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Workforce Bulletin April 22, 2009  Visit the Oshkosh Area Workforce Development Newsletter Archives  Printer-friendly newsletter |
Welcome Workforce Bulletin The Workforce Bulletin is a quarterly publication of the Oshkosh Area Workforce Development Center. The intent of the Bulletin is to keep you informed of the changing issues and trends in workforce development, from a local, regional and national perspective, to help your business succeed in a constantly changing marketplace. We welcome your suggestions and feedback. To contact us, click on bulletin@oshkoshwdc.com. Additional business services and resources are located on our website at: www.oshkoshwdc.com.
What's Happening May 6 - Manufacturing & Technology Regional Career Day A Manufacturing & Technology Regional Career Day will be held on Wednesday, May 6, at Fox Valley Technical College, Appleton, from 2:30 pm - 5:30. Manufacturing & Technology employers are invited to come and discuss their industry, career paths and future needs with career explorers and job seekers. For more information and registration form, click on: http://www.foxcitiesworks.com/data/file_upload/1_MfgTechCareerDayEmployerFlyer5_6_09.doc.
May 13 - Global Perspectives Global Perspectives Luncheon and Wisconsin Export Update will be held on Wednesday, May 13, from 11:30 am to 4:00 pm at the Rock Garden in Green Bay. Hear first-hand about the market opportunities in Brazil, Canada, China, Europe, Japan and Mexico. Learn about available resources. Network with local companies and share export experiences. Meet individually with the Directors of Wisconsin's trade offices to discuss your firm's products and individual needs. For more information and to register online, go to: www.titletown.org.
May 20 - Lean Overview Session Business Operations Excellence Series - Lean Overview Sessions will be held from 8 am - 12:30 pm on May 20, June 18, and July 23 at Fox Valley Workforce Development Board, Inc., 1401 McMahon Drive, Neenah, WI. Topics to be covered include: Using Value Stream Mapping to find the waste in your processes, Implementing 5S & TPM to identify ways to better organize your work areas, and Establishing a Cellular Workplace with Standardized Work to make scheduling and planning an effective and reliable process. Participate in a hands-on activity that will demonstrate the power of Lean tools. The cost to attend the overview session is $35 per person, which includes training materials and refreshments. In addition, each participating company will receive a free 4 hour Lean assessment (valued at $500), to be scheduled at your worksite. The assessment will determine the strengths and weaknesses of your organization and provide specific recommendations and action plans for Lean implementation. For more information, contact Jim Eagan, 920.720.5600, ext. 316; email: jim.eagan@workforceeconomics.org or David DiPietro, 920.720.5600, ext. 308; email: david.dipietro@workforceeconomics.org. To download a registration form, click on: http://www.foxcitiesworks.com/data/file_upload/Lean_Overview_Brochure_may_june_july_09.pdf.
May 27 - HR Legislative Update An HR Legislative Update will be held on May 27 from 11 am - 1 pm at the Ramada Plaza Hotel in Fond du Lac. The event is sponsored by the Fond du Lac Association of Commerce and is open to non-members as well. The discussion will focus on how the HR legislative agenda both federally and in Wisconsin is affected by the changing political landscape. For more information or to register, contact the Association at 920.921.9500, or go to: http://www.fdlac.com/calendar.php.
May 28 - Customer Service Workshops Customer Service Workshops will be held on May 28 at the Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce, Appleton. The workshops run for 3-1/2 hours, with the morning session starting at 8 am and the afternoon session at 1 pm. Joe Constance of Constant Training will speak on customer service as an integral part of any business and how treating customers can affect your business. The event is open to Chamber non-members as well. For more information and to register, contact the Chamber at 920.734.7101 or email: information@foxcitieschamber.com.
June 17 - Northeast Wisconsin Veteran Job Fair The Northeast Wisconsin Veteran Job Fair will be held on June 17 at Apple Creek Inn, DePere, from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm. The event is designed to connect Northeast Wisconsin employers and local area veterans currently seeking employment. Registration fee is $150 prior to May 22, and $200 after that date. To download a registration form, click on: http://www.foxcitiesworks.com/data/file_upload/Veteran_Job_Fair.June.2009.pdf. For additional information, contact Michael Mack, Wisconsin Job Service, 920.737.0534, email: michael.mack@dwd.wisconsin.gov.
Resources 2009 Youth Summer Employment Program As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the Fox Valley Workforce Development Board (FVWDB) will receive additional Workforce Investment Act (WIA) funds to implement a youth summer employment program. Businesses and organizations can apply to have youth ages 14 to 24 work for them for the summer to gain work experience and improve work readiness skills. WIA funding will pay the participant's wages. Application deadline is April 30, 2009. For more information and application materials, go to: http://www.foxvalleywork.org/recovery-act-youth.htm. If you have additional questions, please contact Kim Lemieux, FVWDB, 920.720.5600, email: klemieux@fvwdb.com.
ARRA Resources for Wisconsin Employers Through the 2009 American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA), the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) received additional funding to provide services that help build and strengthen Wisconsin's workforce in the 21st Century and beyond. Employers can post their Recovery jobs, learn about competitive grants, apply for the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC), learn about changes to COBRA, and learn about tax credits for Wisconsin businesses at: http://dwd.wisconsin.gov/recovery/employers/.
Permanent Layoff Resources Wisconsin has seen a large number of layoffs during the current economic recession and the greater Fox Valley area has not been immune. The Fox Valley Workforce Development Board (FVWDB) coordinates displaced worker services in the following counties: Outagamie, Winnebago, Calumet, Waupaca, Waushara, Fond du Lac and Green Lake. FVWDB Staff work closely with the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development Dislocated Worker Program, which was created to provide “Rapid Response” assistance to workers, companies, organized labor and communities affected by business closings or mass layoffs. The Workforce Investment Act (WIA) ensures that employment and training services are made available quickly through locally operated programs and state level rapid response coordinators. "Rapid Response” Team Members include Fox Cities Workforce Development Center Partner Agencies and other community-based organizations. Rapid Response services, available to employers at no cost, may include the following:
For more information, contact Cheryl Welch at the Fox Valley Workforce Development Board, 920.720.5600 or e-mail: cwelch@fvwdb.com. Additional information regarding Rapid Response services can be found at: http://www.doleta.gov/layoff/rapid.cfm.
Spotlight May 17 - 22 Designated National Small Business Week Every year since 1963, the President has proclaimed National Small Business Week to recognize the contributions of small businesses to the economic well-being of America. In 2009, National Small Business Week (May 17-22) will honor the estimated 26.8 million small businesses in America. Each year the Small Business Administration recognizes this special impact made by outstanding small business owners, and by champions of America's entrepreneurs. For more on who received the SBA's 2009 Wisconsin Small Business Champions Awards, please go to: http://commerce.wi.gov/NEWS/releases/2009/023.html.
Volunteers Needed: Passport for Success Events Passport for Success 8th grade career fairs needs volunteers! Volunteers can be working in any position from entry-level to top management and will answer questions students have about their job. As a volunteer you will be assigned to one of 16 career clusters, depending upon your particular career. The goal of the event is to help students understand the vast choices for employment opportunities in our area. Event information is listed below. If you can help, please contact Sue, Jill or Kathy at 920.720.0406, or email sue@career-connection.com, jill@career-connection.com, or kathy@career-connection.com.
Business Plan Contest Winners Named Winners of the 4th Annual Northeast Wisconsin Business Plan Contest were announced in March:
Sponsors of the contest include the Northeast Wisconsin Regional Economic Partnership (NEWREP; Alliant Energy; Dominion; Florida Power and Light; Fox Valley Workforce Development Board; Fox Valley Technical College; Lakeshore Technical; Moraine Park Technical College; New North; Northeast Wisconsin Technical College; WE Energies; Wisconsin Public Service; UW-Green Bay and UW-Oshkosh College of Business.
Workforce Trends Job Bias Charges Hit Record High The U.S. EEOC announced in March that workplace discrimination charge filings soared to an unprecedented level during fiscal year 2008 which ended in September '08, a 15% increase over the previous year. Charges based on age and retaliation saw the largest annual increases, while allegations based on race, sex and retaliation continued as the most frequently filed charges. The surge in charges may be due to multiple factors, including economic conditions, increased diversity and demographic shifts in the labor force, employees' greater awareness of the law, EEOC's focus on systemic litigation, and changes to EEOC's intake practices. The FY2008 enforcement and litigation statistics, which include trend data, can be found at: http://www.eeoc.gov/stats/enforcement.html.
Ensuring Accessibility of Online Application Systems All federal contractors and subcontractors must insure accessibility for disabled veterans and other disabled job applicants when using an online job application system. The DOL's OFFCP has provided employers' frequently asked questions as additional guidance for this directive at: http://www.dol.gov/esa/ofccp/regs/compliance/faqs/dir281faqs.htm. A powerpoint presentation on this directive can be found at: http://www.dol.gov/esa/ofccp/presentation/OFCCP_ODEP_Webinar.pdf.
Companies Remain Confident in Future of Health Benefits A survey of 489 large U.S. employers conducted in January 2009 identified a group of "consistent employers" who have maintained a long track record of lower health care cost increases over the past four years. These employers have outperformed other employers in five key areas: appropriate financial incentives, effective information delivery that allows employees to manage their health, quality care, metrics and evidence, and maximizing health and productivity. According to the survey, these employers have strategies and programs in place that have saved them nearly $60 million since 2004. Other survey findings include:
More on the 14th Annual National Business Group on Health/Watson Wyatt Survey can be found at: http://www.watsonwyatt.com/news/press.asp?ID=20774.
Furloughs Popular Alternative to Layoffs Furloughs have become a popular option for employers weathering the current recession. Some organizations are cutting work weeks back to four eight-hour days. Others are asking employees to take off anywhere from one day a month to one week or longer a month without pay. For more on this trend, please see the Wall Street Journal article, "Weighing Furlough vs. Layoff," at: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123938638933208987.html.
Updates SBA Makes Changes to Loan Programs On March 20 the SBA began to implement two key provisions laid out in the Recovery Act. Small businesses are encouraged to ask their banks about the SBA loans that might be available to them as a result of these provisions. The changes include:
More information can be found at: http://www.sba.gov/idc/groups/public/documents/sba_homepage/policy_noticeguarantees_031609.pdf and http://www.sba.gov/idc/groups/public/documents/sba_homepage/policy_notice_fees_031609.pdf.
New COBRA Rules Became Effective March 1 Effective March 1, 2009, employees who have been involuntarily terminated on or after September 1, 2008, and before December 31, 2009 will receive a 65% discount of COBRA insurance continuation for up to nine months. The employer pays the 65% then recovers it from the IRS by an offset against tax withholdings. On March 19, the Department of Labor provided model notices that employers should send to beneficiaries advising them of the discount and how they could apply for the subsidized coverage. In addition, the DOL has resolved several questions employers have raised about the new subsidy in a question-and-answer format. Information on the Model Notices can be found at: http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/COBRAmodelnotice.html. Employer frequently asked questions regarding the new COBRA premium reduction can be found at: http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/faqs/faq-cobra-premiumreductionER.html. Specific information on how employers can claim credit for the 65% of COBRA premiums and filing the Quarterly Federal Tax Return (Form 941) is available at: http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=204505,00.html.
New Guidance on HIPAA Privacy Rule Employers with group health plans are required to properly safeguard protected health information. U.S. Health and Human Services has recently issued guidance on how to properly dispose of health information under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) privacy rules. The guidance, in the form of FAQ's, can be found at: http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/enforcement/examples/disposalfaqs.pdf.
Workforce Publications 2008 National Study of the Changing Workforce Every five years, the Families and Work Institute conducts its National Study of the Changing Workforce (NSCW). By surveying large, nationally representative samples of employed workers, the NSCW provides valuable, timely information on the work and personal/family lives of the U.S. workforce. To read the 2008 report, Times are Changing - Gender and Generation at Work and at Home, go to: http://familiesandwork.org/site/research/reports/Times_Are_Changing.pdf.
2008 The Small Business Economy In addition to reviewing the economic environment facing small businesses, the recently released 2008 The Small Business Economy, produced by the Small Business Administration, presents new research on training for small business employees and owners (see Chapter 5). As well as being primary job generators, small businesses are major trainers of U.S. employees. About two-thirds of workers get their first job in small firms. The recession, high unemployment rate and decline in self-employment have important implications for how small businesses train and retrain the workforce. To download the publication, go to: http://www.sba.gov/advo/research/sb_econ2008.pdf.
Labor Market Data Local and State Unemployment Data
For more information, go to: http://worknet.wisconsin.gov/worknet/datablelist.aspx?menuselection=da.
Businesses in the News Area Business Expansions Chicago Tube and Iron Company, www.chicagotube.com, will be constructing a new 117,000 sq. ft. warehouse distribution facility. A move in date is slated for October 1, 2009. This will be the first facility to be built in the newly developed Fox Ridge Business Park located between Highway 41 and Highway 175 in Fond du Lac. The first phase of this 276-acre business park is just now being constructed by the City of Fond du Lac. Founded in 1914, CT&I is one of the largest metal service centers in the United States and employs approximately 450 workers. The new facility will initially employ approximately 35 people. ThedaCare, www.thedacare.org, has begun work on a new $34 million, 157,000 sq. ft., three story ambulatory care center in Appleton's Northeast Business Park. This new state-of-the-art facility will combine primary and specialty care through shared registration and scheduling for all services, allowing patients the care they need from multiple providers during a single visit. Plans also call for the facility to provide endoscopy, diagnostic imaging and other ancillary services. The structure will be built to LEED specifications, with features that allow it to reduce waste, conserve energy and water, and reduce operating costs. The new facility is expected to be open by July 2009 and is the first of several buildings to be built on the 53-acre site, which is located just east of the Guardian Life Insurance Company. Innovative Machining, www.innovativemachining.com, plans to construct a $3 million, 51,000 sq. ft. addition to its current 75,000 sq. ft. facility in Neenah's Southpark Industrial Center. It began operations in 1995 and employs 99 people. With the expansion and purchase of new equipment, the company plans to add 15 to 30 employees during the next three to five years. For information on tools and resources you'll need to start or grow your Wisconsin business, go to: http://www.forwardwisconsin.org/section13/Wisconsin-Business-Toolkit.
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