Winter Policy Forum Highlights
Washington DC
February 27 - March 1, 2006
Board of Directors Meeting
Plenary Sessions
Presentation of Colors
George Washington University (GWU) Naval ROTC Color Guard
Welcome
Presided by JoAnn Hammill, NASWA President, and Assistant Commissioner of Labor,
New Jersey Department of Labor & Workforce Development
The Economy
Perspective on the nation's economy, including potential impacts on employment of such
phenomena as globalization, immigration, technology, and fiscal and monetary policy.
George A. Kahn, Ph.D., Vice President and Associate Director of Research,
Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City
Strategically Handling Budget Cuts
How should the workforce system respond to the latest proposed budget cuts? What should the system of the future and the service mix look like? Should there be career advancement accounts and labor exchange services only? Should the approach be a strategic nationwide change in services rather than different approaches from state-to-state and local area-to-local area? We are past doing more with less--cutting travel, freezing hiring, and dropping training and marketing efforts. How do we balance the administrative burden, cuts in infrastructure, and still have the means to respond to new initiatives? What are the options to be explored? Are there sources for leveraging state funds...federal funds?
This session will provide an opportunity to share creative solutions, raise issues and develop
suggested strategies. Come ready to share information on what you have done already, what
you think your next actions will be, and what other ideas you have for further exploration.
Moderator: Conroy Chino, Cabinet Secretary, New Mexico Department of Labor
Panelists: Maren Daley, Executive Director, Job Service North Dakota Rich Running, Director, Iowa Workforce Development
Budget and Appropriations Outlook
The Congressional Budget Office projects under current laws and policies a slowly declining federal budget deficit from $337 billion in 2006 to a small surplus in 2012 if the tax cuts enacted in the early 2000s are allowed to expire at the end of 2010. However, deficits are likely to persist if these tax cuts are extended beyond 2010 and rapidly rising spending on Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security will exert enormous pressures on the budget that economic growth alone is unlikely to release. This presentation will focus on what these projections suggest for federal revenues and outlays in general and for workforce development system outlays in particular.
Bruce Vavrichek, Assistant Director for Health and Human Resources,
Congressional Budget Office (CBO) The Budget and Economic Outlook
The Workforce System at a Crossroads - Perspectives on Challenges and Opportunities
Some believe the nation's workforce system is at a crossroads. Federal-level appropriations for workforce programs are in decline with state governments increasingly turning to general fund revenues and alternative sources of funding to supplement program operations. Running concurrently to these budgetary pressures is a workforce system in the midst of transformation under the President's High-Growth Job Training Initiative focused on the immediate and emerging workforce needs of businesses. This transformation comes as global competitiveness and a workforce shortage force businesses and labor to use innovative approaches to solving workforce challenges. Listen to representatives from the business, labor and state legislative communities address the future of the workforce system given this landscape.
Moderator: Brenda A. Russell, NASWA Treasurer, and Director, Illinois Department of Employment Security
Panelists: Jane McDonald-Pines, Workforce Issues Specialist, AFL-CIO Department of Legislation
Michael Smeltzer, Executive Director, Manufacturers Association of South Central Pennsylvania and Chair, National Association of Manufacturers' Employer Association Group (EAG) Workforce Committee
Gerri Madrid-Davis, National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL)
NASWA Executive Committee Wrap-Up
The NASWA Executive Committee wraps up the Forum
JoAnn Hammill, NASWA President, and Assistant Commissioner of Labor,
New Jersey Department of Labor & Workforce Development
Roosevelt (Ted) Halley, NASWA President-Elect, and Executive Director,
South Carolina Employment Security Commission
Fernando (Butch) Lecuona III, NASWA Past-President, and Commissioner of
Labor, Nebraska Department of Labor
Thomas S. Whitaker, NASWA Secretary, and Chief of Staff, Deputy Chairman for Administration, Employment Security Commission of North Carolina
Brenda A. Russell, NASWA Treasurer, and Director, Illinois Department of
Employment Security
Workshops
WIA Reauthorization Issues: What's Next?
Are we ever going to see the reauthorization of WIA? What should we expect final WIA legislation to look like? What are the challenges that will need to be addressed first? How will the Bush Administration's 2007 Budget proposal affect the reauthorization of WIA? Prior to the release of the Administration's 2007 Budget, there still was optimism over the prospect of reauthorizing the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) early in the second year of the 109th Congress - is that optimism still there?
Panelists will discuss the process remaining for WIA reauthorization, the House and Senate legislation and the Administration's 2007 Budget request. Based on research, experience, political issues, or vision, panelists also will describe their image of how the workforce system should be organized and operated.
Moderator: Maria Houser, Director of Administration and Operation Connecticut Department of Labor
Panelists: Beth B. Buehlmann, Ph.D., Education Policy Director, Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
Jane Oates, Senior Education Advisor, Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
Unemployment Insurance Updates and Integrity Initiatives
This workshop will discuss the Unemployment Insurance (UI) aspects of the President's FY 2007 budget along with other U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) UI priority updates. Preventing erroneous UI disbursements is an important focus of USDOL and states. Also, hear about results from integrity initiatives in Colorado and Michigan from accessing the National Directory of New Hires (NDNH) and implementing the State Unemployment Tax Act (SUTA) Dumping Prevention Act of 2004.
Moderator: Dave Plawecki, Deputy Director, Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Growth
How Workforce Agencies Obtained State Supplemental Funding
What are the tools Workforce Agencies use to obtain state supplemental funding? Is it a champion of the workforce system in the legislature/governor's office? Is it developing ties with employer and labor communities? What research did the workforce agency use? What were the results? At what conflicts are these workforce agencies looking? This session will allow some of the more successful agencies at obtaining supplemental state funding to share their experiences and allow attendees to share their experiences too.
Moderator: Dennis Ryan, Executive Deputy Commissioner, NYS Department of Labor
Meet with the NASWA President, President-Elect, Past President, and Executive Director.
Learn about the benefits and costs of NASWA and the Center for Employment Security Education and Research (CESER).
Moderator: JoAnn Hammill, NASWA President, and Assistant Commissioner of Labor,
New Jersey Department of Labor & Workforce Development
Panelists: Roosevelt (Ted) Halley, NASWA President-Elect, and Executive Director,
South Carolina Employment Security Commission
Fernando (Butch) Lecuona III, NASWA Past-President, and Commissioner of
Labor, Nebraska Department of Labor
Richard A. Hobbie, NASWA Executive Director
Hurricane Katrina: System Response
Hurricane Katrina, the most serious disaster in recent history, displaced thousands of workers and businesses throughout the Gulf Coast. The nation's workforce system, particularly states in the immediately impacted area including Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Texas mobilized quickly using traditional and innovative approaches to overcome the workforce challenges of workers and businesses. Workshop attendees will gain valuable perspectives on the Gulf Coast states' response to the disaster, lessons learned throughout recovery, and prospective action to position the region and country to manage future disasters. Attendees will leave with valuable perspectives on how to manage their workforce system when faced with any emergency.
Moderator: Gary Gallwas,Assistant Commissioner, Washington Employment Security Department
Panelists: Larry Temple,Executive Director, Texas Workforce Commission
Raj Jindal,Information Technology Director, Louisiana Department of Labor
Les Range, Deputy Executive Director, Chief Operating Officer, Mississippi Department of Employment Security
Workforce Innovations and Regional Economic Development Calvert Room (WIRED)
The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) has spent much effort to enhance collaboration and innovation in the workforce development systems. Initially, through the President's High Growth Job Training Initiative and now through the Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED) initiative, ETA has focused on linkages among education, economic development, employers, and workforce development. Come hear from states that have applied for funds under both the High Growth and WIRED initiatives. State Administrators will discuss applying for the grants, collaborative activities, transformation challenges they face, and strategies they use to embrace ETA's service delivery vision.
Panelists: Don Ingram, E.S. Administrator, Division of Employment Security,
Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development
Phyllis Kennedy, Director, Alabama Department of Industrial Relations
Reemployment: How Effective Are Reemployment Services
and Other Initiatives
Gain insight into reemployment policies helping the unemployed return to work. Learn how reemployment efforts are cost-effective, promote quicker employment, and reduce unemployment insurance overpayments. Panelists will discuss reemployment effectiveness, the Reemployment and Eligibility Assessments (REAs) program, and the Personal Reemployment Accounts (PRAs) initiative.
Moderator: Bonnie Elsey, Director, Workforce Services, Minnesota Department of Employment & Economic Development
