Younger Workers Committee

March 21, 2019: 9:30 AM
45 Commerce Dr, Augusta Frances Perkins Room

YOUNGER WORKERS COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA MARCH 21, 2019 Central Maine Commerce Center 45 Commerce Drive Frances Perkins Room Augusta, Maine Dial-in number: 1-877-455-0244 Conference code: 9218175360 9:30 Welcome and Introductions/Approval of the 01/17/19 meeting minutes 9:45 Committee Membership Updates 10:00 Youth Employment Wage & Hour Presentation - Rachel Bowler, Bureau of Labor Standards Wage & Hour Division 10:45 YES Initiative Ginny Carroll, Director of Policy & Evaluation, Bureau of Employment Services/MDOL 11:15 LEAP Presentation Nikki Williams 12:00 Meeting adjourned 2019 Meetings: All meetings will be held in the Frances Perkins Room 45 CommerceDrive, Augusta unless otherwise determined. May 16 Job Corps, Bangor July 18 September 19 November 7

YOUNGER WORKERS COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES

03/21/2019

Present: Tracey Cooley, (Chair), Adrian Cohen, (Co-Chair), Anne Wheeler, Kaylin Kerina, David Dorr, Mercedes Pour, Robin Doody, Susan Cerini, Joan Dawson, Ginny Carroll, Tammy Richardson, Janie Small, (Phone), Mike Jordan, (Phone)

Guest: Rachel Bowler, Consumer Assistance Specialist, (Child Labor Liaison), Bureau of Labor Standards Wage & Hour Division

Staff: Joshua Howe, Cheryl Moran

Welcomes and Introductions Tracey Cooley opened the regular meeting at 9:34am and asked members and new members to introduce themselves and their affiliations. Tracey stated Glenn Kapiloff has removed himself from this committee. We wish him well and hopefully he might be able to rejoin this committee again.

Approval of the 01/17/2019 Meeting Minutes Tracey Cooley called motion for approval of the 01/17/19 meeting minutes. Ginny Carroll motioned. Adrian Cohen seconded. The minutes were approved unanimously as written.

Committee Membership Updates Tracey Cooley reported she met with Cianbro. They committed to join by phone but unfortunately did not happen. We will try to go from there. She asked committee members if anyone had any updates to report? Response was no.

Youth Employment Wage & Hour Presentation - Rachel Bowler, Consumer Assistance Specialist, (Child Labor Liaison), Bureau of Labor Standards Wage & Hour Division Rachel Bowler presented an overview of the Child Labor Laws. She also provided handouts, "Employers Guide to Youth Employment" and Teen Driving on The Job. Highlights: Minors under the age of 16 must obtain a work permit before beginning a new job. The work permit is initiated at the Superintendent's office.
The Department tries to have the permit completed the same day. During the active school year, the student is allowed 1 work permit. Under Federal Law, there are 17 Hazardous Orders in Nonagricultural Occupations which prohibit the employment of youth under 18 in certain occupations and businesses. Maine is aligned with most of the federally-prohibited occupations but Maine does not prohibit logging and sawmilling. Farm work, no permit is required but the hazardous occupations law always apply. Minors under 16 years old maximum hours 40 hours in a week with no school, no more than six days in a row. Must be 16 years old to do housekeeping under 16, must have in-direct contact. Cooperative education must be paid correctly/legit (workers comp, regular payroll). Co-op plan is sent to Rachel Bowler and she signs off on. Work experience can be an advantage for youth at risk. Federal law vs state law which ever law is stricter takes precedence. The State of Maine follows federal law strictly when it comes to agriculture. List of youth friendly employers Rachel stated she will check with John Rioux to see if he can provide. Announcements: Child Labor presentations March 26 from 9am 11am/Steve McKenney from USDOL will attend; April 23 from 9am 11am in Bangor; April 24 from 1pm 3pm in Presque Isle.

State Workforce Board (SWB) Update Joshua Howe reported the SWB Director position remains vacant however; interviews have taken place. Hopefully next week the new Director will be announced. Minimum Wage the Legislature combined 8 hearings on multiple minimum wage bills into one. Sub-minimum Wage 1 Bill was asking youth age 14 to be paid $3.00 less than the minimum; age 15, $2.00 less; and age 16, $1.00 less. Current minimum wage is $11.00 per hour. He stated we do not support the sub-minimum wage and the people of the State of Maine voted against that and should be honored. On the horizon, the new State Plan (2020 -2024) is due next year. Josh stated he would like to engage all the committees; look at where we are and set goals.

YES Initiative Ginny Carroll, Director of Policy & Evaluation, Bureau of Employment Services/MDOL Ginny Carroll stated the YES Initiative has been removed from their website therefore, shes not able to present. She stated the Department may still continue this Initiative however; she pointed out that their service providers work constantly with youth. Ginny stated she will keep this committee posted.

LEAP Presentation Nikki Williams Tracey Cooley stated since Nikki Williams was not able to present today, we will put this presentation on the agenda for the next meeting in May.

Other ACTION ITEM 2 Gain on understanding of various workforce solutions, including but not limited to apprenticeship, OJT, cooperative education, community college program, etc. Action Goal: Would like to create a MATRIX page to show the list of services. Ginny Carroll stated the Pre-Apprenticeship work law appears to have changed. She stated she will get that information out to the committee. ACTION ITEM 4 Explore ways to designate training/CTE program as pre-apprenticeship programs Granted interview with employer after completion. ACTION ITEM 5 Identify Maine employers who are youth friendly and develop a map designating these employers Anne Wheeler stated she will ask Liz Nitzel to attend the next meeting on May 16th. ACTION ITEM 6 Market to Employers (?) Apprenticeship Video testimonials Provide testimonials on just hiring youth not necessarily apprenticeships. Action Item suggested not on #6: Bring employers right into the learning environment. Ginny Carroll stated she is part of the Maine Youth Collaborative and they have a group working on transportation. Dare to Prepare is marketed towards parents. Suggestion: Committee would like to invite Kyle Snyder to a future meeting.

Tracey Cooley stated PY19-20 have had some movement on PRIORITY #3. She stated she will email this out. She also stated they need a committee lead for the transportation piece since Glenn if off. She suggested to put the lead on hold until the next meeting and bring more information regarding transportation. Tracey stated she will do the homework around transportation. Ginny Carroll stated Janie, Robin, and Anne met with her to go over and see where they are. On some items they have a project end date. She pointed out that one project already has been completed, the Wage & Hour invite.
She also mentioned the CareerCenter assists the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard with the civil service entrance exam.

Announcements: Penobscot Job Corps Center in Bangor will have an open house on Thursday, May 9, 2019 from 10am 2pm. Tracey Cooley stated 42 minors under the age of 18 attend the Penobscot Job Corps. She stated her facility serves 16 24-year-old. Totally Trades is a hands-on conference for Girls exploring Careers in Trades & Technology Fields. The conferences will be held on: March 22, Westbrook Regional Vocational Center in Westbrook, April 5, United Technologies Center in Bangor, April 10, Northern Maine Community College in Presque Isles, April 26, Mid-Coast School of Technology in Rockland, and May 17, Central Maine Community College in Auburn

Next Agenda Items LEAP Presentation Nikki Williams Overview of the Job Corps provided by Tracey Cooley Update on transportation and the Letter Plan Janie Small suggested to have an on-going but brief touch base about the statewide drug problem concerning youth. Something we should track and follow. Tracey stated she will connect with Joanna Russell.

Meeting adjourned at 11:47am

Next Meeting Thursday, May 16, 2019 from 9:30 noon Penobscot Job Corps 1375 Union Street Bangor, ME

Respectfully submitted by Cheryl Moran

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