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In early 2010, ETA and the Administration forChildren and Families encouraged states to use Tem-porary Assistance for Needy Families EmergencyFund dollars for subsidized employment programs.This money was to be directed to job programs bothfor adults and youth, with states drawing about $1.3billion from the $5 billion fund for subsidized em-ployment.

Twenty-four states and the District of Columbiaended up using the program specifically to fundsummer youth employment.

Looking at 10 sites in seven states, the researchersfound that these programs differed from those of theprevious summer, more in administration than in ser-vices and work experiences.

Emergency Fund

For the most part, local workforce agencies tookthe lead in operating these programs, and most werenot funded solely by the TANF Emergency Fund.They often ran on a mix of remaining Recovery ActWIA funding and their program year 2010 WIA al-lotments.

Eligibility for the Emergency Fund positions wasdetermined at the state level and varied. In the field,some sites were able to use the same eligibility rulesfor TANF-funded positions as for WIA-funded posi-tions, while others had to separate (on paper) theirWIA positions and Emergency Fund positions, re-cruiting different groups of participants for each.

Some agencies found it difficult to enroll partici-pants from families receiving welfare, because theseyoung people or their parents feared that the incomewould affect their TANF eligibility, the researchersfound.

However, another administrative aspect of theTANF Emergency Fund dollars drove sites to seekmore private sector job placements, according to theresearchers.

This program allows states to draw down from thefund to cover 80 percent of their program expenses.However, states were allowed to count supervisionof participants as maintenance of effort, providedsupervisors were not paid with federal dollars.

The researchers noted that these projects favoredprivate employers, because public work sites had toensure that supervisors’ jobs were not federallyfunded.

“With the Recovery Act funds now spent, commu-nities have to consider other ways to support youths’employment, especially when youth employmentrates have been so low. These communities shouldconsider and explore avenues to develop and sustainfuture, more long-lasting partnerships that can com-bine the resources of TANF and workforce agenciesand other organizations with the expertise of theworkforce agencies in providing youth with valu-able summer experiences.”

—Ryan Hess

African-Americans

URBAN LEAGUE VENTURE STRESSESDIGITAL JOBS, ENTREPRENEURSHIP

When the Central Florida Urban League startstraining 12 Orlando African-Americans in broad-band wiring installation next month, the affiliatewill be carrying out part of an initiative to bridge theso-called digital divide through employment.

The Bank of America Charitable Foundation,which contributed $20,000 for this particularcourse, announced it as the “launch” of an initiative.However, the beginning of the broadband (orfast-speed electronic communications) technologyeffort in Orlando goes back to last June.

Nationally, it is an outgrowth of a January 2012National Urban League 8-Point Plan and efforts byNUL and its affiliates to generate and secure jobs forAfrican-Americans in science, technology, engi-neering and mathematics occupations.

Three programs by NUL affiliates have tried vary-ing strategies to address problems associated withthe digital divide.

In Chattanooga, Tenn., the STEM Academy of theUrban League of Greater Chattanooga was launchedin 2007 to enhance the learning of middle schoolchildren in 6th, 7th and 8th grades. The academy of-fers six to nine hours of after-school instruction inmath and science at five local schools and also runs aSTEM summer camp.

Some 615 students have participated since 2007.Program officials estimated the average student gainin reading and language arts at 31.65 percent and inmathematics at 31.92 percent.

Central Florida’s UL affiliate focused on trainingworkers in areas needed by industry through its Cen-ter for Workforce Innovation. Most participantscomplete a 30-day skills course, followed by a paidapprenticeship that lasts 90 days and culminates incertification of skills and practice. CWI officials es-timate that 70 to 80 percent of students who enter theprogram graduate and go on to a job.

To tackle the business insertion problem, NULlaunched nine entrepreneurship centers — in At-lanta, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Jacksonville,Kansas City, Los Angeles, New Orleans and Phila-delphia. In 2010 alone, the centers provided 10,911hours of management counseling and 11,242 hoursof business skills training to 5,938 entrepreneurs.NUL plans to launch an Urban Empowerment Fundto finance business starts, offer business technicalassistance and draw funding sources.

All these efforts are also connected to the broaderBroadband Opportunity Coalition, a partnership be-tween the NUL, One Economy Corporation,NAACP, National Council of La Raza, Asian Ameri-can Justice Center, and League of United LatinAmerican Citizens. The coalition aims to draw ma-

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jor business as supporters of group projects in thefield.

Dots

Connecting the Dots: Linking Broadband Adop-tion to Job Creation and Job Competitiveness out-lines NUL’s particular involvement in STEMthrough broadband technology, as a way to addressthe digital divide — typically defined as the gap be-tween whites and blacks and other minorities in theuse of and access to computers and related devices.

According to the NUL paper, 56 percent of Afri-can-Americans had access to broadband at home,compared with 67 percent of white Americans in2010. The gap was apparent even at similar levels ofeducation. Only 38 percent of blacks without a highschool diploma had broadband at home, but 51 per-cent of white Americans without high school com-pleted did.

“While we are energetic proponents of closing thedigital divide, we believe that to do so meaningfullywill require more than access to and adoption ofbroadband by itself,” write Madura Wijewardena,Chanelle Hardy and Valerie Wilson, respectivelyNUL director of research and policy, senior vicepresident and executive director and vice presidentof research and economist.

Closing the digital divide involves more than“providing affordable computer hardware” and“digital literacy” programs, the scholars point out, itmeans “creating jobs across the full spectrum of skilllevels and ensuring that African-Americans arecompetitive in securing those jobs.”

The Orlando project is one of three leading ven-tures to choose broadband technology as a jobs por-tal for lower-income and low-skilled blacks.

Such programs attempt to address a paradox.Blacks “use broadband to search and apply for

jobs and to social network more than white Ameri-cans do,” the NUL scholars found. Among Afri-can-Americans 78 percent used the Internet to lookfor a job, compared with 48 percent of white Ameri-cans in 2009, the scholars found. The color disparityis even broader among individuals without a highschool diploma, as 77 of African-Americans withthis level of education did, while only 17 percent ofwhite Americans did.

“This may appear to suggest that there will be fewproblems with African-Americans utilizing broad-band for jobs functions if the adoption gap issolved,” the scholars state. “But finding and apply-ing for jobs is not the same as securing a job, makingonline social connections is not the same as success-fully leveraging them for jobs, and online social con-nections are rarely of the same value as traditionaljobs networks like alumni, family, mentoring andother relationships.”

The proof of the pudding, they add, is that blacksmade up 11 percent of the labor force in 2010, but

they held only 8.4 percent of all nonhealth jobs re-quiring STEM skills or interaction with technology.Moreover, only 6.2 percent of businesses in the in-formation sector were owned by African-Americansgenerating a measly 0.23 percent of all revenues inthe sector, the scholars report.

✓ Connecting the Dots: Linking BroadbandAdoption to Job Creation and Job Competitivenessby Madura Wijewardena, Chanelle Hardy andValerie Wilson is available from the study’s sponsor,Time Warner Cable’s Research Program on DigitalCommunications, at www.twcresearch.com/pdf/TWC_WijardenaReport.pdf. The authors may bereached at the National Urban League, 1101 Con-necticut Ave, N.W., Suite 810, Washington, D.C.20009; (202) 629-5753; nul.iamempowered.com.

—Cecilio Morales

Trade Adjustment

GAO: TAA FOR FIRMS POPULAR WITHPARTICIPANTS, FACES PROBLEMS

Despite findings of widespread employer satis-faction and job retention, members of a congressio-nal panel and the Government Accountability Officechallenged performance and funds reporting inTrade Adjustment Assistance for Firms.

TAA for Firms, managed by the Department ofCommerce’s Economic Development Administra-tion, aims to help companies hurt by trade policy tostay in operation, avoid layoffs and grow.

EDA contracts with 11 “TAA centers” to guidetroubled companies through the process of obtainingfederal certification of program eligibility, then helpeligible companies plan for their recovery and gettechnical assistance. The centers are run by non-profit economic development agencies and universi-ties.

Eligible firms draft recovery plans for which theycan request up to $75,000 in indirect assistance. Pro-gram payouts must be matched equally by the firm.The money can be used to pay consultants for adviceon product development or to train workers on newprocesses or equipment that will make them moreproductive. But it cannot be used for capital invest-ments.

TAA for Firms, in recent years, has been funded atabout $16 million annually. Support for companiesis not an entitlement, but rather is subject to avail-ability under their TAA centers’ annual allotment.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Actmade some changes to the program, such as openingit up to service sector firms, whereas it previouslyserved primarily manufacturers (much like the TAAprogram that serves workers). The statute also calledfor GAO to evaluate the program.

On Nov. 15, the House Committee on Oversightand Government Reform convened a hearing to air

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the findings of this evaluation and discuss changes inmanagement conducted by the EDA.

Use of the program, which tends to follow thebusiness cycle, recently peaked in 2010 with TAAcenters helping employers file 330 petitions and ap-proving 264 business recovery plans.

Rep. Todd Platts (R-Pa), who is retiring from Con-gress, said one of his concerns documented in theGAO report is that some centers have been very busyin recent years, helping scores of businesses accessthe program, while others helped just a few busi-nesses per year. Redistribution of resources couldmean service to more struggling companies, he said.

The GAO report points out that EDA’s formula forallocating funding between centers fails to factor inthe number of firms potentially in need of support ina service delivery region.

EDA TAA for Firms Director Bryan Borlik testi-fied that his office is implementing changes this yearto address this formula shortcoming.

In the past, EDA has deobligated and recapturedunexpended TAA for Firms funding on an annual ba-sis and redistributed the funding to TAA centers ac-cording to the program’s standard allotment for-mula.

This year, the redistribution of unspent funds willbe based solely on the backlog of services that busi-nesses have requested through recovery plans,Borlik said.

Platts chastised EDA for allowing three decadesto pass since the federal agency last held an opencompetition for contractors to run the TAA centers.

“That’s one heck of a long time,” he said, suggest-ing that a two- or three-year contract duration be-tween open bid competitions might be more appro-priate.

“I think the Department of Commerce is open tothat possibility,” Borlik said.

Borlik is relatively new to the job, since it wasonly created in 2009.

Had No Staff

The GAO report points out that before changesmandated by the Recovery Act, the agency had nofull-time staff dedicated to managing the small pro-gram and sometimes relied on interns to review peti-tions for program certification and business recov-ery plans.

In late 2009, the average agency turnaround timefor eligibility petitions was 89 days; on recoveryplans it was 20 days.

With permanent program staff, EDA’s processingwaits have been reduced to 36 and 16 days, respec-tively, Borlik said.

The GAO evaluation also cited the TAA for Firmsprogram’s performance measurement system as aprogram weakness.

EDA collects data on 16 performance measures,but 14 of these measures are program inputs, such asthe number of eligibility petitions filed.

The agency tries to keep track of sales, employ-ment and productivity at each firm at the time of theirrecovery plan implementation and annually for thetwo following years.

GAO evaluators contend that these results indi-cate little about the impact of the program.

TAA center staffers who work with strugglingfirms told the evaluators that firm survival might be abetter measure of program performance, as would alonger follow-up period to track employment.

William Bujalos, director of the Mid-AtlanticTrade Adjustment Assistance Center, testified thatfirms that turn to the program tend to be down to askeleton crew and that it can take several years be-fore improved sales — brought about by changes intheir business model — lead to significant hiring.

“More often than not, by the time I see them,they’ve spent the past two years burning worker cap-ital,” Bujalos said.

Borlik told the panel that EDA is conducting a re-view of the program measures it maintains for all itsprograms; changes are expected for TAA for Firms.

GAO analysts compared firms that participated inthe program with firms in matching industries thatexperienced similar declines in sales and employ-ment due to imports.

Using a regression analysis, the evaluators esti-mated that participation in the program is linked to a5 to 6 percent increase in sales.

GAO also surveyed firms that had a recovery planapproved in 2009. Ninety-two percent of companyexecutives said they were satisfied with the servicesprovided by a TAA center, and even more were satis-fied with the consulting and other technical assis-tance provided through recovery plans. Seventy-onepercent said participating in the program helpedthem retain employees; 57 percent reported new hir-ing.

“Our economic analysis and survey results showthat the program has delivered positive results forparticipating manufacturing and services firms. Wefound that these firms receive individual attentionfrom TAA center professionals located in their re-gions, practical help in developing business recov-ery plans, and federal matching funds to pursue pro-jects designed to address competitive weaknessesand capitalize on strengths,” said J. Alfredo Gomez,GAO acting director for international affairs andtrade.

✓ Subscribers may request a copy of the GAO re-port Trade Adjustment Assistance: Commerce Pro-gram Has Helped Manufacturing and Service Firms,but Measures, Data and Funding Formula Could Im-prove by contacting service@miipublications.com.

—Ryan Hess

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Briefs

Employment

HELP WANTED, CALIF. FARMERS SAY

About two-thirds of surveyed California farmerssaid they had trouble finding enough workers to helptend and harvest crops in 2012.

The findings come from a survey by the CaliforniaFarm Bureau Federation of nearly 800 of its mem-bers.

CFBF President Paul Wenger openly admittedthat farmers rely on a largely immigrant workforce,adding that efforts to hire U.S.-born employees onfarms have been mostly unsuccessful, even duringthe worst of the recent recession. For that reason,Wenger added, groups such as his are pressing forimmigration law reform that would allow foreigncitizens to enter the United States legally to work inagriculture.

Sixty-one percent of respondents said they expe-rienced worker shortages of varying degrees.Among farmers who grow labor-intensive crops —such as tree fruits, vegetables, table grapes, raisinsand berries — 71 percent reported worker shortages.

Although widespread crop losses did not occur in2012, the federation stated that 19 percent of the re-spondents said they planted fewer acres, did not har-vest a portion of their crop or gave up leased land be-cause of a lack of help.

Farmers said they offered higher wages, delayedpruning and harvesting, used mechanization if pos-sible, or did not harvest some of their crop.

The CFBF has 74,000 members statewide.—C.M.

Training Providers

PROPRIETARY SHUTTERS SCHOOLS

ATI Career Training schools in Albuquerque andOklahoma City reportedly shut down, suddenlylocking out students in late November and early De-cember, according to local news reports.

This follows the unsealing of a Justice Depart-ment indictment against the company and ongoingstruggles to maintain accreditation.

The Oklahoman reported that Oklahoma City areacampuses located at the Shepherd and Crossroadsshopping malls closed. ABC affiliate KOAT 7 re-ported the closings in Albuquerque.

Company spokesman Art Rodriguez confirmedthe local campus closings for the local media, butwould not answer further questions. He did not re-spond to a request for more information from MII

about what is going on across the company’s chain ofvocational schools, which are also present in severalFlorida and Texas markets.

In July 2011, the Texas Workforce Commissionordered ATI Enterprises, Inc., to halt enrollment at16 campuses the company operates across that stateand conduct a “teach-out,” allowing current studentsto finish their programs. The state agency previouslyordered the school to pay for a third-party audit ofstudent job placement rates. The review showed thatthe school was reporting to the state generally higherjob placements than appeared possible, given the au-ditors’ survey of former students (ETR 8/8/11, p.610).

Earlier this year, Justice Department officials re-leased an indictment alleging not only that theschools inflated job numbers, but also that they usedunlawful practices to enroll as many students as pos-sible, ultimately tapping the federal student aid sys-tem for their tuition and leaving students mired indebt. The federal charges are based on informationobtained from whistle-blowers in the admissions de-partments of Texas campuses (ETR 9/17/12, p. 32).

The Accrediting Commission of Career Schoolsand Colleges revoked the Albuquerque campus’pro-bation in June, but this will not take effect until theresolution of an appeal requested by the company.The Oklahoma City campuses were operating undera probation order issued by the accrediting agency.

—R.H.

Labor Market Information

YOUNG FIRMS OFFER ADVANCEMENT

Relatively young companies may pay lowerwages and have a smaller share of available jobs thanmore established competitors, but more of their hir-ing is related to expansion and they may offer moreopportunities to advance through a variety of posi-tions, according to a new analysis of Census data.

In late November, the Ewing Marion KauffmanFoundation and the Census Bureau jointly issued aresearch brief showcasing new tabulations of datafrom Census’ Quarterly Workforce Indicators pro-gram.

The QWI program recently began including firmage and size information, making it possible for thefirst time to review jobs, earnings and employmentturnover by firm size and age.

The Kauffman Foundation, which backs entrepre-neurship, sponsored an initial analysis of these databy Census researchers.

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Firms that are no older than two years make up asmall portion, less than 20 percent, of U.S. payrolls;mature firms — those 11 years old or older — are re-sponsible for more than 80 percent of employment.

But the dynamics of employment at small firms ismuch more vibrant, the analysis shows.

Since the end of the recession, quarterly hiring asa share of total employment rose at young firms fromabout 30 percent in early 2009 to 35 percent, in thefirst quarter of 2011. At moderately older and ma-ture firms, the hiring rate was flat during this period,sitting at about 20 percent and 12 percent, respec-tively.

Moreover, the share of hiring due to job creationwas much higher at young firms than at other compa-nies, reaching 45 percent compared with rates near30 percent.

The data show that young firms pay less on aver-age, with real monthly earnings of about $2,200 perworker, compared with about $2,400 at firms in op-eration between 2 and 10 years and more than $3,000at mature firms.

Mature firms’ larger share of capital available todevote to wages may be an explanation, according tothe Census researchers.

Another difference between young firms andolder employers involves worker churning. Churn-ing represents the difference between hiring and jobcreation or its inverse, the difference between sepa-rations and job destruction, as a share of total em-ployment. It is a measure of movement into and outof existing positions.

Worker churning rates declined during the reces-sion among all firms, increasing afterward by a sig-nificant margin only among young employers, fromabout 18 to 21 percent, while remaining flat and be-low 15 percent at older firms.

“Churning can be thought of as an indicator of theconfidence of workers and firms to engage in jobswitching,” and a measure of workers advancingtheir careers by finding more rewarding positions,the analysis says.

✓ Find the research brief Business Dynamics Sta-tistics Briefing: Job Creation, Worker Churning andWages at Young Businesses at www.kauffman.org.

—R.H.

Fraud and Abuse

YOUTH MANAGER PLEADS GUILTY

A former senior manager of a Chicago-areaworkforce agency pleaded guilty to a single chargeof falsifying intake and eligibility documents fordozens of 2009 summer youth employment programparticipants.

Brendolyn Hart-Glover pleaded guilty in the U.S.District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on

Dec. 5, about five months after her arrest by federalprosecutors (8/6/12, p. 578).

Hart-Glover was a former field operations man-ager at the President’s Office of Employment andTraining, the local workforce agency serving thesouthern and western portions of Cook County, sur-rounding Chicago.

POET was reorganized within outlying CookCounty in 2011, and this year Cook County and Cityof Chicago leaders decided to dismantle their sepa-rate workforce agencies and form the Chicago CookWorkforce Partnership (ETR 6/18/12, p. 501).

The charge came from a joint investigation of theDepartment of Labor’s Office of Inspector Generaland the Federal Bureau of Investigation, on concernsraised by the Illinois Department of Commerce andEconomic Opportunity.

In 2009, POET was allocated more than $5.6 mil-lion in Recovery Act Workforce Investment Actyouth program funding, which was used for summerjobs that year and in 2010. The agency enrolledabout 1,400 participants in 2009.

The state was keeping a sharp eye on the agency.In mid-August of that first summer, DCEO officialsrequested that POET turn over all its participant filesfor inspection.

74 Files

By the end of October, state officials found that 74files appeared to be missing entirely and discovereddocumentation problems in “hundreds” of otherfiles. State officials, eight months later, informedPOET that they planned to withhold $1.4 million ofthe agency’s remaining allotment to cover costs re-lated to participants whose files were missing or in-complete.

POET was given a chance to respond to theD C E O ’s t h r e a t t o w i t h h o l d f u n d i n g , a n dHart-Glover has now admitted to assembling a teamof staff members to falsify the missing eligibilitydocumentation.

The team met on Aug. 21, 2010, a Saturday, at theOak Forest one-stop for a mass forging session, ac-cording to accounts gathered by the FBI from hersubordinate coworkers.

Agency staff, under Hart-Glover’s direction useda copy machine to forge birth certificates, filled outbasic skills assessment answer sheets and forged sig-natures and dates on other documents, such as indi-vidual education plans and standard WIA partici-pant rights and information release forms.

To document eligibility, they erased dates fromSelective Service and welfare department docu-ments received long after the 2009 summer jobs pro-gram’s intake period, the affidavit said.

Two days later, POET delivered to the state a re-sponse letter and two large boxes containing 56 of 74participant files requested.

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The charge carries a maximum sentence of fiveyea r s and a $250 ,000 f ine , t hough c i t i ngHart-Glover’s lack of a criminal history, prosecutorswill recommend a 12- to 18-month prison sentencewith probation.

—R.H.

Occupational Outlook

SANTA JOB BEATS BEING AN ELF

Some holiday jobs are better than others and play-ing Santa can be surprisingly rewarding, accordingto research from job search websites CareerCast andPayScale. Both put out holiday analysis of theChristmas season job market.

According to PayScale, professional actors play-ing Santa can earn hourly wages ranging from $100to $200, with premiums for working on ChristmasEve and Christmas Day.

But these are pay expectations for seasoned pro-fessionals who work mainly at premium malls andcorporate events, and are often dispatched by talentagencies.

The National Labor Exchange listed exactly oneSanta Claus job that included a wage offer, on aWednesday evening two weeks before Christmas.Uploaded by WorkSource Cowlitz-Wahkiakum, in

Kelso, Wash., on behalf of a local tree farm, it wasadvertising $11 per hour for a Santa.

According to CareerCast, there is a marked differ-ence between wages offered to the Big Guy andthose offered to elves, who must manage crowdslined up for his attention, snap pictures and hand outcandy canes.

Because these actors must be of a certain stature,most elf employers seek high school students and of-fer minimum wage.

Christmas tree lot attendants also typically earnminimum wage and face the occupational hardshipof working outside in December, sometimes longinto the night, according to CareerCast.

Jobseekers looking for an alternative to beingSanta might consider signing on for seasonal pack-age delivery and distribution center jobs with com-panies such as UPS or FedEx, which tend to payabove minimum wage, and a small share of seasonalworkers typically land permanent jobs, recommendsCareerCast.

Placement firms often fill these jobs for shippers.Kelly, for instance, is supplying temporary driversthis year for many FedEx locations.

New Jersey’s Union County College Job Connec-tion was recruiting package handlers to work in tem-porary positions for FedEx at Newark’s Liberty Air-port, at $10 per hour for the graveyard shift.

—R.H.

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CLASP — ALAN HOUSEMAN, executive directorof the Center for Law and Social Policy since 1982announced that he will retire late next year. House-man is a poverty law advocate and specialist in legalservices for the poor. He founded Michigan LegalServices in 1989.

FEDERAL GUIDANCE

Training and Employment Guidance Letter

TEGL 10-12 — Guidance for Work Opportunity TaxCredit American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of2009 Two Expired Target Groups’ Applications,gives state workforce agencies final processingguidance on handling all on-time certification re-quests received for new hires that began working foran employer on or before December 31, 2010, and in-structions for all paperwork associated with certifi-cation requests for new hires, under the expired eligi-bility categories, after December 31, 2010. IssuedDec. 7.

GRANT

ADULT EDUCATION — The research firm MDRCand LaGuardia Community College, with fundingprovided by MetLife Foundation, are seeking onecommunity college or community-based organiza-tion to develop a contextualized career-focusedGeneral Educational Development certificate pro-gram modeled on LaGuardia Community College’sGED Bridge to Business and Health Careers Pro-gram.

The institution selected will receive in-depthtechnical assistance, professional development,data collection tools and a $10,000 stipend.LaGuardia’s GED Bridge Program includes a spe-cially designed curriculum that integrates materialfrom the fields of health care and business, as well astransitional support to help students identify the ca-reer or course of study that is right for them.

Two-year public colleges and nonprofits planningto partner with them are eligible to apply, providedthey serve adult students in low-income communi-ties and enroll at least 200 GED students per year.Applications are due Jan. 7.

✓ For more information, contact Vanessa Martinat vanessa.martin@mdrc.org.✰

BULLETIN BOARD, continued from p. 188

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