COVID-19: Workforce Stories

Workforce Alliance and its American Job Centers in South Central CT are working to maintain levels of service while also innovating new ways to meet the needs of job seekers and employers. Business Services specialists began working with essential employers immediately to screen and refer candidates for jobs that need to be filled right now, and to post jobs to both their internal database and their redesigned public website for recruiting and hiring.  In the past few weeks, Workforce Alliance converted popular workshops and jobseeker orientation into videos and posted them online, so customers are able to keep their skills sharp and begin the process of enrolling for 1-on-1 direct service. Phone interviews are being conducted with new customers who are interested in training, so they are prepared when training institutions reopen.  For those seeking employment, Business Services staff are working to place individuals into jobs, and Workforce Alliance is writing on-the-job contracts with employers where appropriate. Workforce Alliance is also developing healthcare career path guides for people displaced from lower skilled occupations who will be permanently displaced as a result of the shutdown or who are looking to change careers.

Capital Workforce Partners has launched a dedicated call center to serve both employers and job seekers to connect people to available jobs.  The Workplace and their AJC provider are hosting a virtual career fair to be held on the zoom platform.

All 5 boards serving Connecticut collaborated on a National Emergency Grant response, gaining commitments from employers across the state for disaster relief job openings that could be filled by dislocated workers. The boards and the community colleges that deliver training in healthcare, manufacturing and other sectors are mobilizing online options to keep students on track and engaged. Governor Ned Lamont’s Workforce Development Council has also put together public and philanthropic monies to allow expanded access to Metrix Online Learning. Workers dislocated by COVID-19 will be able to register for online learning modules and test for certifications that are in demand without first having to register at an American Job Center.

Seemingly overnight, the MassHire workforce system in Massachusetts has had to adapt to a very challenging and rapidly evolving public health crisis. While all One Stop career centers are now closed to the public, their work has not ceased. Staff are operating remotely, triaging hundreds of calls a day from folks who have lost their jobs and cannot apply or get through to the state department of unemployment assistance because of issues with their UI claims. Their dedicated staff have continued to provide any assistance they can, while many staff have been temporarily reassigned and retrained just to help the state handle the deluge of UI claims. Simultaneously, many businesses have hiring needs during this pandemic. Local workforce boards and career centers have been innovating daily to connect those who lost their jobs but still want to work with employers who are hiring. This is all being done virtually in order to meet employer talent needs. 

The Central Pennsylvania Workforce Development Council is operating on both the economic and public health sides of this crisis. Through existing partnerships between manufacturing and health care, this local board is matching distilleries with hand sanitizer suppliers to provide bottles and lids to produce a final product. They are also working with sewing machine companies to provide the necessary materials required to make personal protective equipment (PPE) all while providing these industries with the necessary workforce to manage these tasks. 

WorkForce West Virginia has extended hours to process the influx of regular state unemployment benefits. Employees are now working 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., six days a week. The agency also is being helped by 10 members of the West Virginia National Guard, who will help respond to callers with questions about the CARES Act and how to file for unemployment. The region now has a fillable application on-line that has a submit button and they are interviewing applicants via phone, email and WebEx, to conduct career planning.

While many local businesses continue to cut staff sizes due to shutdowns, several others are hiring. NCWorks Career Center Asheville reports that there are more than 5,000 jobs listed within a 50-mile radius of downtown Asheville. Despite their offices being closed to the public, they continue to answer phone calls and emails to help match job seekers with local businesses. 

Although all American Job Centers are closed to the public, the staff is still there. In fact, staff are working two shifts every day, one from 8AM to 4PM and one from 11AM - 7PM. They are working to help people file unemployment claims, in some cases giving out their own telephone numbers since the call volumes are more than the call-in system can handle. A large chunk of staff have been cross-trained and answering the needs of MS workers and employers for both unemployment questions and workforce development needs. 

The South Central Workforce Development Board announced several changes to deal with a staggering number of individuals seeking information on unemployment. The organization is implementing new online tools for jobseekers and employers, such as webinars and a jobs portal. In addition, extra staff is being brought in to assist with telephone calls. 

Pike’s Peak Workforce Center is responding to the immense local need in new and creative ways in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis. To ensure they are serving those who are most impacted they are providing gas vouchers to clients, so they can drive to public places where free WiFi is available, in order to access virtual services. Similarly, they are providing computers and WiFi hotspots when possible for clients to access WIOA supportive services. All staff is working remotely and, they have transitioned career counselors to provide services over the phone such as, resume reviews, defining transferable skills, mock interviews, and job-searching. They have assisted 100s of local businesses with from helping restaurants file unemployment insurances workshare program to assisting small businesses apply for grant and loan programs. A quote from a staff member at the Workforce Center embodies what the region is experiencing right now, “…our foundational purpose is bringing calm. Listening, encouraging, using words to empower them; comfort them. Talking callers literally off the cliff. Some have cried with relief. Our care for our customers goes so far beyond answering a practical question. We can give them hope.”

Upon their County’s declaration of an order to “stay home, stay safe” Workforce Solutions Greater Dallas pivoted to their core services – serve employers by delivering talent to fill jobs. They safely relocated the staff from all 9 workforce centers to telework, and all phone lines were transferred. No services were disrupted. They then created “JobsNOW!” recruiting unemployed claimants to fill essential jobs in our community.  To date, they’ve recruited over 1600 jobseekers and made over 6000 job referrals to more than 50 employers. They have recently held their first virtual job fair. In just two days, 1422 jobseekers engaged with 11 employers.  The platform was a major success.

Despite the major pivot to meet the community needs, existing programs continue – training scholarships are being written for online training and truck driving. Support services are being issued to existing and new enrollees to keep everyone performing. WIOA Youth and Dislocated Workforce programs are enrolling for core services, training and upskilling while at home. TANF customers are receiving online coaching and wellness visits. Adult education/GED/ESL is in high demand, and enrollments have resumed.

Beyond the normal workforce programming, the Texas Model includes subsidized childcare for essential workers.  Workforce Solutions Greater Dallas have been working with County Health officials, state licensing and CDC guidelines to keep compliant centers open and serving.  Texas made business accommodation to keep this industry functioning during this difficult and dangerous time. They began March with 16,000 kids in care and will have resources to serve another 7000 children of essential workers.  

The Workforce Connection, in Northern Illinois, has been delivering workforce development as an essential service.  They are creatively serving individuals and employers in their three-county region as they maximize technology with limited budgets. Employers are having to make tough decisions, so are individuals as they weigh their options with filing unemployment claims, taking furloughs or working for other employers to earn a paycheck.  Their career center is offering virtual, live and, recorded workshops for career seekers.  Their Business Services Team is reaching out to small and mid-size employers and having consultative conversations to connect them to resources and training services with the remaining funds we have in this year's budget. In order to minimize disruptions in training programs they are working with training providers to ensure virtual options are available. 

Initially, West Michigan Works! was still meeting with individuals in person but, moved to an appointment only system in service centers with limited staff that focused solely on assisting individuals with access to Unemployment benefits or Health and Human Service benefits. They have since moved all staff to remote work with priority of service still aimed at these populations. What they have found in their centers, given how “clogged” the state system was with individuals trying to apply for benefits, is that very few individuals were actually successful getting through the state system despite having staff there to help troubleshoot user errors, help with work arounds, having high speed internet, and a Unemployment Insurance Hotline number. They are in the process of assisting their state with Unemployment Insurance claims, as of Monday they allowed individuals who were self-employed or contract employees to qualify for benefits. They have 60 staff (and over 300 Michigan Works! staff statewide) who have been trained on the state system and will be able to help. They are launching their first ever virtual hiring event. The demand from employers is so high they have capped it at 35 employers in high demand industries. They are in constant communication with their local WDB counterparts and their state workforce development agency and are now planning for what needs to be done for a speedy, but safe recovery. 

For the past seven years, KHQ (local news stations) has partnered with Worksource Spokane to offer the region's largest annual hiring event, however due to the pandemic, this years event won't be able to go on as planned. Worksource Spokane and KHQ have postponed the in-person job fair, there are businesses right now with an urgent need for new hires. That's why Worksource Spokane has transformed its Jobfair resource online into a one-stop website for people looking for work and essential businesses looking for people during the current coronavirus crisis. Currently there are nearly 80 companies, from Avista to Walgreens, with immediate job openings. This list will be updated daily as new opportunities open up, and Worksource Spokane will continue to pair jobseekers with these opportunities.

In 2017, Long Beach lost one of its three hospitals when state-mandated seismic retrofitting led to its closing.  The closure eliminated emergency room services for an entire segment of the City, prompting the Long Beach’s leading healthcare entrepreneur to form a new company to operate the facility.  Without an existing human resources structure, the City and operating group relied on the Pacific Gateway Workforce Innovation Network to reconstitute the hospital’s workforce footprint and recruit new employees in anticipation of a re-opening.  After months of strategic planning support, this work accelerated with the onset of COVID-19 when the Governor fast-tracked the hospital’s opening.  The workforce board marshalled its resources to facilitate more than 120 interviews with full adherence to physical-distancing protocols, dedicating a portion of the local American Job Center into a healthcare employment center.  The workforce board launched an online portal for interested applicants.  Board staff worked late into evenings across three weeks to reach nurses between shifts and worked with WIOA participants, including out-of-school youth who had recently completed Certified Nursing Assistant training.  The workforce board also helped aggregate and redirect essential supplies such as N95 masks from manufacturers and constructions firms from its network of businesses.  This work has resulted in the addition of a necessary resource, heralded by the Governor for its swift response.