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On Thursday, December 15, 2011, Helios partnered with the Easter Seals Veterans Employment Program (VEP) to assist with their ‘Job Prep Workshops’ which educates veterans on job search strategies, resume techniques, and current labor market information. The workshop included briefings and presentations from Helios and other employers looking to hire veterans. The workshop also included an employment panel where Helios was able to answer questions and exchange information on job search strategies with the veterans.
Program History
In July 2010, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Veterans’ Employment Training Service (VETS) awarded Easter Seals Greater Washington-Baltimore Region the opportunity to take on the Veteran Workforce Investment Program (VWIP) grant over the course of three years. Each year, funds will be allotted to provide career guidance, placement assistance, and green jobs training for eligible unemployed veterans who reside in Northern Virginia, Southern Maryland, and the District of Columbia. Jobs may include, though not limited to, weatherization, janitorial, administrative, construction, or computer trades/IT.
Military & Veterans Services
The crisis facing the nation in meeting the physical and mental health needs of the Armed Forces having served in Iraq and Afghanistan is overwhelming and continues to grow. Thousands of injured military service members are returning home with hopes of successfully transitioning to civilian life. Many communities are not equipped to respond appropriately to their unique need, nor are they aware of how to best work with military and Veterans systems in the process. Easter Seals’ Military & Veterans services respond to this call to action. As the largest provider of disability-related services to individuals with disabilities and their families, Easter Seals offers military and Veterans systems of care with viable options to support and augment current reintegration efforts.
Employment Services:
Employment services range from vocational assessments to community service opportunities and include work adjustment and skills training, computer skills training, job placement, and self employment programs. More than two thirds of Easter Seals affiliates provide workforce development services in 140 centers in 39 states. Easter Seals Oregon and Easter Seals Greater Washington Baltimore work specifically with Veterans through a grant from the Department of Labor. Other affiliates engaged in employment services for Veterans include Easter Seals Alabama, Easter Seals Colorado, Easter Seals East Georgia, Easter Seals Middle Georgia, Easter Seals Metropolitan Chicago, Easter Seals Crossroads, Easter Seals Iowa, Easter Seals West Kentucky, Easter Seals Northern Rocky Mountain, Easter Seals San Antonio, and Easter Seals Wisconsin.
For more information on the Easter Seals Veterans Employment Program click here: http://www.easterseals.com/site/PageServer?pagename=ntl_military_veterans
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Year-end seems to be a typical time when many organizations conduct their strategic planning process. An annual strategic plan sets organizational objectives and priorities for the coming year at a minimum. These plans will ideally address ‘Where are we now? Where are we going? and How are we going to get there?” I have seen executives get so excited about the planning process that they fail to implement an action strategy that is followed up with assignment of individual accountability.
According to Erica Olsen, the Virtual Strategist, there are 10 Common Pitfalls of strategic planning. These plans often lack:
- Ownership;
- Empowerment;
- Accountability;
- Communication; and
- Are Removed from daily operations;
- Are not aligned to the regular decision making process;
- Are overwhelming;
- Lack buy-in;
- Are only conducted annually and
- Are viewed as an event!
Erica has a great set of short videos that my friend Steve Gladis, Ph.D of Steve Gladis Leadership brought to my attention. You may find them helpful in designing your own strategic planning sessions.
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When someone mentions healthcare reform what exactly are they referring to? This term has become synonymous with The Affordable Care Act that was signed into law March 2010 by President Obama. The law, which rolls out over the next few years with most changes occurring in 2014, is a common topic in America’s boardrooms as companies develop their strategic plans for future growth. The decisions made in these boardrooms over the next few years will provide the backdrop for the future of healthcare coverage in the workplace.
The law was designed with the intention that medical coverage will not only become affordable for every American, but by 2014 each American will be required to have coverage. In addition, employers will be faced with the “Pay or Play” decision in 2014, which simply means that employees will either be provided healthcare by their employer (the Play option) or coverage will have to be purchased through an Exchange on an after tax basis (the Pay option). If employers choose to “Pay” rather than “Play”, employees will be forced to purchase healthcare coverage somewhere else.
The most recent changes that took place in 2011 include coverage for children up to the age of 26, removal of lifetime maximums from existing and new medical plans and no cost sharing for preventive healthcare. In addition, the exclusion of over the counter drugs paid by Flexible Spending accounts was enacted.
Going forward in 2012 employers will be required to report the value of employee health coverage on individual W2’s. The plan value will not be included as taxable income for employees. This W2 reporting is a tracking mechanism and was designed to support the 40% excise tax employers with high cost plans will be subject to in 2018. Employers will want to take a proactive approach and discuss these W2 requirements with their payroll providers to ensure they are planning for these upcoming changes.
As 2014 draws closer, the debate in Congress continues over healthcare reform. The issue is bipartisan and some organizations are jumping on the bandwagon by filing lawsuits claiming the law is unconstitutional. Whatever the outcome, the next few years are going to be very interesting as organizations decide whether or not to use a health plan as a competitive advantage in attracting top talent.
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The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Social Security Administration (SSA) have issuedthe cost of living increases for qualified retirement plans for 2012. The 401(k) elective deferral limit (i.e. 402(g)) has increased for 2012, but the catch-up contribution limit has remained unchanged.
Highlights of the limits for 2012 include the following:
- 401(k) elective deferral limit - $16, 500 in 2011 to $17, 000 in 2012
- Catch-up contribution limit - $5,500 in 2011 to $5,500 in 2012
- Section 415 limit (DC) - $49,000 in 2011 to $50,000 in 2012
- Section 415 limit (DB) - $195, 000 in 2011 to $200,000 in 2012
- Section 401(a)(17) includible compensation - $245, 000 in 2011 to $250,000 in 2012
- HCE definition - $110,000 in 2011 to $115, 000 in 2012
- Key employee definition - $160,000 in 2011 to $165,000 in 2012
- FICA taxable wage base - $106, 800 in 2011 to $110,100 in 2012
The full press release from the IRS announcing this year’s contribution limits can be found here.