This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate
BIG RAPIDS — MichiganWorks! West Central is opposing possible changes to the Wegner-Peyser Act that may impact their ability to assist clients, according to Jonathan Eppley, communications and marketing manager.
Eppley requested approval by the Big Rapids City Commission of a resolution opposing the proposed changes during a commissioners’ meeting this week.
“Currently in the state of Michigan, MichiganWorks! operates a ‘one-stop model’ so all of the frontline staff are cross-trained so that every person that walks in the door is met right away and helped as quickly as possible,” Eppley said. “The proposed rules want to change that so that the frontline staff person operating the front desk would intake the person and set up a scheduled appointment, essentially reducing our customer service.”
He said the thing that is causing MichiganWorks! agencies across the state to oppose the changes is the number of staff that will be reduced — potentially 75% of workers.
The resolution states that the U.S. Department of Labor has published a notice of the proposed change, which would require states, with no exceptions, to use state merit staff to provide Wegner-Peyser Act employment services, reversing the current federal policy that allows states flexibility in staff.
With the required staffing model, staff and service reductions are inevitable as services are currently provided by more than 400 workers across the state,...
She is 66 and on Original Medicare. Her latest Medicare Summary Notice (MSN) lists a $1,200 knee brace from a supplier she has never heard of. Her knees are fine and no package ever came. Medicare...