Helping Vermonters Keep Their Jobs
I have been concerned about economic development and what it is that we can do as a state to encourage the growth of good jobs for many years. One of the problems we need to address is helping Vermonters keep the jobs they have. So, what can we do to have our existing workforce be prepared for the good jobs we want to create and then keep them?
As our unemployment rate has risen in the past year, Vermont businesses have openings for good jobs that they cannot fill. The stories from employers have been the same for years, "Send us folks who have good basic skills and we will train them."
Employers train the employees then find they don't last very long. They seem to have the basic skills, but something doesn't work out and they quit after a very short time. Why do we have so many working Vermonters who can't seem to keep a good job once they find one?
We need to support workers. The Federal Stimulus money is providing a unique opportunity for our community action agencies to help address this question. There is a program in Chittenden County and one at SEVCA (Southeastern Vermont Community Action) that are developing two similar programs for businesses and workers in their part of the state.
It is a well-accepted fact that if a worker has serious problems at home, it has a direct impact on their performance at work. If an employee is trying to get fuel assistance and can't get the system to work, they become distracted worrying about getting the application done and how they will pay for fuel. Grandma needs the paperwork filled out to be eligible for Medicaid and it's not getting done.
All of these family issues can have a profound impact on the productivity of any worker. The work place and their human resource folks are there to help with work issues, not to be social workers helping with problems at home.
The Chittenden County United Way and SVCA programs would make sense to develop on a statewide basis. On a lunch break, a specialist can put the employee in touch with the right agency and help them get all the paperwork done. Before work, the specialist can help an employee get assistance to make sure their grandmother is getting the medical coverage she needs.
There are a growing number of stories that confirm that this little bit of additional assistance can turn a distracted employee into a great worker. This is a real benefit to the individual and their family, and because the worker is valued and less distracted, it is a real benefit to the employer.
A statewide program to support our workers would have a very real, lasting benefit to employees and employers across Vermont. I believe that after the stimulus money is gone, the business community will see the benefit of these programs and they will become self-sustaining. It is a very pragmatic and cost effective solution. This is exactly the type of innovative solution we need to have happen across the state for Vermont workers who need just a little help to become successful long-term employees.
We can find the money to pay for it by examining our jobs program. It is time to use the money from programs that are not as effective to address the new realities of the work place. Restructuring government means working smarter with less and as governor I will lead Vermont to a better future, with good jobs and happier, healthier employees.
Let's work together to bring new leadership to the governor's office, to build a better future based on Vermont's values and traditions.
To get updates on the issues facing Vermont, and the hope we have for our future, join my email list.
Thank you for your support! Please contact me to visit your area to explore the challenges and successes in your part of Vermont, or just to talk.
Sincerely,
Susan Bartlett
Bartlett for Governor