Inside Feature story Flashback: 50 years with Employment Security Live, local, on the go - Tennessee apps
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Flashback: 50 Years ago with ES
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Frozen Turkey? 8 Snapshot 9-11 VOS Goes Live 12-13 Paychecks for Patriots 14-15 A not-so-governmental approach to serving employers
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Say What? Worst Holiday Gift
18-19
State Holidays and Office Closures
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Commendations
21-23
State Perks 24 Employer Contacts
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New Hires and Promotions 26
*Special thanks to State Photographer Dawn Majors
Flashback: 50 years ago with Employment Security
We’re pleased to spotlight Richard Upchurch, longtime counselor in the Nashville American Job Center, who just completed 50 years employment with the department. When Richard, a new graduate of UT-Knoxville, began with the then-Department of Employment Security in 1964, the country was in the midst of a decade of social change. Lyndon Johnson was president, and his administration spawned a spate of social programs and initiatives. SL: Talk a little about the social and political landscape of the 1960s when you started with Employment Security. RU: President Johnson, LBJ - himself politically the product of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s massive attempt 30 years earlier to bring the country out of the Great Depression by a collection of initiatives and programs known as the New Deal - came up with his updated version of something similar. President Johnson continued the tone of the predecessor Kennedy administration to address the problems of poverty and disadvantage during his own administration in the early and mid-60s - these Johnson administration programs to be known as the Great Society. The states joined in, especially those state programs mandated, funded, or assisted by the federal government . . . and of course our agency, Employment Security, was one of them. SL: How did the application and referral process work? RU: Each interviewer kept orders for given job classifications, and if you were trying to place an applicant, many times you would need to go to the interviewer who had orders on his desk in that classification. Job applications, known as 511s, were all coded from the Dictionary of Occupational Titles and filed according to primary and secondary codes. SL: Putting young people into job training or to work was emphasized during the late 60s and into the 70s. How did federal programs with that goal affect how the department operated back then? RU: A year or so after I started, a jovial, peppery little man appeared on the ground floor where I was working and we - all the new counselors that had undergone special training over on the Fisk campus and a few others as well - would follow him to our new office on Hayes Street, to be known as the Youth Opportunity Center, one of several established in metropolitan areas back then to serve 16-to-21-year-olds. It was kind of made for young idealists of the day, and I guess I was one of them. Now we had a place and
Richard Upchurch - Employment Security Youth Opportunity Center employee in Nashville, Tennessee, April 1970
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“It m ide da Iw th
a manager and a missions - just “do what you can” with the full support of the national and state and local governments to help as many poor folks get out of the “prison of poverty” as we could by job placement, job training, special job opportunities created to put them to work in the local communities and also the Job Corps. SL: Providing intense, one-on-one assistance to job applicants - particularly the younger ones who were making career choices or adjusting to jobs they had - was emphasized so during the 60s and 70s that some select new employees with the department recently out of college were sent back to school to get master’s degrees in counseling. Richard was one who was chosen for that program, which funded college expenses as well as the departmental salaries for those in the program during the nine months or so they were away at school. Richard earned his master’s in counseling at MTSU. RU: Job Corps was what I spent a lot of my time on back then - putting up posters, speaking at community centers (not to mention a few pool rooms), handling paperwork, getting parents’ signatures, swearing them in, putting them on planes, often to go sometimes all the way across the country for GED and job training in the Job Corps Centers. From the poor neighborhood to get on the enormous silver bird to fly to somewhere unknown, far away, did take a measure of fortitude, but the kids did it . . . although quite a few did not stay long. At least one old country boy recruited perhaps earnestly but a bit unwisely in a nearby rural county walked all the way home from a Job Corps Center up in Kentucky, probably an extreme case of culture shock. One guy I put into the Job Corps in the 60s learned welding and did that for a while; he now drives for a wealthy businessman. He always tells me he is available for any kind of work I need him for and has about 20 grandchildren compared to my one (so far).
t was kind of made for young ealists of the ay, and I guess was one of hem.”
The career centers - local offices, we called them - had ERRs (employer relations representatives - forerunners of today’s public relations specialists) who solicited orders from employers. As now, there were veterans’ representatives; their functions were emphasized in the wake of the military actions in Vietnam, as they would be after U.S. military actions in Desert Storm, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Richard’s reminiscences span 50 years, and many are snapshots of the social culture of the times. Federal workforce development programs have seen iterations during successive administrations: many of us remember MDTA,CETA, JTPA . . . and most recently the Stimulus Program of the current administration. As social programs have been curtailed or expanded, and we have become increasingly reliant on automation and technology, a strong objective of the public employment service remains - to meet the changing demands of the workforce by supplying qualified workers.
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Frozen Turkey?
A practical recipe requiring an internal audit of your own.
Chris Risher’s No Sweat Turkey Prep Recipe 1. Use a fresh or thawed turkey. [I thawed two turkeys, which were breast only and weighted around 7 pounds each.] 2. Season the turkeys with Morton’s All Natural Seasoning Mix, some thyme, and a half stick of butter into the cavity. I placed the seasoning between the skin and meat. I placed the turkeys (breast-side down) on a rack, which went into a disposable aluminum pan. You can add some liquid or vegetables to the bottom of the pan, if you want. I also sprayed the turkeys and rack with non-stick cooking spray (i.e. Pam). 3. Smoke the turkeys at 350 degrees until the internal temperature reading reaches at least 165 degrees. After around 2 hours, I wrapped the turkeys with aluminum foil. 4. Once the turkeys are cooked, remove the turkeys from the smoker and allow them to rest for 20 to 30 minutes. If you did not wrap the turkeys in aluminum foil earlier, then wrap them in aluminum foil. 5. After allowing them to rest, remove the meat from the bone and place into a Ziploc bag(s) and put the meat into the refrigerator. 6. After around at least 12 hours, place the Ziploc bags with the turkey meat into the freezer. 7. The day before serving the turkey, remove the turkey from the freezer and place into the refrigerator. 8. Shortly before serving the turkey, slice the turkey and pour boiling hot chicken stock (including spices if wanted) over the turkey.
Chris Risher
Director of Internal Audit in Nashville
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Snapshot LO O K AT W H AT Y O U R F E L LOW E M P LOY E E S A R E U P TO
Walter Wyatt and Elaine Shank using an innovative approach to meet employers in Crossville
Chattanooga Career Center Angela Lawrence holding her M.A.S.H. medal for providing job readiness skills and employment opportunities to Vets
Oscar Frederick winner of the Metal/Nonmetal National Champion for Novice teams
Denise Carrus climbing rock walls at The Lift in Jackson
Knoxville WIA and Career Center staff wearing pink in honor of WIA staff Elaine Reagan, who is a breast cancer survivor
Central Office TREAT Team member Sharyn Pelych leads a WEOC presentation to employers in Chattanooga
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Susie Bourque (third from right on back row) with fellow Employment First Task Force members and Governor Haslam
Deputy Swayne barbecuing at the Central Office Backlog Cookout
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Third annual Paychecks for Patriots connects veterans with major Tennessee employers. More than 200 employers, including Dollar General, Fed Ex, Jack Daniel’s, Gibson Guitar, Eastman, Hospital Corporation of America (HCA), Vanderbilt University, Amazon, Bridgestone, and Lowe’s, gathered in 10 locations across Tennessee this year to interview veterans for employment. For the third straight year, Dollar General led the hiring event for veterans, which was supported by Governor Haslam and backed by the Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Development. The hiring event is getting bigger every year. New employers joined those returning from the past two years for a total of more than 200 employers statewide interviewing veterans. Nashville’s site grew to LP Field (Tennessee Titans Stadium) to accommodate the 60 employers who registered. Speaking from a federal perspective on Tennessee’s Paychecks for Patriots, USDOL Assistant Secretary for Veterans Employment and Training Services Keith Kelly, who came to Nashville to help kick off the event, said the Tennessee model is a good one. “As I go around the country I see it is critical to put together employers and match them with veterans coming to the events looking for work. A business or organization takes up the leadership and works with the state workforce staff, which is always a great network resource. Tennessee’s model is really working, I can tell.” The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) recognized paychecks for Patriots as a winning community relations project. The association presented its Parthenon Award, the highest honor the PRSA gives to local public relations professionals, for both the 2012 and 2013 Paychecks for Patriots events. Based on the success of the event, Georgia and Florida are now holding Paychecks for Patriots fairs in their states, modeled on Tennessee’s. Paychecks for Patriots is just one of many Jobs4TN hiring events the department holds throughout the year in cities and communities across Tennessee. This past year, the department facilitated more than 50 such events connecting job seekers and employers with immediate hiring needs. Whether you are an employer who wants to have a hiring event specifically for your company or who would like to join other employers at a hiring event, the department can help. Contact Labor & Workforce Development Public Relations Director Ron Hammontree regarding assistance for a hiring event: ron.hammontree@tn.gov or (615) 741-8892.
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State Perks
Below are just a few of the discounts available to state employees. Check out the full list of savings at http://www.tn.gov/employees/ discount.shtml Verizon Wireless
Up to 19% off the monthly access fee on qualifying voice plans of $34.99 or higher. Up to 25% off accessories
Hertz #1
Club Gold Fee waived To enroll in the fee-waived #1 http://link.hertz.com/link.
Firestone Tires
10% off in-stock Bridgestone and Firestone Tires.
From You Flowers
www.fromyouflowers.com/ Save 20% on all flowers & gifts
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Employer Contacts
Use your favorite telephony device to get employers to the right place! To list a job/for help navigating www.jobs4tn.gov TREAT (Tennessee Registered Employer Assistance Team) (855) 747-1719 (toll-free) or (615) 253-7664 Workers’ Compensation - General info, such as coverage requirements, employer responsibility for reporting workplace injuries, Drug Free Workplace program 1-800-332-2667 (toll-free) or (615) 741-2395 Employer Accounting - Corrections to postings of premium reports and payments; refunds and adjustments to employers’ accounts; questions on premium reports, delinquent notices, and account balance; help on completing quarterly reports, IRS certifications, FUTA certifications; and employer refund processing (615) 741-1619 Employer Services - Set up an account, determine if liable for unemployment premiums, change address or phone number, change business ownership, find out unemployment insurance premium rate, and request quarterly report (615) 741-2486 Premium and Wage Reporting - Report quarterly premium and wage information; corrections to a worker’s Social Security Number; wage discrepancies on benefit claims TNPAWS Internet reporting (615) 741-2346 Paper reporting (615) 741-3280
Tennessee Employer is a online publication of the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development. The Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development is an equal opportunity employer program; auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.
SIDES and SIDES E-Response - Employer electronic response to requests for separation information sides.helpdesk@tn.gov Labor Market Information - Unemployment rates; employment-related data for state, metropolitan areas, and individual counties; employment and wages; trends in occupations and industries; available labor; census demographic profiles; green jobs; publications (615) 741-2284 New hire reporting - Report a new hire to the Tennessee New Hire Reporting Program, administered by the Tennessee Department of Human Services (888) 715-2280 Career Coach - Mobile Career Center services. Book a bus or view schedule. (615) 253-6749
If you would like to be added or removed from our mailing list please write jeff.hentschel@tn.gov or call (615) 253-4251. Article suggestions and comments are always welcome.
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September - December 2014
Moving IN
NEW HIRES
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Full name
County
Dept ID
Gayle Age Tracy Bunch Andrew Beachboard Amber Brown Kristy Caldwell Tina Coates Kimberly Dillard Brandy Eaton Michelle Handelsman Robert Havens Shavonne Meneese
Davidson Davidson Davidson Davidson Davidson Davidson Davidson Davidson Davidson Davidson Davidson
Mobile Middle, Career Specialist Workforce Services,ASA 2 Nashville Career Center,Career Specialist TOSHA, Industrial Hygienist 1 Job Service Program Support, ASA 2 LMI, Statistical Analyst 1 UI Claims, Unemp Claims Agent LMI, Statistical Analyst 1 UI Appeals, Unemp Hearing Officer 2 LMI, Statistical Analyst 1 Nashville Career Center, Career Specialist
Kevin Payne
Davidson
Advija Rabchenia Victoria Schuler Sharon Scott Anna Steele Misty Surine Franklin Taylor Clyde Thompson
Davidson Davidson Davidson Davidson Davidson Davidson Davidson
Thomas Vorholt Ian White
Davidson Davidson
Kenneth Winter Diane Essex David Morrison
Davidson Hamilton Hamilton
Angela ScottMcReynolds Kelsey Brackett Lisa Jordan Brooke Robinson Chassity Scott Travis Hisel Rodger Murray
Hamilton
Amusement Devices, Amusement Device Inspector LMI, Statistical Analyst 1 UI Claims, Unemp Claims Agent Labor Standards, Administrative Assistant 1 Mobile Middle, Career Specialist IT, Information Systems Consultant Workforce Services, ASA 2 Nashville Career Center, Veteran Employment Rep 1 UI Appeals Office, Unemp Hearing Officer 2 Appeals, Unemployment Hearing Officer 1 Adult Education, Education Consultant 2 UI Claims, Unemp Claims Agent Employer Accounts Office, Unem Accounts Aud 1 UI Claims, Unemp Claims Agent
Knox Knox Knox Maury Putnam Rutherford
Jamesha Darnell Joseph Jessee Jeri Ann Noe
Shelby Sullivan Washington
UI Claims, Unemp Claims Agent Labor Standards, Labor Standard Inspector UI Claims, Unemp Claims Agent Workforce Services, Career Specialist Labor Standards, Labor Standard Inspector Workforce Services, Veteran Employment Rep 1 TOSHA, Industrial Hygienist 1 Labor Standards, Labor Standard Inspector Employer Accounts Office, Unem Accounts Aud 1
Jason Beard Roberta Brazier Mia Cook Richard Esmonde
Davidson Davidson Davidson Davidson
Pamela Finney Loleetha Gilbert Jillian Hedgepath Natasha Holder Nelson Hunter Kyle Jones Julie Lee Dorothy Morgan Rodney Romano Jane Salem Sammie ScottHyde Christina Tugman
Davidson Davidson Davidson Davidson Davidson Davidson Davidson Davidson Davidson Davidson Davidson
Clayton Whitmire Jeffrey Willhelm Amber Epperson John Sego Charles Garner Merrill Niswonger Robert Pendergast Cheryl Wyckoff Jon Morris James Parker Calvin Wyatt Simone Hedberg Lisa Myatt Nancy Lewallen Sherry Collins Connie Tolley Virginia Housley Emily Smith Timothy Kellum
Davidson Davidson Davidson Davidson Hamilton Hamilton Hamilton Hamilton Hamilton Knox Knox Knox Knox Knox Madison Maury McMinn Shelby Shelby
Davidson
Dept ID Mine Safety Division Administrative Secretary TOSHA,Industrial Hygienist 3 Workforce Services, Veterans Employment Rep Unemployment Insurance, LWFD Assistant Administrative 1 Adult Education, LWFD Administrative 1 Benefit Payment Control, Unemp Benefits Auditor Operations, Grants Program Manager Mobile Services Unit Middle Emp Program Specialist 1 IT, Programmer Analyst 4 Workforce Services, Grants Program Manager UI Claims, Unemp Program Specialist 1 UI Legal, ASA 2 LMI, Statistical Analyst 4 TOSHA, Information Officer Finance & Facilities, ASA 3 Benefit Payment Control, Unemp Benefits Auditor UI Appeals Offices, Unemp Hearing Officer 2 Benefit Review, Legal Assistant Benefit Payment Control, Unemp Benefits Auditor Labor Standards Administration, Labor Standards Inspector IT, Programmer Analyst 4 Benefit Payment Control, Unemp Benefits Auditor TOSHA, Occupation Safety Specialist 2 TOSHA , Industrial Hygienist 2 UI Claims, Unemp Claims Adjudicator LWIA 5 , Veterans Outreach Specialist 2 UI Claims, Unemp Claims Adjudicator UI Claims, Unemp Claims Adjudicator TOSHA, Occupation Safety Specialist LWIA 3, Veterans Outreach Specialist 2 TOSHA, Occupation Safety Specialist 3 UI Claims, Unemp Claims Adjudicator UI Claims, Unemp Claims Adjudicator TOSHA Industrial Hygienist 2 TOSHA, Industrial Hygienist Supv Employer Accounts, Unem Accounts Auditor 3 LWIA 5, ES Manager 1 TOSHA, Industrial Hygienist 2 2nd Injury Fund Legal, Attorney 3
Moving UP
County Campbell Davidson Davidson Davidson
September - December 2014
Full name Linda J. Johnson Markeesa Scales John Alexander Carl Attkisson
PROMOTIONS