EQ
Q1 - Volume 9 Published January 23, 2009
Employment Quarterly
EQ b1
Quarterly b4 EQ Employment
Q1 - Volume 9 Published January 23, 2009
Shared Work Program: A Layoff Alternative State of New York DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Unemployment Insurance Division Liability and Determination Section State Office Building Campus Albany, N.Y. 12240
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business picks up again. It is costly to find, hire and train new workers. Direct costs of hiring include advertising; wages for human resources staff to review resumes, conduct interviews, make offers, prepare hiring forms and orient new employees; or contracting with an employment agency. Retraining costs include supervisor’s time and possible production errors as new employees learn the job. Direct costs also include overtime paid to employees who work longer hours to make up for people who were laid off. Layoffs also can damage employee good-will. When you avoid layoffs, workers may understand that you appreciate their individual contributions and want to keep them on despite tough times. Shared Work is a vote of confidence that tells employees they are valued team members.
What does a Shared Work plan require? The employer must have at least
Quarterly b2 EQ Employment
Career Central 175 Central Avenue Albany, New York 12206 Contact: Doug Lansing Phone: 462-7600 X162 Fax: 447-5967 dougl@capreg.org www.capreg.org Hours: M-F: 8:30 a.m. - 5p.m.
Columbia County Columbia-Greene Counties Full Service
Columbia/Greene Com. College, 4400 Route 23 Hudson, New York 12534 Contact: Mary Alane Wiltse Phone: 828-4181, ext. 3109 Fax: 822-2007 wiltse@sunycgcc.edu www.columbiagreenworks.org Hours: M-F: 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Essex County North Country Full Service
Elizabethtown One Work Source Center, 103 Hand Ave, Ste 1 P.O. Box 607 Elizabethtown, New York 12932 Contact: Ellen Gordon Phone: 873-2341 or Toll Free: 1-800-675-2668 Fax: 873-2392 careersupervisor@westelcom.com www.oneworksource.com Hours: M-Th: 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., F: 9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Franklin County North Country Full Service
Malone One Work Source Center 158 Finney Boulevard & Woodward Street Malone, New York 12953 Contact: Mary Beth McKee Phone: 481-5755, x 3033 or Toll Free: 1-877-410-5751 Fax: 483-0740 mbm@mail.fehb.org www.oneworksource.com Hours: M: 8 a.m. - 7 p.m., T-W-Th: 8a.m. - 4p.m., F: 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. (Summer), 8 a.m. - 5p.m. (end of summer)
Fulton County Full Service
Fulton-Montgomery-Schoharie Gloversville Workforce Solutions 199 South Main Street Gloversville, New York 12078 Contact: Robert Hoefs Phone: 842-2240, ext. 3037 Fax: 773-8202 robert.hoefs@labor.state.ny.us www.fmsworkforcesolutions.org Hours: M-F: 8:30 a.m. - 5p.m.
Montgomery County Fulton-Montgomery-Schoharie Full Service
Amsterdam Workforce Solutions 2620 Riverfront Center Amsterdam, New York 12010 Contact: Robert Hoefs Phone: 842-2240 Fax: 842-3802 robert.hoefs@labor.state.ny.us www.fmsworkforcesolutions.org Hours: M-F: 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Rennselaer County Capital Region Full Service Ned Pattison Office Building 1600 7th Avenue Troy, New York 12180 Contact: Mary Ann Gronau Phone: 270-2860 Fax: 270-2876 crrc5@albany.net www.capreg.org Hours: M-F: 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Saratoga County
Saratoga-Warren-Washington Counties
Full Service
Saratoga County Employment & Training 152 West High Street Ballston Spa, New York 12020 Contact: Tony Scavone Phone: 884-4170 Fax: 884-4262 saremtra@nycap.rr.com www.thejoblink.org Hours: M-F: 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Schenectady County Capital Region Full Service
Schenectady Job Training 433 State Street Center City Schenectady, New York 12305 Contact: Fran Ricci Phone: 344-2735 Fax: 344-2820 fricci@capreg.org www.capreg.org Hours: M-F: 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
O N E S T O P S
The Department of Labor Division of Employment Services offices provide convenient “one-stop shopping” for employment-related needs. They offer many DOL programs in a single location – including career-related assistance and services for employers. Some offices are located in One-Stop Career Centers, where the Department of Labor works in tandem with county and local workforce agencies.
Albany County Capital Region Full Service
A Shared Work plan must include: • a reduction in work hours between 20 and 60% • benefits may not be used to pay employees who were already part-time • no reduction in fringe benefits • no extension beyond 53 weeks • by the Liability & Determination Section of the State Labor Department UI Division before implementation • the employer cannot hire more full- or part-time employees for
the workgroup covered by the plan • the plan must be in lieu of a layoff of an equivalent percentage of the workforce • all employees in an affected unit and reduced their hours by the same extent (you may reduce different units by different percentages) • if there is a collective bargaining agreement in effect, the collective bargaining unit must agree to participate in the Shared Work Program.
What effect will Shared Work benefits have on an employer’s unemployment insurance tax rate? Shared Work benefits will be charged against the employer’s experience rating account. Whether these charges will be the same as those for a layoff will depend on the situation. If you have a question concerning how Shared Work could impact your tax rate, call 518-457-2635.
RATE OF UNEMPLOYMENT
About INTERNSHIPS Penny Loretto Skidmore College Assist. Director of Career Services/Intership Coordinator
BY PLACE OF RESIDENCE FOR NEW YORK STATE AND SOME MAJOR LABOR AREAS, NOVEMBER 2008
Warren County
Saratoga-Warren-Washington Counties
Full Service
Warren Employment & Training Northway Plaza Queensbury, New York 12804 Contact: Bill Resse Phone: 743-0950 Fax: 743-0828 ressew@co.warren.ny.us www.thejoblink.org Hours: M-F: 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Washington County
Schoharie County Saratoga-Warren-Washington Fulton-Montgomery-Schoharie Counties Full Service Full Service Cobleskill Workforce Solutions 795 East Main Street Suite 4 Cobleskill, New York 12043 Contact: Robert Hoefs Phone: 234-4254 Fax: 234-4256 robert.hoefs@labor.state.ny.us www.fmsworkforcesolutions.org Hours: M-F: 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.
five full-time (35-40 hours/week) employees and file an application to the State Labor Department Liability & Determination Section. The application is due at least two weeks before they wish to start the program. Also, the employer must have paid UI tax contributions for at least four consecutive calendar quarters before applying. Contact the Liability & Determination Section at 518-457-2635 to request an application.
Q1 - Volume 9 Published January 23, 2009
Location United States New York State New York City Capital District Albany Rensselaer Saratoga Schenectady Schoharie Binghampton Buffalo-Niagra Elmira Glens Falls Warren Washington Ithica Kingston Dutchess Orange Rochester Syracuse Utica-Rome Columbia Essex Franklin Fulton Greene Hamilton Montgomery
One-Stop of Washington County 383 Broadway Fort Edward, New York 12828 Contact: Polly Monahan Phone: 518-746-2391 Fax: 518-746-2392 pmonahan@co.washington.ny.us Website: www.thejoblink.org Hours: M-F: 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m
EQ b3
What is Shared Work? The Shared Work program helps employers survive temporary business downturns by giving them an alternative to firing full-time workers. It makes sense to help businesses retain productive workers. Under this program, instead of cutting staff, an employer can reduce the number of hours of all workers, or just a select group. Under an approved plan, employees may collect partial Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits for up to 20 weeks. Under the current Federal Extended Benefits plan, the 20 weeks of Shared Work benefits may be extended to 40 weeks. For example: After filing a Shared Work plan with the State Labor Department, Plant XYZ receives approval to reduce the hours of its sewing department by 40% for ten weeks. These workers can file for UI and may be able to collect 40% of their weekly benefit (after serving an unpaid waiting period of one week).
Skilled workers may take other jobs, so you cannot hire them when
knowyourresources http://www.labor.state.ny.us
Employment Quarterly
hared Work is an active approach to managing business cycles and seasonal business adjustments. It is good business.
Why not just lay off workers and then rehire them as needed?
• About Internships • Shared Work Program • A Recruiter’s Perspective
Q1 - Volume 9 Published January 23, 2009
Nov. 2008 6.5 5.9 6.2 5.2 5.1 5.4 4.9 5.3 6.5 6.0 6.2 6.3 6.4 7.0 5.8 4.3 5.7 5.5 5.7 5.9 6.0 6.0 5.1 7.8 7.5 7.4 6.7 8.4 7.2
Oct. 2008 6.1 5.4 5.7 4.8 4.9 4.9 4.5 5.1 5.6 5.3 5.6 5.6 5.2 5.5 4.9 4.2 5.3 5.2 5.5 5.5 5.6 5.2 4.7 6.1 6.4 6.7 5.9 4.5 6.4
Nov. 2007 4.5 4.4 5.0 3.8 3.7 4.0 3.5 4.0 5.0 4.1 4.5 4.2 4.3 4.6 3.9 3.2 4.3 3.8 4.1 4.3 4.1 4.2 3.7 5.5 5.6 5.1 4.7 6.2 5.2
Note: Data are subject to revision. Source: New York State Department of Labor, Division of Research and Statistics.
table of contents
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ach semester many college students complete internships as a way to apply their academic learning to the real world. These internship experiences compliment and add to what students learn in the classroom and are often a requirement for their college major. Colleges and faculty recognize the importance of these experiential activities and understand their value as they watch students work to gain the necessary knowledge and skills required for success in
their resumes, and they highly value applicants who have already completed one or more internships. Since Skidmore is a liberal arts college, there are students seeking internships that are related to a wide range of interests. Although many students are focused, have set definite career goals, and already know that they want to gain experience in careers such as advertising, finance, marketing, publishing, government, education, art, social work, computer technology, foreign languages, etc., there are also a considerable number of students who are still unsure of their career aspirations and hope that an internship will help provide them with some direction. Working alongside professionals in the field is an opportunity for students to see
Internships are an excellent way for students to test the waters and get exposure to careers that they decide may or may not be of genuine interest to them.
About Internships. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . b3 Shared Work: A Layoff Alternative. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . b4 The Bonadio Group introduces SourceHR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . b5 The Recruiter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . b6 The ADA and FMLA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . b7 CRHRA presents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . b9 Save the Date! HVCC Job Fair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . b10
today’s work force. A tough economy like the one we are currently experiencing forces employers to be even more selective in the hiring process and this makes many jobs in a wide range of industries even more competitive. Employers looking to hire for entry-level positions seek applicants who have relevant work experience included on
what actually occurs on a day-today basis as well as a chance to ask questions of professionals that will hopefully assist them in their decision-making and career development. Students doing internships for credit must complete 130 hours per semester to receive 3 credit hours which is included on their college
transcript. Students work directly with an onsite supervisor at the internship site as well as a faculty member who sponsors them, sets the criteria and evaluates the overall internship experience. In addition to the hours students work at their internship, they may be required to keep a journal, write a paper or do a reading or presentation that offers them an opportunity to reflect on the experience. Internships are an excellent way for students to test the waters and get exposure to careers that they decide may or may not be of genuine interest to them. Since internships are one of the best ways for students to gain the knowledge and skills required by many employers seeking entry-level candidates, doing several internships prior to graduation will definitely make them more competitive candidates in today’s job market. Skidmore College’s Career Services Office houses an online database for local, national and international internships. Career counselors work with students directly on helping them to uncover some of the many opportunities that are available. During fall and spring semesters, many students do internships in addition to their regular college course work. During the summer there are a number of students who want to stay in the Saratoga area and who usually seek local internships and/or summer jobs. There are also a large number of students who look for internship opportunities in their home town and some who even hope to find an internship abroad. Although internships with nonprofit agencies or
volunteer organizations are generally unpaid, there are many internships that offer students a modest salary, stipend, or unique benefit that help to defray some of their personal and/or college expenses. Like many college communities, the Saratoga Springs area offers a large variety of internship opportunities for college students. Students are often assigned to assist with an organization or agency’s day-today workload or they may be asked to come in to complete a special project or assignment. Depending on their knowledge and experience, employers often assign interns similar tasks that they offer their full-
time employees. Internships are a win-win situation for both employers and students. Students participating in internships gain valuable knowledge and experience while employers often get a new and fresh perspective and may even be introduced to new strategies and techniques that are current and new to the field. Employers interested in learning more about Skidmore College’s Internship Program, please contact Penny Loretto, (518) 580-5790, or email . To learn more about internships, you can log onto Penny’s Internship site on About.com, http://internships.about.com/.
index of advertisers Advertiser
Page
Adirondack Medical Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . b9 Aflac . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . b10 Bonadio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . b5 CVPH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . b8 Ellis Hospital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . b4, b9, b11 Experience Works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . b6 Living Resources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . b8 Living Resources Home Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . b8 Mohawk Opportunities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . b7 MVP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . b8 Saratoga Bridges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . b8 Saratoga Springs City School District . . . . . . . . . . . . . . b7 Schenectady ARC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . b7, b10 Seaton Health Schuyler Ridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . b8 SEFCU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . b6 Visiting Nurses of Schenectady. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . b8