Tag: Older Workers

On December 17, the Senate voted 67-32 to approve a $915 billion “megabus” spending package. The bill provides $10.7 billion to the Department of Labor’s Employment Training Administration (ETA), which administers several programs that support local Goodwill® agencies’ efforts to help people find jobs and advance in careers.

READ MORE from Congress’ Year-End Spending Agreement Includes Support for Programs Significant to Goodwill®

African-American man participants in automotive job training programIn response to a January 2011 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC), introduced the Streamlining Workforce Development Programs Act last week, which proposes to eliminate 33 existing training programs and consolidate them under four new workforce investment funds.

READ MORE from Proposed Legislation Aims to Consolidate Federal Job Training Programs

U.S. Capitol BuildingWhile election-year politics are expected to dominate the 2012 congressional session, a number of issues that Goodwill® cares about are likely to be up for discussion by Congress next year. In anticipation of these conversations, Goodwill has released its official public policy agenda for 2012.

READ MORE from Goodwill® Announces 2012 Public Policy Priorities

On November 16, Goodwill® took to Capitol Hill to brief Congress on our work with military families and present our latest white paper. Given the stubbornly bleak job market and constrained federal budgets, Goodwill calls for a continuum of coordinated services that address the unique needs and complex employment challenges facing veterans and military families. We also urge greater collaboration among the community-based providers, federal agencies and veteran service organizations.

READ MORE from Goodwill® Urges Congress to Support Employment for Veterans and Military Families

Diane in Ashtabula, OH, asks: "I recently read that the number of older people who want to work is greater than the number of available jobs, and that older workers who lose their jobs have a very hard time finding a new one. Like many people over the age of 50, I have a strong work ethic, maturity and the experience that employers need. My challenge is, how do I get employers to see the value of hiring me?"

READ MORE from Tips for Finding a Job as an Older Worker

Goodwill Industries® is proud to support National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). This year’s NDEAM theme is, “Profit by Investing in Workers with Disabilities.” For decades, Goodwill® agencies have trained and hired people with disabilities. Goodwill provided employment training and job services to more than 240,000 individuals with disabilities last year. people with disabilities, including youth, older workers, and military veterans. While more employers should recognize the value of hiring people with disabilities, Congress can also do more to increase their employment opportunities.

READ MORE from Goodwill Supports National Disability Awareness Month

Profit By Investing In Employees with Disabilities Rockville, MD — Slow economic growth means businesses, government and nonprofit organizations have to innovate to compete in a global economy. Communities need productive employees who will use their talent and creativity to produce results and grow our nation’s economy. October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month. Goodwill

READ MORE from Workers with Disabilities Can Help Our Economy Grow

In the midst of the wrangling taking place over temporary spending for FY 2012, U.S. House of Representatives and Senate committees that have jurisdiction over final FY 2012 spending measures are working on their respective bills. On Thursday, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved a bill to provide FY 2012 funding for the U.S. Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS), and Education. That bill proposes to provide $158 billion in discretionary funding for a wide range of programs including several programs that support local Goodwill agencies’ efforts to help people find jobs and advance in careers. The Senate FY 2012 Labor, HHS, Education bill would provide:

• Approximately $2.6 billion for the Workforce Investment Act’s Adult, Youth, and Dislocated Workers funding streams
• $100 million for a Workforce Innovation Fund, a decrease compared to approximately $124 million in FY 2011
• Nearly $450 million for the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP), the same amount provided in FY 2011
• More than $3.1 billion for vocational rehabilitation grants to states, an increase from nearly $3.1 billion in FY 2011
• Sufficient funds to maintain the maximum Pell grant award at $5,550.

READ MORE from Goodwill® Urges Smart Investments on the Jobs Front

Before coming to Goodwill®, I was out of work living in Hahira, GA, and struggling just to get gas money to come to Valdosta to look for a job. My primary work experience included auto sales and finance collections — I had 17 years in auto sales and 13 years in finance. To my disappointment, I was unable to find a job in those fields. I began looking at other careers, but my age of 65 seemed to hold me back, as many employers wanted to hire at younger ages. Besides being 65, I’m also a disabled veteran, so there were some physical requirements I was not able to meet for a lot of job openings.

READ MORE from My Story: Johnnie Parker

May is Older Americans Month when Americans take time to show their appreciation and support for older individuals who enrich and strengthen local communities across the country. While many of us recognize the enormous contributions of older Americans, “companies are also increasingly focusing on this segment of the American workforce and are offering older workers more flexible work options and helping them better balance work and family issues," says Deborah Russell, Director of Workforce Issues for the AARP, a nonprofit organization for people over 50. Read on to learn about Goodwill's tips to help older workers find employment and achieve economic self-sufficiency.

READ MORE from Job Searching Tips for Seniors