Grants to Improve State UI Programs

The U.S. Department of Labor announce that grants are available to improve state Unemployment Insurance programs.  The funding will help states implement strategies to prevent, reduce and recover improper payments and to modernize the UI tax and benefit systems. In order to qualify for funding, states must implement a set of core integrity strategies, such as the implementation or expansion of the State Information Data Exchange System to reduce improper payments. This round of funding also provides an opportunity for states to go beyond improper payments to focus on additional UI technology system improvements, data exchange enhancements for UI for Ex-military Service members, and integration of state UI, Employment Service, and Workforce Investment Act IT systems.

Eric Seleznow Named as Acting Assistant Secretary

Eric Seleznow was named U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration Deputy Assistant Secretary this week. Mr. Seleznow brings more than 30 years of experience in the workforce development system and served as state policy director for the National Skills Coalition for the past three years. Before joining the coalition, he served as executive director of the Governor's Workforce Investment Board in Maryland. Mr. Seleznow also served as local WIB director for the Montgomery County (MD) Department of Economic Development. At ETA, Seleznow also will assume the role of acting assistant secretary.

Senate Approves Perez as 26th Secretary of Labor

On July 18th, the U.S. Senate approved the nomination of Thomas E. Perez to be the nation's 26th Secretary of Labor.   Mr. Perez has spent his entire career in public service, and will join the department on July 23 after an impressive tenure as the assistant attorney general for the Civil Rights Division at the U.S. Department of Justice.   He previously served as the secretary of Maryland's Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation.

Immediate Past President

The International Educational Conference celebrating the 100th anniversary of IAWP has come and gone and I am now officially Immediate Past President.  The conference was terrific and I had the time of my life and will cherish each and every memory made with my IAWP family.  Special thanks to the conference planning committee - George Barthalow, Terri Pasternik, Grant Axtell and Mary Riddell for all their hard work making the conference the "celebration of a century."

I enjoyed serving as International president and seeing my theme, Celebrating a Century, Charting Our Future become a reality.  It's now time to turn the helm over to incoming president Raymond Cabrera to create "Your Pathway to Communication and Education."

Chicago Here I Come

This is likely my last post as IAWP president since I will be leaving for Chicago tomorrow and the IAWP International Educational Conference and probably won't find the time while I am there to post.  It's been a wild ride as president and I have enjoyed most of it.  I didn't get everything done that I had hoped to do and some of the committee chairs didn't accomplish what I hoped they would, but as my mom used to say "That's the way the pickle squirts."  Thanks to everyone who supported me and a special thanks to those that accomplished so many of the things we did get done.  Celebrating a Century, Charting Our Future.  Nancy

Immigration Bill to Provide Jobs for Youth

 The U.S. Senate passed an immigration reform bill that includes $1.5 billion over two years for youth jobs. The provision, proposed by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), would help states and local communities find jobs for more than 400,000 unemployed 16- to 24-year-olds. Currently, the official unemployment for that age group is 16.2 percent.

States will be able to use this funding to provide summer and year round job opportunities to young Americans until September 30, 2015. It is anticipated most of this funding will be used to provide summer job opportunities for young Americans during the summers of 2014 and 2015. Each state would get at least $7.5 million.