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TDLWD observes “Hire Vets First Month”
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Commissioner Neeley submitted an editorial that was run by many newspapers in which he encouraged Tennessee employers to learn the benefits of hiring veterans as they bring to the workplace their experience and their dedication to our country. He said Tennessee’s veteran population is approximately one-half million. Of that number more than 35,000 use the services of the department’s Career Centers each year. “Sixty-six percent of veterans seeking our services entered employment in fiscal year 2005,” Neeley said. Tennessee’s veterans’ program ranks the best in the Southeast and is one of the best programs in the country. |
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There were many successful, well attended open house events for veterans at Career Centers across the state. For photos see the Photo Gallery at www.tnui.net. Karen Woosley, manager for the Tullahoma Career Center, sent the following account regarding the November 8 open house for veterans at that Career Center: The “Hire Vets First” open house at the Tullahoma Career Center took place November 8. Three employers took part on-site, while another |
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Batesville Casket accepted applications or résumés and screened the applicants. Selected applicants were then given an interview and were allowed the opportunity to complete a company application if they possessed skills and experience needed by the company. Thirteen veterans were identified as excellent candidates for current openings or anticipated positions that will open in the near future. Bridgestone-Firestone, Morrison Plant representatives presented information about their current hiring process and passed out discount coupons for the purchase of tires and other advertising items. The Human Resource representatives spent time with each interested veteran explaining possible job positions. The prospective applicants were told about free test preparation training available at the Tennessee Technology Center, McMinnville. Several veterans were scheduled for testing later this month. South Central Human Resources also explained the Mature Workers program to several veterans. One of the participating veterans was 84, and several were in their mid-sixties. Résumés were also collected for other services within SCHR. Yates Services received five résumés from interested veterans. These résumés were mailed at the end of the day. Thirty-one veterans signed in to participate in the open house activities. Several veterans arrived before the doors were unlocked and stayed until noon. Most brought up-to-date résumés ready to distribute. Four had to be updated, reformatted, or rewritten. More vet news: Operation Stand Down helps 297 veterans The Department of Labor & Workforce Development was one of more than 100 local, state and federal agencies that supported the 14th Annual Operation Stand Down (OSDN) event in October at the Tennessee National Guard Armory in Nashville. The three-day event targets homeless veterans, offering necessities such as food, clothing, medical and legal assistance, job counseling, and referrals to community services. Operation Stand Down Executive Director Bill Burleigh offered some interesting statistics from this year’s event to; here is some of that information:
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Tazewell employee honored for leadership |
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Findings from Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries |
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The “2004-05 Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries and The Occupational Injuries and Illnesses Survey” publication has just been completed by Labor Research and Statistics director Kathy Liles and staff. Here are some interesting findings contained in that publication regarding fatalities in the workplace: |
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What do you like best about your job? |
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Name something you can’t go a day without. What would we be surprised to know about you? What are your personal interests/activities outside of work?
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As our department takes the first steps on this journey, we will have opportunities to do things differently. We may contribute to process changes to operate more effectively in our new home in Metro Center, or perhaps participate in the new operating systems Project Edison will provide. However each of us is involved, we know our journey will bring about change in the way we do things to help our department move along this path. Throughout this process, we want and need your feedback and input. Your feedback will be anonymous; your name will not be printed next to your statements (promise!) and those who send us some feedback will receive a new TDLWD executive pen. Please send your responses to martha.deacon@state.tn.us. Here are the first questions we are asking. Do you feel you affect the department's strategic goals? Do you think planning can improve the department's overall success? Do you think we can do a better job at serving Tennesseans? Do you have any ideas on how you can help our department be successful? |
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| Adult Education Benton County Adult Education is proud to announce that Sandy Wilson scored a perfect score of 800 on the reading section of the GED Test. This puts Sandy in the top 1% of GED testers who accomplish this outstanding score (PERFECT)! The GED Testing Centers test more than 600,000 people across the US each year. Sandy wanted to obtain her GED so she could enroll at the TN Technology Center in Paris, TN. The GED is allowing Sandy to fulfill her dream. She is currently enrolled in the Early Childhood Development Program. For more information about obtaining a GED or to enroll in classes at The Benton County Adult Education Center call 584-1372. |
Employment Security Congratulations to all of the Vet Incentive Award winners! These awards go to individuals and staff that provided outstanding service to Vets above and beyond the normal “call of duty.” There were a total of 25 awards presented statewide with 14 awards going to vet staff, seven awards to Wagner-Peyser staff, and four awards to LWIA staff. A list of award winners follows the divisional updates in this newsletter.The ES Division received good news on November 16th that Tennessee was awarded $3,235,323 in TAA funds for FY 2007. TAA staff in the field and the Central Office do a tremendous job handling the large volume of work in serving TAA recipients. More than 1,500 Tennesseans were enrolled in TAA sponsored training programs in FY 2006. Great job! |
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TOSHA In the spring issue of the newsletter “Together With TOSHA,” an overview of TOSHA’s sharps injury prevention program was given. The results of the survey of hospitals and ambulatory surgical treatment centers are in. Since March 2006, TOSHA has collected information across the state on needlestick injuries in those facilities. The data show that in calendar year 2005, approximately 3,000 Tennessee health care workers were stuck or cut by a needle or other sharp (such as a scalpel) that was contaminated with another person’s blood or body fluids. These injuries can transmit a variety of deadly diseases, including hepatitis B and C and HIV. Over the next five years, TOSHA will be working to reduce the number of needlesticks and sharps injuries through intensive training programs, publications, and inspections. |
Employment & Workforce Development The Employment and Workforce Development Division partnered with the Tennessee Department of Corrections (TDOC), the Tennessee Board of Probation and Parole (BOPP), and the Tennessee Rehabilitative Initiative in Correction (TRICOR) on a recent federal grant application. We are pleased to announce that Tennessee is one of the few states that was selected for a grant to train as a state team in the Offender Workforce Development Specialist (OWDS) training program. The OWDS training program was developed by the National Institute of Corrections in order to foster the growth of reentry career development facilitators. The training will take place next year in Albuquerque, New Mexico; Tenecia Mitchell, Grants Program Manager, will represent our department at the training. The division will implement Tennessee SHARE Network this December, in partnership with the USDOL Office of Faith Based and Community Initiatives. The project consists of two components: 1) an online resource directory that provides a listing of social services offered by state agencies, community organizations and faith based institutions; and 2) the creation of Career Center access points in those Local Workforce Investment Areas participating as pilot projects. To learn more about SHARE Network please view the website at: www.tnsharenetwork.com
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| Workplace Regulations & Compliance Workplace Regulations & Compliance Administrator Arthur Franklin wants to thank Anna Marie Duke of Labor Research and Statistics and Grant Padgett of the Boiler and Elevator Division for their years of service with this department. Ms. Duke is a statistician and Mr. Padgett is a deputy elevator inspector. Both will be retiring from this department effective at the end of the year. Franklin said, “This department was enriched by their years of service, and they will be truly missed.” |
Workers' Compensation The Workers’ Compensation Penalty Program is a complaint driven program created in 2004 in response to the 2004 Workers’ Compensation Reform Act for enforcing the workers’ compensation laws and regulations. These laws and regulations include 1) a 25% penalty for failing to pay or timely pay temporary benefits; 2) a $10,000 plus penalty for failing to comply with a Specialist’s order; 3) claim form filing penalties; 4) Benefit Review Conference penalties; and other fines provided by statute or rule. The payment of a 25% penalty is made payable to the injured employee. All other fines become part of the division’s Second Injury Fund. For fiscal year 2004—2005, the Penalty Program (PP) received approximately 120 referrals for review resulting in about 50 penalties totaling around $63,600 in fines. For fiscal year 2005—2006 the PP received approximately 260 referrals for review resulting in approximately 100 penalties totaling almost $149,400 in fines. For fiscal years July 2004 through June 2006, injured workers have received 25% penalties totaling over $79,000. The largest single penalty assessed by the Penalty Program in that time period is $56,000 for failing to comply with a Specialist order. The Penalty Program also spends a significant amount of time educating employers and carriers across the state about their responsibilities under the workers’ compensation laws and regulations and how to comply with them in order to avoid penalties. |
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Two staff members are leadership graduates |
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To: Denise Reynolds, Career Center at Union City “We wanted to take this opportunity to personally say thank you for attending our community relations event on Thursday, November 2. Your responsiveness to our invitation and all the kind remarks that were made about our complex were sincerely appreciated. I hope you gained some insight regarding the future direction of our company and learned more about our company’s commitment to support community initiatives.” To: Don Ingram, Employment Security “I am writing to express my appreciation for the work and assistance of Joe Jones [Employer Accounts Large Audit Unit] in resolving an SUI matter for our company. Our company changed third party payroll processors in the middle of a quarter leaving me in a complete quandary regarding that quarter’s SUI payments. I called your department and was connected to Mr. Jones. Over the course of a few months, he exhibited an extraordinary customer service attitude seldom found in the private business sector and almost never found in the public sector. To: Andrea Witt, Tennessee Career Center Chattanooga “I can’t tell you how many time I’ve thought back to the afternoon that I was so distraught and you were so willing to look beyond my being upset and just help me. I appreciate your understanding.” To: Jim Morris, Middle Tennessee Career Center “Thank you for your efforts to place me in a job with so many restrictive parameters. At the time, you suggested the Opry Mills Job Fair on October 18 to seek perhaps a seasonal position (you even drew me a map). I am pleased to share my good fortune of being hired as a receptionist in a hair salon. It was an unlisted position that meets my needs. Thank you again, as well as the wonderful people who referred me to you – Faye Chiles and Sue Apple.” To: Terry Hiers, Middle Tenn Career Center “Uniform Advantage wants to thank the Nashville South Career Center for all the help and support provided in helping us look for an employee for our store located in Antioch. We have found a great candidate, and we know that if we ever have an open position, we can always count on the Career Center.” Commendation to Bob Henningsen via telephone from a claimant re: Julia Church To: Steve Crabtree, West TN Career Center Jackson “I would like to express my appreciation to you and your staff at the West TN Career Center for the assistance given to me in staffing a retail store in Jackson The professionalism shown by you and your staff was outstanding. We are fortunate to have an agency like yours with dedicated employees. They have made my job easier, and I feel we will be very successful due to the efforts your staff has extended in referring qualified applicants. The hospitality was great.”
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December 6 December 11 December 12 December 21 |
December 22, December 25, December 26 December 28 January 1 |
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The Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Development is an equal
opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids and services will be provided upon
request to persons with disabilities.