Arkansas Department of Workforce Services
2006 Annual Report
Jobs for people. People for jobs.
From the Director
Artee Williams
The Department of Workforce Services improved services to employers and job seekers in 2006.
The Arkansas Workforce Centers at Hot Springs and Mountain Home relocated to larger facilities. The additional space allows staff to better meet their clients's needs, whether it is providing job search assistance, filing for unemployment insurance benefits, or obtaining training in a high demand, high wage occupation.
DWS completed several automation projects, including an update to our main Web site. We also created a new Web site for the Hope Migrant Farm Labor Center, launched the Real-Life Arkansas Web site, and introduced two sites to assist employers with registration, uploading wage information and paying unemployment taxes.
We implemented the Work Pays Program to help Transitional Employment Assistance clients improve their employment outcomes.
DWS participated in demonstration projects with federal and national organizations. A grant from the U.S. Department of Labor provided funding for four New Arkansan Resource Network centers to assist legal immigrants with employment needs. We also participated in the National Governors Association Sector Strategy Initiative. The initiative's goal is to strengthen planning and collaboration in order to build regional economies and support industry.
The Leadership Development Program's first class graduated in July 2006. The program is a key element in the department's succession planning strategy. The program is preparing DWS staff to assume future leadership positions in the department as key senior management vacancies occur.
Vision Statement
To be Arkansas' preferred provider of workforce services and solutions
Mission Statement
To enable the Arkansas workforce to compete in the global economy by linking a comprehensive array of services for employers and job seekers.
Local Office Relocations
The Arkansas Workforce Centers at Hot Springs and Mountain Home relocated in 2006. DWS staff collaborated with their Workforce Center partners to move to a larger facility in order to better serve their clients.
The centers provide the following services to clients: skills assessments, job search and placement assistance, labor market information, information regarding eligible providers of training services, supportive services, financial aid assistance, the development of individual employment plans, individual and group counseling, career planning, case management, short-term pre-vocational training, occupational training, skill upgrading and adult education.
New Automation Projects
- DWS introduced two Internet-based systems to assist employers.
- The new employer registration system allows new employers to register online and immediately receive their account numbers and unemployment insurance tax rates. The system also allows employers to update contact information and have access to their online accounts at any time.
- The online tax and wage reporting system allows employers to upload wage information from multiple accounts, pay taxes by multiple checks, pay multiple accounts with one check and e-mail verifications of successful filings.
- Both sites can be accessed at www.ar-tax.org.
- DWS updated its main Web site at www.dws.arkansas.gov.
- DWS also created a Web site for the Hope Migrant Farm Labor Center, which can be accessed at www.dws.arkansas.gov/MFLC/homepage.htm
TEA and Work Pays Programs
Calendar Year 2006 marked the first full year that DWS administered the Transitional Employment Assistance Program. TEA provides cash payments, child care assistance, transportation and other work-related expenses, and diversion assistance to adults and minor parents to assist them with job preparation for demand occupations.
DWS implemented the Work Pays Program on July 1, 2006, to further assist former TEA clients who meet income, citizenship, residency, work activity and program eligibility requirements.
Work Pays participants are eligible for the same support services and assistance as families enrolled in the TEA Program. In addition, participants can receive bonuses for staying employed for three consecutive months, staying employed for an additional six consecutive months, meeting work requirements for 21 out of the 24 months on the program, and if their earnings exceed 100 percent of the Federal Poverty Level and they leave the program.
DWS launched Real-Life Arkansas, an interactive Web site for students and job seekers.
The site includes a lifestyle budget calculator that helps students discover how education impacts earnings. By inputting data, students can determine the costs associated with desired lifestyles and the careers needed to support those lifestyles.
The site's objective is to inspire students, through a "real world" exercise, to take education seriously and pursue higher education/training after high school.
New Arkansan Resource Network
The Arkansas Workforce Centers at Little Rock, Malvern, Rogers and Russellville were designated as New Arkansan Resource Network centers during 2006.
A grant from the U.S. Department of Labor established the network to prepare legal immigrants for employment in high-growth industries. The goal is to speed the transition of new Arkansans into communities, promote stability and rapid employment with good wages, and enhance economic development.
The four centers provide a variety of services to new Arkansans including job placement, translation assistance, language and occupational training, resettlement assistance and community service referrals.
Financial Statement
DWS Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund
December 31, 2006 |
| Balance, Beginning of Year |
$124,844,586 |
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|
Revenues |
|
| Unemployment Insurance Contributions |
$271,970,624 |
| Reimbursement From Other States |
$13,054,114 |
| Reed Act Distributions |
$0 |
| Interest Income |
$7,910,373 |
| Total Revenues |
$292,935,111 |
| |
|
Expenditures |
|
| Unemployment Benefit Payments |
$256,398,915 |
| Reed Act Withdrawals |
$479,208 |
| Total Expenditures |
$256,878,123 |
| |
|
Excess (Deficiency) of Revenues
Collected Over Expenditures |
$36,056,988 |
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|
| Balance, End of Year |
$160,901,574 |
DWS' appropriation for 2006-2007 is $958,765,514.
Funds Received
FY 2006-2007 |
| Grants |
2006-2007 |
| Personnel Services |
$36,454,915 |
| Maintenance & General Operations |
$32,635,928 |
| Unemployment Insurance Benefits |
$620,000,001 |
| Special Fund |
$11,060,338 |
| Workforce Investment Act |
$58,000,000 |
| UI Trust Fund Loan Interest |
$3,000,001 |
| New Hire Registry |
$614,331 |
| Community Investment Initiative |
$3,000,000 |
| Disaster Relief Payments |
$2,000,000 |
| Training Allowances & Payments |
$15,000,000 |
| Reed Act |
$77,000,000 |
| Transitional Employment Program |
$100,000,000 |
| Total Funding: |
$958,765,514 |
Statistics
Employment Services
- A total of 130,495 individuals received employment services.
- Examples of services include dislocated worker services, workforce information services, career guidance, job search activities, employment referral, Workforce Investment Act services and veterans services.
Legal
- A total of 8,111 fraud and nonfraud overpayments were established totaling $6,417,369. $2,289,311 was recovered in 2006.
Unemployment Insurance
- $256,398,915 was paid in regular unemployment insurance benefits and $7,944,818 in federal unemployment insurance benefits. This totals $264,343,733.
- 12,217 quarterly wage reports were filed using the online UI tax filing, wage reporting and payment site.
New Hire Registry
- The New Hire Registry reported 1,066,312 new hires in 2006.
Tax Credits
- 8,107 people were certified for the Work Opportunity and Welfare-to-Work tax credits. This resulted in potential tax credits of $22,966,500 for Arkansas employers.
Hope Migrant Farm Labor Center
- 19,869 qualified individuals registered for migrant services. Services include the following:
- Registrations
- Referral Assistance
- Interviews
- Lodging
Web Sites
- Several Web sites assist job seekers with their job search.
*Maintained by DWS
**Maintained by the Arkansas Department
of Finance and Administration
Department of Workforce Services
P.O. Box 2981
Little Rock, AR 72203
(501) 682-2121
http://www.dws.arkansas.gov
"Equal Opportunity Employer/Program"
"Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities."
TDD/TTY Voice 1-800-285-1121
TDD 1-800-285-1131
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