Business Connection 04-02

The Workforce Connection has Learning Labs that are equipped with tutorials that are available to assist your employees in areas where they may need additional training. These tutorials that are available are:

If you have any of these programs and you or your staff want to learn more about how to use them effectively, call Wanda Lopez at the Workforce Connection Learning Lab in Weed at (530) 938-3231 Ext. 224, or Hud Oates in Yreka at (530) 841-2795. Another service that the Workforce Connection has available to assist your business is Customized Training. Customized Training is designed to meet the specific requirements and needs related to a skilled workforce for individual employers. The training could include instructing entire shifts on the use of new equipment or manufacturing processes or as simple as upgrading individual employees skills to meet requirements of a job. The training is set up like a traditional On-The-Job-Training (OJT) which allows us to reimburse up to 50% of the wage while the employee is in training. The employer commits to employ or retain the individual trained after the successful completion of the OJT period. If you are interested in a customized training opportunity for your employees or would like additional information, please contact Joyce Zwanziger at the Workforce Connection office at 938-3231.

The Workforce Connection Employer Resource Center sponsored a “Hiring and Firing” seminar on March 26, 2002 for the Siskiyou County business community. The presenter, Cheryl Artega, Consultant for the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH), spoke about the mission and services of the agency, but primarily focused on giving employers practical information on the management of a variety of employment issues and workplace regulations.

Over fifty attendees gained knowledge in such areas as: Sexual Harassment Prevention and Training, What Can Employers Ask Applicants and Employees?, California Family Rights Act (CFRA), Pregnancy Disability Leave (PDL), Discrimination, and Required Posters in the Workplace. The Workforce Connection Employer Resource Center sponsors free quarterly seminars for the business community. Topics include: Current Labor Laws, Sexual Harassment Prevention, Cal-OSHA Requirements, and Enterprise Zone & Hiring Tax Credits. The next scheduled seminars are: June 2002: Workers Compensation, and September 2002: Creating Successful Employees. For further information call the Workforce Connection Employer Resource Center at (530) 938-3231.

The Workforce Connection will be hosting their second annual Youth “Get-A-Job” days. The event will be held on Saturday, April 13th in Yreka, and Saturday, April 27th in Weed. If you have a need for extra help this summer that could be met by a local high school student, the Workforce Connection would like to help you find the right student. We also have the most recent Child Labor Laws available, to keep you informed of what the youth can and cannot do at your workplace. If you have--or plan to employ--a youth less than 18 years of age, it would make a great reference tool. Please call Wanda Lopez at (800) 344-7837 ext 224 so we can discuss your needs and what the Workforce Connection can do to assist you.

Wanda Lopez with last year's winner of the
Get-A-Job Basket drawing, Keirstin Castaneda

The Workforce Connection in Weed has two Veteran Representatives to help serve your needs. Kevin Marshall is a Local Veterans Employment Representative. He is in Weed and Yreka every other Thursday on an appointment basis. You can make your appointment to see Kevin with Larry Fife, a Veterans Work Study Student. Larry is on-site from 12:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m., Monday thru Friday. The EDD Veterans Employment Program provides many services to veterans within our community. Among those services are:

There are important advantages for employers who hire veterans. Here's what you get:

On March 5, 2002, the Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors voted to discontinue the County drought declaration as the immediate threat of drought is no longer present. The office of Emergency Services that has been operating in Tulelake since May 25, 2001 will officially close on April 26, 2002. Since its opening, the Assistance Center has assisted 1,753 people from Siskiyou County and 849 people from Modoc County. Fortunately, the Tulelake Community Partnership is going to continue to offer the same service referrals that the Assistance Center handled. The Partnership feels that this resource center is a much needed community service. We wish them luck in their continuing efforts.