Women's Employment Committee

September 13, 2021: 1:00 AM


Meeting of a committee of the State Workforce Board. The State Workforce Board is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation to its services, programs and employment. Please contact us should you required accommodation or alternative format materials. (207) 621-5087 or TTY Users Call Maine Relay 711 SWB.DOL@maine.gov


WOMEN'S EMPLOYMENT COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES VIA ZOOM 09/13/2021

Present: Gilda Nardone, (Chair), Kelly Rickert-Samson, Darylen Cote, Erica Watson, Andrea Mancusso, Gigi Ottmann-Deeves, Susan Holleran, Destie Hohman-Sprague, Jean Dempster, Joni Boissonneault

Guest: Joan Dolan, Director of Apprenticeship and Strategic Partnerships, MDOL

SWB Staff: Chris Quint, Cheryl Davis

Brief Introductions Gilda Nardone opened the meeting at 1:02pm with welcome and introductions.

Update from DOL/SWB - Chris Quint, Director SWB On October 9, there will be a virtual listening session partnering with the state local workforce boards regarding the ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act of 2021) funding. DOL and LWIBs will host. You can attend anyone you like. We will get input from the community/private sector partners. Will send out an email.

The annual SWB retreat will be held on October 15 from 9am noon at Dead River Company in South Portland. This will be the first in-person meeting since March 13, 2020. Also, will have a ZOOM link. This meeting is open to the Public.

Were focused on ARPA and the NGA WIN Grant: Strategic Plan needs to be updated. Workforce System branding effort will give it a name. Will be connected to a Career Portal. This Portal will not be a traditional .gov website, instead will be .com. o Intended to showcase connectivity.
o Plan to role out early to mid-December will do some testing prior. Q&A Gilda Nardone asked is the SWB still trying to identify Board members to be a liaison to the committees? Chris Quint stated thanks for reminding me...we do want a more focus approach for the committees to the SWB. We like the idea of having non-Board members as Chair and able to pick a committee to attend.

Update on Apprenticeship funding/activities (Joan Dolan) Joan thanked Gilda for support.

Maine received the federal Apprenticeship grant late June in the amount of 5.85 million dollars. Maine was 1 of 15 states to receive this money. There are 3 federal grants in the State of Maine. ARPA funds
There are 4 initiatives within the ARPA planning that needs to be spent in the next 2 years. ARPA funds cannot be launched until October 18th. ARPA funds covers healthcare, clean energy, and infrastructure.

Overview of Registered Apprenticeship: Challenge Nobody knows, this was the main feedback. Joan has been the Director for 10 years. Shes the CSSP (Competitive Skills Scholarship Program) Director as well. Hoping to open this program up in 5 6 weeks. Theres a lot of money coming to this program. Being able to go to work and getting paid in a structured way. Average age 32. Consists of classroom training, on-the-job learning. Average length is 1 6 years.
Unskilled to pre-skilled workers, putting them in a sustainable occupation. LD1733 passed to spend 75% of their apprenticeship funds. Program provides fewer accidents and high productivity. Had a "Pilot Program" a few years ago that consisted of people with disabilities (PWD). Western Maine Community College and Southern Maine Community College are registered sponsors. Maine is not a large construction union state. Maine is one of the leaders in the country for healthcare apprenticeships.
This program is for all.

Pre-Apprenticeship is: Preparing a person into a Registered Apprenticeship Program. We do not have any formal Pre-Apprenticeship programs in this state. Susan Holleran stated wages of apprenticeship are tied to the minimum wage. Joan Wages are going up and employers are recognizing that through apprenticeship.

Joan announced they will be hiring 6 new apprenticeship staff, 1 Program Manager, and 3 CareerCenter Consultants. Maine Community College hired a System Navigator. Also, Bureau of Rehab will be hiring a Navigator. The biggest focus to get people into the workforce is PWD and women. SAEEI Grant 5.85 million dollars, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Plan. Partnered with New Ventures Maine. NCCER Community Colleges are offering for the first time.

Were planning on spending a lot of money on marketing and outreach (Who should we be reaching out to?). Q&A None.

Updates/conversation on policy and program activities in 2021 (Destie/Committee) Updates on bills: 3 bills that overlapped with our priorities: 1. LD1573 - "An Act To Implement the Recommendations of the Commission To Study Long-term Care Workforce Issues" Very connected to women. 2. LD1652 - "An Act To Build a Child Care System by Recruiting and Retaining Maine's Early Childhood Educators Workforce" Carried over for next session. About workforce training and compensation. 3. LD1712 - "An Act To Support Children's Healthy Development and School Success" Tangential related to children. Part of wrap around services. Signed into law by the Governor. LD1711 "An Act To Enhance Enforcement of Employment Laws" Vetoed by the Governor. LD718 "An Act To Improve the Health of Maine Residents by Closing Coverage Gaps in the MaineCare Program and the Children's Health Insurance Program" Carried over. LD965 "An Act Concerning Nondisclosure Agreements in Employment" Nondisclosure agreement in employment. Carried over. LD1688 "An Act To Improve Consistency within the Maine Human Rights Act" Improve consistency within the Maine Human Rights Act. Signed into law by the Governor. LD1622 "An Act To Promote Individual Retirement Savings through a Public-Private Partnership" Support for self-employment. Has a small fiscal note. Signed into law by the Governor. LD912 "An Act To Extend Family Medical Leave to Hourly School Employees" Carried over. LD296 "An Act To Provide a Tax Credit for Family Caregivers" Carried over. LD1559 - "Resolve, To Create the Commission To Develop a Paid Family and Medical Leave Benefits Program" Proposed to the Legislature and signed into law by the Governor.

Highlights from the Session: Andrea Mancusso
Did get economic abuse into the court system. Added to the Maine Human Rights Act (housing) to get protecting order. Housing is not allowed to discriminate. Will be monitoring this one. Gilda Nardone LD1651 "An Act To Support Working Families through Outreach and Education about Tax Credits for Persons of Low Income" Supports cash coalitions. Asked for more money and received $36,500. Will be getting out to the coalitions.
Immigrants with an ITIN# not a SS# will be able to file taxes in Maine. Childcare Tax Credit - Make sure people understand how to access and use it. Have all the information that they need. Data shows making a difference around child poverty, more food secure.

Erica Watson
LD149 "An Act To Facilitate Licensure for Credentialed Individuals from Other Jurisdictions" Facilitates licensure earned credential/license from another Nation/Country. Passed. Signed by the Governor.

Approval of 05/03/2021 minutes Darylen Cote motioned to approve the 05/03/2021 meeting minutes. Kelly Rickert-Samson seconded. Minutes approved unanimously as written.

Updates from WEC members Darylen Cote PC on the Status of Women (government appointed group). Provides a report every 2 years to the Legislature and the Governor. 2022 report is on the website. Was dissatisfied with the information. Focus for 2021 2023 is the care giving economy. Dont have funding for paid staff. Missed this in the last session. On October 14th at 3pm and October 26th at 9am, will hold 2 virtual group meetings which will be data specific to women. Will use focus group approach. You can participate in one. You do not need to participate in both. Email Darylen and she will forward the link. Erica Watson Maine Spark Adult Promise. Has a Regional Resource Coordinator. Educational Summit on November 5th. Mostly for people in Aroostook County. Gilda Nardone Survey results on the impact COVID had with women. Depression/Mental Health issues. Job stress. Economic impact payments helped and support from family and friends. Women are really looking for flexible work hours, increase in pay, and job satisfaction. Will be offering webinars this week. Apprenticeship and on the job training will be included.

Next Meeting Do we go back to Monday morning meetings in 2022? Will talk about this at the next meeting in November.

Meeting adjourned at 2:43pm.

Next Meeting November 1, 2021 from 1pm 3pm Via ZOOM

Respectfully submitted by Cheryl Davis


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