montana workforcedli.mt.gov/portals/57/publications/dli-msm-042014.pdf · 2014-10-31 · montana...

$: Montana Workforcedli.mt.gov/Portals/57/Publications/dli-msm-042014.pdf · 2014-10-31 · Montana communities a great place to work, play, and raise our families. —Pab Bh\j,Commissioner$
SPRING 2014

T H E

Montana WorkforceR E TO O L I N G F O R T H E N E X T G E N E R AT I O N

Revolutionizing Montana’s workforceGiving a voice to Main StreetSetting the standardEqual pay for equal workINSID

E:

ontana opened the new year in aposition of strength. We closed2013 with an unemployment rate of

5.2%, compared to 7% national-wide. Now, weare looking forward to a new year of growthand opportunities for businesses, workers,and families.

With unemployment this low, our nextchallenge will be increasing wages, findingbetter job matches for workers, and increasingthe overall skills-base of Montana’s workforce.In this issue of Main Street Montana, you’ll seethat we are stepping up to this challenge.

As we look to grow Montana’s economy,we are committed to expanding opportunitiesfor all Montanans, so that every worker canearn a livable wage, support their family, andenjoy our incredible quality of life under Mon-tana’s Big Sky.

The Montana Department of Labor and In-dustry is committed to the economic vitalityand success of both workers and their employ-ers. In this issue of Main Street Montana, you’llsee the incredible work that is being done to

provide valuable on-the-job training to workers,retool local communities to meet the high-skillneeds of the 21st Century economy, promotesafe workplaces, help injured workers get backto work, and supporting the unemployed asthey face the uncertainty of career transitions.

It’s an exciting time to be engaged in publicservice for the people of Montana. As yourLabor Commissioner, I am dedicated to pro-moting a culture of excellent customer serviceand innovation in our policies and programs.We recognize your hard work, and we’re hereto support your success. Thank you for makingMontana communities a great place to work,play, and raise our families.

—Pam Bucy, CommissionerMontana Department of Labor & Industry

2 | Spring 2014 Main Street Montana

A note from the Commissioner

Main Street Montana is a bi-annual publication produced by the Montana Department of Labor and Industry.

If you would prefer to receive your subscription electronically or wish to discontinue receipt, please send an email to [email protected].

Editors: Casey Kyler-West and JJ CoggeshallDesign: Luke Duran, Element L Design

www.MainStreet.mt.gov

31,000 copies of this public document were printed at an estimated cost of $0.37 each for a total of $11,470.00 for printing and $.00 for distribution.

WINTER 2014

M

In this issue:4 The Fluctuating Labor Force Participation Rate

in the U.S. and MontanaWhat’s really behind Montana’s declining labor force?

5 Revolutionizing Montana’s Workforce Development SystemA new multi-million dollar grant will give Montanans the opportunity to train for quality jobs in the energy and advancedmanufacturing sector, boosting the Treasure State’s economy.

6 The Healthcare Workforce: an Important Part of Montana’s EconomyAn apple a day may keep the doctor away, but did you know that the healthcare industry is a key economic driver in rural communities?

7 Economic Development from the Ground UpThe Main Street Montana Project tackles the creation, recruitment and retention of Montana jobs.

8 The Stats on Montana’s Workforce

9 Montana Women: Earning a Fair Day’s Pay for a Fair Day’s WorkGender bias in the workplace is far broader than pay inequity.

10 Montana is getting olderNew challenges lie ahead for the Treasure State as its population gets older.

12 Setting the StandardJobs for Montana’s Graduates and its students are at the topof the class.

13 Montana Apprenticeship: Changing for the 21stCentury

16 New High School Equivalency Test for Montanans

17 Teaching Employees “Soft Skills”While technical knowledge of a job is important, employersare finding ways to teach their employees soft skills as a partof career readiness.

18 Economic Development in Indian CountryThe State Tribal Economic Development Commission is tak-ing a two-pronged approach to improving the economies ofMontana’s seven Indian Reservations.

19 Workforce NavigatorsThe Trade Adjustment Assistance and Community Collegeand Career Training Program.

20 Pioneering Partnership: Gardiner Gateway ProjectA joint effort between federal, state, county and local non-profits is addressing traffic flow challenges for a well-traveledcommunity, while preserving the town’s character.

21 UI eServices Right on TrackDeveloping the next-generation state UI tax computer system.

22 Employment: The Ultimate FrontierA look at how the Unemployment Insurance Division verifiesUI claimant work searches.

23 Raising AwarenessCreating safer workplaces results in a multitude of benefits.

24 Know Your Rights and Responsibilities as an EmployerLearning from others is an element of sucess.

25 Apprenticeship: Improving your Bottom LineApprenticeship training is going strong, and there’s good reasons why.

26 Strategic SafetySafetyFestMT fosters a culture of workforce safety.

27 Upcoming events

dli.mt.gov Main Street Montana | 3

uring the last 15 years, the labor forceparticipation rate at the national andstate levels has declined considerably.

While it is true that this decline picked up steamduring the recession, much of the decline is theresult of long-run demographic and culturalshifts. Just as the baby-boomer population wasresponsible for the stable growth in the laborforce participation rate from the 1970s throughthe 1990s, this group is now contributing to thedecline in the labor force as they retire. How-ever, because this group’s relative labor forceparticipation rate has increased by more than10 percentage points in the last decade, thetotal labor force participation rate is decliningsomewhat less than expected.

The long-run trend of a growing femalelabor force participation rate came to an endin the late 1990s, and since has been on thedecline. It is also likely that the technologybubble in the late-1990s attracted more peo-ple to the labor market than would have oth-erwise entered, and as the economy slowed,more people exited the labor force, drivingdown the labor force participation rate.

Montana has one of the oldest popula-tions in the country, and thus thousands ofpeople are exiting the labor force annually.The decline in Montana’s labor force partici-pation rate is exacerbated by the decline inthe rate of labor force entrants in the 16-24year-old range. On the surface, this may seemalarming. However, data on college achieve-ment and enrollment suggest that these folksare investing in human capital and enteringcollege at higher rates than in the past. In theshort-term, this may result in a lower laborforce participation rate, but in the future wecan expect to have a more educated and ca-pable workforce than in the past.


The Fluctuating Labor Force Over the last 60 years, the labor force participation rate in the U.S. and Montana has evolvedconsiderably. The labor force participation rate is the percentage of the working-age populationthat is working or looking for work. BY WILLIAM CONNELL, Economist

D Montana and U.S. Labor Force Participation Rate

1976 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010

69%

68%

67%

66%

65%

64%

63%

62%

61%

60%

Montana Labor Force by Age

Civilian non-institutional population: Persons 16 years andolder residing in the 50 states and the District of Columbia,who are not inmates of institutions (e.g., penal and mental fa-cilities, homes for the aged), and who are not on active dutyin the Armed Forces.

Civilian labor force: All persons in the civilian non-institutionalpopulation classified as either employed or unemployed.Employed persons: All persons who were employed by a busi-ness, or who worked in their own business or farm, or worked15 hours or more as unpaid workers in an enterprise operatedby a member of their family. Includes those who were not work-ing but who had jobs from which they were temporarily absent.Unemployed persons: All persons who had no employment during

the reference week, were available for work, except for temporaryillness, and had made specific efforts to find employment sometime during the 4 week-period ending with the reference week.Discouraged Workers: Persons not in the labor force who wantand are available for a job and who have looked for worksometime in the past 12 months, but who are not currentlylooking because they believe there are no jobs available orthere are none for which they would qualify.

WHO IS IN THE LABOR FORCE?

65+20-24

25-34

35-4445-54

55-64

4.2%

11.1%

21.1%

17.9%20.3%

18.5%

7%16-19

n September 23, 2013, Montana’seconomy received a huge boost—$25million from the U.S. Department of

Labor to prepare Montanans to get qualityjobs in energy and advanced manufacturing.

Funded through the Trade AdjustmentAssistance Community College and CareerTraining (TAACCCT) program, SWAMMEIhas already started to revolutionize Mon-tana’s workforce development system. Fifty-seven businesses partnered with aconsortium comprised of 13 Montana colleges,the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Ed-ucation, and the Montana Department ofLabor and Industry to assemble a high-qual-ity program that will open opportunities forworkers and employers across Montana.

“Partnership is the key to the program’s suc-cess,” said U.S. Secretary of Labor ThomasPerez in announcing these grant awards. “Infact, it’s a prerequisite for a TAACCCT award.This is about education, labor, business andcommunity leaders coming together to meetthe real-world challenges of a complex globaleconomy.”

Montana’s grant partnership identified afundamental challenge for Montana’s publiceducation and workforce system: How do youretrain a widely dispersed group of un-cre-

dentialed workers for the emerging, widelydispersed jobs in advanced manufacturingand the energy fields?

To address this challenge, SWAMMEI of-fers job seekers access to accelerated, technol-ogy-enhanced training available anywhere inthe State. Using a common delivery system,SWAMMEI utilizes stacked credentials thatfeature interactive, online curricula coupledwith consolidated practical training. This ap-proach meets the needs of both Montana’sdispersed workforce and dispersed energyand manufacturing industries while improv-ing access and accelerating training.

“Montanans must be trained with theskills to compete in the 21st century work-force,” said Governor Steve Bullock. “Our

two-year colleges play a crucial role in equip-ping our students with the skills and experi-ence to meet the needs of employers wantingto do business in Montana. This grant willhelp our colleges have the resources theyneed to ensure they are training our studentsfor the jobs that are in demand.”

“I am committed to two-year education.This grant represents an incredible opportu-nity for Montana’s ten public two-year col-leges and tribal college partners to serve10,000 individuals over the next four years inthe areas of energy and advanced manufac-turing workforce development,” said Com-missioner of Higher Education ClaytonChristian. “Montana’s two-year colleges areat the heart of providing responsive work-force development opportunities.”

$25 Million SWAMMEI Grant:Revolutionizing Montana’s Workforce Development System BY DR. JOHN CECH, Deputy Commissioner for Two-Year and Community College Education, Montana University System


O

“This grant will help our colleges have the resourcesthey need to ensure they aretraining our students for thejobs that are in demand.”

ealthcare jobs are especially impor-tant in small rural communities,where local hospitals and clinics,

along with the school are often the biggestemployers in town.

What is the impact? Rural Health Worksreports:One primary care physician in a rural community: Creates 23 jobs annually. Generates $1.0 million in wages, salaries

and benefits annually. Generates approximately $1.8 million in

annual total revenue.

Critical Access Hospitals A typical critical access hospital has a

medical service area population of14,600, has 141 employees and generates$6.8 million in payroll annually.

The total economic impact of a typicalcritical access hospital is 195 employeesand $8.4 million in payroll.

The Montana Healthcare Workforce Advi-sory Committee (MHWAC) is a group of over100 organizations and individuals supportedby the MT Office of Rural Health/AHEC. It isworking to assure that Montana has thehealthcare workforce it needs to meet the fu-ture demands for healthcare and a healthyeconomy in our state. The MHWAC foundthat the healthcare industry has been a rarebright spot in the recent recession. The Bureauof Labor Statistics predicts that 26% of all newjobs created in the US economy from 2008 to2018 will be in the health care sector. In Mon-tana, the healthcare industry has had a higherrate of employment growth over the last 10years than the state as a whole. Healthcareemployment growth increased by 30% or13,478 jobs from 2000-2009. It has also heldstrong through the recession. Future projec-tions indicate that healthcare positions will

grow from 57,898 to 73,311 (or 26.6 % growth)for the 2010 to 2020 time period.

Montana faces challenges in supportingthe growth and retention of its healthcareworkforce: Uneven distribution of the workforce – it

continues to be a challenge to recruit andretain healthcare professionals in themost rural parts of the state.

Growing our own workforce—the beststrategy is to encourage young people inrural Montana to look to careers in health-care. We must prepare them academicallyto achieve, find opportunities for them totrain in rural communities, and matchthem to jobs in our communities.

Understanding what the workforce needswill be for the future—good data on ourhealthcare workforce helps make gooddecisions about resource allocation.Changes in how care is provided—usingtechnology, telemedicine, new care coor-dination models, and a focus on researchand quality improvement, challenge us toprepare healthcare professionals for newmodels of care.

The healthcare workforce is an economicdriver for Montana’s communities. The in-vestments we make today in that workforcewill help assure a healthy economy for thestate far into the future.


Healthcare Workforce: An ImportantPart of Montana’s EconomyThe National Center for Rural Health Works studies the economic impact of healthcare on the economies of rural states. Their research has shown that the healthcare workforce is a key economic driver for communities.BY KRISTIN JULIAR, Director, Montana Office of Rural Health/Area Health Education Center (AHEC)

H


ollowing through on his belief thatthe private sector knows best how tocreate jobs in the state, Governor

Bullock tasked Larry Simkins, President andCEO of the Washington Companies, and BillJohnstone, President and Chairman and CEOof D.A. Davidson & Co. with leading the MainStreet Montana Project.

The Project aims to tap into the work-ethic and ingenuity of Montanans to ensurethat Montana’s economy remains strong for

years to come.“When the Governor asked us to take on this

role, he assured us that all ideas would receivefair consideration, that it would be non-parti-san and non-political, that it would be drivenby the private sector and that it would be de-signed to produce practical and concrete solu-tions,” said Johnstone. “Throughout thisproject, the Governor has been true to his wordand we are committed to these principles.”

Since its launch in May 2013, the MainStreet Montana Project has hosted sevenRoundtables around Montana. So far, theProject has received broad support, withabout 1000 Montanans from the business,workforce development, economic develop-ment, nonprofit, agriculture, and local govern-ment sectors participating in the Roundtables.

During October and November, approxi-

mately 2000 Montanans also responded tothe Main Street Montana Project’s CountySurvey, with 64% of respondents coming fromthe private sector. Participants have been uni-versally impressed with the Administration’scommitment to an authentic economic devel-opment planning process and Governor Bul-lock’s personal dedication to this process.

“At the Roundtables and on our CountySurveys, it’s evident that Montanans see thevalue in our vast and diverse natural re-sources—resources that can drive bothtourism and energy development,” saidSimkins. “Our quality of life was the mostcommon economic development strengthlisted, and we are hearing education rein-forced as a key economic driver all over thestate. The key to this process, and to buildingour state’s business plan, is to capitalize onthese strengths and address our challenges tobring more economic prosperity to our state.”

The Main Street Project is in the processof compiling data from the Roundtables, theCounty Survey, industry meetings, meetingswith education leaders, and individual meet-ings with business leaders and analyzing thisinformation for the final report.. This report,set to be released in the first quarter of 2014,will include data collected from every singlecounty in Montana, with this public inputforming the basis for economic developmentrecommendations. The Main Street Montana

Report will provide a blueprint for economicdevelopment in Montana—the first ever to bewritten from the ground up by Montanans.

“Montana is in a position of strength,” saidBullock. “It’s our responsibility to use thisstrength to continue to bring new jobs to thestate, increase prosperity for Montana busi-nesses small and large, and ensure that eco-nomic opportunities continue to grow for ourkids and grandkids. Creating good-paying,quality jobs and opportunities for Montanaworking families is at the top of my adminis-tration’s agenda, and we work to expand eco-nomic prosperity each and every day.”

Economic Developmentfrom the Ground UpGovernor Steve Bullock created the Main Street Montana Project to build a business plan to support the creation, recruitment and retention of Montana jobs.BY ANNIE GLOVER, Director of Special Projects, Montana Department of Labor & Industry

F

Left: Governor Bullock discusses ideas with Main StreetProject Roundtable participants

Left: Lt. Governor John Walsh asking Roundtable participantsfor their ideas.

Since the 1970’s, the percentage of “traditional”working age (15-64) womenresidents in Montana hasbeen less relative to thepercentage of males in thissame age group.

ccording to US Census figures, in1970, Montana men and womenresidents of working age were

nearly equal. Of the 694,409 Montana resi-dents in 1970, 30.2% were men between 15-64 years of age and 30.0% were women inthis age range. As Figure 1 shows, there hasbeen a widening gap between the percentageof Montana men and women of working age.

Although both working age men andwomen Montanans have increased as a per-centage of the total population from 60.2% in1970 to 66.6% in 2010, the number of womenof working age has not increased at the samerate as the men. The number of men of work-ing age increased from 209,403 in 1970 to333,971 in 2010 – a 59% increase. Working age

women have increased from 208,340 to324,420 which is a 56% increase. Severaltrends including women’s longevity and eco-nomic migration both are contributors to thisproportional change.

As Figure 2 shows, going forward, the gapin working age men and women is expected tocontinue through 2040. Equally important, thetotal number of working age men and womenrelative to Montana’s entirepopulation is expected to de-cline. In 2010, the Census re-ported 66.5% of Montanaresidents were ages 15 - 64. Theprojections in Figure 2 show thisnumber falling to 59.1% in 2030.

The rate of participation bygender in the labor force is an-other factor that impacts Mon-tana’s available workers.Statistics from the US CensusBureau Current Population Sur-vey in Figure 3 shows the partic-ipation rate of Montanansbelow 64 years of age by gender.

As the Figure 3 shows, theparticipation rate has also fallenin the past several years fromhighs in 2007 prior to the GreatRecession.

The lower percentage ofwomen ages 15-64 compared

to men, the projected decline in the tradi-tional working age population of both gen-ders, and declines in labor force participationare all important trends to better understandand monitor. Having a sufficient number ofworkers is essential for maintaining Mon-tana’s economic growth, not to mention hav-ing potential employees with the right skillsand training.


The Stats on Montana’s Labor ForceBY MARY CRAIGLE, Census & Economic Information Center Montana Department of Commerce

A

Fig. 1: Percentage of MT Residents of Traditional Working Age (15-64)

Fig. 2: Projected MT Residents of Traditional Working Age (15-64)

Fig. 3: Montana Labor Force Participation Rate by Gender

ender bias in the workplace is farbroader than pay inequity, and usu-ally, this bias is unintended and

happens at a subconscious level. At their latest meeting in December, the

Governor’s Equal Pay for Equal Work TaskForce heard from Dr. Jessi Smith, a social psy-chologist from MSU-Bozeman who spoke toingrained and unintentional bias that de-prives working women of equitable compen-sation, promotion, and hiring in all kinds ofworkplaces in every corner of the U.S.

Through her presentation of studies thathave been conducted with managers and

human resources professionals from an arrayof disciplines, Dr. Smith argued that the TaskForce must be willing to tackle the issue ofpay inequity with creativity and an open mind.

“Shifting standards are one way that keepsthe pay gap alive,” said Dr. Smith. “This is thenotion that, ‘She makes a lot of money—for awoman. She runs fast—for a girl’.”

Dr. Smith also described studies thatshowed that when presented with identicalresumes for two job candidates—a womanwith children and a man—the mother was79% less likely to get hired, was offered$11,000 less in starting salary, and held tohigher performance and punctuality stan-dards than the man who had the exact sameeducation and experience.

While there are different standards for

men and women, overt discrimination is nolonger socially and legally acceptable. This cre-ates a trickier situation—a challenge that can-not be solved purely through changes in policy.

“There are ways to get rid of our ingrainedand even unaware biases that we might havethrough some pretty simple practices,” saidTask Force Co-Chair Pam Bucy. “We can totalk to women about how to negotiate for payand benefits and how to do it transparently.And we can work to make managers aware oftheir own unconscious biases so that they canmake better hiring decisions, reward talent,and find the best employees to grow theirbusinesses and organizations, regardless oftheir gender.”

To meet the myriad factors contributingto pay inequity in Montana, the Task Forcecommitted to hosting an Equal Pay Summitin Bozeman on April 1 at MSU-Bozeman. TheSummit will be kicked off by a keynote speechfrom Lilly Ledbetter on the evening of March31. To stay up to date or get more informationabout this free event, please visit www.equal-pay.mt.gov and “like” the Equal Pay for EqualWork Task Force on Facebook.


Montana Women: Earning a Fair Day’sPay for a Fair Day’s Work Gender bias in the workplace is far broader than pay inequity, and usually, this bias is unintended and happens at a subconscious level. BY ANNIE GLOVER, Director of Special Projects, Montana Department of Labor and Industry

G EQUAL PAY SUMMITMARCH 31, APRIL 1, 2014 • MSU-BOzEMAN

www.equalpay.mt.gov

ontana’s population growthis projected to continue intothe near future. At the sametime, a larger share of the

State’s population is expected to get older. AsMontana begins to see a proportionallyhigher number of older individuals, new chal-lenges lie ahead for the State.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau,from 1990 to 2010, Montana’s population in-creased by 23.5 percent (190,350 people) rep-resenting an average increase of 1.2 percentannually. Looking forward, the State’s popu-lation is expected to grow by 16.9 percent(167,079 people) from 2010 to 2030—an an-nual average growth rate of 0.8 percent.

Three factors affect population change:babies being born (births), individuals pass-ing away (deaths), and people deciding tomove into or out of the area (net migration).These simultaneous events subsequently de-termine the growth or decline of an area’spopulation.

The net effect from births and deathsmakes up the natural change within an area’spopulation. If more babies are born than thereare deaths, a natural increase in residents oc-curs. Conversely, if more individuals passaway than are born, an area’s population willrealize a natural decline.

In Montana, the rate of births relative todeaths has been falling, and this trend is ex-pected to continue. It’s projected that by 2035,the number of deaths will surpass the number

of babies born every year; this translates tonatural decline within the State’s population.However, natural change is not the only factorthat determines population change.

Net migration is expected to be the signifi-cant driver of Montana’s population growth forthe next couple of decades. People decide tomove into or out of an area for a variety of rea-sons. It’s expected the majority of individualsmoving into Montana in the short term will befor economic reasons—employment, start abusiness, etc. Over the long term, however, it’sexpected more and more individuals are goingto move into Big Sky Country for retirement.

The combination of current Montana resi-dents aging in place, an increased number ofindividuals moving into the State for retire-ment, and a decreasing birth rate is shifting theState’s population into an older demographic.


Montana isGetting Older As Montana’s population ages, the State will face new challenges moving into the future.BY JOE RAMLER, Census & Economic Information Center, Montana Department of Commerce

M

In 1990, 13.3 percent of Montana residentswere age 65 years or older; by 2010, that pro-portion had crept up to 14.8 percent. By 2030,it’s expected 23.2 percent of the State’s popu-lation will be at or above the “conventional”retirement age of 65 years old. Conversely,36.7 percent of the State’s population wasunder the age of 25 in 1990. By 2010, that pro-portion had dropped to 32.2 percent and by2030 it’s expected that 28.7 percent of Mon-tanans will be under the age of 25.

With an aging population come new chal-lenges. Economic growth largely depends onthe availability of able workers and entrepre-neurs to fill new and vacated jobs. The com-bination of a diminishing number of futureworkers—people age 0 to 24 years old—andan increasing number of people moving outof the workforce into retirement will pose achallenge for maintaining economic growthin the future.

As people age their needs change. For ex-ample, access to health care and emergencyservices becomes more important requiringthe need for an increased number of nurses,doctors, and first responders. Housing needsshift from multi-room, larger family-stylehomes to smaller, single-level residences witheasier access and less maintenance.

However, an older demographic has posi-tive implications for Montana as well. Indi-viduals moving into an area after theirworking-years bring with them savings andretirement income. Retirement savings suchas 401k’s, pensions, Social Security benefits,and personal savings spent in the State helpsto create jobs and economic growth withinlocal communities. Also, people who are notworking generally have more time for com-munity oriented services such as volunteeringwhich has benefits to the State.

An aging Montana population will un-doubtedly bring challenges as well as oppor-tunities which will require changes in the waywe plan for the State’s future. The way wethink about things like housing developmentsand access to facilities will need to accommo-date an older demographic. A need for an in-creased number of workers in the health careindustry will demand a closer look at how stu-dents are recruited and trained for future em-ployment opportunities. Proactive measurestaken today and changes in planning movingforward will put Montana in a position tomeet the challenges and leverage the benefitsbrought about by an aging population.

An aging Montana population will undoubtedly bring challenges as well as

opportunities which will require changes in the way

we plan for the State’s future.

or the eighth year in a row JMG re-ceived the prestigious “5 of 5” awardfrom Jobs for America’s Graduates

(JAG). Montana’s JMG program ranks num-ber one in the nation for positive outcomes.

“JMG’s continued success is a testament to thehard work and dedication of both the stu-dents and the career specialists who workwith them,” said Labor Commissioner PamBucy. “To see so many students who facedbarriers to graduation succeed and receivenational recognition is extremely rewarding.”

Students are also being recognized at thenational level. Each year four students arechosen to attend the Annual Jobs for Amer-ica’s Graduates Academy in Washington D.C.; this year two JMG students took top spotsin the Academy’s competitive events.

Sierra Garza a student at Helena Hightook first place in the Employability SkillsCompetition. “The JAG Leadership Confer-

ence was beyond amazing. The skills Ilearned while attending the Conference willhelp me successfully interview for jobs andbecome a stronger leader both in and out ofschool,” said Garza. “It was a once in a life-time experience.”

Abigail Dronen, a student at the Project forAlternative Learning in Helena, took secondplace in Public Speaking. “Washington D.C.was incredible, there were so many beautifulthings that I never thought I’d be able to see.JMG has not only given me the skills I need tobe successful in the workplace, but it has givenme the ability to believe in myself and the op-portunity to see our nation’s Capital. It was alife changing experience and I would do it

again in a heartbeat,” said Dronen.Jordan Monroe, a student at the Paris Gib-

son Program of Great Falls and Felicia Earhartfrom Plains High School also attended theAcademy in D.C. Monroe, who has Asperger’sSyndrome, credits JMG for helping him de-

velop his social skills and stepping outside ofhis comfort zone. “This trip was an unforget-table experience. I’d never been further eastthan Wyoming, Washington D.C. had so manythings to see, it really was amazing,” saidMonroe. “It was exciting to have the opportu-nity to travel somewhere new, and the changeof culture and the people were vastly differentthan in Montana,” said Earhart.

It wasn’t just the students earning recog-nition; Career Specialist Yenta Jaques from theParis Gibson Program received a scholarshipfrom The Apollo Group/University of Phoenix.Yenta plans to use the scholarship to completeher Masters for Leadership in Education.

JMG currently serves approximately 950students in 27 High Schools, 12 MiddleSchools, seven alternative High Schools andone “Out-of-School” Program.


Setting the Standard “Success Against the Odds!”that’s this year’s motto for theDepartment of Labor and Industry’s Jobs for Montana’sGraduates (JMG) Program.And if the accolades the program is receiving are anyindication of its success, JMG is living up to that motto.BY CASEY KYLER-WEST Communications Director,Montana Department of Labor & Industry

FAbove: JMG students Jordan Monroe, Abigail Dronen, Felicia Earhart and Sierra Garza in front of the U.S. Capitolbuilding.Right: JMG State Director Erica Swanson, Career SpecialistYenta Jaques and Governor Jack Markell of Delaware andNational Chair for JAG

“JMG has not only given me the skills I need to be successful in theworkplace, but it has given me the ability to believe in myself andthe opportunity to see our nation’s Capital. It was a life changingexperience and I would do it again in a heartbeat.”

Montana Apprenticeship: Changing for the 21st CenturyBY DARREL HOLZER, State Director, Montana Department of Labor & Industry Apprenticeship & Training Program

irst the good news: Employer de-mand for skilled workers is skyrock-eting and that trend is expected to

continue. Some of this demand is beingdriven by the oil field development in theEastern part of the state. New dollars beinggenerated from the Bakken oil boom, coupledwith an overall economic recovery, is perco-lating job growth statewide.

Now the bad news; Montana, like the restof the nation, has a severe shortage of work-ers who possess the skills employers need, es-pecially in the advanced manufacturingsector. In Manufacturing Institute, a February2011 skills gap report stated there were morethan 600,000 unfilled manufacturing jobs inthe US. Here in Montana, the same is true invirtually every skilled trade. The “BabyBoomer” skilled tradesmen are retiring by thethousands and there are not nearly enoughtrained workers to adequately fill the skillsgap being created.

The Montana Apprenticeship & TrainingProgram needs to be part of the solution, andwe are trying to find new and creative ways toget the word out about what the program isand how it can help businesses find quality

workers NOW. The Program is taking imme-diate steps to promote and develop pre-ap-prenticeship training programs in highschools across the state. These programsallow high school students to start buildingskill sets and academic credentials for highdemand jobs much earlier than in the past.Students who qualify can begin these pro-grams while they’re juniors and seniors inhigh school. Once their pre-apprenticeshiprequirements have been satisfied, studentswill complete their training and education byseamlessly transitioning into a registered ap-prenticeship training program.

This approach accelerates students to thejourney worker skill level much more quicklythan requiring students be at least 18 beforestarting an apprenticeship training program.This may require some modification of thetraditional high school curriculum. If we areto start preparing for the acute skilled workershortage projected in the next 10 years, wehave to start now. Pre-apprenticeship pro-vides a road to great paying jobs as well asmaking sure Montana has skilled workers forthe future.

Higher Education appreciates the value

and importance of the apprenticeship train-ing model, which is demonstrated by theirwillingness to offer significant and transfer-able academic credit towards a four year de-gree based upon successful completion ofcertain registered apprenticeship trainingprograms. Higher education also designs andmanages much of the full apprentice’scoursework load, truly creating a “learn whileyou earn” scenario.

Not all high school graduates are collegebound. Whether it is the cost or lack of interest,bright promising people of every age are get-ting lost in the system. Apprenticeship offersthe tools and skills these job seekers require towork in many highly skilled, good-paying jobs.

The Apprenticeship & Training Programis fully committed to working tirelessly withhigher education, our public schools, em-ployer organizations and all of the workforcesystem partners to help our state grow andprosper. Together we can promote and de-velop meaningful, sustainable career oppor-tunities for our citizens in over 1,000apprenticeable occupations, as well as pro-vide the services and skills that are needed byMontana businesses.


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Avove: Electrical Classroom Training. Top right: Sheet Metal Local 103 apprentice. Bottom right: Ironworker Apprentices working on a major construction project.


The Montana Department of Labor and Industry exists to promote andprotect the well-being of Montana’s workers, employers and citizens,and to uphold their rights and responsibilities.

he change to HiSet comes after anannouncement by GEDTS, a newfor-profit corporation formed by the

American Council on Education and Pearson,that the cost to take the GED Test was in-creasing to $120; it is computer based onlyand any retakes of the exam would cost $24.

As a result of these changes the Board ofPublic Education approved a new contract

between the Office of Public Instruction andEducational Testing Service (ETS). “Mon-tanans who are looking to improve their eco-nomic situation by obtaining a high schoolequivalency diploma should not have to over-come a significant financial barrier in order toachieve that goal. I am confident this newexam will meet the needs of our state andprovide a rigorous assessment of the knowl-

edge and skills needed to succeed in collegeand careers,” said Superintendent of PublicInstruction Denise Juneau.

The new test also means changes for em-ployers as well; now when looking at job ap-plications, employers will have to take intoaccount whether or not someone has aHiSET certificate or GED in place of a HighSchool Diploma. “Individuals who take thetime to prepare for and take the high schoolequivalent test are just as employable assomeone that has a high school diploma”,said Labor Commissioner Pam Bucy. “Bytaking the test, they are showing they havethe skills to advance in the job market, or re-enter the educational pipeline and furthertheir education.”

The HiSET exam will still test individualson five sections, reading, writing, math socialstudies, and science. If an individual needs toretake a portion of the exam they can do so upto two times at no cost within the same calen-dar year.

In addition to Montana, eight other stateshave made the decision to adopt the HiSET:Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Missouri, Nevada,New Hampshire, Tennessee and Wyoming.


New High SchoolEquivalency Testfor MontanansAfter 50 years, Montana is replacing the General EducationDevelopment Test or GED, with the new High School Equivalency Exam called HiSet. BY MARGARET BOWLES, Adult Literacy and Basic Education Director, Office of Public Instruction

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n recent years, you have probably heardthe term “soft skills” more than a fewtimes. You may have even uttered the

words yourself a time or two, telling yourspouse or a co-worker, “I wish I could hiremore staff members with decent soft-skills!”If this sounds familiar, you are not alone. Infact, it turns out many of Montana’s employ-ers would agree with you!

In the fall of 2013, twenty-eight membersof Montana’s State CTE (Career & TechnicalEducation) Advisory Board, which boastsrepresentation from each of the 16 NationalCareer Clusters, and is designed to assist theMontana Carl D. Perkins Program at the Of-fice of Public Instruction & Office of the Com-missioner of Higher Education, met inHelena, where many members voiced the im-portance of soft skills as a part of career readi-ness. “I am interested in how to teach myyoung employees critical thinking, risk-takingand entrepreneurial spirit. I can teach themthe technical skills,” said Dick Anderson,owner of Dick Anderson Construction. An-derson’s comments were echoed by LeisaSmith, Director of the Montana State Work-force Investment Board. “Time and timeagain, we hear that employers’ #1 priority is

soft skills. They can train anyone who canshow up on time, think critically, and is ableto problem solve with a positive attitude.”

So how, exactly, does one learn criticalthinking, problem solving and time manage-

ment? CTE of course! Advo-cates for Montana’s Careerand Technical Programs statethat many soft skills are builtinto foundational componentsof CTE programs of study.

“Career and Technical Educa-tion programs of study ofteninclude work-based learningexperiences and internshipsthat give the student an oppor-tunity to learn how to behavein a professional environment,”said Tom Kotynski, the Careerand Technical Education Fa-cilitator at Great Falls PublicSchool District. CTE Programsof Study, often called “Big SkyPathways” in Montana, focuson the students’ transitionfrom high school to postsec-

ondary, including an analysis of their aca-demic and CTE courses from 9th grade to de-gree. Along with work-based learningexperiences, internships, and the ability toearn industry-recognized credentials like Cer-tified Nursing Assistant or a Microsoft OfficeSpecialist Certification, pathways may also in-clude participation in a career technical stu-dent organization, such as FFA (FutureFarmers of America) or SkillsUSA.

“I have personally seen the benefit of CTEclasses and organizations,” said Tim McGoni-gal, an anchor and producer at KXLH-Helenaand KRTV-Great Falls TV stations. “I have adaughter at Montana State University who wasvery shy as a child. She joined FFA, and had agreat experience. She became the vice presi-dent of her local Future Farmers of Americaorganization and is now Montana’s candidatefor National FFA office. It has been a pleasureto watch her work with other youth and reallyencourage others to become leaders.”

To learn more about the State CTE AdvisoryBoard, Big Sky Pathways, and Career and Tech-nical Education in Montana, please visit:http://mus.edu/BigSkyPathways/default.asp


Teaching Employees “Soft Skills” CTE’s “Big Sky Pathways” in Montana, focus on the students’ transition from high school to postsecondary,including an analysis of their academic and CTE courses from 9th grade to degree. BY KALI WICKS, High School to College Pathways Program Manager/Perkins Accountability Specialist

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Tom Kotynski, Supervisor of Career and Technical Education for Great FallsPublic Schools, shares his experiences works with the group to brainstormideas on advocating for CTE.” Also pictured: (right) Thompson Falls HighSchool Counselor and President of Montana School Counselor’s AssociationJodi Morgan; Department of Corrections Youth Services Administrator CindyMcKenzie; Billings Career Center Instructor Russell Walks; Community Coun-seling and Correctional Services staff Perry Howbacker; Montana Hospital As-sociation Staff Victoria Cech.

he Department of Commerce’sState Tribal Economic Develop-ment Commission (STEDC) is tak-

ing a two-pronged approach to improving theeconomies of Montana’s seven Indian Reser-vations.he first part is developing a strategicplan. The Commission met on October 9,2013 in Browning; to develop a plan and setrealistic goals. Those goals include: Developing pathways for successful engi-

neering of economic prosperity Developing and mobilizing mutually

beneficial partnerships Communicating facts and information

targeted to the listener Inventory current financial products,

identify gaps and advise Indian Countryon how to access the products

Provide value by documenting demon-strated successes

The Commission is the in the process ofimplementing the plan by identifying eco-nomic development issues facing each Reser-vation and potential partnerships that willhelp address those issues.

The second part is hosting Profit MasteryTraining for Native American businesses ad-visors and Indian business owners. These twoday workshops are intense sixteen hour ses-sions showing how the financial informationof their business will assist them in makingbetter decisions to maximize their profits.The STEDC networks with the Montana In-dian Business Alliance (MIBA) and local com-munity organizations including S&K HoldingCompany, Little Big Horn College and ChiefDull Knife College to provide training. “TheProfit Mastery Training provides financial lit-eracy to native small business owners to givethem tools to be successful. Our focus is to

build the private sector by encouraging smallbusiness development in Indian Country”,said Dr. Johnel Barkus, EDd, Executive Direc-tor of the Montana Indian Business Alliance.

The Business Advisors Best PracticesWorkshops are composed of members ofcommunity organizations that assist NativeAmerican Business Owners. During the work-shops, advisors were asked to prioritize theirbest practices that assist businesses to obtainsustainability and lead their communities tosuccessful economic growth; with a focus onhow to best support business clients in access-ing capital. “The Commission works to pro-vide support to Montana Tribal Nations,native economic development organizations,and native owned small businesses to developour economies in Indian Country, which willbenefit the State of Montana as well”, saidCommissioner Chairman Shawn Real Bird.

These are just some of the ways the Com-mission, which was established by the NativeAmerican Act of 1997, is addressing the busi-ness development barriers. The overall goal ofthe STEDC is to champion economic develop-ment organizations and their capacity to assistNative American business owners as they cre-ate opportunity and jobs in their communities.

Breaking down the barriers to economic

development on Montana’s Reservations, notonly benefits the Tribes and their people butall of us; when businesses can start or expand,they create jobs and new opportunities for thepeople in their communities.

Governor Bullock appoints Commissionmembers who represent each of the TribalNations in Montana, the Governor’s Officesof Indian Affairs and Economic Development,and the Department of Commerce.


Economic Developmentin Indian Country Economic development is the key to any community’s success,the same holds true in Indian Country.BY JASON SMITH, Director, Governor’s Office of Indian Affairs

T“The Profit Mastery

Training provides financial literacy tonative small businessowners to give themtools to be successful.

he grant will provide opportunitiesfor technical training for high-de-mand occupations in emerging in-

dustries across the state. As part of thisproject, many colleges will hire “WorkforceNavigators” to help students take full advan-tage of the educational and training opportu-nities available through both the MontanaDepartment of Labor and Industry and Mon-tana’s two-year colleges.

Flathead Valley Community College re-ceived an individual TAACCCT grant in 2012and hired two navigators experienced in ca-reer counseling and placement. Their effortsare benefitting local businesses as well as stu-dents as they are able to focus on helping tomeet the specific job needs of the employerswhile working with students to ensure theyare pursuing fields of study in which they cansucceed. Similar benefits should accrue in allMontana businesses as navigators are hiredat many more two-year colleges.

“This project has allowed our college towork more closely with the manufacturing in-dustry in our area so we can gain a better un-derstanding of what needs employers have,”said Jori Bullemer, FVCC navigator. “It is en-abling us to continually enhance our programsso we can train students with the specific skillsemployers are looking for. It’s a win-win forour students and our local employers.”

FVCC’s navigators administer the Na-tional Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC)test. The NCRC measures proficiency in ap-plied mathematics, locating information andreading for information. The NCRC is a vehi-cle for workers to certify their levels of profi-ciency and for businesses to assess potentialemployees in these universal job skills. Thenavigators will take on a proactive role ofreaching out to local businesses with informa-tion on the NCRC and how it can help cut hir-ing costs and up-skill their workforce.

A point of emphasis in the TAACCCTgrant program is the need to align educationand training with the needs of employers.

Employer input informed every step of thegrant writing process. Curriculum developedthus far is truly employer driven. Going for-ward, the workforce navigators will act as li-aisons between the business community andthe state’s education and training providers.The relationships they build with industrypartners will ensure that training programsdeliver graduates with local in-demand skills.Access to a quality workforce is critical to eco-nomic development and the success of indi-vidual businesses. The TAACCCT workforcenavigators will play a key role in ongoing cur-riculum alignment efforts.

The relationships the navigators developwith their students, their local job service andlocal employers will students’ opportunitiesfor placement in internships and permanent

employment. Internships and other experien-tial learning opportunities were seen by Flat-head Valley employers as necessary forproducing workforce ready graduates. Theworkforce navigators possess knowledge ofboth individual student’s skills and individualemployer’s needs, and they can use thatknowledge to match employers with studentswho can help them meet their business goals.

Many programs exist at the federal andstate levels to help displaced workers retrainand re-enter the workforce. Likewise, two-year colleges offer many short-term degreeand certificate programs designed to preparegraduates for immediate employment. How-ever, working through the bureaucracy ofthese opportunities can be daunting. Theworkforce navigators provide a unique solu-tion, helping students access all the benefitsto which they are entitled, serving as advisorsthrough the training process and helpingmatch students with employers once theycomplete their training.


Workforce Navigators On September 18, the U.S. Department of Labor announced that a consortium of 13 Montana two-year collegeswill receive nearly $25 million through the Trade Adjustment Assistance and Community College and CareerTraining (TAACCCT) program. BY BRAD ELDREDGE PH.D., Executive Director of Institutional Research, Assessment, and Planning, Flathead Valley Community College

T

Flathead Valley Community College advanced manufacturingstudents conduct a lab exercise.

It’s a win-win for our studentsand our local employers.”

“Here is your country. Cherishthese natural wonders, cherish the natural resources, cherish thehistory and romance as a sacredheritage, for your children andyour children’s children.”— President Theodore Roosevelt

t all began in 1871…James McCartney’s timing was off.

He built a hotel at Mammoth Hot Springsin 1871. Mammoth was included when Yellow-stone National Park became the World’s FirstNational Park the next year. SuperintendentNorris invited Mr. McCartney to leave in 1879,prompting a move across the border into Mon-tana to the banks of the Yellowstone River.That led to a post office in 1880 and the firstseeds of the community of Gardiner, laid outtight against the park boundary.

The most ambitious year in Gardiner’s his-tory was probably 1903 with the construction ofthe Arch, the iconic Gardiner Depot and the W.A. Hall Store, current home of the YellowstoneAssociation. That year also saw the arrival ofpassenger rail service and a visit by PresidentTheodore Roosevelt, who dedicated the Archthat now carries his name—Roosevelt Arch.These projects were carefully orchestrated tocreate a sense of arrival to Yellowstone for vis-itors arriving via rail who then entered Yellow-stone through the Arch by stagecoach.

America’s love affair with the automobilewas apparent by 1930 when the bridge was builtover the Yellowstone River, drastically chang-ing the arrival sequence. The era of passengerrail service was over and the depot was re-moved in 1954, replaced by a freight depot thatserved in that capacity until the early 1970’swhen the tracks were permanently removed.

The Roosevelt Arch was built to accom-modate stagecoaches, allowing one from ei-ther direction at a time, a constraint that nowapplies to cars, motorhomes and tour buses.In the 110 years since it was constructed,we’ve transitioned from horses to cars, visi-tors have increased from under 20,000 towell over 3,000,000 and the zigzag patternrequired to bring visitors into Gardiner,through the Arch and into Yellowstone hascreated traffic flow challenges for decades.

The Gardiner Gateway Project is a jointeffort between 17 partners comprised of fed-eral, state, county, local and non-profit enti-ties to address those challenges. The goal is tobetter meet the needs of today’s residents andvisitors and anticipate needs in decades tocome as the National Park Service approachesits 100th birthday and as Yellowstone ap-proaches its 150 th. "We are blessed to have apartnership resonating locally, regionally, andnationally. Through addressing basic infra-structure needs this project helps enhanceyear-round access to the world's first nationalpark. Studies show that every federal dollarinvested in national parks returns ten dollarsin local economic activity. The GardinerGateway Project will provide continued eco-nomic vitality for our future generations",

said Daniel Bierschwale, President, GardinerChamber of Commerce.

This complex cross-boundary project wasawarded $10.27 million of Montana’s FederalLands Access Program Funds in 2013 andPark County and Yellowstone National Parkare collaborating to manage the work andshare responsibility for the 13.42% match.The work is intended to improve circulation,parking, and safety for locals and visitors, andhighlight Gardiner’s history while preservingthe town’s character. The Gardiner Chamberof Commerce and Greater Gardiner Commu-nity Council are working on integrated effortsto provide a welcome center with public rest-rooms and to construct a building that evokesthe original depot to serve as a multi-functionmodern library. “Gardiner is an extraordinaryexample of people dedicated to a dynamiccause to create a viable and sustainable com-munity”, said Meagan Lannan, Manager, Liv-ingston Job Service Workforce Center.

On August 25, 2016, the ambitious goal isto celebrate this collaboration and the centen-nial of the National Park Service in this gate-way to Yellowstone and Montana. Communityvolunteers have invested thousands of hoursworking with agency partners to stay on track.Save the date!


I

PioneeringPartnership:Gardiner GatewayProjectBY BILL BERG

Clockwise from top left: Gardiner, circa 1910; Gardiner today; President Roosevelt speaks at thededication of the Arch, 1903; Bison pass throughthe Roosevelt Arch, present day.

employment Insurance Program.Testing of the new system is approxi-

mately two-thirds complete. The results ofthat testing have thus far been very good. Theteam has more than 2,500 test cases. Of thosethat have been completed to date, the over-whelming majority have passed without aproblem.

The new eServices will allow employers to: View and make changes to UI account

information and demographics File and amend quarterly UI-5 reports

(including file attachments and bulk filing) Make payments via ACH debit and

Credit Card and set up payment plans View and print UI forms, letters

and notices View account history for the current and

previous years Communicate securely with UI over the

web, and so much more!

The system is still on track to “go live”near the end of February 2014. Watch for an-nouncements on our current websites (WOWand UI4Employers) indicating when the oldsystems will be turned off and the new systemturned on. You can also find informationabout the new system, including e-filing andpayment options, and changes to forms onour website, http://dli.mt.gov/ui-eservices/.


UI eServices Right on TrackFor the past nine months, members of the Department of Labor and Industry’s Unemployment Insurance Division andour vendor, Fast Enterprises, have been working hard on ournew UI tax computer system.BY KEITH LAVENDER, IT Project Manager, Montana Department of Labor & Industry

TAARS, the Status, Tax Accounting,Audit & Rating System. The workcontinues to progress on schedule,

and we’re targeting late February of 2014 tomove the new system into our production en-vironment. Our existing system will be retiredat that time, along with our current public In-ternet systems, WOW and UI4Employers,which are being replaced by the new publicInternet system, UI eServices for Employers.

Since October, front-line employees of theUnemployment Insurance Division (UID)have been going to the STAARS project site toparticipate in testing the new system. Allareas of the system have undergone or willundergo extensive testing by our staff. Mostof the testing that is going on now is beingdone by members of UID who have not been

actively involved in the project up until now.“This brings new sets of eyes to the process,

providing a fresh perspective to the systemand the way it operates”, said UnemploymentInsurance Administrator Roy Mulvaney. “Weare also testing the public UI eService for Em-ployers website.”

In addition, we have held one of two “us-ability testing” sessions with members of thepublic to find out how they react to the newwebsite and to find ways to possibly make iteven better. “I just wanted to say thank youfor giving the end user a chance to provideinput. I think it is key to get people using itrather than making it difficult. It was nice tosee something pre-production/live so anychanges or improvements could be made,”said Theresia LeSueur, Montana Schools Un-

S

Department of Labor and Industry employees testing the new Unemployment Insurance tax computer system

ike the seemingly endless mission ofthe Star Trek crew, all unemploymentinsurance claimants must seek work

while claiming benefits. To insure thatclaimants are meeting the program require-ments, the Montana Unemployment InsuranceDivision (UID) must verify the work search ef-forts of its claimants. How is that done? Claimants must provide information

showing at least one work search contacteach week they file for benefits.

UID contacts employers to verify theclaimant’s work search information provided.

If unable to verify, either by not beingable to contact the business or the busi-ness cannot confirm the claimant’s appli-cation, UI must make further inquirieswith the claimant and create an issue topotentially recoup the claimant’s benefitsfor that week.

For example, let’s say Scotty, before hewas on the Enterprise, was a brilliant butstruggling engineer who had been laid off

from his job at the Dilithium crystal mine andwas drawing unemployment insurance fromthe United Federation of Planets (The Feder-ation). Each week he tells the computer hiswork search efforts when he applies for ben-efits. The Federation, as part of its require-ments, needs to verify the information hereports concerning where and when he ap-plied for work across a wide variety of busi-nesses on various planets. If the businesses heapplied to remember him as the guy whoclaimed to be the expert on beaming peopleup on the Transporter when he came inand/or have record of his application, benefitscan be kept by him for that week. If The Fed-eration cannot reach the business, most oftenby inter-galactic verbal communication, hewill be asked to provide additional informa-tion concerning where he applied and may berequired to pay back those benefits if he can-not provide more evidence.

These things create inefficiency and extrawork for The Federation in performing its du-ties and causes anxiety for Scotty wonderingif he will have to payback his benefits. With-

out UI benefits, Scotty may not end up on theEnterprise, thus leaving the fate of the shipand crew in the hands a less experiencedChief Engineer who is unable to give CaptainKirk more power to the shields when desper-ately needed.

Though this example is light years aheadof reality, it means that UID is asking you, thebusiness owner, to be prepared to answerquestions concerning applicants that have approached your business looking for work. Retain applications from job seekers

and information on your businesses jobopenings.

Be able to access that information quicklyand easily.

Respond promptly to any work searchverification, most often by phone, from UI.

The benefits of work search verification to bothyour business and UID are: Helps to prevent or minimize UI tax

increases. UI benefits go only to those who truly

qualify. Better and proper use of money your

business pays to UI through greater program efficiency.

Improper payment of benefits is a seriousproblem that has a financial impact on indi-vidual employers and can result in higher UItax rates to all employers. Please partner withMontana UI to work together in making theprogram efficient, properly paying benefits,and keeping UI contributions low.Live long and prosper!


Employment: TheUltimate Frontier These are the efforts of UI claimants everywhere. Their ongoing mission: to explore new job opportunities, to seek out new work and new employers, to boldly be hiredand work harder than ever before. BY JJ COGGESHALL, Operation Research Analyst, UI Division

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he Montana Department of Labor &Industry’s Safety & Health Bureau(MT SHB) is addressing this issue by

raising awareness of Montana’s poor safetyrecord, by promoting effective safety pro-grams, and by providing free safety training.

Here are five strategic steps from the MTSHB to help business owners create a saferworkplace:

1. Workers are less likely to be injuredwhen the things that can hurt them are recog-nized early and addressed. On-site safety as-sessments by the MT SHB help identify,eliminate or control existing and potentialsafety hazards. An effective assessment willalso strengthen a worksite safety programand assist in the application process forOSHA’s Safety and Health AchievementRecognition Program (SHARP).

For more information or to request a freesafety assessment go to montanasafety.comor call 406.444.6401. There are no feescharged, nor are penalties levied.

2. Safety becomes more viable when min-imum standards are published and handed toemployees. A written safety plan shows you’reserious about safety and now you expecteveryone to abide by established proceduresand standards. Besides that, it’s the law (Mon-tana Code Annotated 39-71-1501).

The MT SHB provides free written safetyplans, customized for individual businesses,through an online Safety Writer program.These plans are designed to meet the provi-sions of the Montana Safety Culture Act andcomply with OSHA standards.

Go to www.montanasafety.com for moreinformation, or send an e-mail to DLI SafetySpecialist Fred Miller, [email protected], for astep-by-step guide to using the program.

3. Budgeting for safety training can be

challenging, and that’s why the MT SHB of-fers free top-notch safety training at Safe-tyFestMT. Classes cover a variety of topics,from creating a safety culture to OSHA-au-thorized training on confined spaces, fall pro-tection and much more. Go towww.safetyfestmt.com to register, or formore information. Upcoming events include:

n Missoula: March 24-28, 2014n Miles City: May 20-22, 2014n Havre: August 12-14, 2014

4. There’s no need to re-invent the wheel.You can learn from others at communitysafety groups (in Billings, Bozeman, Butte,Great Falls, Hamilton, Helena, Kalispell, andMissoula), where the MT SHB provides train-ing for safety professionals and business own-ers. These are informal groups dedicated toincreasing the knowledge and awareness of astrong safety culture in Montana workplaces.Go to www.meetings.montanasafety.com formore information.

5. Every employer is required to obey ap-plicable OSHA regulations for workplacesafety. Penalties can be assessed by OSHA fornon-compliance. The MT SHB providesOSHA 10-hour construction and general in-dustry classes to help familiarize businessowners with OSHA regulations & how theycan be used to create safer workplaces.Classes are customized to meet specificneeds following an on-site hazard assessment.Send an e-mail to Dave at [email protected] formore information on free OSHA classes.

Any of these services can be requested on-line at montanasafety.com, or by calling theMT Safety & Health Bureau at 406.444.6401.

Taken together, these measures will helpcultivate safety excellence in our workplaces.

By working together, we can create a saferMontana!


Raising Awareness Montana’s business climate is being hurt by too many injuries in theworkplace, and the problem is widespread, affecting almost every industryin all parts of the state. Creating safer workplaces would result in amultitude of benefits, including reduced workers’ compensation premium. BY FRED MILLER, Montana Department of Labor & Industry Safety & Health Bureau

T HAzWOPER students prepare for a hands-on exerciseat SafetyFestMT held in Billings.

onsider the following, gleaned fromemployers who’ve successfully de-fended their past actions under the

anti-discrimination laws that apply to allMontana businesses.

n Beware, retaliation. An employee whocomplains of what he or she reasonably be-lieves is illegal discrimination, or participatesas a witness, regardless of the outcome, is en-gaging in “protected activity.” Retaliationover this activity is now among the top cate-gories of employee complaints filed and in-vestigated under Montana and federal law. Any action by an employer that would tend todissuade someone from such action providesbasis for a complaint—and a complaint willdivert your business’ time and resources.

Best practice? Don’t do it. The law pro-tects those who choose to speak up. Makesure your people all receive regular anti-dis-crimination training, and make sure your de-cision-making staff take it seriously.

If a discrimination complainthas been filed, keep it “businessas usual,” so long as you’re con-fident your policies and practicesare on the right track. If you’renot confident, get some helpfrom those who know and can betrusted—it’s probably not too late.Model policies are available sim-ply by contacting the HumanRights Bureau.

If performance problems doarise, don’t overlook them just

because an employee has complained. Don’tjust wait. Document what you find. Followyour policies. Adhere to a consistent practiceof following up on problems. If you apply dis-cipline, document your actions.

n Employees with disabilities or medicalissues affecting their work require yourattention. Medical issues often qualify anemployee for protections under the Ameri-cans with Disabilities Act. When an employeeraises medical concerns in the context of em-ployee work performance, ask simply, “Whatcan I do to help you be successful here?” Goodfaith interaction is your obligation, as well asthe employee’s, and good faith will get you onthe path to an effective accommodation.

In raising medical issues in the context ofwork, the employee need not voice any

“magic words,” or fill out a form to initiate theprocess. Focus first on what the employee isrequesting. Accommodation needs to be ef-fective, but it doesn’t necessarily need to beexactly what the employee requests.

Medical concerns don’t permit you todelve into an employee’s personal informa-tion, except that information necessary to de-termine if reasonable accommodation can bemade for an impairment that’s affecting per-formance of an essential job duty. JAN – theJob Accommodations Network – is a veryhelpful resource; just go to www.askjan.org tofind the information you need.

n Pregnant employees and those recover-ing from pregnancy must be provided rea-sonable maternity leave, and reinstated totheir previous job or an equivalent posi-tion. Best practice entails allowing maternityleave based on the advice of the employee’smedical provider. You may have to get some-one to fill in while the employee is gone, evenif it’s inconvenient. Probationary employees

have this same protection. Simplyproviding 12 weeks leave underthe FMLA, or six or eight weeksunder policy, may not be enoughto meet your obligation underMontana law.

The difference between agood employer and a bad em-ployer is not that good employersdon’t have discrimination com-plaints, but that good employersunderstand their rights and re-sponsibilities.


Learning from others is an element of success in all manners of endeavor.BY DENNIS UNSWORTH, Investigator, Department of Labor & Industry Montana Human Rights Bureau

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Know Your Rightsand Responsibilitiesas an Employer

pprenticeship is alive and kicking inthe 21st century because it’s stillone of the best developed training

models for teaching YOUR business’ skills toa new generation of workers. If your businesshas turnover, or can’t find the right skill set inprospective employees, then let’s talk ap-prenticeship!

Turnover is a business issue that at somepoint affects us all. Training is expensive, cost-ing your business thousands to bring new hiresup to speed. But what if you hire an apprentice;a high school junior or senior, or college fresh-man? They work for you 10 hours a week dur-ing the school year and full time during thesummer. You start training right now on all as-pects of your business, at a reduced cost be-cause apprentices work on a progressive wagescale. When apprentices know less, they getpaid less. When they know more and areadding to your bottom line, you pay them more.

They’re committed to you, and your busi-ness. You’ll know they have the skills theyneed to be an asset to your business, becauseyou are teaching them exactly what you needthem to know while they are simultaneouslytaking college courses. When they come on-board full-time, they are already productiveworkers. It’s a win-win situation—and howmany of those do you find today?

Every business has a unique skill setneeded to succeed and grow. No education,no matter how complete or inclusive, canteach someone the ins and outs of your busi-ness. But you can. Apprenticeship provides abridge between education and real life jobskills; skills only learned in the day in, day outbusiness routine. You learn a person’s employ-ability skills by seeing them in action every day,

allowing you to test drive an employee. Dothey have what it takes to survive in yourworld? Find out now, when it won’t cost you asmuch. Or hire an unknown graduate and hopeit turns out OK. What makes more sense foryour bottom line- test driven or blind hire? Formost business owners, it’s an easy answer.

Apprenticeship only thrives when busi-nesses thrive. It’s used to train highly techni-cal, specific business and occupational skillsin the best and oldest way known; on the job.So when you’re planning that next hire, gowith a proven winner. Hire an apprentice andpay on a progressive wage schedule whilethey learn.

Got your attention? Then take five minutesand explore www.apprenticeship.mt.gov tolearn what apprenticeship can offer your busi-ness. And contact our program—we’ll help youfigure out how apprenticeship can build yourbusiness and our Montana workforce.


Apprenticeship: Improving Your Bottom Line Be honest: you thought apprenticeship training died out with the turn of the century, and I don’t mean 1999!But it’s still going strong, and there’s a good reason.BY DARRELL HOLZER, State Director, Montana Department of Labor & Industry Apprenticeship & Training Program

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APPRENTICESHIP.MT.GOV

hese were recurring themes duringthe first-ever Strategic Safety forPublic Entities, held during Safe-

tyFestMT: Helena 2013. Strategic Safety for Public Entities aims to

improve worker safety through the sharing ofknowledge and resources. Its goals were to: Have public entities set the standard for

workplace safety by implementing safetymanagement principles, thus seeing safetyas an integral part of daily operations;

Boost operational excellence by reducingwork-related injuries;

Fully utilize the Montana Safety Culture Act.

Motivation for the class comes from theDLI Safety & Health Bureau, which is raisingawareness of how frequently Montana work-ers are injured at work, and how much thoseinjuries are costing the state’s economy.

The goal was to capture best practicesbeing used by public entities to set an exam-

ple how to establish excellent safety cultures.If these agencies pooled resources to createsynergy, safety expertise would increase andhelp stem Montana’s injury epidemic.

This class explained how implementingsafety boosts operational excellence by re-ducing work-related injuries and producinggreater quality services. It also established theconnection between safety and lower injuryrates, and helped develop a safety culture byutilizing the Montana Safety Culture Act.

The result? Safer workplaces, fewer in-juries, lower work comp factors and healthieremployees.

The class was well received. “This is thebest class I’ve attended in quite a while,” saidone participant. “The information and speak-ers were great!” said another.

Classes were taught by specialists from

each of the founding members: n MT University System: Mike Panisko.n MT Municipal Interlocal Authority: Thomas

Danenhower, John Cummings.n MT Association of Counties: Emelia

McEwen, Jim Muskovich.n MT DLI, Safety & Health Bureau: Bryan

Page, Tammy Lynn, Fred Miller.n MT Worker’s Comp Management Bureau:

Stephanie Grover, Joe Hamilton.Top take-aways from the class included:

Safety self-inspections in each depart-ment need to be done on an annual basis.

“It’s not about the money; it’s about theemployee going home safe. But the sav-ings in the back end are going to be con-siderable.”

“Critical thinking is almost a lost art intoday’s work place.”

MT workplace injury rates are higherthan the national average in all categories.If injury rates were reduced to nationalaverage, it would save $145 million.

In Montana, it takes 31 days longer thanthe national average for an injuredworker to return to work.

A strong Safety Committee is the mostcritical component in establishing an ef-fective safety culture.

How you treat the injured worker at be-ginning sets the tone for the rest of theprocess.

The next class is scheduled for Safe-tyFestMT: Missoula 2014, which will be March24 & 25 at the Hilton Garden Inn. Checkwww.safetyfestmt.com for more details.

“Make it real for the workers by showing them the big picture.” “Educate workers to get their buy-in.”“The best safety program involves everyone.”“Create a culture of caring, encourage people to help one another.”


Strategic SafetyBY FRED MILLER,

T

SAFETYFESTMT.COM


SafetyFestMTFree Safety Training Opportunities in Montana: We’re taking SafetyFestMT on the road, sothat Montanans from east to west, north to south can attend. Sessions are free to any Montanaworker and cover a variety of safety topics—from broad issues like creating a culture of safetyin your company to OSHA-Authorized training on confined spaces, fall protection and much,much more.

We encourage you, whether you work in the trades, on a farm or at the office, to attend anupcoming event in your area.

March 24-28 Missoula Hilton Garden Inn

May 20-22, Miles City TBA

August 12-14 Havre TBA

SafetyFestMT provides free workplace safety training and networking opportunities to anyMontana worker or business. If you have questions, need information, or are curious about exhibitor opportunities at any of our upcoming events, please contact Casey Kyler-West at(406) 444‑5267 or [email protected].

Assistance for Business Clinics (ABC)Each year the Montana Department of Labor and Industry in partnership with other state agen-cies, local Chambers of Commerce, Job Service Employee Committees (JSEC), and MontanaState University host Assistance for Business Clinics across the state.For more information, visit http://dli.mt.gov/abc/clinic.asp

April 17 Livingston Best Western Yellowstone

April 24 Kalispell Hilton Garden Inn

April 30 Helena Red Lion

May 7 Glasgow Glasgow Elks Club

May 8 Sidney Sidney Elks Lodge

May 9 Miles City Miles Community College Rm. 106

May 22 Bozeman Best Western Plus GranTree

May 30 Great Falls Holiday Inn

June 4 Missoula Ruby’s Inn & Convention Center

June 12 Havre MSU Northern-Applied Tech Bldg.

June 19 Billings MSU Downtown Campus

September 11 Polson Ninepipes Lodge (Charlo)

September 19 Lewistown Yogo Inn

September 25 Butte La Quinta Inn & Suites

October 2 Hamilton Bitterroot River Inn

Upcoming events

PRESORT STANDARDU.S. POSTAGEPAIDMONTANA DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND INDUSTRYHELENA MTPERMIT NO. G-59

PO Box 1728Helena, MT 59624-1728

www.dli.mt.gov

Main Street Memory

Interior view of the Arro Confectionary store, circa 1918, located in the Fergus County Realty building (built 1914) at 521 W. Main, Lewistown, Montana. Glass cases full of candy

line the left side. Photo from the Montana Memory Project.

montana workforcedli.mt.gov/portals/57/publications/dli-msm-042014.pdf · 2014-10-31 · montana...

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