Our DOL December 2021

Chad McFarland is a Senior Attorney whose journey to DOL took a different path. He always wanted to serve in the military, but was denied the opportunity due to a football injury in college. Fast-forward to his time in law school, military regulations had changed, and he was able to serve in the JAG corps. Watch the video to learn more about his unusual path to DOL. 

The world of work is always changing, but in 2021, we faced our biggest challenge yet: getting New Yorkers back to work safely during a pandemic. It wasn’t easy, but through a combination of ingenuity, collaboration and sheer force of will, we overcame obstacles and delivered for New Yorkers everywhere. Looking back on the accomplishments of 2021, there is one consistent refrain: when it comes to the serving the best interest of New Yorkers, OUR DOL is always ready to listen, to learn and to evolve.

The Department of Labor’s intranet is going to be redesigned. The goal is to improve the navigation, usability and look of the intranet, while also making sure it meets your needs as a DOL employee. Our design team is asking you to take part in a brief, anonymous survey so we can learn how to best improve the intranet for you.

We'd also like to know your ideas for a new name for the intranet. There's an optional question about that on the survey. So, give it some thought before you start the survey. (Please note you can only take the survey once.)

Please take a few moments to complete the survey at https://www.research.net/r/Intranet_Survey by December 23. Your insight is very valuable!

December 3rd marked the celebration of International Day of Persons with Disabilities. The observance aimed to promote the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities in all spheres of society and development, and to increase awareness of the situation of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life.

Recently, Governor Kathy Hochul announced that the New York Office for People with Developmental Disabilities will provide over $1.5 billion in one-time American Rescue Plan Act Funding to support recruitment efforts, retention incentives and vaccination bonuses for direct support professionals who provide support for people with developmental disabilities in an effort to address workforce shortages in this field.

Over 1 billion people in the world – or 1 in 7 – have some form of disability. Evidence shows that when barriers to their inclusion are removed and persons with disabilities are empowered to participate fully in societal life, their entire community benefits.

At the DOL, we offer many resources and programs to provide seamless accessibility and support for those with disabilities. These include ACCESS-VR, New York Employment Services System, and Disability Resource Coordinators.

NYS DOL continues to connect unemployed New Yorkers to businesses with open positions and career opportunities. One program that is becoming increasingly popular with both New Yorkers and businesses is our Registered Apprenticeship Program. This concentrated, hands-on training gives New Yorkers the skills they need to succeed while giving them the ability to earn money at the same time. It also gives businesses a skilled and diverse workforce to help meet their needs. As part of National Apprenticeship Week, Commissioner Reardon traveled across New York State highlighting the importance of this evolving program which is helping New Yorkers learn the skills they need for high-paying, in-demand careers.