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Workforce Florida Weekly Update 5-02-07 |
CONTENTS The State & RegionsFormer Lt. Governor, Senate President, Workforce Champion, and Florida Women’s Hall of Famer Toni Jennings Continues To Be Honored. SR 3066—A resolution honoring former Senate President Toni Jennings and designating Room 110 of the Senate Office Building as the “Toni Jennings Committee Room.” WHEREAS, Toni Jennings, the first woman to hold the office of Lieutenant Governor of Florida, used her extensive public-sector experience and her knowledge of business gained as president of a successful family-owned construction company to support development of the state’s key economic initiatives, quality education, and strengthening families, And WHEREAS, in 1976, Toni Jennings was the youngest woman ever elected to the Florida Legislature and the first female Republican Leader of either house of the Legislature, and WHEREAS, a two-term Member of the House of Representatives until her election to the Senate, Senator Jennings represented Central Florida in the Legislature for almost 25 years, during which time she became the state’s first and only two-term Senate President and distinguished herself as a skilled consensus builder, and WHEREAS, she was a force behind the state’s welfare reform initiative, creating a system of accountability in public education, championing workers’ compensation reforms, launching school readiness programs and shepherding the passage of the Workforce Innovation Act of 2000, and WHEREAS, during her term as Lieutenant Governor, Toni Jennings’ strong business acumen and years of public service contributed greatly to several key initiatives, including affordable health insurance, prekindergarten education, hurricane preparedness, property and casualty insurance reform, and the future of space and aeronautics in the state, and WHEREAS, Toni Jennings’ distinguished public career spanning almost 30 years has earned her numerous awards and recognitions including induction into the Florida Women’s Hall of Fame, the “Friend of Education” award, “Central Floridian of the Year” for her hurricane recovery efforts, the William L. Heartwell Award for workforce education and training advocacy, and honored as “Florida Guardian of Small Business”, and WHEREAS, Toni Jennings continues her participation in civic affairs and dedication to education, as expressed in her frequent visits to schools, inspiring teachers and students alike, NOW, THEREFORE, Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida: That the Senate hereby expresses to the Honorable Toni Jennings, former Lieutenant Governor of Florida, two-term Florida Senate President, and member of the Florida Senate and House of Representatives, its high esteem and heartfelt appreciation, and honors her great public service to this state by designating Room 110 of the Senate Office Building as the “Toni Jennings Committee Room.” Access the Senate Journal with the complete text of SR 3066 as well as comments from legislators at: http://www.flsenate.gov/data/session/2007/Senate/journals/daily/sj042507.pdf. Susan Pareigis Appointed Chair of National Advisory Committee on Veterans. Susan Pareigis, former Director of the Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation, has been appointed the Chair of the newly created USDOL Advisory Committee on Veterans' Employment, Training, and Employer Outreach. Ms. Pareigis is currently the Executive Director of the Florida Council of 100, which works to promote the improved economic well-being and quality of life for its citizenry while advancing a diversified Florida economy. The appointment letter says, "It is the duty of the Advisory Committee to advise the Secretary with respect to carrying out the functions established under Section 4110 of Title 38, U.S. Code, and to submit a report on, and recommendations with respect to, those functions." Section II of Public Law 109-233, which was signed by the President on June 15, 2006, established the Advisory Committee. The new law also adds the duty for the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Veterans' Employment and Training Service (ASVET) to raise awareness of skills of veterans and the benefits of hiring veterans. The Advisory Committee, which will advise the ASVET in this matter, has scheduled its first meeting for May 15, 2007. Governor Crist Creates Gubernatorial Task Force for University Campus Safety. TALLAHASSEE – Governor Charlie Crist and U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt met this week to discuss security and safety on university and college campuses and actions taken in Florida following the Virginia Tech tragedy. During the meeting, Governor Crist signed Executive Order 07-77, establishing the Gubernatorial Task Force for University Campus Safety to review all security measures on Florida’s college and university campuses. “The hearts of Floridians have gone out to the families of the victims of the tragedy at Virginia Tech, and the compassion we feel for them urges us to be prudent and review our own state’s emergency plans for schools and college campuses,” Governor Crist said. “Florida’s already advanced level of disaster preparedness will serve as a strong foundation for Florida’s law enforcement, education and mental health agencies and partners to develop the best safety plans possible.” President Bush has asked Secretary Leavitt and other cabinet officials to travel across America to hold similar meetings. Once this process has been completed, Secretary Leavitt will work with Education Secretary Margaret Spellings and Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to summarize the issues raised and report to the President within 30 days. “The pain of this tragedy is felt throughout this nation and our hearts and prayers go out to the victims’ families, friends and the entire Virginia Tech community,” HHS Secretary Leavitt said. “While our review will not answer all the questions or solve all the problems, we hope to frame up a series of issues as part of a thoughtful, national dialogue and determine where the federal government can play a role in helping states and communities avoid such tragedies in the future.” According to Executive Order 07-78, the Task Force will be chaired by Children and Families Secretary Bob Butterworth, and Bill Janes, Director of the Office of Drug Control Policy, will serve as vice chairman. Other members will be Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Commissioner Gerald Bailey; Craig Fugate, Director of the Department of Emergency Management; Mark Rosenberg, Chancellor for the State University System; Florida State University Police Chief David L. Perry; a designee from Attorney General Bill McCollum’s office; and two students – one from a two-year school and one from a four-year university. The Task Force will submit a report of their findings and recommendations to the Governor by May 24, 2007. www.myflorida.com. Governor Crist Announces Hurricane Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday ~ Provides tax break on disaster supplies June 1 through June 12, 2007. TALLAHASSEE – Governor Charlie Crist this week signed into law House Bill 211 establishing a sales tax holiday from June 1 through June 12, 2007, for hurricane preparedness items. “I urge all Floridians to take advantage of the Hurricane Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday so that every person is prepared for the possibility of a storm,” said Governor Crist. “We have learned from experience that prepared residents and communities are key to surviving and recovering from hurricanes or other natural disasters.” Legislative sponsors Senator Carey Baker (R-Eustis) and Representative Peter Nehr (R-Tarpon Springs) and Department of Emergency Management Director Craig Fugate joined the Governor for the bill signing. Governor Crist thanked the Legislature and urged all Floridians to prepare for the 2007 Hurricane Season by taking advantage of the third annual sales tax holiday. The holiday is expected to save Floridians almost $25 million in sales taxes. “As public awareness of this tax holiday continues to grow, we are encouraging Florida retailers to prepare for even greater demand than last year,” said Governor Crist. “While we hope for a quiet hurricane season, the tax holiday will help give Floridians the opportunity to be prepared for any possibility.” Florida Retail Federation officials and major retailers are helping inform Floridians about the tax holiday in order to promote a culture of preparedness. Representatives from Lowe’s, Home Depot, Publix and Winn Dixie attended the bill signing. “Recent history shows us that hurricanes can impact every Floridian,” said Director Craig Fugate of the Florida Division of Emergency Management. “I challenge all residents to get a plan and prepare now.” Governor Crist encouraged all Floridians to update their disaster plans and to use the tax holiday during the first 12 days of June as an opportunity to restock their disaster supply kits. Chris Floyd of the American Red Cross attended the bill signing and displayed examples of tax exempt items. Below are a few examples of items that will be exempt during the sales tax holiday.
The NationETA Issues Guidance on Use of NEG Funds to Support Regional Strategic Planning. The Employment and Training Administration [of USDOL] has issued Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) No. 16-03, Change 5, which announces the availability of Regional Innovation Grants, utilizing limited National Emergency Grant (NEG) funds, to state workforce agencies and local workforce investment boards (WIBs) to initiate comprehensive, sustainable, and integrated regional planning using the Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED) conceptual framework and principles. This TEGL modified the previously-issued description of community impacts to incorporate Regional Innovation Grants (RIGs) pursuant to the Secretary’s authority to use NEG resources to approve other types of projects “where it can be clearly demonstrated that such adjustments will achieve a greater positive benefit for the workers and/or communities being assisted.” (20 CFR 671.170(b)(5)) For a copy of the TEGL, go to: http://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/attach/TEGL/TEGL16-03_ch5.pdf. NGA Analysis of State-of-the-State Addresses Reveals Governors' Top Priorities - Innovation, Education, Health Care and Energy Top List. WASHINGTON– Increasing American innovation, improving education, expanding health care coverage and ensuring clean, reliable energy were top priorities outlined by the nation's governors in their 2007 State-of-the-State Addresses, according to a new report released today by the National Governors Association (NGA). The Governors Speak – 2007 summarizes the initiatives and calls to action the nation's governors launched during their annual addresses to their state. The report demonstrates where the chief executives of the states believe their leadership is most needed and articulates how they intend to accomplish their goals. Thanks to improved economic conditions throughout the states, governors collectively espoused an optimistic tone for the future, calling for some of the boldest initiatives in years. Governors across the country are seeking to strengthen their economies and improve their residents’ livelihoods by providing new investments and incentives to develop a more highly educated citizenry, create higher-paying jobs, support knowledge-based industries, and build an innovation-based economy. "Governors are charting a path forward on some of the toughest public policy challenges of our time," said John Thomasian, Director of the NGA Center for Best Practices. "They're challenging conventional thinking and tackling these issues head on with unique, bold initiatives." The report quantifies and categorizes the various initiatives the governors launched on various public policy issues. Examples from the report include:
Government Accountability Office (GAO) report “Employer-Sponsored Health and Retirement Benefits: Efforts to Control Employer Costs and the Implications for Workers” released. GAO-07-355, March 30 is available online at: http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-355. For the highlights go to: http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d07355high.pdf. Headlines from NASWA/CESER Workforce Bulletin - April 27, 2007:
Grant and Competitive Award Opportunities and NoticesFor current information, visit the External Grant Opportunities page.Featured Opportunity:(none) Upcoming Meetings, Conferences and
Events
Workforce Florida Board and Related Meetings Schedule:For up-to-date WFI board meeting info please check the calendar at the WFI website. May 16, 2007 WFI Chair Meeting with Regional Board Chairs May 17, 2007 Other Meetings/Conferences/Events:
May 3-4, 2007 May 7, 2007 May 8 – 11, 2007 May 9, 2007 May 14-15, 2007 May 15, 2007 May 20-23, 2007 May 21-22, 2007 May 29-30, 2007 May 30, 31 & June 1, 2007 June 4 - 5th, 2007 June 4-7, 2007 June 12-15, 2007 June 13-15, 2007 June 23-26, 2007 July 17-19, 2007 Odds and EndsPostage Rate Increase. On May 14, you’ll start paying more to mail a first class letter. The new rate is 41 cents. But, you’ll be able to protect your pocketbook from future rate increases by buying a new “forever” stamp. The forever stamp went on sale April 12 and costs 41 cents. However it will always be valid for mailing a letter, no matter how much postage rates rise in the future. There’s no limit on the number of forever stamps you can buy. But the stamps won’t be available in the big rolls most often used by businesses. So clear a desk drawer for lots of sheets of forever stamps. Does Discrimination Depress Women’s Pay? (by Mark Schoeff, Jr, Workforce Week – April 29) A new study by a women’s advocacy organization shows that college-educated women earn less than their male counterparts soon after graduation—and 10 years later, too. When the findings were presented at a House hearing on Tuesday, April 24, however, an expert disputed the results, arguing that many different factors can affect salary levels. The hearing date was no accident. April 24 has been dubbed Equal Pay Day, the date on which women’s earnings are said to catch up to the amount men earned by December 31 of the previous year. The House Education and Labor Committee met to discuss a bill introduced by Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Connecticut, that would strengthen federal equal pay laws. But it was the study, "Behind the Pay Gap," released the day before the hearing by the American Association of University Women Educational Foundation, that generated the most heat. AAUW found that one year after college graduation, women earn 80 percent of what college-educated men earn. After 10 years, the proportion sinks to 69 percent. Catherine Hill, AAUW research director, said that after eliminating factors known to affect earnings, such as occupation, industry, hours worked, educational attainment and experience, a 5 percent difference between men’s and women’s salaries still existed, and grew to 12 percent after 10 years. “That suggests that something else is going on,” Hill said. Discrimination, in her view, causes the pay discrepancy. Diana Furchtgott-Roth, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, said that the results of the AAUW study are distorted because they didn’t account for accumulated hours of lifetime work and used occupational categories that were too broad. “Generally, the more explanatory variables that are included in the econometric regression analysis, the more of the wage gap that can be explained, and the less is the residual portion attributable to discrimination,” Furchtgott-Roth said. DeLauro asserts that bias against women is diminishing their earnings. Her bill would allow women to sue for punitive damages in addition to compensatory damages already provided under the Equal Pay Act. It also would prohibit employers from retaliating against employees who disseminate salary information to their colleagues. “The issue of pay equity goes to the heart of what matters to working women,” DeLauro said. “It is about ensuring that women who work hard and productively and carry a full range of family responsibilities are paid at a rate they are entitled. Pay equity is not a women’s issue. It is a family issue.” Access the complete article at: http://www.workforce.com/section/00/article/24/87/71.html. Quote for the Week:“Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it.” Henry David Thoreau (1817 - 1862) |
