So, it's NOT "stranger than fiction" that Hollywood makes mistakes. You would think by now.....but that's why we have the EEOC! All employees should be aware of the role of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. This government agency exists to ensure that all employees are treated fairly, regardless of age, disability, national origin, veteran status, pregnancy, race, religion, retaliation, sex and sexual harassment.
There is no cost to file a charge or talk to an EEOC representative. You can call 1-800-669-4000, or go online to www.eeoc.gov. You can send email to info@eeoc.gov.
The EEOC is ready and able to help.
Do YOU think the majority of employee's KNOW ABOUT THE EEOC?
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
PRESS RELEASE 2-12-09
www.EEOC.gov
MOVIE PRODUCTION COMPANIES RESOLVE PREGNANCY DISCRIMINATION CASE WITH EEOC
“Stranger Than Fiction” Production Companies to Pay $75,000 to Pregnant Job Applicant
CHICAGO, Crick Pictures, L.L.C., and Mandate Pictures, L.L.C., will pay $75,000 to settle a federal pregnancy discrimination suit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today. The EEOC’s suit had charged that movie production companies Crick and Mandate refused to hire a pregnant job applicant, Cynthia Castillo-Hill, for a position as an extras casting assistant after they learned that she was expecting a baby. Castillo-Hill sought work on the film Stranger Than Fiction, which stars Will Ferrell.
The EEOC’s evidence in this case which included an e-mail from the hiring supervisor showed that the defendants believed that Castillo-Hill’s pregnancy would prevent her from being able to handle the stress and long hours associated with the job though her own doctor had indicated that the job was appropriate, explained EEOC Chicago District Office head Jack C. Rowe.
EEOC Regional Attorney John Hendrickson, who oversees all litigation for Chicago District Office, added, “It is just this sort of stereotypical decision making by an employer that is prohibited by federal law, and for good reasons.” Pregnancy discrimination violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended by the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978.
The consent decree settling the suit, signed by Judge Gottschall of U.S. District Court in Chicago today, provides that the defendants will pay the pregnant applicant and her attorneys a total of $75,000, less applicable taxes. The decree enjoins the companies from future pregnancy discrimination and retaliation. It also requires the defendants to provide training to their managers about the obligation to avoid discrimination. The EEOC suit was originally filed and captioned EEOC v. Crick Pictures, et al., Case No. 08 cv 5005, N.D. Illinois E. Div.
EEOC Trial Attorney Deborah Hamilton, who worked on the matter, said, “The Pregnancy Discrimination Act makes clear that pregnant job applicants must be judged on the basis of their job skills and abilities, not on the basis of their pregnancy. We are pleased that the defendants have joined in a voluntary resolution of this suit. All parties thus have saved further time and expense”.
EEOC Supervisory Trial Attorney Gregory Gochanour, who managed the agency’s litigation of the case, added, Ms. Castillo-Hill will receive meaningful compensation, and through the consent decree, protections are in place to ensure that future discrimination is avoided.
Federal Magistrate Judge Jeffrey Cole in Chicago had presided over a settlement conference that led to the resolution of this case.
The EEOC is responsible for enforcing federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination based on race, color, gender (including sexual harassment and pregnancy), religion, national origin, age, disability and retaliation. Further information about the EEOC is available on its web site at www.eeoc.gov.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Recession hitting minority job rolls
Have you been wondering how minorities are faring during this recession? What solutions does the federal stimulus package offer?
What do you think?
Chris Casey, a reporter for the Greeley Tribune has a finger on the pulse of the unemployment rate and what's in store for minorities...read on...
Recession hitting minority job rolls
By Chris Casey
Greeley Tribune
www.greeleytribune.com
Minorities rank disproportionately high on U.S. unemployment rolls, and without innovative programs to connect them to jobs, the gap could worsen under the massive federal stimulus package, according to a national Latino advocacy group.
Much of the $787 billion package’s job-training and educational investments are for existing programs, and those don’t always reach Latinos or other people with limited English-speaking skills, said Catherine Singley, a policy analyst with the National Council of La Raza’s Employment and Economic Policy Project. Job training targeted directly at these populations, including English as a Second Language classes, should be an emphasis in the stimulus package, she said.
“We want to make sure all workers are prepared to compete for worker opportunities, and make sure the disparity blacks and Latinos face in the labor market [is] not exacerbated by the new stimulus package,” Singley said.
Since the recession began, unemployment among minorities has outpaced the rest of the population, according to a study by the Center for American Progress, a labor and civil rights-oriented think tank.
Representatives from the National Council of La Raza and the Center for American Progress hosted a national teleconference this week called “Latinos and the Economy.”
Some unemployment figures, based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data, of the American Progress report:
» 9.7 percent — unemployment rate for Latinos in January 2009, an increase of 3.5 percentage points from December 2007 and the highest level since 1995;
» 12.6 percent — unemployment rate for blacks in January, an increase of 3.7 percentage points since December 2007 and the highest level since 1994;
» 6.9 percent — unemployment rate for Anglos, an increase of 2.5 percentage points since December 2007 and the highest level since 1983.
The report also highlighted earning gaps between groups:
» $535 — median weekly earnings of Latinos in fourth-quarter 2008.
» $593 — median weekly earnings of black workers in the period.
» $748 — median weekly earnings of Anglo workers in the period.
Singley said the Council of La Raza also is concerned that in the rush to get stimulus money out “we might sacrifice the chance to get new stakeholders to the table.” The package, she said, is a broad-reaching investment that might not reach the communities most in need.
She also said that Latinos accounted for 54 percent of the new labor participants in the U.S. labor market in 2008. “So if the success of the package is slowing the growth of unemployment, what happens when you add new workers? … That hasn’t been addressed.”
John Brick, spokesman for the Colorado Alliance for Immigration Reform, said he views language skills as a “small barrier” to unemployed Americans of all races seeking work.
“If you’re talking about stimulus package meat and potatoes — putting jobs on the table — I think most Americans, and those in the state of Colorado, have adequate language skills to get these jobs,” he said.
He said the alliance is disappointed that E-Verify, a program that checks workers’ immigration status, wasn’t required to be used by businesses receiving funds in the stimulus bill.
“I frame it, and CAIR frames this, more as a class problem rather than a race problem,” Brick said. “I think you’ll find there is a class of business that’s looking for cheap labor, has looked for cheap labor and anything along the way will look to bring in labor for the cheapest cost.”
Will Straw, associate director for economic policy at the Center for American Progress, said the stimulus package directs $4 billion for job training to help people who’ve lost jobs get retrained for new work options. He noted that the stimulus also boosts money for Pell Grants to help low-income people attend college and improve their marketability in the high-skill-oriented economy.
Singley, of the Council of La Raza, said the infrastructure piece of the stimulus — $150 billion will be directed to highways, bridges and other building projects — is where Latino workers can see the biggest employment boost.
“Our concern is where the jobs are going to be created and the types of skills required to link up to the new jobs,” she said. “Our emphasis is on targeted training to those with multiple barriers to get jobs, including a language barrier disparity.”
Chris Casey is a reporter for the Greeley Tribune in Greeley, Colorado. He can be reached at ccasey@greeleytrib.com.
What do you think?
Chris Casey, a reporter for the Greeley Tribune has a finger on the pulse of the unemployment rate and what's in store for minorities...read on...
Recession hitting minority job rolls
By Chris Casey
Greeley Tribune
www.greeleytribune.com
Minorities rank disproportionately high on U.S. unemployment rolls, and without innovative programs to connect them to jobs, the gap could worsen under the massive federal stimulus package, according to a national Latino advocacy group.
Much of the $787 billion package’s job-training and educational investments are for existing programs, and those don’t always reach Latinos or other people with limited English-speaking skills, said Catherine Singley, a policy analyst with the National Council of La Raza’s Employment and Economic Policy Project. Job training targeted directly at these populations, including English as a Second Language classes, should be an emphasis in the stimulus package, she said.
“We want to make sure all workers are prepared to compete for worker opportunities, and make sure the disparity blacks and Latinos face in the labor market [is] not exacerbated by the new stimulus package,” Singley said.
Since the recession began, unemployment among minorities has outpaced the rest of the population, according to a study by the Center for American Progress, a labor and civil rights-oriented think tank.
Representatives from the National Council of La Raza and the Center for American Progress hosted a national teleconference this week called “Latinos and the Economy.”
Some unemployment figures, based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data, of the American Progress report:
» 9.7 percent — unemployment rate for Latinos in January 2009, an increase of 3.5 percentage points from December 2007 and the highest level since 1995;
» 12.6 percent — unemployment rate for blacks in January, an increase of 3.7 percentage points since December 2007 and the highest level since 1994;
» 6.9 percent — unemployment rate for Anglos, an increase of 2.5 percentage points since December 2007 and the highest level since 1983.
The report also highlighted earning gaps between groups:
» $535 — median weekly earnings of Latinos in fourth-quarter 2008.
» $593 — median weekly earnings of black workers in the period.
» $748 — median weekly earnings of Anglo workers in the period.
Singley said the Council of La Raza also is concerned that in the rush to get stimulus money out “we might sacrifice the chance to get new stakeholders to the table.” The package, she said, is a broad-reaching investment that might not reach the communities most in need.
She also said that Latinos accounted for 54 percent of the new labor participants in the U.S. labor market in 2008. “So if the success of the package is slowing the growth of unemployment, what happens when you add new workers? … That hasn’t been addressed.”
John Brick, spokesman for the Colorado Alliance for Immigration Reform, said he views language skills as a “small barrier” to unemployed Americans of all races seeking work.
“If you’re talking about stimulus package meat and potatoes — putting jobs on the table — I think most Americans, and those in the state of Colorado, have adequate language skills to get these jobs,” he said.
He said the alliance is disappointed that E-Verify, a program that checks workers’ immigration status, wasn’t required to be used by businesses receiving funds in the stimulus bill.
“I frame it, and CAIR frames this, more as a class problem rather than a race problem,” Brick said. “I think you’ll find there is a class of business that’s looking for cheap labor, has looked for cheap labor and anything along the way will look to bring in labor for the cheapest cost.”
Will Straw, associate director for economic policy at the Center for American Progress, said the stimulus package directs $4 billion for job training to help people who’ve lost jobs get retrained for new work options. He noted that the stimulus also boosts money for Pell Grants to help low-income people attend college and improve their marketability in the high-skill-oriented economy.
Singley, of the Council of La Raza, said the infrastructure piece of the stimulus — $150 billion will be directed to highways, bridges and other building projects — is where Latino workers can see the biggest employment boost.
“Our concern is where the jobs are going to be created and the types of skills required to link up to the new jobs,” she said. “Our emphasis is on targeted training to those with multiple barriers to get jobs, including a language barrier disparity.”
Chris Casey is a reporter for the Greeley Tribune in Greeley, Colorado. He can be reached at ccasey@greeleytrib.com.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Top 10 Reasons Why People with Disabilities Should Work
IF you think it's a good idea for people with disabilities to work....If your disabled and you think it's a good idea to work or your looking for good reasons to work....Here's Some GREAT information on WHY PEOPLE WITH DISABLILITIES SHOULD WORK!
Plus I think Mr. Lavin opens the door for us to gain a broader understanding of what results we see from affirmative action programs and he has some practical advice for companies on how to hire people based on SKILLS instead.
Do you think WORK should allow you to invest your abilities for pay? Do you think hiring should be based on skill and talent? What do YOU think?
Top 10 Reasons Why People with Disabilities Should Work
by Don Lavin
Don Lavin is Vice President of a private, non-profit corporation that specializes in customized employment for unemployed and underemployed youth and adults with varied disabilities and employment challenges. His very informative and interesting blog is located at donlavin.blogspot.com.
Recently, I accepted an invitation to speak at a Statewide video conference entitled: The Meaning and Value of Employment of People with Disabilities in Minnesota. This video conference is being planned and sponsored by Pathways to Employment (PTE), Minnesota’s Medicaid Infrastructure Grant (MIG). The mission of PTE is to increase the competitive employment of people with disabilities and meet Minnesota's workforce needs by bringing together people with disabilities, employers, businesses, government, and providers.
This upcoming conference is dedicated to a discussion on real values of employment, beyond wages, from the perspective of workers with disabilities. The target audience for the video conference is people with disabilities and family members, County staff, providers of disability-related services, and advocates from all around the State of Minnesota. Appropriately, the event will include perspectives and views of people with disabilities as well as advocates working to promote competitive employment for working age adults with disabilities.
I will share my viewpoint and conclusions with the audience based on 32 years of management experience with employment and workforce development programs. And I intend to keep the discussion light and fun so I’ve decided to use a "David Letterman Top Ten" approach as I present the main reasons why youth and adults with disabilities should choose work as their first option. Here they are–
10. Work makes you feel good.
American author and philosopher, Henry David Thoreau, said it best- "What exercise is to the body, work is to the mind." Thoreau’s observation is not only correct but supported by employment related research. In the area of mental health, for example, supported employment has been identified as an evidenced-based practice (EBP) in recovery from a serious mental illness. New research tells us that people shouldn’t wait until they recover before they go to work. Rather, the opposite is apparently true– people tend to recover BECAUSE they go to work! There is little question that having an occupation is fundamental to human wellness and for so many reasons.
9. The workforce needs you.
Numerous workforce studies forecast labor shortages in the next decade including warnings about how impending baby boomer retirements will deplete the American workforce of critical talents. Also, studies document the challenges business are having finding skilled and unskilled labor across a spectrum of economic sectors. To illustrate, a recent study by Manpower, Inc. revealed 41% of American companies surveyed were having trouble filling jobs. Clearly, changing workforce demographics and dynamic economies in America are creating new opportunities for partnerships with private businesses. Now is the time to engage the employability of all interested and available workers with a wide range of skills and abilities.
I am a member of an employment leadership team in Minnesota that recently crafted a value proposition to communicate the importance of including everyone in our local workforce. Minnesota’s value proposition says this– "We need everyone in the workforce for businesses to thrive and communities to prosper."
And including everyone means tapping every available citizen who wants to work.
8. Work is a part of your identity.
Whenever we meet new people, a ritual of getting to know one another commonly ensues. Generally speaking, people are initially interested in asking us questions about who we are and where we live. And the third most likely inquiry is this– "What do you do?"
Indeed, having an occupation is highly valued in our American culture. A job becomes a central part of the fabric of who we are and contributes to how others see and relate to us. Kate Stepkin, a U.S. baker, put it this way– "Work is an essential part of being alive. Your work is your identity. It tells you who you are."
"What do you do?" And how should chronically unemployed individuals answer this question? Further, how does their answer shape self-esteem or contribute to valued roles in their community?
7. Work gives you a chance to meet new people.
Many national studies validate that people with disabilities experience high and chronic unemployment separating them from the social and economic fabric of their communities. To illustrate, the National Organization on Disability (NOD)/ Louis Harris Poll conducted a study in 2004 and found people with disabilities were more likely to experience high unemployment (65%) and discrimination. Conversely, they were less likely to socialize, eat out, or attend religious services than their counterparts who don’t have disabilities. In addition, this study found people with disabilities were less likely to report overall satisfaction with their lives with only 34% saying they were highly satisfied verses 61% of their counterparts.
To say it simply, social similarities attract and differences repel.
A working life gives people with disabilities an opportunity to meet and connect with others in their community. And this experience of friendship and collegial team work educates the public about the competence of people with disabilities to work and live in the mainstream of community life. Social integration is critical to widening opportunities, battling stereotypes, galvanizing human rights, and ensuring the American public’s support of universal design policies so no one is left behind and everyone is included.
6. Work provides life structures.
Work gives a fundamental purpose and meaning to our lives. It offers life structures and regular routines such as:
· how we spend our time
· what we spend our time doing
· where we spend our time
· who we spend our time with
· why spend our time in the way we do.
Work offers consistency in our schedule and fills structured time with challenges, social relationships, and activities that nurture personal growth.
5. Work allows you to invest your skills and talents for pay.
Contrary to stereotypes, myths, and half-truths, people with disabilities are real economic assets. And work enables people with disabilities to invest their time, skills, and talents to the economic gain of employers and themselves. As it is for all people, the real challenge is identifying, unlocking, marketing, and employing innate talents or acquired job skills.
Like the unique color of our eyes, texture of our hair, or other physical attributes, we are all born with individual gifts and talents to contribute. Sadly, potential contributions of individuals living with significant disabilities are often overlooked, dismissed, or underestimated. Individual talents, however, can be examined through creative processes such as "discovery" or "person-centered career planning."
Discovery and career planning are designed to study and assess potential economic contributions of youth or adults with significant disabilities. These procedures are not assessment tools for screening the appropriateness or suitability of working. Rather they are strategies for identifying and determining how talents, assets, and potential contributions can be marketed to private industry. Once these possibilities are identified, they can be marketed to prospective employers through traditional job placement approaches. Or, customized employment practices can be used to build job opportunities around the unique interests and skills of individuals receiving the employment assistance.
In my view, it seems like such a waste of talent when no clear effort is made to employ the skills or innate potential that virtually everyone holds. Why not exchange these talents for real pay?
4. Work contributes to greater independence and self-support.
Unless people work or happen to be independently wealthy, most rely on someone else or the government for their keep. For chronically unemployed individuals, gaining a measure of economic power in their lives increases autonomy and choices about many personal matters. Earning a competitive wage and other employment benefits contributes to one’s self-support and provides discretionary income empowering people to set short-term and long-term goals.
3. Work contributes to higher productivity and achievement.
Competitive employment enables people to use their strengths and practice their skills. This leads to higher levels of individual competency and achievement. In addition, work enables people to pool their talents with others to achieve something greater than themselves. When people reach tangible personal goals they've set for themselves, it fuels higher self-esteem and personal competence. And when people with disabilities contribute to attainment of a company’s business accomplishments, it educates and breaks down social and economic barriers to success.
2. Poverty sucks!
I remember a politically incorrect poster many years ago by Micheal O'Harro. The poster portrayed a rich man standing in front of his Rolls Royce sipping on a cocktail. Inscribed above the photo was a sarcastic message– "Poverty Sucks!" Well, it sure does. Money may not buy happiness but it sure helps people pay the bills and live a minimum standard of life that brings comforts and pleasures.
A colleague and friend of mine, Joe Maronne, said it best– "If you think working is stressful, try a lifetime of unemployment and poverty." Right on, Joe!
1. Why work? Because you CAN!!
If you live with a disability, there is no better time in history than now to consider work. Almost anyone can work if he or she chooses to, has a good plan, finds an interested employer, and has access to essential work and community supports. Today, we have improved work incentives and public policies, amazing technologies to increase accessibility and functionality, better public and private transportation systems, and more effective employment practices to customize jobs and deliver the job supports people need to contribute in the workforce.
Is "going to work" really that easy for most people with disabilities? Of course not. If it were, there would be more people working. There are still significant barriers to employment for many Americans with disabilities because of low expectations and lack of access to responsive services many people need to meet presenting challenges or overcome individual circumstances.
If you really want to work and you’re getting the run around, I highly recommend seeking out educational and adult service providers who observe an "employment first" philosophy and believe in your abilities to work. These are the providers who are most likely to deliver on your potential. And yes, it may take some time to find the right employer or develop a job that is good match to your abilities, but it will be well worth the wait.
There is a place in the American workforce for anyone who chooses to work. We need to find it, develop it, or if necessary, create it.
For all of these reasons, I say-Choose work!
Plus I think Mr. Lavin opens the door for us to gain a broader understanding of what results we see from affirmative action programs and he has some practical advice for companies on how to hire people based on SKILLS instead.
Do you think WORK should allow you to invest your abilities for pay? Do you think hiring should be based on skill and talent? What do YOU think?
Top 10 Reasons Why People with Disabilities Should Work
by Don Lavin
Don Lavin is Vice President of a private, non-profit corporation that specializes in customized employment for unemployed and underemployed youth and adults with varied disabilities and employment challenges. His very informative and interesting blog is located at donlavin.blogspot.com.
Recently, I accepted an invitation to speak at a Statewide video conference entitled: The Meaning and Value of Employment of People with Disabilities in Minnesota. This video conference is being planned and sponsored by Pathways to Employment (PTE), Minnesota’s Medicaid Infrastructure Grant (MIG). The mission of PTE is to increase the competitive employment of people with disabilities and meet Minnesota's workforce needs by bringing together people with disabilities, employers, businesses, government, and providers.
This upcoming conference is dedicated to a discussion on real values of employment, beyond wages, from the perspective of workers with disabilities. The target audience for the video conference is people with disabilities and family members, County staff, providers of disability-related services, and advocates from all around the State of Minnesota. Appropriately, the event will include perspectives and views of people with disabilities as well as advocates working to promote competitive employment for working age adults with disabilities.
I will share my viewpoint and conclusions with the audience based on 32 years of management experience with employment and workforce development programs. And I intend to keep the discussion light and fun so I’ve decided to use a "David Letterman Top Ten" approach as I present the main reasons why youth and adults with disabilities should choose work as their first option. Here they are–
10. Work makes you feel good.
American author and philosopher, Henry David Thoreau, said it best- "What exercise is to the body, work is to the mind." Thoreau’s observation is not only correct but supported by employment related research. In the area of mental health, for example, supported employment has been identified as an evidenced-based practice (EBP) in recovery from a serious mental illness. New research tells us that people shouldn’t wait until they recover before they go to work. Rather, the opposite is apparently true– people tend to recover BECAUSE they go to work! There is little question that having an occupation is fundamental to human wellness and for so many reasons.
9. The workforce needs you.
Numerous workforce studies forecast labor shortages in the next decade including warnings about how impending baby boomer retirements will deplete the American workforce of critical talents. Also, studies document the challenges business are having finding skilled and unskilled labor across a spectrum of economic sectors. To illustrate, a recent study by Manpower, Inc. revealed 41% of American companies surveyed were having trouble filling jobs. Clearly, changing workforce demographics and dynamic economies in America are creating new opportunities for partnerships with private businesses. Now is the time to engage the employability of all interested and available workers with a wide range of skills and abilities.
I am a member of an employment leadership team in Minnesota that recently crafted a value proposition to communicate the importance of including everyone in our local workforce. Minnesota’s value proposition says this– "We need everyone in the workforce for businesses to thrive and communities to prosper."
And including everyone means tapping every available citizen who wants to work.
8. Work is a part of your identity.
Whenever we meet new people, a ritual of getting to know one another commonly ensues. Generally speaking, people are initially interested in asking us questions about who we are and where we live. And the third most likely inquiry is this– "What do you do?"
Indeed, having an occupation is highly valued in our American culture. A job becomes a central part of the fabric of who we are and contributes to how others see and relate to us. Kate Stepkin, a U.S. baker, put it this way– "Work is an essential part of being alive. Your work is your identity. It tells you who you are."
"What do you do?" And how should chronically unemployed individuals answer this question? Further, how does their answer shape self-esteem or contribute to valued roles in their community?
7. Work gives you a chance to meet new people.
Many national studies validate that people with disabilities experience high and chronic unemployment separating them from the social and economic fabric of their communities. To illustrate, the National Organization on Disability (NOD)/ Louis Harris Poll conducted a study in 2004 and found people with disabilities were more likely to experience high unemployment (65%) and discrimination. Conversely, they were less likely to socialize, eat out, or attend religious services than their counterparts who don’t have disabilities. In addition, this study found people with disabilities were less likely to report overall satisfaction with their lives with only 34% saying they were highly satisfied verses 61% of their counterparts.
To say it simply, social similarities attract and differences repel.
A working life gives people with disabilities an opportunity to meet and connect with others in their community. And this experience of friendship and collegial team work educates the public about the competence of people with disabilities to work and live in the mainstream of community life. Social integration is critical to widening opportunities, battling stereotypes, galvanizing human rights, and ensuring the American public’s support of universal design policies so no one is left behind and everyone is included.
6. Work provides life structures.
Work gives a fundamental purpose and meaning to our lives. It offers life structures and regular routines such as:
· how we spend our time
· what we spend our time doing
· where we spend our time
· who we spend our time with
· why spend our time in the way we do.
Work offers consistency in our schedule and fills structured time with challenges, social relationships, and activities that nurture personal growth.
5. Work allows you to invest your skills and talents for pay.
Contrary to stereotypes, myths, and half-truths, people with disabilities are real economic assets. And work enables people with disabilities to invest their time, skills, and talents to the economic gain of employers and themselves. As it is for all people, the real challenge is identifying, unlocking, marketing, and employing innate talents or acquired job skills.
Like the unique color of our eyes, texture of our hair, or other physical attributes, we are all born with individual gifts and talents to contribute. Sadly, potential contributions of individuals living with significant disabilities are often overlooked, dismissed, or underestimated. Individual talents, however, can be examined through creative processes such as "discovery" or "person-centered career planning."
Discovery and career planning are designed to study and assess potential economic contributions of youth or adults with significant disabilities. These procedures are not assessment tools for screening the appropriateness or suitability of working. Rather they are strategies for identifying and determining how talents, assets, and potential contributions can be marketed to private industry. Once these possibilities are identified, they can be marketed to prospective employers through traditional job placement approaches. Or, customized employment practices can be used to build job opportunities around the unique interests and skills of individuals receiving the employment assistance.
In my view, it seems like such a waste of talent when no clear effort is made to employ the skills or innate potential that virtually everyone holds. Why not exchange these talents for real pay?
4. Work contributes to greater independence and self-support.
Unless people work or happen to be independently wealthy, most rely on someone else or the government for their keep. For chronically unemployed individuals, gaining a measure of economic power in their lives increases autonomy and choices about many personal matters. Earning a competitive wage and other employment benefits contributes to one’s self-support and provides discretionary income empowering people to set short-term and long-term goals.
3. Work contributes to higher productivity and achievement.
Competitive employment enables people to use their strengths and practice their skills. This leads to higher levels of individual competency and achievement. In addition, work enables people to pool their talents with others to achieve something greater than themselves. When people reach tangible personal goals they've set for themselves, it fuels higher self-esteem and personal competence. And when people with disabilities contribute to attainment of a company’s business accomplishments, it educates and breaks down social and economic barriers to success.
2. Poverty sucks!
I remember a politically incorrect poster many years ago by Micheal O'Harro. The poster portrayed a rich man standing in front of his Rolls Royce sipping on a cocktail. Inscribed above the photo was a sarcastic message– "Poverty Sucks!" Well, it sure does. Money may not buy happiness but it sure helps people pay the bills and live a minimum standard of life that brings comforts and pleasures.
A colleague and friend of mine, Joe Maronne, said it best– "If you think working is stressful, try a lifetime of unemployment and poverty." Right on, Joe!
1. Why work? Because you CAN!!
If you live with a disability, there is no better time in history than now to consider work. Almost anyone can work if he or she chooses to, has a good plan, finds an interested employer, and has access to essential work and community supports. Today, we have improved work incentives and public policies, amazing technologies to increase accessibility and functionality, better public and private transportation systems, and more effective employment practices to customize jobs and deliver the job supports people need to contribute in the workforce.
Is "going to work" really that easy for most people with disabilities? Of course not. If it were, there would be more people working. There are still significant barriers to employment for many Americans with disabilities because of low expectations and lack of access to responsive services many people need to meet presenting challenges or overcome individual circumstances.
If you really want to work and you’re getting the run around, I highly recommend seeking out educational and adult service providers who observe an "employment first" philosophy and believe in your abilities to work. These are the providers who are most likely to deliver on your potential. And yes, it may take some time to find the right employer or develop a job that is good match to your abilities, but it will be well worth the wait.
There is a place in the American workforce for anyone who chooses to work. We need to find it, develop it, or if necessary, create it.
For all of these reasons, I say-Choose work!
Friday, February 13, 2009
Blacks, Hispanics more likely to be stopped in W Va
"Although nearly 94 percent of the drivers stopped were white, the study found that blacks and Hispanics were at least 1.5 times more likely to be stopped by police. And once stopped, the study found, they were more likely to be arrested or receive a citation."
Surprised? Do YOU think this is "racial profiling"? If it's not, what else is it! Please FEEL FREE to click on "Add Comments" and TALK TO US (link located at end of story)....this article and MORE at our website - www.minorityjobs.net.
Original Article: Feb 10 2009, 18:52 Eastern Time
By BRIAN FARKAS
Associated Press Writer
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) A study commisioned by lawmakers on alleged racial profiling by West Virginia police shows black and Hispanic motorists are more likely to be stopped and searched than whites.
Lawmakers authorized the Division of Criminal Justice study to resolve racial profiling accusations against law enforcement officials. The study presented to lawmakers Monday was based on 301,479 traffic stops recorded by police across West Virginia between April 2007 and September 2008.
“It doesn't answer the question of whether racial profiling is taking place,'' said Stephen Haas, director of the division's statistical analysis center. “It does answer the question of disparity of whites, blacks and Hispanics.''
Although nearly 94 percent of the drivers stopped were white, the study found that blacks and Hispanics were at least 1.5 times more likely to be stopped by police. And once stopped, the study found, they were more likely to be arrested or receive a citation.
Also, blacks and Hispanics were at least twice as likely to be searched.
However, the study showed that once searched, whites were more likely to have drugs and other contraband on them than either blacks or Hispanics.
“The fact that they are being searched at higher rates then whites, but less contraband is being found, it raises questions as to what were the reasons for the stop and search,'' Haas said.
Franklin Crabtree, executive director of the state's American Civil Liberties Union chapter, said researchers might not be able to say racial profiling exists, but circumstantial evidence suggests it.
“This study indicates we civil libertarians have a lot of work to do in West Virginia,'' he said.
The ACLU sued the city of Charleston in 2002 after city police stopped a vehicle with three black students who were participating in a leadership program at West Virginia State College.
West Virginia NAACP President Kenneth Hale said in a statement that the results aren't surprising. But Hale said it's disappointing to see “that people of color are still being disproportionally singled out to be stopped and searched when they travel on the state's roads.''
The Legislature has been debating racial profiling since 2002. Lawmakers adopted the Racial Profiling Data Collection Act in 2004 and approved rules governing the study in 2006.
The study required officers to note the type of violation the vehicle was stopped for and whether the officers issued a citation, warning or took no action. They also must note the time and day of each stop, how long the stop lasted and the patrol area and county where the stop occurred.
Information was collected by city police, county sheriff's deputies and state police troopers.
Speeding was the most common reason for a traffic stop. And only 4.6 percent of all stops resulted in a search, the study found. Contraband was not found in 53.6 percent of the searches.
The study said disparity ratios were highest in Barbour, Berkeley, Hardy, Jefferson, Preston and Summers counties. Minority drivers were two-and-a-half to six times more likely to be searched in Calhoun, Doddridge, Gilmer, Hardy, Mason, Mineral, Mingo, Pleasants, Randolph and Wirt counties.
Among cities, Parkersburg recorded the highest disparity with blacks more then twice as likely to be stopped then white drivers. Charleston led in searches with blacks being nearly five times more likely to be searched.
Despite the higher search rates for black drivers in Charleston, Beckley, Huntington and Wheeling, the report said the contraband “hit'' rate for blacks was lower than for whites.
Among county sheriff's departments, Putnam County led the state with blacks nearly 2.5 times more likely to be stopped and 3.5 times more likely to be searched.
Blacks were 4.5 times as likely to be searched by state troopers assigned to the Parkersburg detachment, and three times as likely by troopers attached to the South Charleston detachment, the study said.
Officials the state sheriff's association and fraternal order of police did not immediately return calls seeking comment.
State Police Sgt. Michael Baylous said Tuesday the agency had not seen the report, but troopers stopped filling out the forms on Jan. 1.
Haas said it will be up to the Legislature to decide if additional studies are needed.
House Judiciary Chairwoman Carrie Webster, D-Kanawha, co-sponsored the study legislation in 2006.
Webster said Tuesday night said law enforcement agencies outside the State Police objected to the data collection over concerns it was redundant and time consuming.
“There was quite a bit of resistance,'' she said.
In the meantime, Crabtree said the study is a “really good step. At least we have a good idea of what we're dealing with.''
Surprised? Do YOU think this is "racial profiling"? If it's not, what else is it! Please FEEL FREE to click on "Add Comments" and TALK TO US (link located at end of story)....this article and MORE at our website - www.minorityjobs.net.
Original Article: Feb 10 2009, 18:52 Eastern Time
By BRIAN FARKAS
Associated Press Writer
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) A study commisioned by lawmakers on alleged racial profiling by West Virginia police shows black and Hispanic motorists are more likely to be stopped and searched than whites.
Lawmakers authorized the Division of Criminal Justice study to resolve racial profiling accusations against law enforcement officials. The study presented to lawmakers Monday was based on 301,479 traffic stops recorded by police across West Virginia between April 2007 and September 2008.
“It doesn't answer the question of whether racial profiling is taking place,'' said Stephen Haas, director of the division's statistical analysis center. “It does answer the question of disparity of whites, blacks and Hispanics.''
Although nearly 94 percent of the drivers stopped were white, the study found that blacks and Hispanics were at least 1.5 times more likely to be stopped by police. And once stopped, the study found, they were more likely to be arrested or receive a citation.
Also, blacks and Hispanics were at least twice as likely to be searched.
However, the study showed that once searched, whites were more likely to have drugs and other contraband on them than either blacks or Hispanics.
“The fact that they are being searched at higher rates then whites, but less contraband is being found, it raises questions as to what were the reasons for the stop and search,'' Haas said.
Franklin Crabtree, executive director of the state's American Civil Liberties Union chapter, said researchers might not be able to say racial profiling exists, but circumstantial evidence suggests it.
“This study indicates we civil libertarians have a lot of work to do in West Virginia,'' he said.
The ACLU sued the city of Charleston in 2002 after city police stopped a vehicle with three black students who were participating in a leadership program at West Virginia State College.
West Virginia NAACP President Kenneth Hale said in a statement that the results aren't surprising. But Hale said it's disappointing to see “that people of color are still being disproportionally singled out to be stopped and searched when they travel on the state's roads.''
The Legislature has been debating racial profiling since 2002. Lawmakers adopted the Racial Profiling Data Collection Act in 2004 and approved rules governing the study in 2006.
The study required officers to note the type of violation the vehicle was stopped for and whether the officers issued a citation, warning or took no action. They also must note the time and day of each stop, how long the stop lasted and the patrol area and county where the stop occurred.
Information was collected by city police, county sheriff's deputies and state police troopers.
Speeding was the most common reason for a traffic stop. And only 4.6 percent of all stops resulted in a search, the study found. Contraband was not found in 53.6 percent of the searches.
The study said disparity ratios were highest in Barbour, Berkeley, Hardy, Jefferson, Preston and Summers counties. Minority drivers were two-and-a-half to six times more likely to be searched in Calhoun, Doddridge, Gilmer, Hardy, Mason, Mineral, Mingo, Pleasants, Randolph and Wirt counties.
Among cities, Parkersburg recorded the highest disparity with blacks more then twice as likely to be stopped then white drivers. Charleston led in searches with blacks being nearly five times more likely to be searched.
Despite the higher search rates for black drivers in Charleston, Beckley, Huntington and Wheeling, the report said the contraband “hit'' rate for blacks was lower than for whites.
Among county sheriff's departments, Putnam County led the state with blacks nearly 2.5 times more likely to be stopped and 3.5 times more likely to be searched.
Blacks were 4.5 times as likely to be searched by state troopers assigned to the Parkersburg detachment, and three times as likely by troopers attached to the South Charleston detachment, the study said.
Officials the state sheriff's association and fraternal order of police did not immediately return calls seeking comment.
State Police Sgt. Michael Baylous said Tuesday the agency had not seen the report, but troopers stopped filling out the forms on Jan. 1.
Haas said it will be up to the Legislature to decide if additional studies are needed.
House Judiciary Chairwoman Carrie Webster, D-Kanawha, co-sponsored the study legislation in 2006.
Webster said Tuesday night said law enforcement agencies outside the State Police objected to the data collection over concerns it was redundant and time consuming.
“There was quite a bit of resistance,'' she said.
In the meantime, Crabtree said the study is a “really good step. At least we have a good idea of what we're dealing with.''
Should Schools Be Rewarded for Gains For Poor and Minority Students?
This is a good question, don't you think? Even if your on the fence about affirmative action and you, of course, support government funding for education...do you think it's fair to give MORE to schools that have more of a minority population? Is that fair to other schools? And how do you think that changes the educational system?
Join our blog! Add a comment at the end of this story!
For more articles like this one; join our blog and check out our website at www.minorityjobs.net.
School restructuring costs spark concerns
Mainland firms reap most of the benefits from the No Child Left Behind law
Courtesy of: Alexandre Da Silva, Star Bulletin – Honululu, Hawaii
www.Starbulletin.com
It takes more than $65 million to turn around failing schools.
The tab for the past four years helped scores of public schools unable to keep up with the demands of the federal No Child Left Behind law.
Districts have used funds to offer extra support or hire private educational agencies to work with struggling schools.
But the growing price tag to fix problem schools is concerning some state Board of Education members.
"We are sending an awful lot of money out of state," school board member John Penebacker said about contracts awarded to mainland firms. "We need to build the expertise in state."
This academic year, Hawaii is spending $27.2 million to assist 75 schools. The campuses have failed to meet annual progress goals of the federal law, which requires every student to be proficient in reading and math by 2014.
Most of the money, $14.9 million, is paying for three companies to assist 42 schools target lessons to students needing the most help. Another $12.3 million is going to administrators to support 33 schools. Some principals are defending the value of educational consultants, saying it takes time to improve schools.
Costs of helping Hawaii public schools failing the No Child Left Behind law have more than doubled from last year to $27.2 million as a record number of campuses flunked annual goals for reading and math.
So far, results have been mixed about whether the infusion of cash over the years has led to better grades.
Read the rest of the story at: http://www.starbulletin.com/news/20090208_School_restructuring_costs_spark_concerns.html#fullstory
Join our blog! Add a comment at the end of this story!
For more articles like this one; join our blog and check out our website at www.minorityjobs.net.
School restructuring costs spark concerns
Mainland firms reap most of the benefits from the No Child Left Behind law
Courtesy of: Alexandre Da Silva, Star Bulletin – Honululu, Hawaii
www.Starbulletin.com
It takes more than $65 million to turn around failing schools.
The tab for the past four years helped scores of public schools unable to keep up with the demands of the federal No Child Left Behind law.
Districts have used funds to offer extra support or hire private educational agencies to work with struggling schools.
But the growing price tag to fix problem schools is concerning some state Board of Education members.
"We are sending an awful lot of money out of state," school board member John Penebacker said about contracts awarded to mainland firms. "We need to build the expertise in state."
This academic year, Hawaii is spending $27.2 million to assist 75 schools. The campuses have failed to meet annual progress goals of the federal law, which requires every student to be proficient in reading and math by 2014.
Most of the money, $14.9 million, is paying for three companies to assist 42 schools target lessons to students needing the most help. Another $12.3 million is going to administrators to support 33 schools. Some principals are defending the value of educational consultants, saying it takes time to improve schools.
Costs of helping Hawaii public schools failing the No Child Left Behind law have more than doubled from last year to $27.2 million as a record number of campuses flunked annual goals for reading and math.
So far, results have been mixed about whether the infusion of cash over the years has led to better grades.
Read the rest of the story at: http://www.starbulletin.com/news/20090208_School_restructuring_costs_spark_concerns.html#fullstory
Monday, February 9, 2009
Minority recruitment kicks into higher gear at CAES
Here's an article about the Dept of Agriculture Multicultural Scholars Grant and how it could and does work for today's students! More like this at www.minorityjobs.net.
USDA grants help college better diversify its student population.
By Stephanie Schupska
University of Georgia
When Ron Walcott talked to high school students at a recent Georgia Daze breakfast, he had five new ways to entice them to come to the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences – five, full-ride scholarships for minority students.
The scholarships, funded by a U.S. Department of Agriculture multicultural scholars grant, are welcome news as the college and the agricultural industries they support work to recruit more minorities into agriculture-related careers.
“There are all these jobs over here through our college, and all these people who need jobs who are not in our college. There’s a big disconnect,” said Walcott, who is the CAES assistant dean for diversity and multiculturalism and an associate professor of plant pathology. “The jobs that are here are very fruitful and rewarding.”
CAES graduates are in jobs from Chick-fil-A corporate offices to Capitol Hill.
They’ve gone on to work at top-level jobs in horticulture, poultry science, food science and engineering. They now work for various government agencies, in forensic pathology and as environmental advocates.
When Walcott is talking to highly qualified minority students through various CAES programs like the Georgia Daze breakfast and the Young Scholars Program, a full ride from other universities is often what pulls them away from UGA.
The summer-long Young Scholars Program allows high school students who show a high aptitude in math and science to intern in CAES labs.
“We have to have something to offer them,” said Jean Bertrand, CAES assistant dean of academic affairs. “They’re going because of such good scholarships. Receiving these scholarships is the only way we could compete.”
CAES has slightly higher minority numbers than other UGA colleges.
“CAES is fortunate to have many talented faculty dedicated to diversity,” said Louise Wicker, a CAES professor of food science and technology.
In the past year, CAES received two USDA grants – the $150,000 multicultural scholars grant and a $142,000 higher education challenge grant. The HEC grant, directed by Wicker, helps undergraduate minority students gain research and job experience in UGA labs at the Athens, Tifton and Griffin campuses. It also provides funds for faculty, staff and students to improve their mentorship skills in science, technology, engineering and math.
Walcott is developing a network of high school teachers who serve underrepresented populations in Georgia’s metro areas. He wants to show them what agricultural careers really entail so they will send students his direction.
In the past few years, CAES has seen a slight increase in minority populations. In 2007, CAES had 55 Asian students, or 3.9 percent of the population, up from 33 students in 2003. In 2007, the college had 62 African-American students, or 4.3 percent of the population, up from 35 students in 2003.
In fall 2008, CAES had 1,588 undergraduate and 414 graduate students, a record enrollment.
“We need a more diverse pool of students to serve the more diverse industry,” Bertrand said. “And we need our industry to become more diverse to serve our even more diverse society.”
Walcott said one way to entice students into ag-related majors is to get agriculture on their radars. Most don’t know about agriculture or what they know is wrong. Whether they make it a career or are simply advocate for agriculture, he wants them to think, “Oh, ag. Oh, that’s so cool.”
He sees education as the “only real way you can change your class, your chance to earn money and your outlook on life in your lifetime,” he said.
Walcott grew up in Barbados. Instead of making basketball a career or becoming a medical doctor, he moved to Iowa State University and went into plant pathology.
(Stephanie Schupska is a news editor for the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.)
USDA grants help college better diversify its student population.
By Stephanie Schupska
University of Georgia
When Ron Walcott talked to high school students at a recent Georgia Daze breakfast, he had five new ways to entice them to come to the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences – five, full-ride scholarships for minority students.
The scholarships, funded by a U.S. Department of Agriculture multicultural scholars grant, are welcome news as the college and the agricultural industries they support work to recruit more minorities into agriculture-related careers.
“There are all these jobs over here through our college, and all these people who need jobs who are not in our college. There’s a big disconnect,” said Walcott, who is the CAES assistant dean for diversity and multiculturalism and an associate professor of plant pathology. “The jobs that are here are very fruitful and rewarding.”
CAES graduates are in jobs from Chick-fil-A corporate offices to Capitol Hill.
They’ve gone on to work at top-level jobs in horticulture, poultry science, food science and engineering. They now work for various government agencies, in forensic pathology and as environmental advocates.
When Walcott is talking to highly qualified minority students through various CAES programs like the Georgia Daze breakfast and the Young Scholars Program, a full ride from other universities is often what pulls them away from UGA.
The summer-long Young Scholars Program allows high school students who show a high aptitude in math and science to intern in CAES labs.
“We have to have something to offer them,” said Jean Bertrand, CAES assistant dean of academic affairs. “They’re going because of such good scholarships. Receiving these scholarships is the only way we could compete.”
CAES has slightly higher minority numbers than other UGA colleges.
“CAES is fortunate to have many talented faculty dedicated to diversity,” said Louise Wicker, a CAES professor of food science and technology.
In the past year, CAES received two USDA grants – the $150,000 multicultural scholars grant and a $142,000 higher education challenge grant. The HEC grant, directed by Wicker, helps undergraduate minority students gain research and job experience in UGA labs at the Athens, Tifton and Griffin campuses. It also provides funds for faculty, staff and students to improve their mentorship skills in science, technology, engineering and math.
Walcott is developing a network of high school teachers who serve underrepresented populations in Georgia’s metro areas. He wants to show them what agricultural careers really entail so they will send students his direction.
In the past few years, CAES has seen a slight increase in minority populations. In 2007, CAES had 55 Asian students, or 3.9 percent of the population, up from 33 students in 2003. In 2007, the college had 62 African-American students, or 4.3 percent of the population, up from 35 students in 2003.
In fall 2008, CAES had 1,588 undergraduate and 414 graduate students, a record enrollment.
“We need a more diverse pool of students to serve the more diverse industry,” Bertrand said. “And we need our industry to become more diverse to serve our even more diverse society.”
Walcott said one way to entice students into ag-related majors is to get agriculture on their radars. Most don’t know about agriculture or what they know is wrong. Whether they make it a career or are simply advocate for agriculture, he wants them to think, “Oh, ag. Oh, that’s so cool.”
He sees education as the “only real way you can change your class, your chance to earn money and your outlook on life in your lifetime,” he said.
Walcott grew up in Barbados. Instead of making basketball a career or becoming a medical doctor, he moved to Iowa State University and went into plant pathology.
(Stephanie Schupska is a news editor for the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.)
Women and minorities are least likely to receive the benefit of new construction jobs
Heard of "TENS"? Is Public Transit in Crisis? More on minorities and jobs at www.minorityjobs.net
Jobs & Transit Money Needed in Stimulus Bill, Groups Say
National Coalition Warns That Huge Package Must Help The Needy
Mass Transit Systems Are In Crisis in Many Cities, Coalition Claims
The stimulus bill must result in more funds for mass transit and more jobs for women and minorities essential, according to a national coalition of more than 300 groups called the Transportation Equity Network (TEN). The organizations are working to get Congress to make sure the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) includes
- increases in operating funds for public transit systems,
- pledges for hundreds of thousands of work hours for low-income people on construction projects, and
- significantly more funds for job training.
ARRA is being debated in the Senate this week.
"We believe that public transit is in crisis. Just in St. Louis, the transit system is laying off 600 workers and mothballing 165 buses. How are people supposed to get to work?" said Ron Trimmer, a TEN board member in the East St. Louis area. "New York, Washington, DC, Atlanta and Denver are all considering raising bus and train fares and slashing service. We must fund the operating costs for public transit in the stimulus bill."
"The package must also include more low-income people in its construction jobs. It can be done - you can have a large project, include low-income folks, and get it done on time," said Dr. Todd Swanstrom of University of Missouri - St. Louis.
In Illinois and Missouri, TEN worked with local groups like Metropolitan Congregations United and United Congregations of the Metro East to create a model jobs project on the rebuilding of Interstate 64. Now, 27 percent of the people who are working on the project are low-income folks, women and minorities.
"The Road to Good Jobs", authored by Swanstrom, examined minority and female employment in 25 metro areas and found that white males dominate construction work, regardless of the racial and gender makeup of the local workforce as a whole. Though representing half of the population, women held only a small percentage of construction jobs, ranging from a high of nine percent in Cincinnati to a low of one percent in Cleveland. This was true despite the fact that construction has become increasingly mechanized. The authors contend that a female share of 25 percent would be an appropriate level of participation.
"With ARRA, we have an extraordinary opportunity to ensure that women and minorities receive a fair chance at this opportunity to earn a decent wage," said Laura Barrett of the Gamaliel Foundation and the Transportation Equity Network. "A signficant percent of the construction jobs funded by ARRA must be reserved to those who need them most. Also, we have a chance to protect the original 'green job,' driving buses and trains, from being cut in city after city. We must ensure that these 'green' and union jobs do not disappear while the need for mass transit is greater than ever."
Updated Road to GOOD Jobs Study looks at who benefits from construction jobs
This year's study, Road to Good Jobs: Patterns of Employment in the Construction Industry, evaluates the construction workforce in the nation's 25 largest metro areas and shows that women and minorities are least likely to receive the benefit of construction jobs. The report, an expansion of last year’s first-ever such study, also notes that building public transit and maintaining highways would create more – and greener – jobs than building highways.
More information is available at transportationequity.org
Contact: Laura Barrett, 314-443-5915, Dr. Ron Trimmer, 618-604-6216, Dr. Todd Swanstrom, 314-960-1715
Jobs & Transit Money Needed in Stimulus Bill, Groups Say
National Coalition Warns That Huge Package Must Help The Needy
Mass Transit Systems Are In Crisis in Many Cities, Coalition Claims
The stimulus bill must result in more funds for mass transit and more jobs for women and minorities essential, according to a national coalition of more than 300 groups called the Transportation Equity Network (TEN). The organizations are working to get Congress to make sure the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) includes
- increases in operating funds for public transit systems,
- pledges for hundreds of thousands of work hours for low-income people on construction projects, and
- significantly more funds for job training.
ARRA is being debated in the Senate this week.
"We believe that public transit is in crisis. Just in St. Louis, the transit system is laying off 600 workers and mothballing 165 buses. How are people supposed to get to work?" said Ron Trimmer, a TEN board member in the East St. Louis area. "New York, Washington, DC, Atlanta and Denver are all considering raising bus and train fares and slashing service. We must fund the operating costs for public transit in the stimulus bill."
"The package must also include more low-income people in its construction jobs. It can be done - you can have a large project, include low-income folks, and get it done on time," said Dr. Todd Swanstrom of University of Missouri - St. Louis.
In Illinois and Missouri, TEN worked with local groups like Metropolitan Congregations United and United Congregations of the Metro East to create a model jobs project on the rebuilding of Interstate 64. Now, 27 percent of the people who are working on the project are low-income folks, women and minorities.
"The Road to Good Jobs", authored by Swanstrom, examined minority and female employment in 25 metro areas and found that white males dominate construction work, regardless of the racial and gender makeup of the local workforce as a whole. Though representing half of the population, women held only a small percentage of construction jobs, ranging from a high of nine percent in Cincinnati to a low of one percent in Cleveland. This was true despite the fact that construction has become increasingly mechanized. The authors contend that a female share of 25 percent would be an appropriate level of participation.
"With ARRA, we have an extraordinary opportunity to ensure that women and minorities receive a fair chance at this opportunity to earn a decent wage," said Laura Barrett of the Gamaliel Foundation and the Transportation Equity Network. "A signficant percent of the construction jobs funded by ARRA must be reserved to those who need them most. Also, we have a chance to protect the original 'green job,' driving buses and trains, from being cut in city after city. We must ensure that these 'green' and union jobs do not disappear while the need for mass transit is greater than ever."
Updated Road to GOOD Jobs Study looks at who benefits from construction jobs
This year's study, Road to Good Jobs: Patterns of Employment in the Construction Industry, evaluates the construction workforce in the nation's 25 largest metro areas and shows that women and minorities are least likely to receive the benefit of construction jobs. The report, an expansion of last year’s first-ever such study, also notes that building public transit and maintaining highways would create more – and greener – jobs than building highways.
More information is available at transportationequity.org
Contact: Laura Barrett, 314-443-5915, Dr. Ron Trimmer, 618-604-6216, Dr. Todd Swanstrom, 314-960-1715
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Advertisements That Can Determine Watcher’s Gender, Age Range and Ethnicity
Just a note from me first:
Why worry about Big Brother when you've got the private sector watching you?!
And what are the possible uses of technology of viewing software that can identify your gender, age range and ethnicity?
What are the uses for companies that are looking for hiring minorities or filling affirmative action quotas?
How would this software affect universities selection process?
You can find more interesting articles and useful information on hiring practices, finding work and civil rights history at our site at www.minorityjobs.net
Advertisements That Can Determine Watcher’s Gender, Age Range and Ethnicity
MILWAUKEE (AP) - Watch an advertisement on a video screen in a mall, health club or grocery store and there’s a slim — but growing — chance the ad is watching you too.
Small cameras can now be embedded in the screen or hidden around it, tracking who looks at the screen and for how long. The makers of the tracking systems say the software can determine the viewer’s gender, approximate age range and, in some cases, ethnicity — and can change the ads accordingly.
That could mean razor ads for men, cosmetics ads for women and video-game ads for teens.
And even if the ads don’t shift based on which people are watching, the technology’s ability to determine the viewers’ demographics is golden for advertisers who want to know how effectively they’re reaching their target audience.
While the technology remains in limited use for now, advertising industry analysts say it is finally beginning to live up to its promise. The manufacturers say their systems can accurately determine gender 85 to 90 percent of the time, while accuracy for the other measures continues to be refined.
The concept is reminiscent of the science-fiction movie “Minority Report,” in which Tom Cruise’s character enters a mall and finds that retinal scanners identify him and prompt personalized ads that greet him by name.
But this technology doesn’t go nearly that far. It doesn’t identify people individually — it simply categorizes them by outward appearances.
So a video screen might show a motorcycle ad for a group of men, but switch to a minivan ad when women and children join them, said Vicki Rabenou, the chief measurement officer of Tampa, Fla.-based TruMedia Technologies Inc., one of the leaders in developing the technology.
“This is proactive merchandising,” Rabenou said. “You’re targeting people with smart ads.”
Because the tracking industry is still in its infancy, there isn’t yet consensus on how to refer to the technology. Some call it face reading, face counting, gaze tracking or, more generally, face-based audience measurement.
Whatever it’s called, advertisers are finally ready to try it, said advertising consultant Jack Sullivan, a senior vice president of Starcom USA in Chicago. “I think you’re going to see a lot of movement toward it by the end of this year in the top 10 markets,” he said.
Because face tracking might feel reminiscent of Big Brother, manufacturers are racing to offer reassurances. When the systems capture an image of who’s watching the screen, a computer instantly analyzes it. The systems’ manufacturers insist, however, that nothing is ever stored and no identifying information is ever associated with the pictures. That makes the system less intrusive than a surveillance camera that records what it sees, the developers say.
The idea still worries Lee Tien, a senior staff attorney with the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a civil-liberties group in San Francisco. Tien said it’s not enough to say some system is “not as bad as some other technology,” and argues that cameras that study people contribute to an erosion of privacy.
In general, the tracking systems work like this: A sensor or camera in or near the screen identifies viewers’ faces by picking up shapes, colors and the relative speed of movement. The concept is similar to the way consumer cameras now can automatically make sure faces are in focus.
When the ad system pinpoints a face, it compares shapes and patterns to faces that are already identified in a database as male or female. That lets the system predict the person’s gender almost immediately.
“The most important features seem to be cheekbones, fullness of lips and the gap between the eyebrows,” said Paolo Prandoni, chief scientific officer of Quividi, a French company that is another player in face-tracking technology. Others include Studio IMC Inc. in New York.
The companies say their systems have become adept at determining a viewer’s gender, but age is trickier: The software can categorize age only in broad ranges — teens, younger to middle-aged folks and seniors. There’s moderate demand for ads based on ethnic information, but the companies acknowledge that determining ethnicity is more challenging than figuring out gender and age range.
Prandoni provided The Associated Press a limited version of Quividi’s software, which uses an ordinary webcam to stream video to a computer. The trial version tracked gender only, using color-coded circles to distinguish male and female faces.
The sample size was too small to be statistically significant, but it was accurate about 80 to 90 percent of the time.
That might be as precise as the systems ever get, said Deborah Mitchell, a professor of consumer psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Even the human brain can’t always determine gender, age or ethnicity.
Still, “even if it gets to 70 percent accuracy, that’s still giving you a wealth of information,” said Mitchell, who teaches in the Wisconsin School of Business.
That information is certainly valuable to Bill Ketcham, the chief marketing officer of Adspace Networks Inc. His New York company sells video advertising on 1,400 video screens at 105 malls around the nation.
Adspace is testing six TruMedia systems at malls in Winston-Salem, N.C., Pittsburgh and St. Louis. The kiosks display a daily list of top 10 sales at the mall, as well as paid advertising that comes largely from movie studios and TV networks.
A 15-second video ad that replays across Adspace’s national network can cost as much as $765,000 per month. So advertisers expect rigorous information about who sees the spots — information that face tracking can now provide, Ketcham said.
For now, at least, Adspace isn’t changing the ads based on who’s watching — Ketcham said the kiosks’ audiences are so large that it wouldn’t be practical to personalize ads to individuals.
While advertisers like the face-tracking technology, another privacy advocate, Harley Geiger, questions whether it should be used on consumers without their knowledge. Geiger, staff counsel for the Center for Democracy & Technology in Washington, D.C., said advertisers should be telling consumers what details about them are being collected and for what purpose.
“With the technology proliferating, now or the short-term is the time to consider privacy protections,” he said. “If you don’t build it in at an early stage it becomes very difficult to build it into an already established system.”
Why worry about Big Brother when you've got the private sector watching you?!
And what are the possible uses of technology of viewing software that can identify your gender, age range and ethnicity?
What are the uses for companies that are looking for hiring minorities or filling affirmative action quotas?
How would this software affect universities selection process?
You can find more interesting articles and useful information on hiring practices, finding work and civil rights history at our site at www.minorityjobs.net
Advertisements That Can Determine Watcher’s Gender, Age Range and Ethnicity
MILWAUKEE (AP) - Watch an advertisement on a video screen in a mall, health club or grocery store and there’s a slim — but growing — chance the ad is watching you too.
Small cameras can now be embedded in the screen or hidden around it, tracking who looks at the screen and for how long. The makers of the tracking systems say the software can determine the viewer’s gender, approximate age range and, in some cases, ethnicity — and can change the ads accordingly.
That could mean razor ads for men, cosmetics ads for women and video-game ads for teens.
And even if the ads don’t shift based on which people are watching, the technology’s ability to determine the viewers’ demographics is golden for advertisers who want to know how effectively they’re reaching their target audience.
While the technology remains in limited use for now, advertising industry analysts say it is finally beginning to live up to its promise. The manufacturers say their systems can accurately determine gender 85 to 90 percent of the time, while accuracy for the other measures continues to be refined.
The concept is reminiscent of the science-fiction movie “Minority Report,” in which Tom Cruise’s character enters a mall and finds that retinal scanners identify him and prompt personalized ads that greet him by name.
But this technology doesn’t go nearly that far. It doesn’t identify people individually — it simply categorizes them by outward appearances.
So a video screen might show a motorcycle ad for a group of men, but switch to a minivan ad when women and children join them, said Vicki Rabenou, the chief measurement officer of Tampa, Fla.-based TruMedia Technologies Inc., one of the leaders in developing the technology.
“This is proactive merchandising,” Rabenou said. “You’re targeting people with smart ads.”
Because the tracking industry is still in its infancy, there isn’t yet consensus on how to refer to the technology. Some call it face reading, face counting, gaze tracking or, more generally, face-based audience measurement.
Whatever it’s called, advertisers are finally ready to try it, said advertising consultant Jack Sullivan, a senior vice president of Starcom USA in Chicago. “I think you’re going to see a lot of movement toward it by the end of this year in the top 10 markets,” he said.
Because face tracking might feel reminiscent of Big Brother, manufacturers are racing to offer reassurances. When the systems capture an image of who’s watching the screen, a computer instantly analyzes it. The systems’ manufacturers insist, however, that nothing is ever stored and no identifying information is ever associated with the pictures. That makes the system less intrusive than a surveillance camera that records what it sees, the developers say.
The idea still worries Lee Tien, a senior staff attorney with the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a civil-liberties group in San Francisco. Tien said it’s not enough to say some system is “not as bad as some other technology,” and argues that cameras that study people contribute to an erosion of privacy.
In general, the tracking systems work like this: A sensor or camera in or near the screen identifies viewers’ faces by picking up shapes, colors and the relative speed of movement. The concept is similar to the way consumer cameras now can automatically make sure faces are in focus.
When the ad system pinpoints a face, it compares shapes and patterns to faces that are already identified in a database as male or female. That lets the system predict the person’s gender almost immediately.
“The most important features seem to be cheekbones, fullness of lips and the gap between the eyebrows,” said Paolo Prandoni, chief scientific officer of Quividi, a French company that is another player in face-tracking technology. Others include Studio IMC Inc. in New York.
The companies say their systems have become adept at determining a viewer’s gender, but age is trickier: The software can categorize age only in broad ranges — teens, younger to middle-aged folks and seniors. There’s moderate demand for ads based on ethnic information, but the companies acknowledge that determining ethnicity is more challenging than figuring out gender and age range.
Prandoni provided The Associated Press a limited version of Quividi’s software, which uses an ordinary webcam to stream video to a computer. The trial version tracked gender only, using color-coded circles to distinguish male and female faces.
The sample size was too small to be statistically significant, but it was accurate about 80 to 90 percent of the time.
That might be as precise as the systems ever get, said Deborah Mitchell, a professor of consumer psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Even the human brain can’t always determine gender, age or ethnicity.
Still, “even if it gets to 70 percent accuracy, that’s still giving you a wealth of information,” said Mitchell, who teaches in the Wisconsin School of Business.
That information is certainly valuable to Bill Ketcham, the chief marketing officer of Adspace Networks Inc. His New York company sells video advertising on 1,400 video screens at 105 malls around the nation.
Adspace is testing six TruMedia systems at malls in Winston-Salem, N.C., Pittsburgh and St. Louis. The kiosks display a daily list of top 10 sales at the mall, as well as paid advertising that comes largely from movie studios and TV networks.
A 15-second video ad that replays across Adspace’s national network can cost as much as $765,000 per month. So advertisers expect rigorous information about who sees the spots — information that face tracking can now provide, Ketcham said.
For now, at least, Adspace isn’t changing the ads based on who’s watching — Ketcham said the kiosks’ audiences are so large that it wouldn’t be practical to personalize ads to individuals.
While advertisers like the face-tracking technology, another privacy advocate, Harley Geiger, questions whether it should be used on consumers without their knowledge. Geiger, staff counsel for the Center for Democracy & Technology in Washington, D.C., said advertisers should be telling consumers what details about them are being collected and for what purpose.
“With the technology proliferating, now or the short-term is the time to consider privacy protections,” he said. “If you don’t build it in at an early stage it becomes very difficult to build it into an already established system.”
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