TRANSFORM MILWAUKEE JOBS PROGRAMPOVERTY MATTERS! CONFERENCE

NOVEMBER 18 , 2015 | COUNTRY SPRINGS HOTEL | PEWAUKEE, WI

Presented by: TMJ Consortium

Partners

UMOS, Inc.

Milwaukee Urban League

Northcott Neighborhood House

Silver Spring Neighborhood Center.

Northcott Neighborhood House

Transform Milwaukee Jobs (TMJ) Program

Funded through DCF, The Transform Milwaukee Jobs Consortium provides subsidized jobs to eligible individuals who are either noncustodial parents, ex-offenders, and/or involved in a child/family re-unification plan with BMCW.

Serves adults who are unemployed and have been for at least four weeks, and receive little or no income; emphasis is on fathers.

Compensation

Subsidized workers (SW) may work in the subsidized employment phase for no more than 1040 hours.

Training funds are utilized for this phase therefore participants are not eligible for Unemployment Compensation.

A subsidized job (SJ) requires at least 20 and no more than 40 hours of work per week

All SJs must pay at least the minimum wage , SJs in excess of minimum wage are not reimbursable costs.

SWs are on UMOS’ payroll .

Transform Milwaukee Jobs (TMJ) Program

2014-2015 Contract is performance-based:

Pay Point 2014-2015Goal

Actual

Begin Subsidized Job (SJ)

860 816

60 Days at SJ 606 662Completes 1040 SJ Hours or Begins Unsubsidized Job

559 552

60 Days on Unsubsidized Job

516 447

State Statues Section 49.163 

49.163  Transform Milwaukee Jobs program and Transitional Jobs program.

(2) Eligibility for program.

49.163(2)(a)(a) The department shall establish a Transform Milwaukee Jobs program in Milwaukee County and, if funding is available, may establish a Transitional Jobs program outside of Milwaukee County. To the extent of available funds, the department shall conduct the Transitional Jobs program, if established, in one or more geographic areas in the state that are not in Milwaukee County. In selecting the geographic area or areas in which to conduct the Transitional Jobs program, the department shall give priority to those areas with relatively high rates of unemployment and childhood poverty and to other areas with special needs that the department determines should be given priority.

(am) To be eligible to participate in the program, an individual must satisfy all of the following criteria:

Trainee Qualifications

Must reside within the Transform Milwaukee Jobs area at the time of enrollment. (Sherman Blvd, Silver Spring Rd, Hwy 43, Mitchell St)

Must be 18—64 years old at the time of enrollment.

If older than 24 years of age, MUST be the biological, adoptive or primary relative caregiver of a child under the age of 18.

Trainee Qualifications Individual must have one of the following:

a child support order, a child welfare reunification plan, or be an ex-offender.

Must have been unemployed for the last 4 consecutive calendar weeks prior to enrollment.

Cannot be receiving W-2 benefits and not eligible to receive Unemployment Insurance.

Have an annual household income <150% of federal poverty guideline for household size.

Employers and Worksites

Must interview candidate(s) and may select the most appropriate person.

Has no obligation to retain participant beyond the subsidized employment period.

Must provide a work opportunity that offers skills development/training in a demand occupation.

Must provide adequate supervision.

Employers and Worksites

Must provide at least 20 hours of work per week, but no more than 40.

Must report hours worked to UMOS on a predetermined schedule.

Must maintain contact with TMJ Consortium Partner in an effort to enhance the success of the TMJ worker.

May be from a private for-profit, nonprofit, or public sector.

Example of Worksites

City of Milwaukee through the Compete Milwaukee Partnership

Riverwest Co-op Grocery and Café Advanced Painting & Construction Andrew Chevrolet

Success Stories Joe enrolled in the TMJ program on April 2015. He was placed with the

City of Milwaukee, DPW Streets Crew. Joe had child support orders in place and had not been able to meet his obligations. Being an ex-offender he was encountering much difficulty in securing employment. Through the TMJ Joe got a second chance. He was able to participate in a component of the TMJ program that is made available through the Compete Milwaukee City of Milwaukee effort and partnership with WRTP/BIG STEP.

With the assistance of WRTP Joe improved his math and reading levels and was able to recover his driver’s license. His TMJ case manager reports that Joe strongly believes that he could not have accomplished all this without the TMJ program. He met all the milestones offered by the program and on August of this year was hired as a permanent employee with one of Milwaukee’s largest employers. He is a Tumble Barrel Machine operator making $13.06 per hour plus benefits. He is now self-sufficient and able to comply with his child support requirements.

City of Milwaukee , Department of Public Works

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At Riverwest Co-op Grocery and Café

I’m more than a cook, I’m a chef. After spending stints in and out of jail, Mr. Williams decided that he

wanted a serious opportunity to change his life around. In his search for employment, Mr. Williams explained how he was consistently rejected by potential employers once they were alerted to his criminal background.

“Before I found out about the Transform Milwaukee Transitional Jobs (TMJ) program, the prospect of finding a job was not good. Everywhere I went, as soon as my background check was discovered, employers would tell me they were no longer interested” states Mr. Williams.

During this time period, Mr. Williams learned about the TMJ program from his grandmother and decided to give it a chance. After being accepted into the TMJ program in March of 2015, Mr. Williams began working as a cook at The Riverwest Co-op Grocery and Café. When asked how his experience was working at the Café, Mr. Williams said, “I love it. It’s the best thing that could’ve happened to me. I’m more than a cook, I’m a chef. I do food prep, cook every meal on the menu, and the best thing about it all is the food is healthy.

After completing his required 1040 hours, the Riverwest Co-op offered Mr. Williams permanent employment, increasing his pay from$7.25 hr. to $10.10 hr. According to site supervisor Todd Leech, “Devon was very easy to train and has been our most valuable team member since we brought him on.

Riverwest Co-op Grocery and Café

Project Manager

Driving with a suspended license changed 40 year old Imari’s life. He was convicted of a misdemeanor and spent nine months in jail. After the conviction, he lost his successful career as a car salesperson.

Imari came to our employment program hopeful for a second chance. Through our training, he earned his construction license and gained experience as a project manager at a construction company.

Imari took the skills he gained from his experience as a project manager and created JWI Construction, serving Milwaukee and surrounding counties. 

Advanced Painting & Construction

Car Maintenance/ Quick Lube tech

William was an unemployed, father of five, who’d been unsuccessfully seeking employment for months prior to learning about the “Transforming Milwaukee Jobs Program” . In April of 2015 William came to Northcott seeking employment. Upon completing the eligibility requirements for the “Transform Milwaukee Jobs Program” William, was then interviewed by Andrew Chevrolet, a Car Dealership located on Silver Spring Drive, in Glendale, Wisconsin and began to work as a “Greeter” on April 13, 2015.

Over the next six months William worked diligently at his various positions, played a leadership role in his department, while showing up to work on time daily (one excused absence in six months). His supervisor was so pleased with his work ethic and performance, that on June 2, 2015, William was moved up to the detail/oil change department. He was able to receive bonuses in this department, while maintain high performance and good attendance, missing only one day of work (which was an excused absence).

William soon became a customer favorite and they began requesting that he perform the service on their vehicles. William is currently a full time employee at Andrew Chevrolet in the Car Maintenance/ Quick Lube tech crew earning $10.00 an hour and is eligible for employee benefits as of December 13, 2015.

William is hoping to go on and become a member of the Mr. Good Wrench Team, which will require additional training and a significant investment by Andrew Chevrolet, which they’ve indicated their prepared to do if William continues on his current path.

NORTHCOTT NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSE, INC.

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Current Stats

2014/2015

816 placed on subsidized worksites

447 remained employed 60 or more days in unsubsidized employment

Participant Demographics

94% African American 84% males 42% have Drivers License 81% Non-Custodial 95% Ex-offenders 77% Have Child Support Orders

Transform Milwaukee Jobs (TMJ) Program

Current and future challenges: Drug Testing Geographic restrictions Reluctance by some employer to work

with ex-offenders Participants with multiple barriers and

limited resources

Contacts

Vanna Lovan, UMOS Worksite Coordinator, (414) 389-6217

Hector Lerma, UMOS Worksite Coordinator, (414) 389-6234

Shanesha Weddle, Northcott Neighborhood House, (414) 372-3770

Vanessa Claypool, Milwaukee Urban League, (414) 374-5850 Ex 120

Shyrida Townsend, Silver Spring Neighborhood Center, (414) 463-7950 ext. 17

QUESTIONS ??