Director's Corner
Greetings
all! I hope this newsletter finds you all well and enjoying this summer. As you
may know, I am just back from maternity leave. My son Reuben was born on April
3, and is a very cool little individual. :)
I
want to thank Jackie Buck and Kay Tracy for serving as interim directors in my
absence. I would also like to thank my supervisor and our Division Director,
May Thao Schuck, for stepping in to handle various issues while I was out.
Thank you, also, to Chelsea Georgesen, Amy Carlson, Sarah Saito, and Cindy
Boyle for keeping our key program operations sailing smoothly. Finally, thanks
to the Rapid Response team for their continued work in the face of an
exceptional volume of change even within the team.
NEWSLETTER
FORMAT CHANGE: We have decided to combine the monthly MinnesoTAA newsletter
with the monthly Partner Express so that our partners will only receive one
e-mail from our team. We will be mindful of the length of the newsletter so as
to not overwhelm.
STAFFING
UPDATES: As we shared in the June Partner Express, Mai Neng Moua is now
pursuing other adventures and taking good care of herself and her family. We
miss her deeply. Additionally, Sylvia Garcia has accepted a promotional
opportunity with the Minnesota Department of Transportation, and is no longer
with DEED. Finally, Mohammadkheir Gaba has also accepted another opportunity
with the City of St. Paul, and is no longer with DEED. All of this change can
be dizzying, so please do keep a close eye on the unit director on the right
column of this newsletter. We are in the process of hiring a Rapid Response
team coordinator and two senior specialists. In the meantime, should any
questions or concerns arise, please do not hesitate to reach out to me
directly.
Thank
you again for all of your patience and continued service to Minnesotans. We are
excited to continue a deepening partnership in months to come.
Annie
Performance Update
First and foremost, I want to say
“Thank you!” for all the work everyone did to update WIOA Adult and Dislocated
Worker cases that showed in reports as “No services received for more than 90
days”.
To ensure
all the hard working case managers across the state continue to get full credit
for the awesome work they do every day and after receiving responses from
across the state alerting me to areas of WF1 data entry that were not fully
known or understood. I want to provide you all some additional guidance on case
note data entry and how those data elements are used to determine if
participants are in receipt of services you are providing.
Common Error 1: If a case note relates to more than one
program, all programs need to be selected within the case note. To do this,
simply click on the “Select/Deselect” link underneath the “Program” options.
This will bring you to a screen that allows more than one program to be
selected. Select all programs the case note applies to then click “Continue” to
complete the case note details.
Common Error 2: Many counselors across the state juggle
multiple program enrollments within their caseload. Due to this, the program
drop down options within the case note screen displays more than just the programs
that participant accessed. In some cases, the counselor will select the program
more often used in error.
Reason 1 & 2 are important
to know: If the counselor or data entry staff only select one
program or the wrong program as the program the case note applies to then that
is the only program the system relates to that communication. All other
programs will not consider that case note to be relevant to its program
sequence. If the case note is relevant to both the “Adult Career Pathways”
enrollment and the participant’s enrollment in “Dislocated Worker” or “WIOA
Adult” all of these programs need to be selected as programs that case noted
communication relates.
Common Error 3: Many counselors select the case note “Contact
Method” of “Does not involve Live Contact” when the participant communicated
electronically or over the phone.
Common Error 4: Many counselors select the case note “Contact
Method” of “Attempted to Contact Person” because they initially were simply
attempting communication but when the participant replied, the counselor added
their reply to the original case note detail but did not update the “Contact
method” to “Live Contact with Person”.
Reason 4 & 5 are important
to know: Since it is required for all participants to
communicate with their counselor every 30-days and gaps in communication cannot
exceed more than 90-days it is acceptable for participants to communicate with
their counselors in multiple ways. The following are considered “Live Contact” communication:
In-person, telephone, postal mail, emails, text message, instant message, or
messages via social media (Facebooks, Twitter, etc.). If the participant
communicates back to their counselor in any of these forms, the case note documenting
that case note needs to have “Live Contact with Person” selected as the contact
method.
Article In short: Reports
only capture the programs selected within the case note as the program related
to that communication and only case notes with the contact method of “Live
Contact with Person” will be included to determine participants in receipt of
services for that program.
If you have questions about any
of the above information please contact Amy Carlson at amy.carlson@state.mn.us or
651-259-7542.
TAA Update
26 Week Deadline to Submit a TAA Training
Plan
There seems to be some confusion in the field regarding the
26 week deadline associated with the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) training
benefit. If a worker is eligible for TAA, then they are eligible for the
training benefit. Missing the deadline does not mean loss of the training
benefit. Rather, submitting the TAA Training Application at or after the
26 week deadline means the worker will not be able to collect Trade
Readjustment Allowance (TRA—extended unemployment, if eligible) while in full
time training.
The 26 week deadline is calculated from the petition
certification date or the layoff date, whichever is later. The worker and
DW Counselor need to submit the TAA Training application to TAA and
have it approved within 26 weeks following certification or
layoff (whichever is later) in order to receive TRA. Steps to take: 1)
the plan has to be submitted to the Dislocated Worker Counselor who then
reviews and signs off on it; 2) the training application with supporting
documentation is then forwarded to the TAA general mailbox (deed.taa@state.mn.us) where it is assigned to a TAA Specialist for
approval or denial. Because of these steps, DW Counselors should submit
TAA Training Plans as early as possible, to allow sufficient time for TAA to
review.
Training Progress Report
The Training Progress Report or TPR should be submitted to
the DW Counselor, signed and forwarded to TAA every 60 days while in TAA
approved training. For example,
schools within MNSCU start August 21 so the first TPR will be due around
October 19 and the second one around December 18 and so on. Per Federal regulations, the TPR can be
turned in within 60 days, so if a participant submitted the first TPR
October 1 (within 60 days) the next one would be due no later than November 29.
Why is the TPR important? The TPR allows both DW and TAA to
confirm that the participant is making progress and is on track to complete the
program within the approved training plan timeline. It also allows TAA to
render assistance if the participant is struggling. If TPRs are not submitted
within 60 days of each other, the participant is then considered non-compliant
and can lose both TAA funding and their TRA benefit.
If you have questions about any of the above information please contact Cindy Boyle at cynthia.boyle@state.mn.us or 651-259-7551.
Corner On The Market: With Cameron Macht
Regional Analysis & Outreach Manager Minnesota Dept. of Employment & Economic Development cameron.macht@state.mn.us 320-441-6596
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In an increasingly tight labor market, one untapped
potential source of workers that seemingly gets overlooked is Minnesota’s
blind, DeafBlind, and low-vision population. The most recent
issue of Minnesota Economic Trends, DEED’s award-wining quarterly
publication, includes a great article from Carly Lykes Frostman about “Minnesota’s
Untapped Workforce,” exploring the capacity of and the difficulties that
workers with vision impairment face in the labor force.
Lykes Frostman starts by showing different sources of data
on disabilities, and explains some of the constraints each dataset provides.
For example, population estimates from the American Community Survey (ACS) rely
on small sample sizes and self-reporting, while administrative data from
Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) services use different criteria and verify the
data through wage records. ACS estimates can be helpful when setting the
context, but VR administrative data allow for more detailed reports and
analysis.
According to DEED data, State Services for the Blind (SSB)
serves thousands of visually impaired people through its Workforce Development
Unit (WDU), Communication Center and Senior Services Unit (SSU). The article
states that “All
WDU customers must demonstrate eligibility with a verified medical diagnosis of
a significant visual impairment. WDU customers must also seek an approved
employment goal, which they develop with their VR counselor. After a customer
is confirmed eligible, he or she is assigned to one of SSB’s 15 VR counselors
located at 13 offices across the state. The counselor, along with other SSB
staff, guides the customer through an array of vocational assessments to gauge
interests, abilities and needs.”
SSB
customers can also receive assistance with job search activities such as resumes
and cover letters, interview preparation, networking, and more in consultation
with other SSB staff including job placement and assistive technology
specialists. If they aren’t ready for a job yet, SSB customers can choose to
enroll in vocational or other postsecondary training. Data shows that “about 35
percent of customers from 2012 to 2016 left SSB with more education than when
they arrived, with nearly 60 percent having completed at least some
postsecondary education.”
Interestingly,
office and administrative support occupations were the most common placement
for SSB customers, accounting for nearly one in every five job placements. That
was twice as popular as sales and related occupations, which were the second
most popular job outcome. Median wages for SSB customers in these two areas
ranged between $12.00 and $13.00 per hour (see Table 1).
Though
in smaller numbers, SSB customers also found success getting placed in higher
wage occupations including education, training, and library; business and
financial operations, management, and computer and mathematical occupations,
which all provided median wages above $23.00 per hour for program completers,
including a high of $30.48 for management jobs.
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Lykes
Frostman points out that “SSB staff members strive to help
all customers realize their full potential and become competitive job
candidates who are as qualified as their sighted peers. WIOA regulations define
a successful closure as a case that is closed because a customer obtains
employment in a competitive integrated setting, and unsuccessful when closed
for any other reason.”
However, she also notes that “An unsuccessful closure does not mean
that all effort was lost. Customers may be forced to stop participating due to
unforeseen life circumstances, such as illness or relocation. They may decide
to work with another agency or organization, or they may not be ready to make
the life changes required to complete their program and begin working.
Sometimes the hard work a customer puts in pays off months or years later when
they find a job on their own, or they return to SSB to finish their work.”
As employers continue to struggle to find new workers to fill their
open positions, they may find that more inclusive recruiting strategies and
investments in technology may help them tap into a much larger pool of
potential employees. Lykes Frostman aptly concludes, “Employers and hiring managers who are unaware of the available tools and
the abilities of blind people are not only missing out on competent employees,
but may be excluding them.”
To read more about “Minnesota’s Untapped Workforce,” please read the full article in the most recent issue of
Trends: https://mn.gov/deed/newscenter/publications/trends/june-2017/
Creative Corner
Job Forum Minneapolis North WorkForce Center
The goal of our Job Forum is to energize and empower job
seekers twice a month by providing education and information through specific
topics and special speakers. Our focus is to get job seekers away from
computers and remind them that job search takes a village and at the WorkForce
Center we provide that support. Having created the bi-monthly Job Forum on the 2nd
and 4th Mondays at the North Minneapolis WorkForce Center Workshop
Facilitator Esther Hollander Felsen reminds jobseekers in transition that they
are at a crossroads and the most important thing they can do is to show up!
The emotional implications of job loss for job seekers
include feeling isolated, lower self-esteem and self-confidence. Coming
together with others gives job seekers an occasion to feel accepted among
others going through similar journeys without judgment or criticism. The Job
Forum openly supports each individual positively with a welcoming check-in to
help introduce them to the group and assist with possible networking contacts.
Facilitator, Esther Hollander Felsen, consistently creates
topics to be discussed for learning purposes. Recent bi-weekly topics have been
on Self-sabotage and Fear and Personal branding. We also bring in guest
speakers to instruct on various topics. Esther likes to have input from
individuals and counselors as to what they want to have presented in future job
forums. A topic that on “Implementation of Strengthsfinder Results” has been
suggested by many participants of the highly regarded, “Find Your Strengths”
workshop and will be delivered soon.
Recent feed-back from a participant shared, “Job Club – This is where
Esther shines. Esther has an unwavering commitment to inclusiveness,
openness, support, empathy and professionalism as she leads these
sessions. I have a new found understanding of networking and
the importance of it during unemployment.”
Esther Hollander Felsen, MA, GCDF|Workforce Development Representative
Minnesota Department of Employment and
Economic Development
Minneapolis North Workforce Center -800 West Broadway Avenue,
Minneapolis Minnesota 55411
esther.hollander.felsen@state.mn.us Direct: 612-299-7210
Success Stories
Justin
Services for the Blind - Mankato
Justin lost his vision six years ago when he was 17 years
old. He finished high school in Anoka
County and then attended the Academy Plus program at the Minnesota State Academy
for the Blind in Faribault. It was at
the Academy that Justin learned the skills he needed such as Braille, cane
travel, daily living skill, work experience, and assistive technology.
Following his time at the Academy, Justin attended the
Vision Loss Resources program from September 2016 to March 2017. While in that program Justin got an
internship at United Commercial Upholstery Company and after four weeks, they
offered him a job. Justin says he enjoys
his production job because he gets to use his mechanical skills assembling
items such as boat cushions and panels for golf carts. Justin is happy to be placed at a company
that “is very accommodating and wonderful place to work”.
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View past editions of the Partner Express
Newsletter at http://mn.gov/deed/programs-services/dislocated-worker/counselors/news/index.jsp
Wanting to subscribe to this newsletter? Contact Liz McLoone at Liz.McLoone@state.mn.us with your request!
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