Career Support and Advancement Initiative

Commission Presentation

February 26, 2019

Item No. 8a_supp

Meeting Date: February 26, 2019

Career Support and Advancement Center

• Requesting Commission authorization to advertise and

execute a contract to operate the Career Support and

Advancement Center at Seattle-Tacoma International

Airport

– Educate and assist employers and workers about labor and

employment laws including SeaTac Ordinance 13-1020

• Contract not to exceed $531,000

– Funded by Port property tax levy

Unique Employment Standards within City of SeaTac

• The passage of the City of SeaTac Ordinance 13-1020 (Prop 1) created

a network of benefits and rights unique to the City of SeaTac and

different from state statute.

• Ordinance 13-1020 adds to an Increasing “patchwork of regulations”

that make it confusing for employers to administer labor standards

across jurisdictions

– 4 new federal laws, 2 new states laws, and a City of SeaTac minimum wage

increase have taken effect since December 1, 2018

• The lack of understanding of employment rights and responsibilities

under the new ordinance has led to an increase in grievances.

– This pilot program will be designed to help mitigate some of the complaints from

Prop-1-impacted workers and employers concerning wage and other

employment compliance

Employee and Employer Challenges

• There are thousands of

employees working at the

airport on shifts covering all

hours of the day

– Employees with language

barriers may have difficulty

understanding their rights and

responsibilities

• New and smaller Airport

tenants may also struggle to

understand and comply with

changing employment laws

Sea-Tac Career Support and Advancement Initiative

• Purpose: To educate and assist workers and employers at Sea-Tac

International Airport about labor and employment laws

• Timeline: Pilot to run 2-years, starting in 4

quarter of 2019

• Services offered:

– Employment resource center to provide outreach, educate, and training for

employers and employees at Sea-Tac International Airport

– Walk-in, telephone and online employment assistance services for employees

• Pilot evaluation metrics:

– # employers served

– # employees helped

– # orientation sessions provided

– # of issues resolved

Four Scope of Work Elements

 “Walk-in” employment assistance

 Focus on user language, technology,

and cultural, and other needs

 Consider offering virtual assistance

options

Employment Assistance

 Outreach and education to employees

promoting awareness of employment

rights

 Targeted education and outreach to

employers promoting awareness of

employment law

Outreach and Education

 Focus on working with new managers

and tenants at Sea-Tac

 Collaboratively work with community

organizations and labor unions

Community Collaboration

 Develop employment law training focused

on SeaTac Municipal Code 7.45 and other

employment law for employees and

employers

 Develop “know your rights” health and

safety training for employees

Training and Curriculum Development

Employer Outreach & Input

• Staff organized two forums about the Career Support and

Advancement Center for Employers

• Nine employers attended one forum – the 2

forum was

cancelled due to lack of attendance

– Employers attending forum agreed that laws are complex

– Employers felt service would be helpful (a resource for HR

Departments/professionals)

– Employers wondered how service would be coordinated with Airport

Employment office operated by PortJobs

• All airport employers received information about the CSAC

Implementation Timeline

Center to begin service by 4

Quarter of 2019.

Jan. Feb. March April May June July Aug.

Sept./

Oct.

Employer

Outreach

Finalize Scope of

Services

Request

Commission

Authorization

Issue RFP

Select Preferred

Service Vendor

Service Starts