Commission Presentation
February 26, 2019

Item No. 8a_supp
Meeting Date: February 26, 2019

Career Support and Advancement Initiative
1

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

2

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
3

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
4

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 4th 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
5

Four Scope of Work Elements
Outreach and Education

Training and Curriculum Development

 Outreach and education to employees
promoting awareness of employment
rights
 Targeted education and outreach to
employers promoting awareness of
employment law

 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

1

Employment Assistance

3

 "Walk-in" employment assistance
 Focus on user language, technology,
and cultural, and other needs
 Consider offering virtual assistance
options

2

Community Collaboration
 Focus on working with new managers
and tenants at Sea-Tac
 Collaboratively work with community
organizations and labor unions

4
6

Employer Outreach & Input
• Staff organized two forums about the Career Support and
Advancement Center for Employers
• Nine employers attended one forum - the 2nd 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
7

Implementation Timeline
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

Center to begin service by 4th Quarter of 2019.

8