Posts by Marcie Dingle

The United States Department of Labor (DOL) has continued its offensive on unemployment in the U.S. by announcing that it is awarding over $65 million dollars ($65,259,656) to help in facilitating beneficiaries of Unemployment Insurance (UI) to become re-employed more quickly.  The grants are aimed at accelerating the process of getting UI recipients back into the workforce through Reemployment and Eligibility Assessment (REA) programs. Based on previous research and findings of cost-effective and efficient administrative methods, the REA initiative has existed since 2005. It combines a multifaceted approach aimed at ensuring claimants meet the state eligibility provisions and that they
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In June 2012, the Department of Labor (DOL) announced the recipients of the 26 Workforce Innovation Fund (WIF) grants. Ranging from $1million to $12 million allotments, the funds were allocated to State workforce agencies, local Workforce Investment Boards and one WIA section 166 organization. As part of the announcement, the DOL also highlighted the availability of $20 million WIF funding to pilot the “Pay for Success” (PFS) model.  PFS, which has recently gained traction in the U.K., Australia, and New York, essentially creates a social investment market through the use of Social Impact Bonds (SIB). A blog from the White House’s Office
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In one of our recent articles, KRA saluted the Obama administration’s plea to Congress to revisit the Federal minimum wage, as well as the push to permanently index the minimum wage to inflation. Since we posted, there have been some significant news stories regarding the hotly contested issue of minimum wage. In one story (via Real Change), a recent initiative by the city of SeaTac, WA, proposed that the city’s minimum wage be raised to $15 per hour for SeaTac Airport workers and those employed at surrounding hospitality businesses. It would be the first case of a Washington city to
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The Department of Labor (DOL) recently announced a $58 million infusion of state grant money in an effort to get Dislocated Workers back into the workforce through expanding training designed to help those that qualify earn industry-recognized credentials. According to an August, 2012 news release, DOL’s Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that in the 3-year period between January 2009 and December 2011, some 6.1 million workers were dislocated from their jobs.  This figure related to those who had held the job for at least 3 years (long-tenured employee). The number more than doubled (12.9 million) when looking at the combination
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KRA Corporation has been providing management consulting and program operations services in the “education, employment, and training” arena for more than 30 years.  Our support of those Federal, State, and local agencies dedicated to improving the lives of individuals through our innovative workforce development programs across the country has aided us in accomplishing our mission of developing workers and strengthening communities.  But unfortunately, sometimes having a job isn’t enough. At the current wage of $7.25 per hour, a full-time employee at minimum wage would have an annual income of $14,500. It is a sum that leaves families below the poverty line. It is why KRA Corporation salutes President
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Last month, the DOL’s Employment and Training Administration played host to the Advisory Committee on Apprenticeship. The 2-day conference drew from the collective expertise of leaders in the military, government, training providers, and veteran service organizations that focus on strategies to increase veterans’ participation in the Registered Apprenticeship Program (Program). The Program was created in 1937 to produce workers with in-demand skills from plumbing through turbine engineering.  The on-the-job training (OJT) and technical instruction are tailored to suit a particular industry.  Nationwide, the Program’s  network now boasts some 250,000 employers in 1,000 careers. In 2012, there were 147,000 new participants entering
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