* “The sands are shifting constantly,” says Karen L. Sitnick, Director of the Baltimore City Mayor’s Office of Employment and Development (MOED) and President of the Maryland Workforce Development Association (MWDA). “There is an increased need for workforce development professionals today to try to be all things to all people”, she says in this month’s interview..

*This month in Hot Topics Hurricane Recovery Assistance
President George W. Bush has declared that major disasters exist for the communities impacted by Hurricane Katrina. The U.S. Department of Labor is supporting efforts in these communities and Secretary Elaine L. Chao has announced National Emergency Grants (NEGs) for Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Texas to aid in the recovery and clean-up efforts.
Individuals seeking unemployment assistance from these impacted areas and at evacuation sites should call the U.S. Department of Labor toll-free at 1-866-4-USA-DOL (1-866-487-2365) for information on registering for unemployment insurance and disaster unemployment assistance.

* Hurricane Recovery Assistance; One-Stop Center Information for Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi One-Stop Career Center offices and other service providers in areas affected by Hurricane Katrina may not be open at this time or are operating with reduced hours. For more information and to find out how to access your nearest One-Stop Career Center, please call 1-877-US-2JOBS (1-877-889-5627 TTY).

Office information (open, closures, re-openings) for Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi is available on America's Service Locator's hurricane-related Web Page. This Page also provides office telephone numbers and contacts within these states. The Page also lists Unemployment Insurance claims and FEMA information. Information about specific state plans and services is also available in the state phone and web directories located near the bottom of America's Service Locator.

* U.S. Labor Department Announces Job Bank to Assist Workers and Employers Affected by Hurricane Katrina
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the creation of the Katrina Recovery Job Connection dedicated to connecting workers impacted by the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina with employers who want to hire them. It will also support the hiring associated with critical clean-up efforts in impacted areas.

ETA News Release: U.S. Labor Department Announces Job Bank to Assist Workers and Employers Affected by Hurricane Katrina - 05-1694-NAT - [09/12/2005]

* In this month’s Featured Programs Census Bureau Announces Addition of New Analytical Tool – Industry Focus – to the Local Employment Dynamics Web Site

The Census Bureau announced today that a new analytic tool called Industry Focus has been added to the Local Employment Dynamics web site. Industry Focus combines the best of two soon-to-be-retired tools -- Top Industries and Local Workforce -- with many new features. In addition to generating a list of the top 3-digit NAICS industries or 2-digit NAICS sectors for a specified area and workers, analysts within the workforce and economic development communities can focus on a particular sector or industry to determine where it ranks among other industries and then drill in on it to look at characteristics of those who work in that industry. Users can select one or more of eight labor market indicators to provide context to industry/workforce characteristics, as well as being able to select a single measure on which to rank. WIA board area and county are among the selection criteria.

Industry Focus appears as the final menu selection under Quick Links on the right-hand side of the accessed directly or, alternatively LED web page.

* DOJ Announces New Partnership Between Office of Justice Programs and CNCS to Aid in Prisoner Reentry.

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 23 -- The Department of Justice's Office of Justice Programs (OJP) and the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) today announced a partnership that will use volunteers from AmeriCorps Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) at select OJP Weed and Seed sites to help develop programs for ex-offenders returning to their communities.

This partnership will allow local sites to leverage public and private resources to provide housing, employment, life skills training and mentoring for children of ex-offenders, with the goal of reducing recidivism and crime.

Department of Justice Announces New Partnership Between The Office Of Justice Programs The Corporation For National And Community Service To Aid In Prisoner Reentry

*Disability Mentoring Day To Be Held October 19

Disability Mentoring Day, a nationwide event that promotes career development for youth with disabilities, will be held this year on Wednesday, October 19. Both public and private employers provide one-on-one mentoring for students to learn about the preparation necessary to qualify for a range of jobs opportunities.

* Poster: Workers with Disabilities: Ready for Tomorrow's Jobs Today

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