Employment and Training Administration - Workforce Professionals - What's New in Workforce Investment

Skills to Pay the Bills: Twitter Chat Scheduled for Thursday, May 17

The public and the workforce system are invited join the Department of Labor (DOL) for a "Skills to Pay the Bills" Twitter Chat Thursday, May 17 at 3 pm EDT.

Secretary Solis notes: "You`ll have the chance to ask career development professionals about the workforce readiness skills employers are looking for when making hiring decisions about first-time employees. An official from the U.S. Department of Education will take part in the discussion, as well as special guests from the University of California, Berkeley and Manpower, Inc."

Please read the Secretary`s entry about the Chat on the Department of Labor`s official blog.

ETAs Bottom Line Newsletter Focuses on Serving Business Customers in the Workforce System; Inaugural Edition Focuses on Helping Businesses Find Jobseekers with the Right Skills and Credentials

The inaugural newsletter for the public workforce systems Business Service Representatives is now available for access.

Welcome to the first issue of the Bottom Line, ETAs newsletter focused on serving business customers in the workforce investment system. If you are a Business Services Representative (BSR) or other workforce professional responsible for delivering high-quality services to businesses, this newsletter is for you!

Each issue, well bring you engaging articles, featured tools, and training opportunities centered on todays important business issues. Many of these resources support your efforts to help employers hire, train, or retrain workers, though you may notice we highlight some tools specifically developed for the business customer. This issue focuses on helping businesses find jobseekers with the right skills and credentials. If you find the articles are timely, interesting or useful, please feel free to share our newsletter with your employer partners!

As we get going, well be looking to you to help make the Bottom Line even better! Have feedback or a question? Want to submit content? Contact us any time at businessrelations@dol.gov. Thanks for reading!

The initial newsletter addresses:

Competency Model Clearinghouse
Job Description Writer
Competency Model Tools
Business Services Leadership Website
Certification Finder
MyNextMove for Veterans
Training and Employment Guidance Letter 15-10 (Increasing Credential, Degree, and Certificate Attainment by Participants of the Public Workforce System)
American Job Fair Month

VA Issues Draft Report Strategies for Serving Our Women Veterans; Includes Employment and Training Section; Seeks Comments by June 13

The Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) established the Women Veterans` Task Force in July 2011, to develop a comprehensive action plan for VA that will focus on resolving critical issues facing women Veterans. The VA reports that the draft strategy plan is now complete. VA is inviting public comments by June 13, 2012.

The report is available at http://www.va.gov/opa/publications/Draft_2012_Women-Veterans_StrategicPlan.pdf. The employment and training section begins on page 18.

The May 14, 2012 FEDERAL REGISTER provides additional background and instructions for the submission of comments.

HUD Announces New eCon Planning Suite to Help Cities, Counties and States in Decision-Making; Tool Incorporates Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has launched eCon Planning Suite, a set of 21st Century data and technology tools to help communities ensure that scarce federal dollars are targeted to where they are needed most and can achieve the biggest impact.

HUDs new planning tools will support place-based decision-making and promote public participation and transparency in the discussion over where federal investments ought to be made. The eCon Planning Suite is comprised of three components: an expanded planning database; a powerful new mapping tool, CPD Maps and an electronic template for submitting the Consolidated Plan.

CPD Maps will allow cities, counties and states to access expanded planning data that will not only help them visualize where they have made federal investments in the past, but will guide them on where to focus their energies in the future down to the Census tract level. In addition, the public will be able to draw on this powerful new mapping tool to argue for public investments in particular neighborhoods.

For the first time ever, HUD is offering the following data through this user-friendly tool, not only to its grantee community but to the public at large:

Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) from the U.S. Census Bureau which describes housing problems and needs of extremely low-, low-, and moderate-income households;

American Community Survey (2005-09) offers Census data on population demographics, description of housing stock (cost, condition) and workforce characteristics, such as earnings by sector and travel time to work;

Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD) from Census describes changes in jobs and labor force over time;

Public and Indian Housing Information Center (PIC) from HUD provides information about the characteristics of public housing residents;

Continuum of Care Point-in-Time homeless counts from 3,000 cities and counties offer data on the nature and extent of homelessness; and

Location data from HUD, U.S. Department of Transportation, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency which displays the location/concentration of CDBG, HOME, HUD Multi-family housing developments, public housing, Section 8 vouchers, DOT data on fixed rail transit stops and FEMA floodplains.

The online Consolidated Plan template is designed to guide grantees through an intuitive planning process driven by the same data the public can access in CPD Maps. Completed plans will be posted on HUDs website in a standard format to allow grantees and the public to compare plans and identify best practices. This collection will form a national library of Consolidated Plans, creating a single place online to read about other local strategies and best practices.

HUD piloted the eCon Planning Suite in Detroit, MI; New Orleans, LA; San Antonio, TX; City and County of Sacramento, CA and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

News Release

BLS Seeks Comments on Reinstatement of Green Technologies and Practices Survey

The Bureau of Labor Statistics is soliciting comments concerning the proposed reinstatement of the BLS Green Technologies and Practices Survey.

BLS presented its approach to measuring green jobs and published its final definition of green jobs in the September 21, 2010 FEDERAL REGISTER. The measurement approach includes two surveys: One on jobs related to producing green goods and services, and one on jobs related to using environmentally friendly production processes and practices.

The latter approach will be accomplished through a special employer survey. This information collection request announced today is for the Green Technologies and Practices (GTP). This survey includes collecting the current employment for the establishment; collecting information on the use of environmentally friendly production processes within the establishment; and collecting the number, occupation, and wages paid to employees of the establishment performing environmentally friendly activities.

The goal of BLS and its OES program is to produce economic statistics on employment related to the use of environmentally friendly technologies and practices across the U.S. economy. Using its business establishment register, the OES program intends to survey establishments about these green activities and the associated employment. The survey will identify employers performing green activities, determine whether they have any employees performing tasks associated with these activities, gather information to classify those employees according to the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system, and collect wage rate information.

The May 11, 2012 FEDERAL REGISTER provides complete background, summarizes the burden hour estimates, and describes the desired focus for public comment.� The notice also provides instructions for obtaining a copy of the collection and submitting comments.� Comments are due by July 10, 2012.

April 26, 2012 Transcript: BLS Webinar Presentation on Green Jobs Data

Beyond Green Jobs, Building Lasting Opportunities in Energy Efficiency

Green Jobs Community of Practice

Secretary Solis to Host Online Discussion on Summer Jobs (May 10 at 1:00 Eastern)

During a Google+ hangout on May 10, Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis will host a virtual roundtable discussion with employers, nonprofit leaders and young people about the administration`s Summer Jobs+ initiative and the positive impact of summer jobs. Last week the administration launched the Summer Jobs+ bank, http://www.dol.gov/summerjobs, an online tool to help connect young people with employment and training opportunities in their area as well as the latest round of commitments from participating employers and community organizations. Since January, more than 120 Summer Jobs+ partners have committed to nearly 300,000 jobs and other employment opportunities for young people through this initiative. View the list of partners at http://www.dol.gov/summerjobs/partners.htm.

In addition to highlighting these online tools, the Labor Department`s Employment and Training Administration is working with the National Association of Workforce Boards to promote more than 30 job fairs across the country on May 10. For a list of job fair locations, visit http://www.nawb.org/youth_job_fair_sites.asp.

In conjunction with the virtual roundtable, a series of videos are also being released from administration officials and other successful Americans discussing their first summer jobs and what it taught them, including a video from Secretary Solis, the president`s Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett, television personality Jimmy Fallon, and others. The videos and more information about the program, the companies and organizations that have answered the president`s call, how companies can get involved, and how young people can search for their summer job can be found at http://www.whitehouse.gov/economy/jobs/summerjobs.

WHAT: An online discussion with young people about the impact of summer jobs

WHO: Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis
Mike Wiggins, executive vice president of human resources, Southwire Co.
Kathy Wright, vice president of human resources, Jamba Juice
Monica Wilkinson, developer of the Trabaja Friends for Facebook application
Jorge Castro, Latin American Youth Center in the District of Columbia

WHEN: May 10, 11:30 p.m. EDT

HOW: View the Google+ hangout discussion by visiting any of the following links:
http://www.WhiteHouse.gov/live
http://www.YouTube.com/whitehouse
https://plus.google.com/105479712798762608629 (the White House`s Google+ page)

Subsidized and Transitional Employment Demonstration and Enhanced Transitional Jobs Demonstration: ETA and ACF Seek Comments on Evaluation

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has launched a national evaluation called the Subsidized and Transitional Employment Demonstration (STED). At the same time, the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) within the Department of Labor (DOL) is conducting an evaluation of the Enhanced Transitional Jobs Demonstration (ETJD). These evaluations will inform the Federal government about the effectiveness of subsidized and transitional employment programs in helping vulnerable populations secure unsubsidized jobs in the labor market and achieve self-sufficiency. The projects will evaluate up to twelve subsidized and transitional employment programs nationwide.

ACF and ETA are collaborating on the two evaluations. In 2011, ETA awarded grants to seven transitional jobs programs as part of the ETJD, which is testing the effect of combining transitional jobs with enhanced services to assist ex-offenders and noncustodial parents improve labor market outcomes, reduce criminal recidivism and improve family engagement.

The STED and ETJD projects have complementary goals and are focusing on related program models and target populations. Thus, ACF and ETA have agreed to collaborate on the design of data collection instruments to promote consistency across the projects. In addition, two of the seven DOL-funded ETJD programs will be evaluated as part of the STED Project.

The May 10, 2012 FEDERAL REGISTER provides additional background, describes the methodologies, summarizes burden hour estimates, and lists the contact information for the collection and the submission of comments.� Comments are due to the Office of Management and Budget by June 10, 2012.

ETA and VETS Provide Overview of the Veterans Retraining Assistance Program (VRAP, Section 211 of the VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011

The Employment and Training Administration has issued Training and Employment Notice 43-11

This TEN provides the public workforce system with an overview of the Veterans Retraining Assistance Program (VRAP), section 211 of the VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011.� The TEGL describes the role of the system in program implementation, and advises the system that additional information will be made available as procedures and protocols for implementing the program are finalized.

On November 21, 2011, President Obama signed the VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011 into law which established the VRAP in title II of Pub. L. 112-56. The VRAP directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), in cooperation with the Department of Labor (DOL), to pay for up to 12 months of a retraining assistance in a high demand occupation for unemployed eligible veterans between the ages of 35 and 60 as determined by DOL and VA.

The program may enroll up to 45,000 veterans in Fiscal Year 2012, beginning July 1, 2012, and up to 54,000 veterans from October 1, 2012 through October 1, 2013, with training concluding by March 31, 2014.

The TEN presents the "eligibility criteria," "application process," and the implementation roles of the major principals.

State Workforce Agency, Veterans Employment and Training Service (VETS) field staff, DVOP and LVER staff, local One-Stop Career Center staff, and other program office staff should familiarize themselves with the guidance provided and the attached VOW Fact Sheet. Additional information about the VRAP will be issued as the VA and DOL complete implementation processes.

Questions on VRAP should be directed to your Employment and Training Administration (ETA) Regional Office or VETS Regional Office through VETS Director for Veterans Employment and Training in the State.

Veterans` Program Letter (VPL) 07-12 is available here.

Department`s Office of Disability Employment Policy Announces 2012 Theme for National Disability Employment Awareness Month

The U.S. Department of Labor`s Office of Disability Employment has announced the official theme for October`s National Disability Employment Awareness Month: "A Strong Workforce is an Inclusive Workforce: What Can YOU Do?" The theme promotes the benefits of a diverse workforce that includes workers with disabilities, who represent a highly skilled talent pool.

Early announcement of the theme helps communities nationwide plan a series of announcements, events and meetings to begin in October, some of which will continue throughout the year. Such activities include proclamations, public awareness programs and job fairs that showcase the skills and talents of workers with disabilities.

News Release

Also see:

Disability and Employment Community of Practice

Business Strategies that Work: A Framework for Disability Inclusion Identifies promising employment policies and practices for recruiting, hiring, retaining and advancing qualified individuals with disabilities.

Accompanying Research Compendium

Building an Inclusive Workforce A Four-Step Reference Guide to Recruiting, Hiring, & Retaining Employees with Disabilities.

Return-to-Work Toolkit Information to help employers and employees understand the return-to-work process and resources to assist in getting employees back on the job quickly and smoothly.

Job Accommodation Network (JAN) ODEP-funded service that provides free, expert and confidential guidance on workplace accommodations and other disability employment issues.

Employer Assistance and Resource Network (EARN) ODEP-funded service that helps employers hire and retain workers with disabilities.

Campaign for Disability Employment ODEP-funded collaborative effort among several leading disability and business organizations to encourage flexible and inclusive workplace practices that promote positive employment outcomes for people with disabilities.

Disability.gov Employment Resources Information about recruiting, hiring, interviewing, workplace accommodations and supports, and more.

Leading Practices on Disability Inclusion Guide prepared by the U.S. Business Leadership Network (USBLN) in coordination with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce that summarizes a variety of initiatives implemented by corporations to increase disability inclusion, in both the workplace and marketplace.

Department Awards Grants to Fund Re-Employment, Eligibility Assessments for Unemployment Insurance in 40 States, Puerto Rico and District of Columbia

The U.S. Department of Labor has awarded nearly $65.5 million in grants to 40 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia to implement and/or continue re-employment and eligibility assessments for Unemployment Insurance beneficiaries.

The funds will be used to conduct in-person assessments in One-Stop Career Centers. The assessments include the development of a re-employment plan for claimants, the provision of labor market information that is appropriate to the claimants` locations and employment prospects, a complete review of claimants` eligibility for Unemployment Insurance benefits, and a referral to re-employment services and/or training provided by the One-Stop Career Centers separate that is from the UI program.

This is the eighth year that the Labor Department has awarded grants through its Re-employment and Eligibility Assessment initiative. Recent evaluations of REA programs have shown that REAs reduce the number of weeks UI benefits are claimed by expediting the re-employment of the UI claimants. This evidence justifies expanding the use of REAs as provided for in the federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation program, which is authorized by the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012.

News� Release / Listing of Grantees and Awards