Conference Workshops

The 75^th Anniversary of the Wagner-Peyser Act
The Wagner-Peyser Act of 1933 introduced uniform standards and innovative practices in a new federal-state partnership for public employment services. In recognition of the 75^th anniversary, the W.E. Uphjon Institute for Employment Research reviewed the institutional evolution from an uneven collection of state and local labor exchanges to a unified U.S. Employment Service (ES). It considered the importance of the ES among all available job search methods, and examined trends in ES usage by job seekers and employers. The report also reviewed federal funding patterns for the ES, cooperative arrangements between the ES and other elements of the public workforce investment system, practices for ES performance measurement, and impact evaluations of ES services. The conclusion offered an assessment of progress and a menu for continued improvement of the public employment service in the United States.
Speaker: Christopher J. O'Leary, Senior Economist, W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research

Decision Making with Labor Market Information (LMI)
This workshop shared the experience of what three states have done to leverage information technology to support critical decision making in their states.
Moderator: Tommy Dale Favre, Executive Director, Mississippi Department of Employment Security
Panelists:
Hope Clark, Director, Research and Market Development, Indiana Workforce Development
Carol Rogers, Deputy Director and Chief Information Officer, Indiana Business Center
Yustina Saleh, Director, Labor Market & Demographic Research, New Jersey Department of Labor & Workforce Development
Steve Hine, Research Director, Labor Market Information, Minnesota Department of Employment & Economic Development

Disaster Preparedness
This session focused on preparation plans and techniques that can help states gain and maintain control in a disastrous situation and the role of information technology in that process.
Moderator: Larry Temple, Executive Director, Texas Workforce Commission
Panelist:
Helen Rambo, Director of Internal Audit, Oklahoma Employment Services
Dale Jablonsky, Deputy Director IT Branch, California Employment Development Department
Tommye Dale Favre, Executive Director, Mississippi Department of Employment Services

Distance Learning: Provide Quality Training Without Leaving Your Office.
It's time to change your impression about distance learning - What is it today?
With the ever decreasing funding for the workforce system, yet increasing need for training and skill development, many in the workforce system are looking at "Distance Learning" as a way to provide training remotely. Rutgers University and the Sloan Foundation have been leaders in this new learning tool and representatives from these organizations spoke at this workshop.
Moderator: Tom Looft, Director, Workforce Development Programs, Colorado Department of Labor and Employment
Panelists:
Heather McKay, Director,Sloan Center on Innovative Training and Workforce Development Center for Women and Work; Rutgers University
Mary Murphee, Senior Advisor, Sloan Center on Innovative Training and Workforce Development Center for Women and Work; Rutgers University
Alice Sweeney, Director, Special Projects, Massachusetts Department of Workforce Development
Boone Fields, Director, Equal Opportunity Compliance, Texas Workforce Commission

Facilitating the Labor Market: An Alliance of State Workforce Agencies and Fortune 500 Companies
In this workshop participants learned about the cutting edge initiative between DirectEmployers Association (DEA), a non-profit organization of more than 400 Fortune 500 companies and NASWA's state workforce agency members. In partnership, the two organizations operate a sophisticated employment network called the National Labor Exchange (NLX). Learn more about this advanced network of individual state job banks connected through DirectEmployers' Association Employment Search Engine (JobCentral).

The session described the NLX initiative, provided an update, and offered state and employer perspectives on how the NLX has brought value to their missions. Workshop participants also learned of exciting partnerships under development with education and economic development organizations that will add further value to the public workforce development system and to employers and jobseekers alike.

Moderator: Roosevelt (Ted) Halley, Executive Director, South Carolina Employment Security Commission
Panelists:
Jolene Jefferies, Director - Government Relations, DirectEmployers Association
Elizabeth Clingman, Deputy Division Chief, Information Technology & Program Accountability Section, Workforce Services Division, California Employment Development Department
Ray Schreyer, Program Manager, Interactive Recruiting Channels, IBM Corporation
Pam Gerassimides, Director, National Labor Exchange, NASWA

Models, Truths, Myths, and Lessons Learned in Information Technology (IT) Consolidation
Spurred by the quest for cost savings, consolidation of Information Technology (IT) functions within one centralized state IT agency is taking place across the nation. Bill Bott, Deputy CIO of Operations, Information Technology Services, Office of Administration, State of Missouri, offered an overview of different centralization models along with the truths and myths surrounding some of these efforts. The presenter discussed the consolidation effort and lessons learned in the State of Missouri. A panel of state administrators discussed key issues they have dealt with in their own state's consolidation efforts and offered lessons learned that can help balance efficiencies and other considerations.
Speaker: Bill Bott, Deputy CIO of Operations, Information Technology Services, Office of Administration, State of Missouri
Panel:
Larry Temple, Executive Director, Texas Workforce Commission (No Presentation Available)
Laurie Warner, Director, Oregon Employment Department (No Presentation Available)
Monesia Brown, Director, Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation (No Presentation Available)

Safeguarding Customer Information
Recent breaches of security in various government organizations have exposed sensitive information of thousands of our country's citizens. These headline news stories have re-emphasized the need to review carefully how the publicly-funded workforce development system works to secure customer information. This session focused on "how to" build secure data transactions and most importantly "how to" create and implement secure business processes. Workshop panelists presented the essential components of a security strategy. They also offered practical tips based on a recently completed analysis by the IT Committee.
Moderator: Jim Garner, Secretary, Kansas Department of Labor
Panelists:
Robert Cottrell, Director of Information Systems, North Carolina Employment Security Commission
Joe Vitale, Director/Chief Information Officer, Information Technology, New Jersey Department of Labor & Workforce Development

Skills Assessment Tools: What are the current practices? What are states doing?
Every business has the need to determine knowledge, skills and abilities of potential employees. States again have begun to provide skills assessment tools to help employers meet their needs. Panelists shared their knowledge on how to build and implement successful skill assessment tools.
Moderator: Thomas S. Whitaker, Deputy Chairman - Chief Deputy Commissioner, North Carolina Employment Security Commission
Panelists:
Martha Stephenson, Director, E&T Technical Services, South Carolina Employment Security Commission
Christopher J. O'Leary, Senior Economist, W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research
David Watral, Director, Business Develop, Scorelogix

Technology, Methods & Tools of Labor Market Information (LMI)
Technological advances leapt forward in the late 1990s to help propel many advances in states, especially in Labor Market Information (LMI). Software applications were developed, websites became a necessity, and systems were integrated to allow data sharing for use by agencies, academics, and the public. This workshop shared examples of what some states have done to leverage earlier conventional uses of data to add value in this new environment.
Moderator: Don Ingram, Administrator, Employment Security, Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development
Panelists:
Brian Rae, Economist, Research & Analysis Section, Alaska Department of Labor & Workforce Development
Rebecca Rust, Director, Labor Market Information, Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation

The Operating Room: One-stop operating systems - What are they? What are Consortia doing? What advantages are there with any specific operating system? What are the latest updates?
The workshop addressed what the various IT operating systems are in the states. Currently the major IT consortiums are: Geographical Solutions, One-Stop-Operating System (OSOS), UWorks (originated in Utah and adapted by other states), and America's Job Link Alliance (AJLA).
Moderator: Maren Daley, Executive Director, Job Service North Dakota
Panelists:
Stephen Urquhart, Vice-President, Workforce Performance; Workforce Florida, Inc.

Click here to view his supporting information.

Cindy Jones, Deputy Director and Employment Security Division Administrator, Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation (DETR)
Ingrid Childress, Administrator, Division of Workforce Services, Montana Department of Labor & Industry
Shawn Gregory, Applications Development Director, America's Job Link Alliance
Vicki Romig, Project Support Director, America's Job Link Alliance

Tools and Technology Making the Disabled Able
Learn how South Carolina's Information Technology Center worked with employers to recruit and hire individuals with disabilities through "Assessing the Hidden High Tech Talent Pool: People with Disabilities." In addition, attendees heard an overview of the U.S. Department of Defense Computer/Electronic Accommodations Program (CAP), which uses the latest technology to lessen the impact of disabilities and highlights abilities with new technology.
Moderator: Ron Danowski, Employment and Training Administrator, Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development
Panelists:
Jonathan Cruce, Rehabilitation Engineer, South Carolina Vocational Rehabilitation Department
Jim Williams, Project Administrator, Information Technology Training Center, South Carolina Vocational Rehabilitation Department
Don Wehbey, Economics Director, NASWA

UI Fraud: To Catch A Thief
Gone are the "cat burglars" of long ago. After all, why should they go from rooftop to rooftop stealing jewels in the 21st century when they can sit in the comfort of their own home or strip mall office and steal millions of dollars from government agencies? Well, states are cyber savvy and have technical talent too, and the UI system is aggressively attacking UI fraud and yielding excellent results. Tennessee shared its strategies for combating UI fraud, and Colorado discussed a nationwide scam that involved 49 state UI agencies, the Social Security Administration, the Internal Revenue Service, and a host of private entities. This group of thieves was recently indicted (including 12,000 counts of identity theft) as a result of a collaborative investigation that began with the UI divisions in Colorado and Washington State.
Moderator: Karen Turner Lee, Commissioner, Washington Employment Security Department
Panelists:
Marie Moss, Assistant Administrator, Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development
William Lafferty, Labor and Employment Specialist, Colorado Department of Labor and Employment

Unemployment Insurance (UI) Modernization
The primary goal behind states' Unemployment Insurance (UI) modernization efforts has been to improve customer service. In an atmosphere of diminishing financial and human resources, state agencies are accomplishing their goals by designing, writing or developing new tax or benefits systems, with some states doing both simultaneously. In today's world of technology, more and more states are moving to web-based applications to promote customer service and efficiency. This workshop addressed the challenges, successes, and potential opportunities for collaboration with business and other states.
Moderator: Dolores Esser, Commissioner, Virginia Employment Commission
Panelists:
Marilyn D. Davis, Deputy Commissioner, New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development
John Sharkey, Executive Director, Information Technology Support Center (ITSC)

Unemployment Insurance Interstate Connection (UI/ICON) - Addressing your 21st Century needs with 21st Century Technology
Data exchange and integrated applications are increasingly becoming more essential parts of state productivity and modernization. This workshop gave an overview of ICON, how its applications work, and modernization being applied to ICON. State panelists shared effective practices, lessons learned, and future approaches to UI modernization efforts involving ICON.
Moderator: Laurie Warner, Commissioner, Oregon Employment Department
Panelists:
Amanda Gohl, UI- ICON Account Manager, Affiliated Computer Systems (ACS)
Jim Garner, Secretary, Kansas Department of Labor
John Sharkey, Executive Director, Information Technology Support Center (ITSC)



Veterans Employment: Challenges and Opportunities
Honorable Charles S. Ciccolella, Assistant Secretary, U.S. Department of Labor, Veterans Employment and Training Service (VETS)

Virtual Office: Working From Home, Telecommuting, Mobile Office; What is Right for your Staff? What are states doing?
While a "virtual office" sounds like an easy solution to provide flexibility for employees and cost-savings to your agency, it also raises numerous issues for senior management. Issues related to personnel, data security and infrastructure present challenges and solutions that determine whether a "virtual office" is right for your agency.
Moderator: Betty Sparrow Doris, Cabinet Secretary, New Mexico Department of Labor
Panelists:
Christopher Love, Deputy Director, Utah Department of Workforce Services

Telecommuting Request Form

Telecommuting Request Form - Word Version

Rochelle Webb, Administrator, Arizona Department of Economic Security