Wagner-Peyser Act

(i) Career and Training Services Provided to MSFWs

Career and training services are provided to MSFWs. Basic and individualized career staff assisted services are provided through outreach and in career centers to MSFWs. Florida’s management information system, Employ Florida, allows for self-services at any location without the need of visiting a career center. Customers using self-services at the career center have access to staff assistance.

The MSFWs’ knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) are assessed to determine appropriate jobs to which they may be referred. Job referrals are provided through mass recruitments, H-2A job referrals, other low-skilled job referrals and job developments. Effort is made to refer MSFW job seekers to H-2A job orders whenever possible. Jobs located in Georgia, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Virginia and Pennsylvania H-2A jobs are posted in Employ Florida. Staff ensure terms and conditions of employment are discussed prior to referral and that the job seeker is aware of afforded assurances. H-2A job orders are suppressed in the Employ Florida system to ensure maximum protections to the applicant. Staff are required to follow up on referrals made to H-2A job orders.

Referrals are made to ESL classes to reduce language barriers improve resume and interviewing skills. Workshops enable MSFWs to become more competitive in the workforce. Staff provide career guidance and suggest training programs best suited to the needs of customers who are not job ready or those prepared for a change in occupation. Referrals are made to local FCDP training programs and LWDB training programs. Co-enrollments take place when possible. Other programs MSFWs are referred to include VR (for MSFWs with disabilities), older workers programs and housing assistance agencies. Staff are familiar with and refer MSFWs as appropriate to other community supportive services.

The State Monitor Advocate or Assistant Monitor Advocate conducts quality assurance visits to significant offices on an annual basis to ensure MSFWs have equal access to employment opportunities through Florida’s career center delivery system. WP monitoring staff ensure MSFWs have equal access to services during quality assurance desk reviews of non-significant LWDBs.

(ii) Services to Agricultural Employers

Florida ensures all career centers make assistance available to employers, including those in the agricultural industry. Outreach to public and private community agencies, MSFWs and employer organizations is conducted to facilitate the widest possible distribution of information about employment opportunities. Career center staff in significant multilingual MSFW centers and LWDB Business Service Representatives perform marketing outreach to growers, harvesters and processors. Career centers obtain employer contact information, maintain existing contacts and encourage employers to create job orders in Employ Florida through local career centers. Career centers assist MSFWs in the preparation of applications for employment services and assistance in obtaining referrals to current and future employment opportunities. DEO office staff promote labor exchange services to agricultural employers through participation at employer conferences and seminars and through DEO’s website. The State Monitor Advocate partners with the U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division and agricultural employer organizations to conduct employer forums for agricultural employers and provide information on available services for employers including services pertaining to the agricultural industry such as local mass recruitments and the Agricultural Recruitment System.

Identifying the needs of employers is a high priority. CareerSource Florida’s efforts continue to promote strategies that support the growth of targeted industries in the state. Sector strategies are regional, employer-driven partnerships of industry, education and workforce development leaders focused on identifying solutions to the workforce needs of the local labor market. Strategies used to promote labor exchange services to agricultural employers include recruiting agreements, job fairs and establishing new business relationships. These efforts include advising worker advocates and groups through job order notifications published in English and Spanish; and, providing notification to employers and advocates of changes to the Foreign Labor Certification Program requirements affecting workers.

Florida sees an increased number of agricultural employers using the H-2A Temporary Agricultural Program. The H-2A Temporary Agricultural Program allows U.S. employers that meet specific regulatory requirements to bring foreign nationals to the United States to fill temporary agricultural jobs. DEO’s Foreign Labor Certification office enters H-2A job orders in the state’s online labor exchange system, Employ Florida. During PY 2016, the Department processed 338 H-2A applications and job orders for Florida employers, an increase from the previous year. Applications are expected to steadily increase for PY 2017 - PY 2018, based on previous years’ trends. During PY 2016, 662 MSFWs were referred for job placements under the H-2A program.

Career centers in significant agricultural areas are provided approved clearance (job) orders that provide staff, including outreach workers, with current information on job availability. Career centers are provided information on out-of-state clearance orders found in Employ Florida. Domestic farmworker crews, family groups and individuals are recruited and referred to agricultural employers who submit job orders in agricultural occupations. For PY 2016, 11,671 MSFWs were referred to agricultural employers as indicated in the Migrant Indicators of Compliance Statewide Report.