Older Workers Committee

March 26, 2019: 10:00 AM
45 Commerce Dr, Augusta Frances Perkins Room


OLDER WORKERS COMMITTEE MEETING

03/26/2019

Present: Peter Letourneau, (Chair), Don Harden, Chris Havenstein, Barbara Babkirk, Lynda Murphy, (Phone)

Staff: Joshua Howe, Cheryl Moran

Peter Letourneau opened the meeting at 10:07am with welcome and introductions.

State Workforce Board (SWB) - Josh provided a brief background on the SWB.

The SWB is required under federal legislation (the Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act, WIOA) to work with our local boards (LWB's). We have 3 local boards: Northeastern Workforce Development Board (NWDB), Central Western Maine Workforce Development Board (CWMWDB), and Coastal Counties Workforce, Inc. (CCWI). The local boards contract services provided through the CareerCenters. The State Workforce Board (SWB) is made up of 50% employers including 2 legislatures. There are multiple sub-committees under the SWB: Older Workers, Commission on Disability & Employment, Younger Workers, Womens Employment Committee, Veterans Employment Committee, and the Maine Apprenticeship Council. These sub-committees are focused on constituent groups. The question is, how does the Governor want to use the SWB and sub-committees? Do we want to focus on one sector? We do not have a budget for a committee. If there was a project, we would need to go through the Commissioner first however; there are dollars at the state level. How do we integrate the sub-committees with the SWB? As a sub-committee, we can make a proposal.

Strategizing awareness to employers to understand the value old workers provide to businesses

Currently, we have more retiring than entering the workforce. How are we leveraging all workers in Maine? The Department tracks a lot of these pieces. Flexible work schedule? How do employers look at restructuring this? Several committee members feel age discrimination still is a major issue and constantly seeing people over age 50 being laid-off. This group could be the part of the solution. Barbara stated MaineSpark has already done some work. MaineSpark is an initiative not an entity. They are funded by the LUMINA Foundation. Boomers need to be brought up to speed. Criteria needed: 1) purpose, 2) flexible, and 3) paycheck. Age bias should be an awareness campaign but what is the course of action? Older workers that are engaged now, how do we keep them engaged? This committee needs a mission and then the activities would follow. There needs to be more attention on the asset of the older worker.
Mission: Raise awareness and put certain items that are measurable in front of the SWB. How can we reach out to employers on what is common in these workgroups? SHRMS have tool kits for employers. The Chamber of Commerce will be holding a Summit Spring 2020. Aging in the workplace could be a summit. Action on the employers side: Employers needs to take the lead on this. Suggestion: Showcase former Silver Collar Award winners. Always make sure we have the right people at the table.

Committee members would like to change the name of the Silver Collar Employer Award because they want to support older workers that bring wisdom. Have mission, award, and action speak to one thing.

Next Meeting Agenda Find out what has already been done with MaineSpark then strategize how to continue. Create a mission statement, strategic direction, and specific actions. Silver Collar application; look at best practices to update.

Barbara stated she will send information on the boomer side of MaineSpark. Don stated he will send the employer tool kit.

Meeting adjourned at 11:59am.

Next Meeting: May 14, 2019 10:00 noon Frances Perkins Room 45 Commerce Drive, Augusta

Respectfully submitted by Cheryl Moran


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