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Presentation and Recommendations To the Ohio Talent Tiger Team KnowledgeWorks Foundation 500 South Front Street, Suite 980 Columbus, Ohio Friday, February 16, 2007 Presented by: Lynn Minick About the National Employment Law Project •NELP is non-profit law and policy group with HQ in New York, and offices in California, Indiana, Michigan, Washington •NELP staff recognized experts in unemployment insurance, dislocated worker programs, immigrant worker rights, wage and hour enforcement •NELP promotes best practices and policies to assist low wage workers, and workers without jobs due to economic dislocation Midwest TAA/Dislocated Worker Initiative •Funding from CS Mott and Joyce Foundations •Focus on auto industry restructuring in IL, IN, MI, OH •Promote agenda of policies and best practices •Work with workforce agencies, state policy organizations, public officials, community groups, companies, unions in affected communities in developing tools to address economic dislocations •Primary goal is to increase TAA participation •Take information learned in these key states to other states •Use information learned in these key states to improve TAA through federal law changes (reauthorization September 2007) •Promote use of “Getting Certified for TAA: A Guide for Unions, Workforce Agencies, and Community Groups” Dec.14 Economic Dislocation Meeting •Encouraged and promoted by NELP and other key stakeholders •Invited other key stakeholders to meeting •Discussed how Ohio can expand and improve services to dislocated workers •Discussed strategies to identify and avert potential layoffs •NELP provided overview of Ohio Dislocations •Discussed dislocated worker issues around: Trade Adjustment Assistance TAA/WIA Integration Rapid Response •Layoff Aversion, Early Warning, Linking Workforce and Economic Development •Presented list of recommendations to Strickland Administration Regional Initiative Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York Alliance of four states makes sense political and economic May address issues on Federal Policy: •Trade Act •Trade Policy •Workforce Development Anticipating conference call with Governors of Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York 5 Recommendations for the Tiger Team’s Consideration 1. Require rapid response to be a required activity carried out by the State as described in the Workforce Investment Act 2. Require layoff aversion to be an integral part of rapid response as described in the Workforce Investment Act 3. Require that rapid response promotes the establishment of a labor-management committee as described in the Workforce Investment Act 4. Require the development of a policy that integrates WIA and TAA 5. Promote an Economic Dislocation Summit Require rapid response to be activity carried out by State Rapid response is required activity carried out in local areas by State, or entity designated by State, in conjunction with Local Board and chief elected officials Require layoff aversion be integral part of rapid response Rapid response activities must include: -Potential for averting layoff in consultation with State or local economic development agencies, including private sector economic development entities Assist in devising and overseeing strategies for: - Layoff aversion, such as pre-feasibility studies of avoiding plant closure - Incumbent worker training - Linkages with economic development activities at Federal, State and local levels Require rapid response promotes establishment of labor-management committee Rapid response activities must include: The provision of guidance and/or financial assistance in establishing labor-management committee voluntarily agreed to by labor and management Assistance to committee may include: - Provision of training and technical assistance to members of committee - Funding operating costs of committee to enable it to provide advice and assistance in carrying out rapid response activities and in design and delivery of WIA-authorized services to affected workers Require development of policy that integrates WIA and TAA •How can Ohio develop policy that integrates WIA and TAA while these programs have different governing mandates? •Should programs drive performance, or performance drive programs—and therefore funding? •A common theme in Ohio is that TAA participants are more difficult to serve and obtain lower outcomes than other dislocated workers and, therefore, creates a disincentive to co-enroll? Promote Economic Dislocation Summit •NELP is proposing one-day, invitation-only summit •NELP will help develop an agenda •NELP will help assemble speakers including national experts and public officials experienced in rapid response, layoff aversion and efforts to create sustainable, good jobs