Narrative: c.

Strategy for providing reemployment assistance to UI claimants and other unemployed individuals: A major component of Maine’s employment services focuses on the UI population. Maine’s BUC and BES are committed to working collaboratively to ensure that unemployed workers are treated as job seekers and not just claimants. Claimants are required to register for Maine’s JobLink (Maine’s labor exchange system). When a claimant files an initial claim for UI benefits through the ReEmpoyME system, the claimant is automatically registered with the MJL through an interface connection if no such prior registration exists. This provides the UI claimant with broad access to a wide variety of job opportunities to assist in their work search and efforts to attain new employment.

Through the MJL claimants and other job seekers will develop a resume as part of their registration for labor exchange. The resume will be printable for use in job search and  will be added to a resume bank available to employers to search for potential employees. This feature will ensure claimants and other job seekers start their efforts with a professional looking  resume and an automatic connection to employers in need of workers.

Maine is implementing a common triage process to ensure that all visitors to a one-stop are given individual attention, made aware of available services, and referred to appropriate information and/or services. This process centers on information that a one-stop staff will gather from each visitor. Answers to questions will trigger what information, services, and/or referrals are immediately offered. Staff across the state will use the same staff interview guide which was developed with suggestions on how to respond to needs identified during interview.

All customers will be informed of the menu of services available to them including information on:

• Upcoming job fairs,
• Job search workshops,
• Job search tools,
• Self-employment,
• Training/college options/opportunities,
• Apprenticeship,
• On the job training information and referrals,
• Veterans services,
• College financial aid information & FASFA workshop referrals,
• Vocational rehabilitation,
• Housing,
• Child care,
• Unemployment compensation,
• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF),
• Preparation for Hi-Set exam,
• Health care/Affordable Care Act, and
• General assistance program information and referrals.

The BUC and BES work closely together to ensure unemployed workers return to work, reduce the overall length of unemployment, lower exhaustion rates, reduce improper unemployment compensation (UC)payments, improve employment outcomes and earnings, and result in a higher re-employment rate for those receiving reemployment services through the one-stops than for those who do not. These collaborative efforts provide Maine’s unemployed claimants an entry point to reemployment services and other workforce system programs early in their collection of UC benefits.

Reemployment services are provided through WPRS using Maine’s profiling model for selection. Intensive and career services are delivered to those claimants profiled as “most likely to exhaust” their benefits. Although Maine is not currently participating in the RESEA program, as mentioned earlier, Maine is in the process of reintroducing it in FY ‘20. Maine will incorporate the WPRS profiling model in selecting participants for the new RESEA program model thus satisfying the WPRS requirements, while delivering reemployment services to a broader audience.

Claimants must first meet Maine’s profiling model and then will be randomly selected for participation by local American Job Center (AJC) area. All claimants selected are required to participate in WPRS intensive career services (soon to be replaced by RESEA). BES provides selected claimants with relevant reemployment services and assessments to help minimize the length of unemployment and encourage timely reemployment.

BUC will notify identified claimants by letter of their requirement and responsibility to attend RESEA/WPRS intensive and career services provided through the local one-stop service centers. BUC is in the process of incorporating a self-scheduler to allow claimants to select a time and date most suited to their availability in order to increase RESEA attendance rates and reduce rescheduling. Specialized reemployment services CareerCenter consultants are trained by BUC staff to identify potential unemployment compensation eligibility issues. Individuals who fail to attend or complete the required components of the initial RESEA session will automatically be set up for fact finding to determine if benefits will be allowed for good cause or suspended until participation in RESEA has taken place.

BES, operating out of the American Job Centers and affiliate sites, will administer RESEA/WPRS by providing an additional level of service to all selected participants as needed. A variety of reemployment services and options may include; development, expansion, or continuation of individual reemployment plans, provision of a relevant referral based on individual need for completion and intensive case management services.

All participants gain an introduction to a broad spectrum of career services, including:

• Staff assistance in acquiring needed reemployment and training services,
• Counseling in career decision-making and exploration of higher learning,
• Common intake and eligibility determinations for WIOA programs,
• Access to computer based online and job search programs and applications,
• Job search and placement assistance including labor market information and in-demand occupations,
• Information on how to access supportive services, orientations to training, and all other programs offered by WIOA and partners,
• Access to Maine’s JobLink and general internet access, and
• Core assessments that link vocational aptitudes and abilities to jobs.

The structured format design of RESEA/WPRS utilizes active engagement in development of individualized reemployment plans, enabling participants to independently activate/update their MJL profile. Laptops, as needed, are made available for job search activities, including internet job searches and job application submission. Reemployment services consultants work with individual participants to address and define needs and services. Upon comprehensive conclusion of the RESEA, claimants acknowledge and accept their individual needs based “relevant referral” (next steps to their reemployment goal) and complete this portion of the RESEA session.

Each RESEA participant will receive at minimum:

• • An unemployment compensation eligibility review including review of work search activities,
  • Relevant and individualized local labor market information, including live use of Maine’s Center for Workforce Research and Information (CDWRI) website,
  • Enrollment in Wagner Peyser Act funded employment services,
  • Development, review, and recommendations on an individualized reemployment ilan (IRP),
  • Individualized and relevant referrals to services, jobs, other agencies, and additional reemployment resources as needed,
  • An introduction and orientation to all the services the CareerCenter has to offer, including self-directed options and specific program eligibility,
  • Enhanced job matching and referral profile assistance in Maine’s JobLink
  • Participation in reemployment services at levels appropriate to meet individual participant needs may include the following:
    • • • Access to to job hunting in Maine guide,
        • Tools, tips, and strategies on conducting a successful job search,
        • Information on how to obtain further skill assessments and individualized job search services,
        • Introduction to USDOL’s online assessment and job search, tools, such as MySkills MyFuture™, O*NET tool, and My Next Move (aka Career Profiler), and
        • Coordination of activities with other programs and services.
• At least one of the following career services based on need:
  • Referral to training or other workforce activities including WIOA,
  • Labor exchange-in-demand industries,
  • Information on availability of community based or WIOA support services,
  • Financial aid resources outside of WIOA,
  • Financial literacy services, and
  • Career readiness including resume writing and interviewing.