Wagner-Peyser Act

The main objective of DEO and its partner outreach programs is to actively locate and contact those MSFWs who may not be reached through normal intake activities conducted at career centers. In making contact with MSFWs, outreach workers explain the services offered and the types of training and employment opportunities available, provide information on protections and rights of MSFWs, and information regarding other organizations that provide services to MSFWs. State merit staff performing outreach will be bilingual and whenever possible, have an MSFW background or be a member of a minority group representative of the MSFW population. New staff will have access to online training modules and in–person training. The outreach program is further supported by a full–time State Monitor Advocate position with all the previously mentioned criteria and a half–time Assistant State Monitor Advocate.

Outreach workers will specifically be assigned to areas where there is significant agricultural activity and where a large number of job applicants are MSFWs. Outreach workers trained in the recruitment and provision of services will be available directly through the significant career center network. DEO will consider and be sensitive to the preferences, needs and skills of individual MSFWs and the availability of jobs and training opportunities.

Outreach will be accomplished through personal contacts, printed material, the media, community involvement and cooperative ventures with private and public agencies. Outreach workers will make personal contacts with MSFWs on a daily basis to explain the services available through the career centers and other agencies, including the availability of referrals to employment, training and supportive services; information on specific employment opportunities currently available, such as H–2A jobs and other low–skilled jobs; a basic summary of farmworker rights; and information on the employment service complaint system, including the Florida Farmworker Helpline. They will also provide this explanation in writing by way of the DEO Form 511N, which is available in English, Spanish and Haitian Creole. Additional materials to be provided during outreach include a brochure outlining basic farmworker rights and flyers or brochures from partner agencies outlining services available. MSFWs are provided the location of the nearest career center and encouraged to visit the center to obtain the full range of employment and training services. The 511N form includes the locations of all significant MSFW centers in Florida.

Outreach workers will visit sites where farmworkers live, work and gather, including pickup points, mass recruitments and orientations at farms, migrant health clinics, and locations where social services are provided, in order to contact the maximum number of MSFWs possible. Posters and other printed materials will be distributed at these locations to maximize penetration into the farmworker community. Follow–up contacts will be made with MSFWs to help ensure that needs have been met and to determine if any other assistance can be provided. DEO and its partners will continue to establish new linkages and use existing relationships with local and statewide networks to solicit information and suggestions from appropriate public agencies, agricultural employer organizations and other groups representing and advocating on behalf of MSFWs.

Processing job applications, assessments and job referrals for MSFWs will be emphasized to assist in year–round employment. Outreach workers will encourage MSFWs to complete applications during outreach to receive services onsite. This will also facilitate easier access to services when the customer decides to visit the career centers in the future. In completing applications, a full description of the work history will be made to assess the MSFWs’ knowledge and skill level. Should demand or organizational considerations require, other trained staff would be made available to assist in service delivery. Collaboration will be made with the local providers of the WIOA Section 167 NFJP grantee to maximize training opportunities.

Several outreach staff have access to resources such as work cell phones, laptops and even tablets, which are all considered best practices for outreach. Vigorous outreach to the farmworker community is conducted in the state to ensure that farmworkers are provided assistance with job referrals, referrals to training and ESL, and referrals to supportive services to assist and empower them in overcoming the many barriers they face. However, available resources for outreach are limited, due to the fact that Wagner–Peyser funding is limited. If sufficient resources were available, the state would be able to fully fund full–time outreach staff for every significant MSFW career center. Local Workforce Development Areas (LWDA) with significant offices are having to stretch their resources to comply with MSFW requirements, which is limiting their available resources to provide other Wagner–Peyser services. Additional funding would also allow for all outreach staff to be provided with a work cell phone for safety purposes and to maximize services to employers and MSFW jobseekers who may need to contact the outreach worker. Tablets, which are becoming more of a best practice than laptops, could also be provided to outreach staff if more resources were available. Tablets are more convenient for staff to carry and allow for quicker access to the online management information system, Employ Florida Marketplace (EFM).

There are currently nine LWDAs designated as significant MSFW locations in Florida. Within those local areas, there are eleven career centers designated as significant bilingual sites.

Florida will continue to operate its eleven designated significant MSFW career centers during PY 2017 – PY 2020. Following is a list of these significant career centers, along with corresponding outreach goals per program year.

Figure 7.02

MSFW Significant/Bilingual Office Locations

At the state level, planned MSFW outreach contacts will be based in part on accomplishments during the prior two program years and estimated number of MSFWs in the state in order to set achievable goals. Florida also reports “quality” outreach contacts made with MSFWs, meaning a contact where a reportable staff assisted service is provided and documented. Florida made 40,978 outreach contacts, of which 11,944 were quality contacts, in PY 2013 and 40,147 outreach contacts, 11,489 of which were quality, in PY 2014. During PY 2016 – PY 2019, Florida plans to make at least 21,550 total outreach contacts per program year, 13,000 of which will be quality contacts. Outreach workers will be required to spend a total of 185 staff days, or 80 percent of staff time, conducting outreach. They will also be required to make a minimum of five quality contacts per staff day.