Teamwork is key to mission statement

In examining the department’s mission statement, which is the foundation of the Strategic Plan, we went beyond the Strategic Planning Team for comments this month and asked two TDLWD employees who are actively involved in supporting the plan (but not official Planning Team members) to share some thoughts on how teamwork is part and parcel to achieving goals in their respective divisions. Thank you to Teresa Broome, east Tennessee district manager, and Jan Cothron, TOSHA manager of Health Compliance, for their contributions to this month’s Strategic Plan focus.

Asked what she felt it means to work as a team, Jan said it meant working with others to achieve a common goal. She said the team concept allows TOSHA to have a greater impact on safety and health in Tennessee workplaces, and in fact, TOSHA functioned as a team long before the concept of strategic planning was introduced.

Teresa said a true team is made up of people who set aside their own personal agendas to come together for the betterment of a common cause. “We have a picture hanging in our Career Center at Johnson City that reiterates this analogy,” she said. “It simply states ‘Partners – Two or More Who Have Joined Together and Share Common Interest with One Another.’” She said a successful team will include people who are flexible and willing to listen to all ideas before making decisions. “I agree with author John Maxwell’s explanation of a team,” she said. “He believes a team is a collection of individuals, but describes the challenge for each individual, that is, each team member, is to become the kind of person who can maximize his contribution and push the team forward to fulfill its mission.”

She said she feels the Tennessee Career Center System is an excellent example of employees engaging in the practice of teamwork. “Our Career Centers are staffed by individual agencies, yet function as a team. Sharing information, referrals, and resources results in enhanced opportunities for all our job seekers,” she said.

TOSHA uses teamwork at every level of that organization. Jan said TOSHA administrators, managers, and supervisors work together to develop and implement strategies to ensure that they achieve the common goal of providing a workplace that is safe and healthy for workers in our state. Jan explained, “We use the teamwork approach to provide training that is needed, develop an inspection scheduling strategy to inspect workplaces and identify hazards, and then ensure that the hazards are corrected. We have been successful using this teamwork approach to better use the resources that we have to identify and address those safety and health hazards and to drive down accident and injury rates in Tennessee workplaces.”

Teresa feels that the Career Center System, which was founded on a spirit of cooperation more than a decade ago, is a splendid example of employees working effectively as a team every day. “We have specific teams in place that have contributed to the collaborative efforts and successes that our career centers in LWIAs 1 and 2 have enjoyed.”

She cited the Rapid Response Team as one of the best examples. “The membership of this team has representatives from the Dislocated Worker Unit, LWIA, Adult Education, AFL-CIO Technical Assistance when appropriate, and our local Career Center. These individuals have successfully assisted literally hundreds of dislocated workers enter re-training and become productively employed.”

Jan recalls positive team participation when she lived in Henry County and worked for several years with a team of adults whose purpose was to form the leaders of the student clubs at Henry County High School into a council that worked well together the following year. This activity was organized through the Chamber of Commerce:

“In the fall of the year, the officers of each student club whose members attended the high school were invited to an expense-paid weekend at a group camp at Land Between the Lakes. They came in on Friday afternoon and stayed until Sunday. On Friday night they were taught how to conduct meetings appropriately. On Saturday we took them through an established team-building ropes course that is onsite at the group camp.

“I facilitated one of the teams through the ropes course. This course taught them to work together in small teams to accomplish goals that were physical challenges and showed them the value of teamwork. When they left on Sunday morning, we always felt that this was a successful way to bring these groups together so that they could accept each other and work together during the following year.”

Teresa said one of the most recent and rewarding teamwork endeavors for her was the assembly of partners from the Career Center system who participated in writing a winning nomination that successfully gained international recognition for a local employer. A ream representing the TDLWD, the Alliance for Business & Training’s (LWIA 1’s) Customized Employment Program, the department of Human Services Rehabilitative Services, Corporate Connections – U.T. Center on Disability and Employment, and the Workforce Employment Outreach Committee submitted the winning nomination of Dave Quick, vice-president of Advanced Call Center Technologies, Johnson City, to the International Association of Workforce Professionals. “He was recognized in 2006 as the Individual Citation Award winner at the organization’s International Education Conference in Louisville. This was truly a team effort and one that we remain proud of today!” said Teresa.

What is your definition of teamwork? My definition as the administrator of this department is everyone working together and sharing knowledge and gaining strength from one another for the benefit of all of our citizens.

Just prior to coming into my office this morning I saw a group of individuals in my conference room, probably 20 leaders of this department, and they were discussing goals and outcomes and projections and processes, trying to make things a lot better for our department. You know sometimes I do a self-assessment, and it includes how well I’m doing in regards to reaching out to others to bring them up-to-date and keep them involved in what’s going. Then I look at how well I communicate, for example, with the general staff in the department and how close do they feel to me and the department’s vision, mission and values. They have a right to understand what’s going on in certain areas also, and sometimes I give myself a bad grade for not doing that. 

As I do a self-assessment, I challenge you to do an assessment on yourself. What kind of questions would you ask? What kind of grade would you put on that assessment? And then what would you do about it? Stop and think – sometimes small things can be solved by small thought processes. Sometimes major obstacles can still be solved by small communications or small thought process or just communicating with your team. One size doesn’t fit all. But the whole issue of teamwork is one that brings everybody together for a team concept and then working together trying to improve the standards in Tennessee for all workers and trying to maintain the business environment where we can have jobs for all of our citizens.

Each and every employee in this department plays a role in the success of his division and our department.  You are a valuable team member in this department, and I encourage you to read John Crawford’s article about the “My Role” sheet. Once your supervisors sit down with you and show you how you play a part in our department’s accomplishments, I encourage you to post this document in your work area and be reminded every day of the important part you play in making this department a success.

Commissioner
James Neeley

New tool will facilitate each employee’s understanding of his role in departmental mission
By John Crawford
Assistant Director for Marketing Services

Our mission statement reflects the very basic principle we will use to achieve our purpose; we will work together as a team to promote workforce development and improve safety and health throughout Tennessee. Now that our goals and mission are established, the challenge is to create an atmosphere in which employees understand exactly what their roles are in all team efforts and how they contribute to the overall success of their division and the department as a whole. Everyone needs to understand how vital his efforts are in what we do and how he can really make a difference in serving our customers.

To achieve this level of understanding, the Strategic Planning Team has developed a tool for each supervisor and employee to use to sit down and have a conversation. The tool is called My Role in the Success of the Department and features three columns of information on a single piece of paper. Each employee, with his supervisor, will list in the left column his major job tasks and responsibilities. The center column will contain the goals of the employee’s particular division, and the right column will list the seven overall departmental goals. Once the sheet is complete, the supervisor and employee will discuss how each task relates to the success of the division and thereby the success of the department. This sheet should be posted in your personal work area, so you are reminded every day of your important role in your division and the department’s success.

If we are to succeed in our mission, we have to operate as a team. To be good team members, we have to understand what is expected of us and how we can affect the bigger picture, and we need to see measured results. The use of this tool is a good place to start that process. 

The “My Role in the Success of the Department” tool will be available to supervisors in March. Strategic Planning Team members will be discussing use of the tool with each of their groups as we move forward.

Phyllis Pardue
Director of Technology for Adult Education; has been with the Department of  Labor and Workforce Development since Adult Education joined the department

What do you like best about your job?
Helping others

in the Nashville area). We also join with the TWRA (Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency) to teach cooking classes. It is amazing what you can cook in a dutch oven. We also volunteer our time to cook for the Beyond Outdoor Women with TWRA and for the Pleasant View Fire Department, as well as all the youth events at Cheatham Wildlife Resources Agency.

We also were allowed to cook for the Wounded Warriors from Ft Campbell. Cooking for those that have served us in the military was very exciting and most rewarding. We hope this becomes one of those “regular cooks” that we put on our calendar.

Do you have any other personal interests/activities outside of work?
I cannot forget one other very important “interest” – that is my grandson Xander.

Why do you think it’s important to work as a team? 
Only when working as a group can you achieve all that is needed.  Also it is much more fun to work together than always working alone.

TDLWD teamwork already leading to success!

In 2004 the Workers’ Compensation Reform Act passed, leading to the development of the Workers’ Compensation Penalty Program. The creation of this program was no easy task. It took several months and the hard work of senior staff, full-time staff and even part-timers. In all more than 20 people in the Workers’ Compensation division had a hand in creating and now maintaining the program.

The Penalty Program is responsible for enforcing the workers’ compensation laws and regulations. Prior to the 2004 legislation there were no penalties if an insurance carrier or employer was late in paying a compensable claim. The legislation created a penalty for the late payment of benefits and the resources for us to enforce the law.

The Division began setting up the Penalty Program in the summer of 2004 by assembling several senior staff from a number of programs to assist in the creation of the Penalty Program. Those involved in the creation include, but are not limited to, Sue Ann Head, Pete Halverstadt, Mark Finks, Teresa Bullington, Shara Hamlett, Bonnie Hudgens, and our computer and technical support groups OIR and ISM. After a great deal of work and some very creative thinking, a complaint-drive process was created to operate through the workers’ compensation computer system in cooperation and conjunction with other divisional programs, primarily the Benefit Review Program, but also the Claims and Coverage section, the Medical section, the Drug-Free Work Place Program, the Reconsideration Program, and the Uninsured Employers Fund.

Today the Penalty Program’s daily operations are handled full time by Pete Halverstadt, Whit Gallimore, John Houghton, and Thomas Alverson.  The Penalty Program is also fortunate to receive part-time assistance from Charlie Herrell, Kim Jefferson, Jeff Francis, Scott Yarbrough, Blaine Sprouse, Richard Murrell, Bill Calhoun, Rhoda Hutt, Bonnie Hudgens, Jeanette Baird, Shara Hamlett, and many others too numerous to name.  These part-time assistants already have other full-time jobs within the division, but generously provided assistance to the Penalty Program. Through the hard work and efforts of all the people who contribute to the program’s operation, hundreds of penalty referrals are processed each year, resulting in the assessment of tens and even hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines every year. Penalties for unpaid or untimely paid benefits are made payable to the injured employee; all other penalties are made payable to the Division and become part of the Second Injury Fund.

IAWP seeks scholarship applicants

The Carl T. Anderson Scholarship was established by the 1994-1995 Tennessee Executive Board. Mr. Anderson had a distinguished career in state government, including serving in Governor Frank Clement’s cabinet as commissioner. Mr. Anderson was a strong supporter of our professional association. He is the only person in Tennessee to serve in an elected international position. Mr. Anderson wholeheartedly supported the concept of this scholarship. We hope it will continue to help families in our membership for many years to come.

The scholarship was set up with his support to provide financial assistance to college-bound children and grandchildren of active IAWP members. In July 2006, we awarded three $500 scholarships. Recipients were Ryan Davis, Corey Lien, and Michael Montoya. The chapter has now awarded 20 scholarships for a total of $10,000.

The scholarship is funded solely by contributions made “In Honor Of” and “In Memory Of” individuals. This is a loving and lasting way to remember or honor someone special. Acknowledgments are sent to Mr. Anderson’s family and the honoree or their family. We will be able to award three scholarships in 2007. The application must be received by May 31, 2007. Winning applicants will be notified in July. Brochures and applications are available by contacting Joan Dowlen at 615-253-5649.

The Rhea Employer Association WEOC met February 14 at the Rhea Welcome Center in Dayton. Mark Stiles, director of the UI Claims Center System, talked on “Understanding the New UI Claims Center System.” Several employers commented on the courteous service they had received from Claims Center staff in Nashville. Around 50 attended.

Pictured at the meeting are (from left) Mark Stiles; Greg Whitlock, Huber Engineered Wood, Spring City; Chip Harris, Goodman’s, Dayton; and Lanny Graham, manager of Dayton, Athens, and Cleveland TDLWD offices.

Phil White, Administrator of Adult Education and Marva Doremus, Assistant Administrator, have been asked to guide a national collaboration with the Community Education staff at the Museum that will design training for other states using the toolkit.

Through its community education program, the Museum regularly trains thousands of school age children each year. Their partnership with Tennessee Adult Education is unique and will be used as the benchmark to train adult educators across the country.

This year the USHMM will publish “Exemplary Lessons for Adult Educators,” a series of best practice lesson plans for the adult education classroom. These lessons were written solely by adult education instructors in Tennessee.

According to Marva, “Several years ago, diversity issues arose in our classrooms across the state, both at adult learning centers and at classes at the workplace. Through this partnership with the Museum staff, the toolkit was developed and used to address those issues that were becoming a barrier to learning. We are extremely proud that the Tennessee model has been chosen by the Museum to disseminate nationwide.”

TOSHA
Some TOSHA personnel have been involved for the past several weeks in preparing for the TNCAT07 earthquake exercise. TNCAT07 is a three-day exercise conducted by the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency and is being held in conjunction with a federal exercise named SONS07.  SONS07 will focus on issues pertaining to oil and hazardous substance releases triggered by a major New Marid Fault event. TNCAT07 will focus on other consequences trigged by the same New Marid event. The dates for the actual exercise are June 19, 20 and 21, 2007.

On February 6, 2007, Federal OSHA published a 37-page document titled Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for an Influenza Pandemic. This document provides general guidance for all types of workplaces, describes the differences between seasonal, avian and pandemic influenza, and presents information on the nature of a potential pandemic, how the virus is likely to spread and exposure is likely to occur. You may find this document by visiting www.osha.gov.

The State Workforce Development Board will conduct our regular quarterly meeting on March 1st and 2nd. The USDOL released planning guidance to the states in January with a response deadline of April 1. The state board will receive updates on the plan modifications proposed for Tennessee.

In addition, a Third Generation of Workforce Innovation and Regional Economic Development or WIRED grants was announced by USDOL. The Employment and Workforce Development Division is working closely with officials from Economic and Community Development on the development of two potential grants for Tennessee. This initiative could bring $10 million in additional funding to the state. Applications from local areas and regions will be due to the state no later than March 30.

Mary Ellen Grace, director of Labor Standards, will be participating in a joint seminar discussing issues of the Davis Bacon and Prevailing Wage Acts. This seminar is sponsored by the Sheetmetal Workers Local #5 in Chattanooga on March 8.

We welcome our new employee Minge Kay Lamarr, administrative support for the boiler division.

In 2006, the Tennessee General Assembly, in recognition of the importance of this role, enhanced the Benefit Review process by the creation of a Reconsideration Program, as codified at Tenn. Code Ann. §50-6-238(d). This program is designed to assure confidence in the Benefit Review Process by providing a second objective review of available information and the means, if necessary, to modify initial Orders concerning temporary disability and/or medical benefits.

The Request for Reconsideration process allows for a review of the decisions made by Workers’ Compensation Specialists in workers’ compensation claims in which a Party has filed a Form C-40A Request for Assistance with the Benefit Review Section of the Division of Workers’ Compensation. The process also helps to assure that a Workers’ Compensation Specialist has made a decision based on the information available to the Specialist, at the time of issuing an Order, when the Workers’ Compensation Law is applied to the facts of the workers’ compensation claim.

Any Party to a Workers’ Compensation Specialist’s Order for Temporary Disability Benefits, Order for Medical Benefits, or Order of Denial of Workers’ Compensation Benefits, issued on or after May 26, 2006, who disagrees with the Order, or disagrees with any part of the Order, may file a Request for Reconsideration of a Workers’ Compensation Specialist’s Order. Pursuant to statute, the Request for Reconsideration must be filed within seven calendar days of the dissatisfied Party’s receipt of the Specialist’s Order. An informal conference telephone call among the Parties will be scheduled within 10 calendar days of the receipt of the Request for Reconsideration, and the Administrator’s Designee from the Workers’ Compensation Division will listen to all Parties and render a decision within seven calendar days of the date on which the informal conference telephone call was held.

Although the Reconsideration Program remains a relatively new program in Workers’ Compensation, it continues to grow and adapt as new issues arise and difficulties are encountered during the reconsideration process. After more than six months of experience with this program, the Division has found that the general level of satisfaction with the entire Benefit Review process is strong and gaining strength.

The Herald-News:
Fuji Hunt hit with $91,000 in TOSHA fines for August fire
By: Jim Ashley
February 4, 2007

WBBJ-TV Jackson:
News story script on relocation of the Career Center at Jackson
Porcha Johnson, reporting
February 26, 2007

An explosion and fire at the Fuji Hunt Photographic Chemicals plant last Aug. 3 that caused the death of an employee has resulted in 13 “serious” citations and possible fines totaling $91,000 from the Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

The plant received notification of the citations and fines on Wednesday following an investigation that began immediately after the tragic incident, which claimed the life of Fred Lockhart, 35, a five-year veteran employee who was burned over 85 percent of his body.

Tom Rehring, plant manager at the time of the incident, is no longer employed by the company, according to John Sidenstick, who became “manufacturing manager” on Jan. 3.

Sidenstick said he could not comment on whether or not Rehring resigned or was terminated from the company.

In its report, TOSHA listed the citations as the following:
1. Insufficient data compiled before a chemical process was conducted.
2. Inadequate equipment controls for a chemical process operation.
3. Inadequate hazard analysis of a chemical process before production.
4. Inadequate written operating procedures for conducting a chemical process.
5. Inadequate procedures for a chemical process shutdown.
6. Inadequate operator training.
7. Insufficient pre-startup safety review before conducting a chemical process.
8. Inadequate safety consideration to manage process operating procedure changes.
9. Employees not consulted on hazards analysis and new operating procedures.
10. Lack of adequate fire protection for a flammable storage tank.
11. Insufficient personal protective equipment for exposure to a fire hazard.
12. Material safety data sheet not developed for a hazardous chemical.
13. Employees not effectively trained on a hazardous chemical in their work area.

Also in the report, TOSHA explained that “serious citations are issued when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result and the employer knew or should have known of the hazard.”

Fuji Hunt, stated TOSHA, “has 20 calendar days from receipt of its citations and penalties to request and participate in an informal conference with TOSHA and/or to contest them before the independent Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

Sidenstick told The Herald-News, “We’ve been working with TOSHA both on the investigation and in discussing the issue we have here. We have not formulated a formal response to the official citation, but there is nothing surprising in there.”

Of the company’s current safety status, he said, “I think we’re making progress forward. It’s never as fast as you hope it can be, but since we’re aware of all the issues that TOSHA identified, we’ve been working to correct those.”

Asked if the company’s employees became fearful of their jobs following the explosion and fire, Sidenstick said, “After the initial incident, there were some people who left and had to be replaced.”

Currently, he noted, the Dayton plant, which supplies chemicals to the parent Fuji Film company, has 76 employees.

(Porcha Johnson)
“This year the career center staff will be packing their bags for a move, the center’s coordinator says, that will make it more accessible to everyone in Jackson. It doesn’t look like much now, but in three months it will. The Tennessee Career Center coordinator says once construction is complete, this building on Carriage House Drive in north Jackson will be dedicated to a new kind of service.”

(Bill Elinor, Career Center manager)
“We are going into an existing building that another state agency had, but now it will suit our needs.”

(Johnson)
“A need that Bill Elinor explains will accommodate to the public more efficiently in north Jackson than it could in downtown.”

(Elinor)
“We’ve had limited parking. Activities have been a real problem for us.”

(Johnson)
“Not to mention, Elinor says, the center’s services are hindered by the staff being split on two floors. In addition, the center’s location wasn’t equally accessible to everyone.

(Elinor)
“It’s on a city bus line.”

(Johnson)
“Looking at the layout, it’s been about year in the making. And now, Elinor says, the new career center will bring a bigger facility and convenient location to Jackson residents. Elinor says the state is funding the newly renovated building. He is expecting the new career center to be ready by the end of May.”

(Porcha Johnson)
“This year the career center staff will be packing their bags for a move, the center’s coordinator says, that will make it more accessible to everyone in Jackson. It doesn’t look like much now, but in three months it will. The Tennessee Career Center coordinator says once construction is complete, this building on Carriage House Drive in north Jackson will be dedicated to a new kind of service.”

(Bill Elinor, Career Center manager)
“We are going into an existing building that another state agency had, but now it will suit our needs.”

(Johnson)
“A need that Bill Elinor explains will accommodate to the public more efficiently in north Jackson than it could in downtown.”

(Elinor)
“We’ve had limited parking. Activities have been a real problem for us.”

(Johnson)
“Not to mention, Elinor says, the center’s services are hindered by the staff being split on two floors. In addition, the center’s location wasn’t equally accessible to everyone.

(Elinor)
“It’s on a city bus line.”

(Johnson)
“Looking at the layout, it’s been about a year in the making. And now, Elinor says, the new career center will bring a bigger facility and convenient location to Jackson residents. Elinor says the state is funding the newly renovated building. He is expecting the new career center to be ready by the end of May.”

To:       Mary C. O’Neal, U.I. Federal Claims Unit
From:   A claimant

“I appreciate your valuable helps so much. Without it I would have never been able to fumble my way through the system to become eligible for benefits. Keep up the good work, and thank you.”

To:       Tennessee Career Center at Pulaski
From:   Melanie Wagner and Andrea Oldendorf, Spherion

“We wanted to extend our sincere thanks for your assistance with our job fair on February 8. We were thrilled with the outstanding turnout and found an exceptional number of qualified candidates for our positions.

Your facilitation in helping the day go smoothly as incredibly helpful, and we appreciate the generous way you have lent us your time and the use of your Career Center.

We look forward to working with you in the future should another event bring us to Giles County!”

To:       Mark Howell, Employer Accounts
From:   A client

“As most of us are often much too quick to criticize our elected officials and public servants, it is only right that we should be just as quick to praise them when praise is obviously due.

This is a letter of both praise and thanks for the very prompt and efficient manner in which you handled my inquiry last week. I learned a lot about people during my business career in sales and promotion and sensed from the beginning of our telephone conversation that you could be depended on to find the source of our problem and do it promptly. I recall your saying “before the end of the day,” and it was only a couple of hours.

It had been a bad day for me to that point after learning that this corporate charter had been revoked. Darkness turned to daylight when I received your call. Thank you for this and also for you letter of February 11 in which you confirm your request to the Secretary of State. You are a credit to your profession.”