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Workforce Bulletin July 24, 2008  Visit the Fox Cities Workforce Development Magazine Archives  Printer-friendly newsletter |
Welcome Workforce Bulletin The Workforce Bulletin is a quarterly publication of the Fox Cities 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@foxcitiesworks.com. Additional business services and resources are located on our website at: www.foxcitiesworks.com.
What's Happening August 19 - Financial Management for Small Business This two hour workshop, offered by the Small Business Development Center, will discuss the skills needed to manage the finances of a small business, including cash management, bookkeeping and financial controls. Cost is $25 per person. The workshop will be held at various locations in the New North region, beginning with Wautoma on August 19, followed by Fond du Lac (Aug.21), Oshkosh (Aug. 26), Sheboygan (Aug. 27), and Kaukauna (Aug. 28). For more details and to register online, go to: http://www.uwosh.edu/sbdc/programs/Financial_Management_for_Small_Business.php.
August 21 - Lean Overview Session Business Operations Excellence Series - Lean Overview Session will be held from 8 am - 12:30 pm on August 21, September 25 and October 23 at Workforce Economics, 1401 McMahon Drive, Neenah, WI. Topics to be covered include: Implementing Lean Tools, Team Building, Value-Added Customer Activities, Continual Waste Reduction, and Increasing Capacity Without Capital Expenditures. The cost to attend the overview session is $50 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; or email: jim.eagan@workforceeconomics.org. To download a registration form, click on: http://www.foxcitiesworks.com/data/file_upload/1_Lean_Overview_Brochure_Aug_Sept_Oct_08.pdf
Sept. 16 - Public Relations Basics for Small Business This two hour workshop, presented by the Small Business Development Center, will discuss proven techniques for getting the word out about your business and its products or services at little or no cost. Program fee is $25 per person. The workshop will be held at various locations in the New North region, beginning with Wautoma on September 16, Fond du Lac (Sept. 18), Oshkosh (Sept. 23), Sheboygan (Sept. 24), and Kaukauna (Sept. 25). For more details and to register online, go to: http://www.uwosh.edu/sbdc/programs/Public_Relations_Basics_for_Small_Business.php.
October 2 - Fall Career Fair on the Fox The 2008 Fall Career Fair on the Fox will be held on Thursday, October 2 from 2 pm - 6 pm at the Kolf Sports Center, 785 High Avenue, Oshkosh (on the UW-Oshkosh campus). The fair is co-sponsored by UW Oshkosh Career Services, Fox Valley Technical College, the Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce, the Oshkosh Area Workforce Development Center and the Fox Cities Workforce Development Center. For more information and online registration, go to http://www.tts.uwosh.edu/career/JobFairsFallEmployerDirections.php. For any other registration questions, please contact Patti Pucker, UW-Oshkosh, 920.424.1435 or email: pucker@uwosh.edu.
October 22 - Health Care Career Fair A Health Care Career Fair is planned for Wednesday, October 22, at Fox Valley Technical College, 1825 North Bluemound Drive, Appleton, from 2:30 pm to 6 pm. The fair is co-sponsored by UW Oshkosh Career Services, the Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce, the Oshkosh Workforce Development Center, the Fox Cities Workforce Development Center, and Fox Valley Technical College. To access an electronic registration form, go to: On-line Registration. Contact Patti Pucker, UW-Oshkosh, 920.424.1435, email: pucker@uwosh.edu, for additional information.
October 23 - Labor Law Workshop The Fond du Lac Area Job & Career Center will host a Labor Law Workshop for employers. The event will be held at the Holiday Inn in Fond du Lac, from 8:30 am - 3:30 pm on Thursday, October 23, 2008. Registration begins at 8:00 am. The cost to attend is $77 per person. Price includes continental breakfast; refreshments at breaks; buffet lunch in the Holidome; handouts for all presentations on the agenda; plus other DWD handouts. Experts from the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development will cover these four topics:Download and print the agenda and registration form (PDF format - free viewer available). For more information, contact Jerry Disterhaft, Fond du Lac Area Job & Career Center, 920.929.3942, email: gerald.disterhaft@dwd.state.wi.us.
Resources New DOL Compliance Assistance Tool The U.S. Department of Labor has unveiled the FirstStep Recordkeeping, Reporting and Notices elaw Advisor - its latest tool to help employers comply with federal employment laws. By using this tool, employers can easily determine which recordkeeping, reporting and notice requirements apply to them under the major laws administered by the Department. This new elaws Advisor has been integrated with the revised and expanded FirstStep Poster and FirstStep Employment Law Overview Advisors. All three Advisors help employers identify the federal employment laws relevant to them and then explain how to comply with the requirements. This new suite of elaws Advisors is available at: www.dol.gov/elaws/firststep.
One Stop Resource Shopping for Small Business www.Business.gov is the official business link to the U.S. Government. Business.gov is managed by the SBA in partnership with 21 other federal agencies. This partnership, known as Business Gateway, provides a single access point to government services and information for the nation's small business community.
Small Business Training Resources Visit http://web.sba.gov/calendar/public/index.cfm?op=group&grp=73 for business training opportunities offered by SBA, SCORE, SBDC Centers, Women Business Centers, Procurement Assistance Centers and the Wisconsin Procurement Institute. The site includes training sessions, conferences and seminars at the federal level, as well as state, local and private activities that pertain to small business development.
New Online Export Control Training The U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of Security and Industry (BIS) has announced the creation of the BIS Online Training Room, an innovative new resource for companies interested in learning about U.S. dual-use export control regulations. The Training Room will act as an organized, online repository of modules and webinars. The initial launch includes the first half of the Essentials of Export Controls seminar that BIS currently offers around the country, as well as five recently pre-recorded webinars covering a variety of specific export control topics. The training modules are presented in a streaming video format. The BIS Online Training Room can be found at: www.bis.doc.gov/seminarsandtraining/seminar-training.htm.
Spotlight JobNet Call Center Transition Completed Wisconsin JobNet provides access to Wisconsin's online, no fee way to find qualified job applicants. Employers with online access can register and begin using the system at: www.jobnet.wisconsin.gov/business. Logging on provides instant access to enter, update or remove your listing 24/7. Job openings are routinely run for 30 days, but can be shortened or extended to a maximum of 90 days. JobNet Business allows you to review your job order's activity, copy and re-post previous listings, and view your company's listing history.
Waupaca Job Center Seeks Employer Volunteers The Waupaca Area Job Center is asking employers to conduct one hour jobseeker workshops to create a better pool of candidates for area employers. Topics cover a broad range, including filling out applications, job search methods, writing a resume, job fair preparation, cover and thank you letters. You can feel free to build on curriculum which has already been developed for your topic, depending on your area of expertise. Discussion time has already been built into the one hour time slot. FVTC has facilities to enhance your presentation, including computers, computer projection and audiovisual supplies. The goal is to have various employers offer these workshops at the Center on a monthly basis to help educate the workforce and provide better employment candidates. Interested employers should contact Chris Schultz at the Waupaca Job Center, 715.258.8832, email: chris.schulz@workforceeconomics.org.
Workforce Trends FDL County Retirement and Departure Intention Survey Results Fond du Lac County faces a gap of 17,000 unfilled jobs in the next 18 years. Yet few companies have taken steps that will help them retain retirees or attract younger workers in a competitive, shrinking labor market. This according to the recently completed 2007 - 2008 Labor Availability Survey conducted by the AC Communications Council, the Fond du Lac Human Resources Association and Moraine Park Technical College. Among the major findings: 1. Among workers planning to retire in the next five years, 84% are interested in at least part-time work. A third of these want to stay with their current employer. 2. More workers would stay on the job if their employer offered post-retirement part-time work and/or health insurance. 3. Only 11 percent expect to leave the area after retirement. 4. Jobs to be hit hardest by the Boomer exodus: clerical/administrative support; labor; office manager; craftsment; and technicians. All will lose a third of their workforce in the next ten years. 5. 96 percent of the total labor force do not plan to leave their jobs in the next two years. 6. Nearly one half in FDL Co. will reach retirement age in 15 years or less. For more information and a complete copy of the report, contact the Fond du Lac Area Association of Commerce, 920.921.9500, email: info@fdl.com.
Sharp Rise in Employment Discrimination Claims The EEOC reports that in 2007 there was a 9% increase in overall employment discrimination charges. with increases in every category: Race discrimination charges, the largest number filed, increased 12% from 2006; Charges alleging retaliation for complaining about job discrimination reached record levels and represented the second highest number filed, with an 18% jump over the previous year; Sex discrimination was number three, with a 7% increase over the prior year and with 16% filed by men; Other sharp increases were found for discrimination claims involving pregnancy (up 14%); disability (up 14%); and, age (up 15%). For more on the FY2007 EEOC Data, go to: www.eeoc.gov/press/3-5-08.html.
Talent Trumps Cost as Top Employer Concern A shortage of skilled and talented workers has become the most pressing concern among employers, overtaking the perennial leading problem - rising healthcare costs. In response to both challenges, employers are accelerating recent efforts to equip and motivate employees by customizing total rewards packages to meet their individual needs. These and other findings are cited in the 14th annual Top Five Total Rewards Priorities Survey sponsored jointly by Deloitte Consulting and the International Society of Certified Employee Benefit Specialists. To read the full report, go to: http://www.iscebs.org/PDF/surveys/top5_08findings.pdf.
Wisconsin Gender Wage Gap Persists Wisconsin women continue to experience a persistent and severe gender wage gap, earning around 78 cents on the dollar compared with men. The finding is outlined in a paper recently released by the Wisconsin Women's Council titled "Mind the Gap: Women, Wages and the Pay Gap in Wisconsin." Though the gap is smaller for younger women and women with college degrees, it persists at all ages and education levels. Women have continued to make strong gains in education, in some areas outpacing men in degrees earned. This fact could decrease the gender wage gap in time. However, educational attainment among women varies significantly by race and ethnicity, with twice as many white as African American and Hispanic women obtaining four-year college degrees. For a copy of the paper, go to: www.cows.org/pdf/bp-women08.pdf.
Work-Related Injury Deaths Higher Among Hispanics Hispanic workers die in on-the-job accidents at a rate far in excess of their White and Black counterparts. Foreign-born Hispanics, in particular, account for an inordinate number of workplace fatalities. The CDC suggests there are various factors causing the higher number of accidents: inadequate knowledge and control of recognized safety hazards, inadequate training and supervision of workers, and different languages and literacy levels of workers. The full report from the Centers for Disease Control can be seen at: www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5722a1.htm.
2007 Electronic Monitoring & Surveillance Survey The 2007 American Management Association Electronic Monitoring and Surveillance Survey finds that employers are increasingly using e-mail monitoring, website blocking, phone tapping and GPS tracking to manage productivity, and minimize security, litigation and other security risks. Over half of all employers combined fire workers for e-mail and internet abuse. For more, go to: http://press.amanet.org/press-releases/177/2007-electronic-monitoring-surveillance-survey/.
401(k) Withdrawals Increase The three largest administrators of 401(k)s - Fidelity Investments, CitiStreet, and Vanguard Group Inc. - report a growing number of early withdrawals from the plans in the past year as saving for retirement takes a backseat to mortgage payments, medical bills, and rising food and fuel costs.
Updates Federal Minimum Wage Increase Reminder The Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007 included phased increases to the federal minimum wage. The latest increase for covered, non-exempt employees went into effect on July 24, 2008, and brings the minimum wage to $6.55 per hour. The Wisconsin minimum wage general rate is currently at $6.50 per hour. In cases where an employee is subject to both the state and federal minimum wage laws, the employee is entitled to the higher of the two minimum wages. The next scheduled federal minimum wage increase will be $7.25 per hour, effective July 24, 2009. To download the federal minimum wage poster, click on these links: English version: http://www.dol.gov/esa/whd/regs/compliance/posters/minwagebwp.pdf Spanish version: http://www.dol.gov/esa/whd/regs/compliance/posters/minwagespbwP.pdf
E-Verify Mandatory for Federal Contractors On June 9, the Department of Homeland Security announced that all federal contractors will be required to use E-Verify, the government's electronic employment eligibility verification system, to verify the legal status of their new hires. The system can be accessed at: http://www.dhs.gov/xprevprot/programs/gc_1185221678150.shtm.
Latest Supreme Court Ruling on Age Discrimination In a decision handed down by the Supreme Court on June 19, the court held, 7-1, that a company must show that the criteria it used when reducing its workforce did not involve the age of its employees. Previously, employees who sued a company had to prove disparate impact. The Supreme Court opinion places the burden of proof on the employer to show that its layoff decision was based on "reasonable factors" other than age. Employers will no longer be able to simply list the factors in a layoff decision. They also have to persuade the jury that age was not a motivation. The opinion reinforces the importance for employers to maintain strong backup documentation and recordkeeping to demonstrate why layoff decisions were made and that they were not age-related. For the full case, go to: Meacham v. Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory .
New Mandatory Electronic Filing for SED Shipments The U.S. Census Bureau has issued the final rule, which is requiring mandatory filing of export information through the Automated Export System (AES) or through the AESDirect for all shipments where a Shipper's Export Declaration (SED) is required, effective July 2, 2008. There will be a 90-day implementation period, which ends September 30, 2008. After that you must file your export information electronically through the AES or AESDirect. These new regulations, published in the Federal Register on June 2, 2008, have tougher penalties that affect everyone in the export process. For more information on this rule, go to: www.census.gov/foreign-trade/aes/mandatory/index.html.
Workforce Publications 2008 Guide Offers Innovative Workplace Practices The Families and Work Institute has published its 2008 Guide to Bold New Ideas for Making Work Work. Featuring the latest winners of the Alfred P. Sloan Awards for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility, it details innovative workplace practices to attract, engage and retain quality employees and to help organizations thrive in changing times. The Guide describes the positive business impacts of providing a flexible and effective work culture, and points to positive impacts on the community as well, from reducing traffic congestion and going green to supporting volunteerism. To download the Guide, go to: http://familiesandwork.org/3w/boldideas.pdf.
High-Impact Firms Create Most Jobs and Growth "High-Impact Firms: Gazelles Revisited" released in June by the International Conference for Small Business finds that "high-impact firms" create America's new jobs and growth. "High-impact firms" are defined as those whose sales have at least doubled over a four-year period and which have significant employment growth. The study finds that these firms are 25 years old on average, they are not predominantly high-tech, they come in all size classes, and they exist in every region of the country. High-impact firms make up only about 5 percent of firms with employees, yet they account for almost all employment and revenue growth in the economy. The report also documents that over the time periods studied, nearly all job losses came from large, low-impact firms. The full study can be viewed at: http://www.sba.gov/advo/research/rs328tot.pdf.
Labor Market Data Local and State Unemployment Data
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