12.29.05 - TUMWATER - Washington's minimum wage will increase 28 cents to $7.63 an hour beginning Jan. 1, 2006. The Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) recalculates the state's minimum wage each year in September as required by Initiative 688, which was approved by Washington state voters in 1998.

The law requires that the state minimum wage be adjusted each year according to the change in the federal Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) during the 12 months ending each Aug. 31. The CPI-W measures the average change in prices on a fixed "market basket" of goods and services such as food, shelter, medical care, transportation and other goods and services people purchase for day-to-day living. It increased 3.8 percent during the 12-month period ending Aug. 31, compared to a 2.6 percent increase during the same period in 2004.

That increase, applied to Washington's current minimum wage of $7.35 an hour, generated a 28-cent increase in next year's minimum wage. Washington's minimum wage applies to workers in both agricultural and non-agricultural jobs, although 14- and 15-year-olds may be paid 85 percent of the adult minimum wage. For more information on Washington's minimum wage, go to Wages.LNI.wa.gov and select "Minimum Wage." Employers and workers may also call 360-902-5316 or toll-free 1-866-219-7321 for more information.

12.15.05 - OLYMPIA - The total number of jobs in Washington increased in November, although the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was unchanged at 5.6 percent, according to the state Employment Security Department (ESD).

The unemployment rate measures how many people in the state do not have jobs, and are actively seeking work. The percentage did not decrease as jobs were added because more people decided to look for work.

ESD's "Washington State Employment Situation Report" indicates that seasonally adjusted nonfarm employment was up 6,200 from October to November. While job gains were widespread, retail saw particularly strong growth, adding 900 jobs.

"Washington's economy has expanded steadily over the last 14 months," said Employment Security Commissioner Karen Lee. "Employers have added workers every month and people continue to find jobs." The number of unemployed workers fell by roughly 5,600 since November 2004. Lee said she encourages the estimated 187,000 unemployed workers in Washington to visit a local WorkSource office and to check online job listings at www.go2worksource.com.

12.14.05 - Ellen O'Brien Saunders, Executive Director of the Washington Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board announced today that she will retire at the end of June, 2006.

In an e-mail announcing her decision, Ms O'Brien Saunders said, "While this is a Big Decision, it feels like the right one for me. I’ve been here since 1992, the longest I’ve ever held any job (!), and while each day has brought new challenges, rewards, and opportunities, it’s time to move on.

"During the next six months, I’ll be focused especially on advocacy for the IPI (Integrated Performance Information) measures nationally and the Board’s issues in the legislature here at home, supporting Governor Gregoire’s Washington Learns study, developing High Skills High Wages 2006, and leading the NGA Policy Academy to Improve Outcomes for Young Adults with Disabilities.

"And, always, I'll be looking for opportunities to promote and strengthen career and technical education. "

11.29.05 - will be at the Doubletree Guest Suites at SouthCenter near SeaTac on February 6 – 7, 2006. The individuals attending this event will be educators, or professionals working in one-stops, counseling organizations, human resources, or anywhere people transition and communication are essential to their job. more>>

11.28.05 - The Washington Workforce Assn. has released the "Prioritize Workforce Development Now" document to raise public awareness, raise the priority of workforce with policy-makers, and encourage more investment. Read the 1MB PDF document in full.more>>

11.21.05 - The new quarterly newsletter, "Construction Connection" of Construction Center of Excellence (CCE) at Renton Technical College featured the efforts of our TAPIT program. The following is a quote from the newsletter:

"Students in the Tri-Counties are “TAPIT” into their Futures
"The South Central Workforce Development Council Apprenticeship, Pre-Apprenticeship and Incumbent Worker Training Project (TAPIT) is a unique partnership of the South Central Workforce Council (TCWC), the carpenter, laborer, painting, and sheet metal unions, Central Washington contractors, AGC, Yakima Valley Community College, and the Yakama Nation. The AGC Education Foundation received the contract to develop and train potential workers in basic construction and employment skills.

"The TCWC, which serves Kittitas, Klickitat, and Yakima Counties, applied for and was awarded a $250,000 grant to promote apprenticeship and provide additional training for journeymen. So far, two of the eight classes have been held with amazing results. The first class was for Yakama Nation members and the second class was held in upper Yakima County. Ninety-four percent of the students completed the 11 day class with 97.5% attendance. The course covers human resource issues, safety, construction math, blueprint reading, tools, and meeting the job’s physical demands. At the end of the program the students earn cards for 1st Aid/CPR, blood borne pathogens, OSHA 10, and a certificate of completion.

"Classes will be held through May 2006 in Yakima, Kittitas, and Klickitat Counties. The Central Washington journeyman training fund can be accessed by contacting Brian McGuire at the Yakima AGC office, or your local union. If you are interested in hiring one of the graduates of the construction readiness program contact Amy Martinez, South Central Workforce Council at 509.574.1950."

11.18.05 Currently, The National Governors' Association is actively seeking, with the support of the Bush Administration and Senator Sessions (R-AL), an amendment that would shift authority for the WIA system from a locally-based, business-led system to one dominated by the states. The amendment includes broad-based waiver authority that would allow states to waive nearly all requirements of WIA, the Wagner-Peyser Act, and the Adult Education Act, including any requirements for the establishment of local workforce areas and local boards. more>>

USDOL and Dept of Defense are launching a nationwide campaign called "Key to Career Success" on Veterans Day. This campaign will heighten veterans' awareness of WorkSource Center services available to them. more>>

10.28.05 - On October 27th, the Senate passed by a vote of 94-3 the appropriations bill that provides funding for labor, health and human services, and education agencies and programs. The Senate's version of H.R. 3010 (the House-passed bill) provides total discretionary spending in the amount of $145.7 billion, an increase of nearly $2.3 billion over last year. The House bill, passed on June 24, 2005, provides $142.5 billion.

As passed last Thursday, the Senate bill provides funding as outlined in the side-by-side comparison below:

	Senate FY06	House FY06	Senate FY06
WIA Adult	$893.6M	$865.7M	$896.6M
WIA Dislocated Workers	$1.48B	$1.2B	$1.48B
WIA Youth	$986.3M	$950M	$986.3M
Migrant & Seasonal Workers	$80.1M	$75.6M	$75.8M
Job Corps	$1.55B	$1.54B	$1.55B

In addition, the bill includes $125 million for the President's Community College Job Training Initiative, $1.194 billion for Perkins Basic State Grants, and $106 million for TechPrep.

The Senate bill calls for about $3.2 billion more in overall discretionary spending than the House version, and about $3.7 billion more than the President's request.

Differences in the House and Senate versions of the bill will need to be ironed out in a compromise bill, which will be further complicated by the continuing efforts to agree upon a five-year budget reconciliation and the likelihood that Congress will impose an across-the-board cut to all FY 2006 discretionary spending.

The Senate is asking for a conference, and has already appointed its conferees. They are Senators Specter, Cochran, Gregg, Craig, Hutchison, Stevens, DeWine, Shelby, Domenici, Harkin, Inouye, Reid, Kohl, Murray, Landrieu, Durbin, and Byrd. For more information on the bill, see the Library of Congress THOMAS website at http://thomas.loc.gov then search for information on H.R. 3010.

10.27.05 - New Compendium Features Partnership Formation, Assessment of Needs and Resources, Program Designs for Replication; ETA Assembles On-Line Youth Resources. Available here.

10.11.05 - Talbott, Simpson and Davis P.S. were selected to be the WDC's Legal firm. To simplify the process, Attorney Jeff Louden services will be contracted through the Yakima County Prosecutors Office in which he will be appointed as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney for the WDC.

09.20.05 - In August 2005, Yakima County's unemployment rate rose four-tenths of a percentage point above the August 2004 rate.

09.14.05 - This notice discusses the temporary change in Dept of Homeland Security requirements on employers to collect identification when hiring an individual who was affected by Hurricane Katrina.Read the complete TEN here.

08.22.05 - The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) has established a new Web Site that provides multilingual and multicultural strategies for serving job seekers and workers with Limited English Proficiency (LEP). The focus of these resources is primarily on adult services through the One-Stop Career Center system, although materials from Unemployment Insurance, dislocated worker, and other types of programs are included, as well as a few examples from programs serving LEP youth. Limited English Proficiency (LEP) and Hispanic Worker Initiative Web Site

08.19.05 - The South Central Workforce Council (the "Council") is seeking qualifications and rate quotes to provide general legal services. The legal firm selected will provide services for up to two (2) years with the option to renew for an additional two years. Interested and qualified firms, which have successfully demonstrated their ability at comparable work, are invited to submit qualifications as further described in this Request for Qualifications. See Procurement Page

By Rex Nutting Aug. 5, 2005 WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) - Hiring stepped up in the United States in July as 207,000 jobs were added to nonfarm payrolls, the Labor Department said Friday. The unemployment rate remained at 5%, the lowest in 47 months. Job growth was slightly stronger than expected by Wall Street economists, who were forecasting gains of about 183,000, according to a survey conducted by MarketWatch.

The strong report knocked the bottom out of the bond market. The yield on the benchmark 10-year note rose to 4.39% from 4.31% earlier. The dollar strengthened. Stocks opened lower.

Seasonally adjusted payrolls in May and June were revised higher by a cumulative 42,000. Payroll growth has averaged 191,000 per month so far in 2005. The report "certainly leaves little doubt that we are in the midst of a sustainable economic recovery," said Anthony Chan, senior economist for JPMorgan Fleming Asset Management. Average hourly earnings rose by 6 cents, or 0.4%, to $16.13. It was the biggest gain in hourly earnings in a year. Average wages were expected to rise 0.2%. Average weekly earnings increased to $541.81. Hourly and weekly earnings have increased 2.7% in the past year, just ahead of the 2.5% year-over-year inflation rate through June.

July 29, 2005 - The House and Senate will adjourn this week for their annual summer recess and reconvene after Labor Day. WIA reauthorization remains at a standstill in the Senate, as Democrats and Republicans cannot reach an agreement on bringing the bill to the floor. Democrats are unwilling to move forward with WIA reauthorization unless no amendments are offered on the floor. Senate Republicans and the Administration are unwilling to agree to this floor arrangement, wanting consideration of an amendment that would allow Governors to consolidate all WIA funding streams and Adult Education into one funding stream at the Governor’s discretion. The possibility of a Republican introducing a faith-based amendment also looms over discussions about WIA floor amendments.

Without an agreement on floor debate, consideration of WIA reauthorization appears doubtful in the Senate this year, as there will be stiff competition for floor time when Senators return to Washington in September. Senators will not only be tackling appropriations bills, but required to complete budget reconciliation and hearings on the nomination of Judge John Roberts to the Supreme Court before adjourning for the year.

July 13, 2005 - WIA Funded Very Close to Current Levels Senate Labor-HHS Appropriators completed a fifteen minute bipartisan markup of their $145.7 billion FY 06 Labor-HHS Appropriations bill on Tuesday, completing the bill without any amendments. Subcommittee Chairman Arlen Specter and Ranking Member Tom Harkin both bemoaned the low funding allocation their Subcommittee received this year and described how this low funding level forced the WIA programs were funded at $5.25 billion ($86 million below last year and $195 million above the Bush request level).

Subcommittee to make difficult choices among competing funding priorities in their bill. The Subcommittee was able to creatively use accounting gimmicks that provided the Senate bill with $3 billion above the House funding allocation, but insiders expect that the lower House passed level will likely prevail in Conference due to House conservatives strong objections over the Senate's accounting gimmicks.

WIA formula funded programs were held at current levels in the Labor-HHS Subcommittee mark with the exception of the Employment Service, which took a $34 million cut. Senate Appropriators refunded programs such as the Migrant and Seasonal Farmworker Program and the Youth Offender grants that the Administration sought to eliminate in its budget proposal.

However, the Subcommittee did slash the President's signature workforce program, the community college initiative - cutting funding in half to $125 million - the same level as in the House passed bill. Responding to a variety of criticism in the Senate, the bill also scales back DOL's discretionary funding. A quick Full Committee markup is scheduled for this Thursday, but floor consideration is not expected before the August recess.

At the request of several local manufacturing companies, the South Central Workforce Council through Central Washington University sponsored and recently completed a Workforce Skills Needs Survey. The purpose of the study was to validate specific workforce needs expressed by local businesses and to develop a plan to increase local training and recruit skilled workers to address these issues where they exist.See the complete report here.

By Rex Nutting, July 8, 2005 WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) - The U.S. unemployment rate fell to 4-year low of 5% in June as the economy added 146,000 payroll jobs, the Labor Department said Friday.

After adjusting for upward revisions to April and May payrolls, June payrolls were close to the 194,000 gain expected by Wall Street economists. May's payrolls were revised to 104,000 from 78,000 previously.

The unemployment rate was last at 5% in September 2001. The drop in the jobless rate is not good news, as it was largely due to fewer people looking for work, said Drew Matus, economist at Lehman Bros. "People do not believe that employment opportunities are plentiful."

Average hourly earnings rose 3 cents, or 0.2%, to $16.06 in June, as expected. Earnings are up 2.7% in the past year, falling behind the 2.8% rise in consumer prices. "Overall, jobs growth has been erratic and unexceptional," said Peter Morici, a business professor at the University of Maryland. 'The quality of jobs created has been mediocre at best and discouraging to be realistic."

The average workweek was unchanged at 33.7 hours in June, as May's average workweek was revised down a tenth. The factory workweek was also unchanged at 40.4 hours. Total hours worked in the economy rose 0.2%. Among 278 industries, 55% were hiring in June, down from 57% in May. The report shows continued slow improvement in the labor market, outside the manufacturing sector.

In June, the survey of some 400,000 business establishments indicated modest growth of 150,000 jobs in services, while goods-producing industries lost 4,000 jobs, including 24,000 in manufacturing. It was the largest loss of factory jobs since January. Factory employment has fallen by 96,000 since August. In June, job losses were concentrated in the auto sector, which lost 18,000 jobs.

Among 84 manufacturing industries, 35.7% were hiring in June, the lowest percentage since October 2003. Construction firms added 18,000 jobs. In the services, professional and business services added 56,000 jobs in June. Temp help jobs contributed 9,000 jobs. Health-care added 25,000 jobs. Retail added 2,000 jobs in June, while leisure and hospitality added 19,000 jobs. The figures are seasonally adjusted. In a separate survey of 60,000 households, employment rose by 163,000, while unemployment fell by 161,000.

The number of people not in the labor force increased by 240,000, helping to drive the jobless rate lower. The labor participation rate fell to 66% from 66.1%, while the employment-to-population ratio remained at 62.7%. The number of people who've been out of work longer than six months fell sharply in June to 1.31 million from 1.53 million in May, representing 17.8% of all persons officially classified as unemployed. The average duration of unemployment fell to 17.1 weeks from 18.8 weeks. Rex Nutting is Washington bureau chief of MarketWatch.

Subject: New Rules Allowing Use of WIA Title I Financial Assistance for Religious Training and Employment, and Making Other Changes to Religion-Related Regulations Governing Recipients of DOL Support Including the One-Stop Career Center Service Delivery System and the Job Corps

Purpose: To notify all State Workforce Agencies (SWA) and other stakeholders within the One-Stop Career Center service delivery system that amendments to DOL regulations permit the use, in defined circumstances, of Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Title I financial assistance for training and employment of WIA participants in religious activities. The amendments also clarify other religion-related requirements government both the workforce investment system and other recipients of Federal support from the Department of Labor (DOL or the Department). This guidance explains and interprets the amendments and requires various action to implement them. View the complete document .

Message from Employment Security Commissioner Karen Lee - July 1, 2005 -
Today I announced to all staff at the Employment Security Department the decisions that have been made regarding the reorganization of the Employment & Training and WorkSource Operations Divisions. I also formalized a decision to close the Pierce County TeleCenter.

The WorkSource Operations Division is now configured geographically within the state's 12 workforce development areas. We have moved administration functions to the Employment and Training Division, allowing the WorkSource Operations Division a more focused emphasis on service delivery. We are convinced that this will promote greater coordination between our agency and you, our friends and partners, at the Workforce Development Councils.

I am encouraging our staff during these challenging times to continue to provide the highest level of service to customers. Serving customers is the only reason that our organization exists. At the same time, making Employment Security sustainable protects those services our customers need most.

Employment Security will continue to examine our operations with the goal of increasing effectiveness, removing redundancy and providing better service. We are determined to become an organization that regularly meets its business goals. These recent changes will help us to better align our core business functions.

I want to take this opportunity to express my appreciation for your individual and collective input to this decision-making process. Our leadership is thankful for your willingness to provide honest and straightforward information about what is in the best interest to the future of our system. I believe these choices will lead to greater trust and cooperation in our WorkSource partnerships. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,
Karen T. Lee,
Commissioner Employment Security Department

June 28, 2005, Yakima - At today's South Central Workforce Council meeting, a resolution was passed to begin the negotiations and work to make the Council a private non-profit entity, thereby ending its status as a Yakima County department. The resolution reads...
"Now, therefore, be it resolved that the South Central Workforce Council desires to establish a new alternative entity to fiscally administer workforce programs in the South Central Workforce Development Area, and,
To form committees to meet with respective county commissioners requesting recognition for the South Central Workforce Council as a regional planning commission, and,
Revise the South Central Workforce Council Bylaws, and,
Revise the South Central Workforce Council Joint Power's Agreement, and,
Seek Governor approval, and,
Revise Strategic and Operations Plans, and,
Develop transition agreement with Yakima County to begin October 1, 2005."

This report, from the State Workforce Board, updates progress during 2004, including legislative support, educational capacity expansion, recruitment and retention efforts, and health skill panels in local areas. Also included are task force committee reports and next steps.

The Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE) has set forth its proposed priorities, requirements, definitions, and selection criteria under the School Dropout Prevention (SDP) program. The Assistant Secretary may use one or more of these priorities, requirements, definitions, and selection criteria for competitions in fiscal year (FY) 2005 and later years. OVAE intends "the priorities, requirements, definitions, and selection criteria to strengthen the quality of applications and provide greater understanding of the Department of Education's intent regarding the direction of this program." More...

May 10, 2005 - Yakima - The South Central Workforce Council released drafts of the 2005 - 2007 Strategic Plan and the 2005 - 2007 Operations Plan for public review. You may download copies of the plans from the Library page of this website, or you can contact The Workforce Council office to obtain a printed version.

May 11 2005 The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) has published the annual Lower Living Standard Income Level (LLSIL) for 2005 in the May 11 FEDERAL REGISTER.

Solid April job growth said to refute soft-patch theory - Deflating fears of a new soft patch in the economy, U.S. businesses created a larger-than-expected 274,000 jobs in April, the Labor Department reported Friday. The unemployment rate remained at 5.2%, while average hourly wages rose by 5 cents to $16, or 0.3%. Hourly wages are up 2.7% in the past year More...

Layoff announcements by U.S. companies fell to their lowest level since November 2000, outplacement firm Challenger Gray & Christmas said Tuesday. Job reductions fell 33% in April to 57,861. More...

PacifiCare Foundation will sponsor seventy $2,000 scholarships for Spanish-speaking, bicultural high school students who want to pursue careers in the health care industry. The scholarships are open to high school seniors with a minimum grade-point average of 3.0 and fluency in Spanish and English. Guidelines and application forms available at www.pacificare.com/commonPortal/index.jsp and closing date is June 3

Renton Technical College will host a Construction Workforce Conference on May 9 and 10. Contact Judy Amico at 425.235.2352, ext. 2217 has more details, or email her at jamico@rtc.edu.

"Partnering for Strong Communities" is the theme of this year's Workforce Board annual leadership conference at the Ridpath Hotel in Spokane, October 24-26. The statewide conference draws more than 500 attendees each year from Washington workforce development, postsecondary, career and technical education, labor, and business. Guest speakers will include KimberlyGreen, executive director, National Association of State Directors of Career and Technical Education Consortium and Stephanie Powers, chief executive officer for the National Association of Workforce Boards. The event also includes the Governor's Awards for Best Practices in Workforce Development with new categories this year. Applications go out May 1. More details to come.

This TEGL provides the revised policy on common performance measures for Federal job training and employment programs. It supersedes TEGL 15-03. Apendices can be found at: http://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?DOCN=1711. Scroll to the bottom of the page.

From Don Meseck, Regional Labor Market Analyst: "An estimated 9,800 Yakima County residents were out of work this March versus 12,400 in the corresponding month during 2004, a substantial 2,600-person decrease in the number of people unemployed." Read his full report on the March Labor Economy in Yakima County.

This TEGL, released 3/25/05, To provide states and outlying areas with FY 2005 Congressional Rescissions for the WIA Adult and Dislocated Worker programs; WIA Title I Adult, Dislocated Worker Program, and Youth Activities allotments for PY 2005; additional PY 2005 WIA Section 173(e) funds for eligible states; preliminary allotments for PY 2005 public Employment Service (ES) activities, as required by Section 6(b)(5) of the Wagner-Peyser Act, as amended; Reemployment Services and Workforce Information Grants for PY 2005; and Work Opportunity Tax Credit and Welfare-to-Work (W-t-W) Tax Credit allotments for FY 2005. Read the full TEGL here.

This TEGL, released 3/22/05, clarifies the Department of Labor policy regarding Workforce Investment Act Dislocated Worker Formula Grant-funded services for two populations: (1)military service members (non-retirees) and (2)military spouses. Read the full TEGL here.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announces the availability of FY 2005 funds for the Older Adult Mental Health Targeted Capacity Expansion Grant to help assist communities in providing services and building infrastructure to support and meet the diverse mental health needs of older adults.

Approximately $4.4 million will be available to fund up to 11 awards to build a solid foundation for delivering and sustaining effective mental health outreach, treatment, and prevention services, along with resources to support the delivery of services to persons 60 years of age and older. State and local public health agencies are eligible to apply.

The application deadline is May 5, 2005, and applicants are encouraged to apply on-line through www.grants.gov.

For more information, visit the SAMHSA Web site at www.samhsa.gov or call their clearinghouse at 1-800-729-6686.
Bettie Rundlett Program Coordinator
Area Health Education Center
Washington State University Extension
310 N. Riverpoint Boulevard (location)
P. O. Box 1495 (mailing)
Spokane, WA 99210-1495
(509) 358-7646
(509) 358-7647 fax
email: rundlett@wsu.edu

Jobless rate rises to 5.4% while wages are steady

By Greg Robb, MarketWatch March 4, 2005 WASHINGTON - The U.S. labor market didn't disappoint in February, as 262,000 new jobs were added to the economy, the Labor Department reported Friday. This is the largest monthly increase in payrolls since October. The increase was at the top end of forecasts. Economists surveyed by MarketWatch had an average forecast of 221,000 new jobs, with a range of 150,000 to 300,000.

3/1/05 - Washington’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped four-tenths of a percentage point from a revised 5.9 percent in December to 5.5 percent in January, the lowest monthly rate in four years, Employment Security Commissioner Sylvia P. Mundy announced today. The comparable national rate also fell from 5.4 percent in December to 5.2 percent in January. However, Washington’s not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose from 5.9 percent to 6.3 percent in January. Read More...

This TEGL, released 2/23/05, encourages states and local areas to include entrepreneurial training among the options available to WIA clients. This includes the listing of self-employment training opportunities on the Eligible Training Provider List, and more. Read the full TEGL here.

WorkSource Yakima, in conjunction with the South Central Workforce Council, the City of Yakima, the Greater Yakima Chamber of Commerce, and the Board of Yakima county Commissioners announce their presentation of Job Fair 2005. They are committed to meeting the workforce needs of the business community, and invite businesses to participate in and support this event.

Job Fair 2005 is scheduled for April 12th, 2005 at the Yakima Convention Center from 12:00 noon to 6:00 pm. These hours accommodate unemployed as well as employed workers seeking career opportunities. To participate, please download the registration form from the WorkSource Central Washington website. Further details of the Job Fair can be found there, as well. You can also contact the Business Recruitment Committee at 509-573-4586.

Training and Employment Notice (TEN17-04) informs of a mystery shopper project to assess where our system stands in becoming demand-driven. Do we:
  -- have a firm grasp of our local economy
  -- strategically invest and leverage resources
  -- build partnerships between business and education that develop solutions to workforce challenges, and
  -- allocate training dollars to provide the skills and competencies necessary to support industry now and in the future.
The TEN can be read at the DOL website.

The four-week average of new claims dropped by 4,000 to stand at 311,750, the lowest since Nov. 4, 2000. Read the full report.

The governor appointed Karen Lee commissioner of the Employment Security Department, which supports workers during times of unemployment and helps them get back in the workforce. Lee is director of gas operations for Puget Sound Energy in Bellevue, where she has held various jobs since 1997. Before that, she was an associate attorney with Preston Gates & Ellis in Seattle.

"I am proud and excited about this opportunity to serve the citizens of the state of Washington," Lee said. "The Employment Security Department plays a key role in the economic well-being of the state. Although there are serious challenges facing this department in the months to come, I look forward to working with department employees and stakeholders to meet and overcome those challenges so that we can assist citizens in securing jobs and assist businesses in meeting their employment requirements." Gregoire said Lee is "an experienced manager who is focused, fearless and analytical. I view her as a change agent for an agency that is in transition."

The governor said she has instructed Lee to focus on two issues in particular: The budgetary challenges that come from reduced federal funding under the Workforce Investment Act. Coordination with other state agency directors to ensure that people are able to get back to work as timely as possible.

Gregoire also announced that Paul Trause has agreed to return to the Employment Security Department to work with Lee as her deputy commissioner. Trause has been the director of the Department of Labor and Industries since 2002. Before that, he was the deputy commissioner at ESD, so his understanding of the agency and its issues will help Lee and her team hit the ground running, the governor said.

The Washington State Department Commerce and Trade have awarded a $50,000 grant through the South Central Workforce Board for workforce development to the Chamber. The Chamber will partner with Yakima County Development to create job experience opportunities for WorkFirst individuals. This effort will be similar to approaches now used with county high school students.

The South Central Workforce Council will be the grant recipient and pass through 100% of the project funds to the Greater Yakima Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber will be the lead organization with New Vision as a subcontractor. The Chamber will identify staff to coordinate the Bridges Project at the local level. Implementation of the Bridges Project will be in coordination with the WorkFirst partners via the Local Planning Area.

New Vision, the Greater Yakima Chamber of Commerce and the South Central Workforce Council have developed a strong partnership over the last five years in an effort to address the workforce challenges of Yakima County. Skill Panels, incumbent worker training and partnerships with education and workforce organizations have become a fundamental strategy in meeting employer needs. The partnerships and projects that have been developed have produced real results creating opportunities for young and adult workers to enter the workplace and for incumbent workers to enhance their skills and increase their earnings.

Like other areas in the state and nation, there still exist skill shortages in the health care industry and opportunities in retail, construction and manufacturing. Yet, the business community continues to voice concerns regarding the lack of basic work readiness skills as the number one reason people are not successful in the workplace. Business organizations have played a limited role in employment and training activities of the WorkFirst program due to the lack of assessment information that is meaningful to the employer. While workforce programs have been strengthened over the years and business has become more responsive to the needs of the workers, there lacks a strong connection between WorkFirst programs and the business community.

The Greater Yakima Chamber of Commerce Business Education Partnership, which has been recognized nationally as a Best Practice, has developed an efficient and effective program providing job shadow and internship opportunities to youth and educators introducing them to the world of work. The information that the business shares with the youth and educators is the same knowledge that would benefit the adult job seeker. All employees must understand the importance of quality work and how effort, performance and decisions directly affect their ability to obtain and retain employment. Some WorkFirst clients have limited or no exposure to the world of work or simply have unrealistic expectations of employment in general. This particular project gives the WorkFirst job seeker a chance to ³try out² an occupation in a different venue that will allow them to establish better work practices and goals for themselves.

In July 2001, New Vision completed a skills gap analysis for selected manufacturing companies in the Yakima area. Outcomes of the analysis were presented to the Workforce Council and Yakima Valley Community College (YVCC). A major outcome in response to the analysis was the use of WorkKeys/American College Testing, Inc. (ACT) national system for documenting and improving workplace skills. Since that time, YVCC has selectively used the ACT for some of the Customized Job Skills Training (CJST). A unique opportunity now exists to begin building a bridge between WorkFirst programs and the business community.

YVCC will be piloting a program during winter quarter at their Yakima Adult Basic Education (ABE) Center with the goal of students not only achieving their GED, but also obtaining a Job Readiness Credential that is recognized by the employer community. In this pilot, students will be assessed in the following four (4) WorkKeys areas: Reading for Information, Applied Mathematics, Locating Information and Teamwork. The students will receive training to develop their skills in the 4 WorkKeys areas as part of their ABE curriculum.

Through this Bridge Project, New Vision and the Greater Yakima Chamber of Commerce, as part of business development, will market the Job Readiness Credential to area businesses opening the door for more effective and appropriate job development and placement services by WorkFirst staff. WorkKeys and Key Training is intended to assist with economic development as well as New Vision can tell a prospective employer that we have so many workers skilled in locating information or teamwork.

The Bridge Project offers a unique opportunity to forge a new partnership between WorkFirst, the Business Education Partnership, New Vision and the Chamber of Commerce. The WorkFirst program prepares TANF participants to look for and accept employment.

The project will enhance the Job Search Preparation aspect of the program by expanding the menu of available services. Through the ³Bridge² concept, the grant participants are strongly committed to connecting companies with Workfirst participants who have completed the WorkKeys/American College Testing, Inc. assessments and training offerings, where needed, to enhance their basic skill development. Additionally, New Vision will have an opportunity to provide the manufacturing sector with detailed information about incentives, training options and special services as they conduct our annual business survey of over 100 companies.

By Rex Nutting, MarketWatch Last Update: 10:15 AM ET Feb. 2, 2005 WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) - U.S. corporations announced 92,351 layoffs in January, down 15 percent from December's tally, outplacement firm Challenger Gray & Christmas said Wednesday. It's the first month since August that planned job cuts were below 100,000, the firm said. Planned reductions were down 21 percent from January 2004. More than a third of January's layoffs were in three sectors: government, financial services and automotive, which each cut more than 10,000 jobs in January. Telecommunications companies cut fewer than 1,500 jobs in January, but that number is expected to soar in coming months.

"Merger activity is starting to accelerate in many industries," said John Challenger, CEO of the outplacement firm. "On Monday alone, there were three major deals announced, including the mega-merger between SBC (SBC: news, chart, profile) and AT&T (T: news, chart, profile) , which is likely to result in significant job cuts." M&A activity was the second-leading cause of layoffs in January, behind cost cutting. The Challenger data are not seasonally adjusted. Since January is typically a heavy job-cutting month, the fact that job cuts declined from December "is a sign of job market improvement," Challenger said.

The Challenger survey covers only a small portion of job losses; most small businesses do not announce job reductions. The announced reductions can occur immediately or over time. They can be accomplished through layoffs or voluntary measures, such as retirement. According to government data, there were 1.53 million layoffs and involuntary discharges during November, the most recent data available. Other government statistics show that 7.31 million jobs were lost in the first quarter of the year, while 7.75 million jobs were created. In December, nonfarm payrolls grew by 157,000, up from 137,000 in November, government data show. Job growth averaged about 185,000 last year. January's payroll data will be released on Friday. Economists are predicting net growth of about 189,000.

Announcing the Soon-to-be-Published Proposed Revisions to the Planning Guidance and Instructions for Submission of the Strategic Five-Year Plan for Title I of the WIA of 1998 and the Wagner-Peyser Act; and Workforce Investment Act Unified Planning Guidance.

The new Strategic Plans, due to USDOL this summer, will be for only two (2) years, so that, after WIA Reauthorization is passed, they can be re-written for the next five years according to the new legislation.

Access the TEGL at DOL-ETA's website.

1/7/05 - By Rex Nutting WASHINGTON (CBS.MW) - U.S. nonfarm payrolls grew by a seasonally adjusted 157,000 in December while the unemployment rate remained steady at 5.4 percent, the Labor Department said Friday. With upward revisions of 34,000 to previous months, payroll growth was close to expectations of 178,000. For all of 2004, 2.231 million jobs were added, the best since 1999. Average hourly earnings rose by 2 cents, or 0.1 percent, to $15.86 in December, less than the 0.2 percent expected by economists surveyed by CBS MarketWatch. The average workweek added back a tenth of an hour to 33.8 hours in December. The total number of hours worked in the economy grew by 0.4 percent.