AN ASSESSMENT OF THE LOW-WAGE WORKER 

RETENTION AND ADVANCEMENT DEMONSTRATION PROJECT 

Final Report 

MARCH 2006 

Prepared by: 

Coffey Communications, LLC 

Bethesda, Maryland 

Report authors: 

Joyce Kaiser, Coffey Communications, LLC 

Linda Winges, Battelle Centers for Public Health Research and Evaluation 

Prepared for: 

U.S. Department of Labor 

Employment and Training Administration 

Office of Policy Development, Evaluation and Research 

This project has been funded, either wholly or in part, with Federal funds from the Department of 

Labor, Employment and Training Administration under Contract Number AF-10616-000-00-30, 

Task Order 15 and Contract Number AF-12985-000-03-30, Task Order 10. The contents of this 

publication do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Department of Labor, nor does 

mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement of same by the 

U.S. Government. 
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 

This report was prepared under the direction of the Office of Policy Development, Evaluation 

and Research of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration 

(DOL/ETA). Initially, Heidi Casta served as the Federal Project Officer (FPO); however, in 

April, 2003 Mary Vines succeeded her as the FPO. Ms. Vines has provided invaluable guidance 

and assistance to both the grantees and evaluators. In addition to Ms. Vines, David Balducchi, 

Chief of Pilots and Demonstrations, has provided strategic direction and support in ensuring that 

all parties work towards achieving the goals of the evaluation. 

We are very grateful to the grantee administrators and staff who were cooperative and generous 

with their time. The grantees were very candid about program operations and challenges they 

faced in the implementation of the demonstrations. 

Finally, we are thankful to the management and staff of the Mennonite Village organization who 

gave freely of their time during the case study interviews and data collection. Their openness 

about company practices and policies was truly appreciated and the results of this study should 

be of benefit to other employers interested in maintaining a satisfied and stable workforce. 
TABLE OF CONTENTS 

Executive Summary 1

Chapter 1: Introduction 

A. Background and Objectives for the Low-Wage Worker Retention and 

Advancement Demonstration Project (LWWRA) 

B. Grant Solicitation 

C. Process Study 

D. Report Outline

13

Chapter 2: Portland Community College – Step-by-Step 21

Chapter 3: Linn-Benton Community College – Healthcare Worker Retention and 

 Career Advancement Initiative 

33

Chapter 4: Sacramento Employment and Training Agency – WIA Awards 

 Program 

52

Chapter 5: Lessons Learned 

A. Key Lessons Learned 

B. Conclusions 

69

APPENDICES 80

Appendix A – Process Study Statement of Work 81

Appendix B – Site Summaries for Each Sub-grantee 85

Appendix C – Cross-Site Matrices of Low-Wage Worker Demonstration Project 

 Characteristics and Site Reflections Regarding Implementation 

99

Appendix D – Low-Wage Worker Literature Review 119

Appendix E – Oregon State University Study of Low-Wage Health Worker 

 Characteristics 

160

Appendix F – Mennonite Village: How One Employer Successfully Addressed 

 Employee Turnover – A Case Study 

166

Appendix G – Demonstration Project Implementation Tools 216
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY1

This report concludes a three-year study of a four-site Low-Wage Worker Retention and 

Advancement Demonstration Project conducted under the auspices of the Office of Policy 

Development and Research of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training 

Administration (DOL/ETA). While similar demonstration projects have been implemented by 

the federal government, these projects were primarily focused on assisting current and former 

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) recipients. The ultimate goal of this project 

was to develop methodologies that would help low-wage workers, without regard to welfare 

status, with retention and advancement on the job and to assist employers in modifying policies 

and practices which would aid in worker retention and advancement. 

Hopefully the findings from the demonstration and process study will be used by other local 

One-Stop career centers when planning services for similar workers and their employers. 

GRANTEES 

Grants were awarded to the Oregon Employment Department (OED) and the California 

Employment Development Department (EDD). Each agency received $450,000 which they then 

sub-granted to local program operators. In the case of Oregon, the sites were not contiguous nor 

were the program models the same. The sites selected were Portland Community College, 

Beaverton, OR and Linn-Benton Community College, Albany, OR. The Portland project was 

co-located with the local One-Stop Career Center. The Linn-Benton project was also co-located 

at the local One-Stop Career Center, although many of the project activities took place at the 

worksites of their employer partners. EDD sub-granted to the Sacramento Employment and 

Training Agency (SETA) which operates One-Stop career centers in Sacramento. SETA 

selected two of their One-Stop career centers to implement the program. One center, Hillsdale, 

is a SETA managed site and the other, Mark Sanders, is managed by EDD. Both the Hillsdale 

and Mark Sanders sites implemented the same program design. 

 

1

 Appendix B includes summary tables for each site. 
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There was some delay in providing funds to the sub grantees at all sites. In the case of Oregon, 

the funds did not flow from the state to the sub grantees for almost nine months due to the state 

requirement that the sub-grants be approved by the Oregon legislature. The California sub 

grantee reported that funding was received about two months after the grant was awarded to 

EDD. 

The Oregon projects were initiated in 2002 and the California project was initiated in 2003. 

Initially, all grants were for a two-year period. However, both Linn-Benton and California 

requested and obtained grant extensions. As a result of these extensions, the Linn-Benton project 

will ultimately be a 34-month project and Sacramento will be a 28-month project. 

PROJECT DESCRIPTIONS, OUTCOMES, AND LESSONS LEARNED

Portland Community College

Portland’s approach coupled a client-focused, case management approach with workshops. 

The program, Step-by-Step, aimed to increase retention and career advancement among lowwage workers by: 

 Improving workers’ soft skills; 

 Providing counseling and referrals to help workers deal with work and personal 

problems; 

 Providing the services of an “on-call” case manager; 

 Helping workers develop and begin implementing a career plan; 

 Funding a limited amount of education or vocational training; and 

 Offering mental health and learning disability testing along with remediation services. 

The initial recruitment targets were newly-hired current and former TANF recipients with a 

history of retention problems or possible learning disabilities. The Department of Human 

Services provided listings of individuals who had been employed within the past four 

months. The Step-by-Step caseworker would then contact each person by phone inviting 

him/her to participate. In most months, more than 100 names would be provided. The 

response rate to the phone call invitation was very low, five or six affirmative responses at 
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the most, and of these sometimes only one or two individuals would actually come to the 

workshops. These individuals were mostly working mothers. In year two, the project staff 

decided to expand recruitment to Workforce Investment Act (WIA) clients. They were more 

successful in attracting these people since employed WIA clients voluntarily visited the OneStop career centers for assistance in finding new jobs or to enroll in training programs. The 

Step-by-Step program could offer some of them services that were not available through 

WIA due to their employment status. These individuals were mostly male. 

The program goal was to select 218 participants for possible enrollment and to enroll 130 of 

this group. At the end of the grant period, June 2004, only 66 participants had been enrolled. 

Outcome data are limited to those who completed training. As of June 2004 (end of grant), 

only 17 participants who had completed training had been contacted regarding their status. 

The most significant result was that 10 of the 17 (59 percent) had received a wage increase 

and promotion to a better job. 

Initially, there was very little focus on employer involvement. At the urging of the ETA in 

August, 2003, the program staff began planning to augment their employee-focused approach 

with one focused more on employers. However, the remaining grant period was too short to 

recruit employers and deliver program services to their employees. 

Linn-Benton Community College

This was the only sector-focused project in the demonstration. It focused on local healthcare employers and their low-wage employees. The project targeted healthcare workers in 

lower-paying jobs, such as certified nurse assistant (CNA), who make less than $12 per hour. 

The project was implemented in three phases: 

1. Phase one included the formation of the management team, assessment of healthcare 

workers’ and employers’ needs, and funding and development of a small research 
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study to be done by Oregon State University.2 The formation of the management 

team involved recruiting healthcare partners (Corvallis Clinic, Mennonite Village, 

and Samaritan Health), and developing a working relationship between the 

Workforce Development Network and the healthcare partners. The assessment tools 

(paper-and-pencil survey questionnaires and focus group discussions) identified some 

retention issues and aided the management team in choosing appropriate action 

strategies. The Oregon State University research sought to identify attributes of 

successful healthcare workers. This formal research component was designed to 

inform future efforts more than to guide decision-making for this project. 

2. The second phase, October 1, 2003 to June 30, 2004, included the implementation of 

action strategies and the Oregon State University research effort. These strategies 

encompassed offering one-on-one career counseling (on-site or at the community 

college), workshops dealing with topics identified through consultation with 

employers and, as a result of worker surveys, some formal skills training. 

3. Phase Three changed from the assessment phase to continued program 

implementation due to the granting of two no-cost extensions by ETA. During this 

period, the project funded a leadership training component, Certified Nursing 

Assistant II training, and a supervisory training component3

. They also instituted a 

program which awarded individual training grants to workers from the two health 

care facilities. 

A key to recruiting the healthcare partners was the longstanding collaborative relationship 

between the community college and the healthcare organizations. LBCC and the healthcare 

 

2

 Oregon State accepted a small grant to study the characteristics of the low-wage workers in both in the local area 

and statewide. The objective was to identify what worker characteristics lead to higher job retention. This project 

was headed by Dr. Bruce Weber. A summary of findings are in Appendix F. 3

 In a previous project, the community college had surveyed CNAs and discovered that the #1 reason for turnover 

was not wages or the type of work, but rather the way the charge nurses supervised them. The survey results lead 

to supervisory training for nurses (who typically do not receive such training as part of their nursing educational 

program). 
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organizations had worked together in the past on projects and continue to work closely 

together to provide healthcare training in the area. At first the healthcare representatives 

were hesitant, as they did not know each other, and their organizations had a competitive and 

contentious relationship with each other. However, all three representatives independently 

said they would agree to participate because they came to believe that ultimately they could 

all gain if the project identified strategies to retain and advance healthcare workers. The 

rural nature of the counties may also have facilitated employer participation, as none of the 

three healthcare organizations wanted to be the one not participating. All three compete in a 

limited market of healthcare workers, and all three wanted to reap the potential gains in 

employee retention and advancement and in community recognition. 

The representatives from Mennonite Village and Corvallis Clinic are human resource 

managers and part of the administrative team at their facilities. The representative from 

Samaritan Health is the Staff Educator for Professional Development and was not part of the 

administrative team of her organization. All three healthcare representatives became active 

participants of the project management team, although Samaritan Health had to withdraw 

from active participation due to a labor dispute. Legal advisors for Samaritan Health advised 

against participation since any programs offered might have been viewed as management 

trying to coerce employees. 

It should be noted that the turnover rates for these healthcare employers are modest or low 

compared to the national averages of 70 percent or more for rural non-hospital facilities and 

40 percent for hospitals. Mennonite Village and Samaritan Health experience the lowest 

turnover – only 11 percent or 12 percent per year on average. Turnover at Corvallis Clinic is 

higher, especially in their targeted occupations of office specialists and clerks, for whom 

turnover averages around 30 percent.4

 

4

 Up until a few years prior to this project, turnover at Mennonite Village was considerably higher – about 35 

percent. As discussed in the case study (Appendix H), in 1997 Mennonite Village began instituting changes in 

their personnel policy that were associated with a dramatic drop in turnover. 
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The project offered a wide array of services to both workers and employers. All eligible lowwage workers were invited to participate in counseling, career planning, career days, and any 

workshops offered by the project. No participant data were collected for these more informal 

offerings. In the third year of the grant, the project organized formal courses, such as the 

Leadership Academy and the medical terminology certification courses. For these formal 

courses, participant data were collected, but it is too early to determine if the courses will 

result in employee advancement other than the automatic pay raises associated with 

completion of the course. Although it is too early to determine if the various project 

activities will have a positive impact on the low-wage healthcare workers, the Linn-Benton 

project was successful in engaging the healthcare employers. 

Sacramento Employment and Training Agency

Similar to the Portland project, the Sacramento project used a combination of case 

management and workshops to help low-wage workers. Unlike the Portland project in which 

workshop attendance was required, the Sacramento project allowed clients to choose which 

services to receive. 

The main services offered to the clients in this project were: 

 Counseling and referrals to help workers deal with work and personal problems; 

 A series of workshops to improve workers’ soft skills; 

 Assistance developing career plans; 

 Establishing goals and providing “rewards” for achievement of goals; 

 Referrals to other programs to enroll in skills training programs. 

Recruitment was accomplished in several ways. Flyers were sent to community 

organizations; invitation letters were sent to newly placed workers; One-Stop career center 

staff referred likely candidates to case managers; and case managers made presentations at 

orientation sessions. As of June, 2005, neither site had met the target of 50 clients. The 

Hillsdale site was close with 49 enrollees, but the Mark Sanders site fell short of the target 

with only 34 enrollees. 
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The project also attempted to recruit employers in sectors with low-wage jobs: health care, 

construction, customer service/call centers, high technology, and hospitality. 

The plan was to survey a select group of employers to determine their views on retention 

issues and needs of low-wage workers and to make them aware of the project; to make use of 

current relationships with employers to gain access and explain the program; and to use 

industry advisory groups [Healthcare Workforce Collaborative, Sacramento/Sierra Buildings 

Trade Council, Linking Education and Economic Development (LEED), California 

Association of Employers] to identify potential employers. Surveys were sent out early in 

the project, but the response was poor. A half-time position for an experienced employer 

relations person to recruit employers had been established at the EDD managed One-Stop 

career center, but the state hiring freeze impeded the ability of the project to fill the vacancy. 

The functions that were to have been performed by this position were given to existing 

workers who had little or no experience and who were engaged in other center activities. 

Case managers also contacted employers. In some cases, those contacts were a result of 

existing relationships and in other cases they were “cold calls.” The contacts resulted in one 

small business employer and the Urban League participating in the project to different 

extents. One small business employer who became fully engaged with the program viewed it 

as a mechanism to help ensure that newly hired workers would stay on the job. This 

employer wanted training for all company personnel in conflict resolution and 

communication skills. He wanted to ensure that supervisors had basic supervisory skills. His 

willingness to participate was based on need and also on his faith in the abilities of the case 

manager who had assisted him in finding work several years before. Ten participants were 

co-enrolled in the Rewards program and in an OJT program through the Urban League. 

GENERAL CONCLUSIONS - LESSONS LEARNED ACROSS ALL THREE SITES 

The experience of all three demonstration projects provides lessons regarding the population 

targeted for intervention, employee and employer recruitment strategies, the delivery of program 

services, and the grant process. Below these key lessons are summarized: 
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Target Population. The population of low-wage workers who have a history of poor retention 

and/or little advancement is diverse. The Portland project began with former TANF recipients 

who appreciated the soft skills workshops and the support group they provided but were less 

likely to opt for additional training. The project then recruited WIA applicants who were less 

impressed with the workshops but readily signed up for training. The Sacramento project 

allowed clients to tailor the program to their needs, although it is not known whether clients 

chose appropriately. The Linn-Benton project focused on healthcare workers earning less than 

$12 per hour. The Linn-Benton approach assumes that it is important to concentrate on a sector 

in order to have a critical mass for skills training and in order to tailor soft skills training to the 

workplace culture. 

Employee Recruitment. Although both projects provided child care and dinner at evening 

workshops, the Portland and the Sacramento projects had difficulties recruiting and engaging 

low-wage workers. Both projects also discovered that different recruitment methods resulted in 

different types of participants. WIA applicants, mostly male, were easier for Portland to recruit 

and engage than were former TANF recipients, mostly working mothers. The Sacramento site 

that co-enrolled clients in multiple programs appeared to have less engaged participants than the 

site that recruited specifically for the Rewards program. The recruitment of workers to the LinnBenton training programs was likely facilitated by the support from employers, including release 

time and reimbursement for tuition and books. 

Employer Recruitment. All three sites found that successful marketing of employers requires a 

dedicated staff person, marketing materials or a previous working relationship with the 

employer, commitment from all levels (not just the Human Resources Manager) of the 

organization, and substantial time to build trust and to collaboratively define the problem and 

develop interventions. Employers who have retention and turnover problems and costly training 

of new hires are more likely to be interested than employers who can readily replace low-wage 

workers with minimal training. Thus, Linn-Benton’s successful recruiting of the three healthcare 

employers can be attributed to a number of factors: 

 The current and predicted shortage of healthcare workers 

 The teamwork and skills required of healthcare workers that make hiring and training, 
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even at lower-paying jobs, financially costly, psychologically stressful for the entire 

team, and potentially dangerous for the patients 

 The previous and continuing working relationship between Linn-Benton Community 

College and the healthcare employers 

 Commitment from the management of the healthcare organizations 

Other factors which may have contributed to Linn-Benton’s successful recruiting of healthcare 

partners are the rural nature of the community and the leadership skill of the project director. 

The three healthcare organizations share a limited labor pool of healthcare workers within rural 

Linn and Benton counties. In addition, the project director’s skill and commitment to building a 

collaborative working relationship between the Workforce Development Network and the 

healthcare employers were important. 

Service Delivery. All three projects offered workshops and employed techniques to make it 

easier for low-wage workers to attend. Both Portland and Sacramento provided on-site childcare 

and dinner for participants in their evening workshops. They also provided transportation 

vouchers if needed. The Linn-Benton project offered lunchtime workshops with pizza at the 

healthcare worksites. However, the workers were often distracted by work or called back to 

work during the workshop. Workers on the graveyard shift could not easily attend. The LinnBenton project also discovered the importance of advertising the workshops and using workshop 

titles with positive connotations (e.g., the “Burnout” workshop was not well-attended). 

Ultimately, the Linn-Benton project negotiated release time with the employers in order for 

workers to attend leadership or certification training off-site during normal working hours. 

Two of the projects, Portland and Sacramento, used a case management approach to increase 

retention and advancement. Both sites discovered that the case management approach was laborintensive. In addition to providing counseling and referral services, the case managers needed to 

research careers in order to assist participants in developing personal career plans. 

The Portland and Linn-Benton projects provided funds for workers to enroll in courses at the 
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community college or in trade or technical schools. Both projects noted barriers for working 

clients, particularly parents. These barriers include: 

 Conflicts in work and course schedules (few evening or weekend courses are offered); 

 The intensity of certificate programs which may preclude full-time, or even part-time 

work; 

 Lack of childcare or conflicting family responsibilities (working parents may not want to 

spend additional hours away from their children); 

 Limited course openings (part-time students have lower priority than full-time students, 

colleges require enrollment levels that may exceed the local demand for a course). 

In addition, the Portland project noted the need to evaluate the likelihood that the 

education/training course(s) will actually lead to a better job and the need to screen applicants in 

order to use limited training funds only for those committed to completing a course. 

Project Management and Monitoring. The three projects were managed differently. The 

Portland project with few staff was managed simply and efficiently by the project leader. The 

project leader for the Linn-Benton project developed a management team, consisting of 

employer representatives as well as workforce partners, and used a consensus decision-making 

model. The project leader’s skill in team-building and management contributed to the successful 

engagement of the employers. The two Sacramento sites, although implementing the same 

program design, did not have anyone overseeing both sites. Thus program implementation was 

inconsistent across the two sites, and resources were not used to full advantage. 

All three sites were challenged to collect sufficient data on participants’ backgrounds, 

involvement with the program, and pre- and post-program wages and employment. Although the 

Portland and Sacramento project staff assured the evaluation team that critical participation, 

retention, and wage data were being collected for individual participants, the data collection 

systems were flawed. Thus, no clear link could be made between program participation and 

retention or advancement. Individual participant data for the Linn-Benton project activities were 

limited to the formal classes offered at the end of the grant. Completion of these formal classes 

will result in automatic wage increases for participants. 
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Grant Process. In terms of the grant process, all the sub-grantees felt that more time and a more 

efficient sub-grant award process were needed for the demonstration project. Additional time 

would allow for better planning and an opportunity to implement changes if the original plan was 

not working. Even though sites were encouraged to experiment, they would have preferred a 

clearer picture of expectations. The sites also would have liked more technical assistance with 

developing data collection systems. 

The sub-grantees appreciated the opportunity to meet and discuss their project with other subgrantees but felt this meeting should have occurred much earlier in the project. Of course, since 

Sacramento came on line a year after the Portland and Linn-Benton projects, this was not 

possible. 

OTHER PROJECT OUTCOMES 

There were three additional products developed as a result of this demonstration. 

Low-Wage Worker Literature Review

As part of the process study, Coffey Communications, LLC included a low-wage worker 

literature review. The objective was to enhance the process study’s utility as a design tool 

for future low-wage worker retention and advancement programs. The literature review was 

completed early in 2005, so outcome data from studies still in progress is not included. The 

review is in Appendix E of the full report. 

Oregon State Low-Wage Health Worker Research

Linn-Benton supported a $35,000 research project at Oregon State University. The purpose 

of this contract was to produce a report that responded to the following research questions: 

1. Is there a profile of attributes and characteristics possessed by workers who enter 

employment at a relative entry-level wage and successfully maintain employment and 

progress in wage progression and career mobility? 

2. Are there combinations of attributes of workers and work support services that seem 
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to be particularly successful in maintaining employment and in wage progression 

(controlling for local labor markets conditions)? 

The full report is not anticipated to be available until 2006, but a summary of preliminary 

findings is included in Appendix E. 

Mennonite Village Case Study

During an early site visit to the Linn-Benton project, one of the participating employers 

mentioned that turnover rates for low-wage workers in her organization had declined. The 

employer presented a chart showing the decline. What was of interest was the fact that 

turnover for this employer was at the national average until 1997 at which time it began to 

drop substantially. After discussions with ETA and the employer, it was decided that 

attempting to identify the cause for the decline might be useful, and ETA approved the 

development of a case study. Four days were spent on site with the management and 

employees of Mennonite Village in an effort to gain a better understanding of changes that 

occurred beginning in 1997. The case study shows that in 1997 the employer hired an HR 

professional who, along with other members of management, began addressing the issue of 

turnover and policies and practices that might improve turnover statistics. A list of changes 

implemented by the employer is included in the case study along with employee views 

regarding their experiences with this employer. The case study is in Appendix F. 
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CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 

A. BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES FOR THE LOW-WAGE WORKER 

RETENTION AND ADVANCEMENT DEMONSTRATION PROJECT (LWWRA) 

Historically, government financed workforce programs have been devoted to assisting workers 

with skills training and finding employment. For many people, that assistance has been 

sufficient because they do not have significant barriers to employment. The low-wage worker, 

however, is often plagued by multiple problems which may result in difficulty in retaining 

employment and in advancing on the job. Low-wage workers may have: limited job skills; 

limited coping skills; transportation problems, childcare problems; language barriers; poor work 

history, and poor educational achievement. Failure to be retained and advance on the job is not 

only a worker problem but also a problem for employers of these workers since hiring these 

types of workers often results in costly turnover for the employer. 

The Low-Wage Worker Retention and Advancement Demonstration Project, initiated in the 

spring of 2002 by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), Employment and Training 

Administration (ETA), was developed in order to identify interventions that would assist 

incumbent low-wage workers who have barriers to job retention and advancement. In addition, 

by providing services that enhance worker retention skills, the program is also aimed at aiding 

employers by reducing employee turnover. This project differed from existing programs 

directed at low-wage workers in that it was not specifically targeted at current or former welfare 

clients, and the project architects recognized the need to actively engage employers in the project 

since job retention problems are not always worker problems. 

The results of the demonstrations may be shared with state and local One-Stop Career Centers 

for their use in developing employment and retention services for low-wage workers and in 

responding to business needs relative to the low-wage population. 
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B. GRANT SOLICITATION AND AWARD PROCESS 

Oregon

After preliminary discussions between ETA and Oregon officials, the Oregon Employment 

Department (OED) submitted a proposal in March 2002 requesting funding and outlining a 

general approach to serve incumbent low-wage workers. To encourage innovation, ETA 

awarded the project as a demonstration grant. 

Oregon’s proposal named two sites that would serve as sub-grantees: Portland Community 

College (PCC), home of a One-Stop Career Center and previous administrator of one of the 

more successful welfare-to-work programs1

, and Linn-Benton Community College (LBCC), 

home of a One-Stop Career Center that serves both the county with the highest 

unemployment rate in Oregon (Linn) and the county with the lowest unemployment rate in 

Oregon (Benton). 

The OED proposal was intentionally non-specific as to the approaches that the sites would 

take to help low-wage workers stay employed and advance: “Actual project design will be 

driven by local partners and developed in the planning stage of this project...” 

The proposal suggested that two alternative approaches or ‘treatments’ would be explored. 

The proposal identified the two treatments as case management and workshop focus. The 

difference between these two ‘treatments’ was mostly in how services would be offered. In 

the case management approach, it was anticipated that there would be greater use of 

individual counseling resulting in a better understanding of participant needs. There would 

also be direct provision of services as needs were identified. This model would be more like 

a social service approach to service delivery. 

The workshop focus model would be less tailored to individual needs. Workshops would be 

 

1

 The Portland Steps-to-Success was one of the sites in the National Evaluation of Welfare to Work Strategies 

(NEWWS) 
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developed cooperatively by the partners based on their perception of low-wage worker needs 

and would be offered to a larger audience. Possibly the most important sentence in the 

proposal was: “To encourage participation, OED and workforce partners may explore 

different forms of employer-employee incentives.” 

The Oregon proposal stated that the primary target population would be the low-wage 

incumbent worker, although unemployed workers might be served if there were space in the 

caseload or workshops to serve them. 

Several recruitment methods were identified in the proposal. They included inviting newly 

placed TANF recipients to participate in workshops; using state or local records to find 

recent low-wage worker placements and inviting those individuals to the workshops; asking 

One-Stop Career Center staff to refer likely candidates; and requesting referrals from local 

businesses/employers who have connections with the One-Stop Career Center. 

The proposal presented a timeline for project design and implementation. The three phases 

of the project were to take place as follows: 

1. Planning and development – from March 15, 2002 through June 30, 2002 

2. Implementation – from July 1, 2002 through June 30, 2004 

3. Evaluation – the responsibility of DOL 

The proposal was submitted to ETA on March 15, 2002, and it was signed and returned to 

OED on April 26, 2004. The period of performance was from May 1, 2002 through June 30, 

2004, and the total grant was for $450,000. 

The OED process for finalizing the sub-grants to PCC and LBCC was cumbersome because 

of changes in administration at the state level and requirements involved in the sub-grant 

process. This resulted in the sub-grantees operating without funds for an extended period of 

time. For the PCC site, although notified by OED on June 30, 2002 that they had received a 

two-year grant for $212,000, they did not receive a signed agreement until nine months later. 

During those nine months, the PCC program operators became increasingly concerned that 
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they would not have a signed agreement in time to bill for the first year of costs. This delay 

slowed project implementation, as the community college had to absorb program costs 

throughout most of the first year. For LBCC, the impact of the sub-grant delay was less 

severe in that the project incurred fewer costs prior to the signed agreement and ultimately 

obtained a no-cost extension. The LBCC sub-grant of $210,000 was originally slated to 

begin July 2002 and end in June 2004, but LBCC did not receive a signed agreement until 

February 2003. The new agreement was for an 18-month period, January 2003 through June 

2004. In the spring of 2004, LBCC obtained a no-cost extension through December 30, 

2005. 

California 

The California Employment Development Department (EDD) submitted a proposal to ETA 

in the spring of 2003, approximately one year after the initial grant had been made to 

Oregon. Informal discussions were conducted by ETA with EDD personnel regarding the 

objectives of the demonstration and the desire to have a project which was primarily targeted 

toward serving incumbent workers and their employers (similar to the model being 

implemented by Linn-Benton although not necessarily sector specific). EDD contacted 

several One-Stop Career Center service providers in the state requesting proposals to 

implement the project. The Sacramento Employment and Training Agency (SETA) was 

chosen because: 

a. Having the demonstration in the state capitol made oversight easier for the prime 

grantee. SETA manages the One-Stop Career Center for Sacramento County and 

handles employment, training, and social services. 

b. Sacramento City and County are in the same Local Workforce Investment Area 

(LWIA) which made coordination between the two Sacramento sites easier. Other 

proposed sites included multiple workforce areas. 

c. SETA was operating two programs with somewhat similar goals: the CalWorks and 

Refugee programs. The CalWorks program held focus groups for TANF recipients 

in the evenings. The Refugee program also offered evening focus groups for mostly 

Eastern European and Russian refugees. 
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d. SETA was able to develop a proposal in a relatively short time frame that could be 

used by EDD to respond to ETA. 

The initial proposal submitted by EDD and SETA focused primarily on a case managements 

approach. Recruitment of low-wage workers would be through the Career Center system 

thus enabling the project to draw clients from all partner organizations operating in the 

center. In addition, flyers and posters would be distributed in likely neighborhoods. Direct 

mailing would also be part of the recruitment effort. The following is a list of those who 

were initially targeted as eligible to participate: 

 CalWorks customers, 

 Low-wage earners, 

 Working Poor, 

 Refugees and immigrants that qualify for Fed Refugee services, 

 Women and minority males in non-traditional occupations, 

 Youth including emancipated foster youth, 

 Former CalWorks enrollees in low-wage jobs, 

 People in jobs earning less than 150 percent of lower living standard. 

It was anticipated that the project would provide: 

 A case management/job coaching approach to monitor job status and needed support, 

 Career counseling, testing and referral to occupational training (not paid from grant 

funds), 

 Support services -- referral to appropriate agencies for legal problems, domestic 

violence situations, mental health care, substance abuse, and child care, 

 Some short-term training for basic occupational skills, soft skills, and work based 

learning, 

 Connection to industry mentors, 

 Re-employment assistance, and 

 Employer support.

The role of employers was to identify potentially eligible employees who may be in need of 
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retention services. Health care and construction employees were mentioned as prime targets 

for assistance. Existing industry advisory groups2 were supposed to identify employers who 

might participate in the program. 

Project goals were identified as: 

1. Career advancement with existing employers, 

2. Increased wages for enrollees, 

3. Decreased dependence on public assistance, 

4. Employment retention due to enhanced skills attainment, 

5. Employer customer satisfaction high. 

The $450,000 grant was signed on May 30, 2003 by EDD and on June 9, 2003 by DOL. The 

original period of performance was April 1, 2003 to April 30, 2005. Funding became 

available to the sub-grantee in July, 2003. The California project ended September 30, 2005. 

C. PROCESS STUDY3

In addition to awarding grants for program implementation, ETA also awarded an evaluation 

contract to Coffey Communications, LLC to document how the grantees connect with the OneStop service delivery system, employers, and the welfare-to-work and TANF programs to 

provide job retention and advancement services to low-wage workers. The process evaluation 

assesses the background and demographic characteristics of the low-wage workers served in the 

demonstrations, the types of services offered to participants, the system for delivering those 

services, and the participant utilization of services. In addition, the contractor was asked to 

identify barriers to program implementation and lessons learned by the grantees during the 

implementation of the project. Where appropriate, the evaluation contractor was asked to 

document any models or components which proved effective, either for retention or 

advancement, so that these models might be shared with other service providers. 

 

2

 Healthcare Workforce Collaborative, Sacramento/Sierra Buildings and Trade Council, and Linking Education and 

Economic Development (LEED) 3

 See Appendix A for the Process Study Statement of Work. 
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The process evaluation is based on written and verbal information provided by the sub-grantees. 

In addition to reviewing the sub-grantees’ proposals and quarterly reports, in-person site visits 

and discussions with project leaders and staff were conducted about every six months by the 

Coffey/Battelle evaluation team. Both Oregon projects were visited in February 2003, August 

2003, and January 2004. In addition, project personnel from both Oregon projects attended the 

June 2004 LWW Demonstration Conference in Sacramento, at which time they provided 

additional project updates and written material. Because the LBCC project continued through 

December 2005, additional site visits were made to the LBCC Oregon site in September 2004 

and April 2005. 

The Sacramento sites received funding about a year later than the Oregon sites. Evaluation site 

visits were made to the Sacramento project in August 2003, February 2004, September 2004, and 

April 2005. As with the Oregon sites, the Sacramento project leaders and key staff attended the 

June 2004 conference and provided an update on project activities. 

Generally two evaluators, one from Coffey Communications and one from Battelle, conducted 

the day and a half site visits. During the visits, program staffs were questioned about the goals 

and plans, the logistics of implementing the program, the program participants and their level of 

involvement, project personnel’s qualitative assessment of the program’s effectiveness, 

challenges in program design and implementation, data collection, and lessons learned. The 

format of the Portland and Sacramento site visits was typically a round-table discussion with 

program leaders and key personnel, followed by private conversations with the program leaders. 

The format of the Corvallis site visits varied, as the program leader frequently arranged visits to 

the locations of partners – Corvallis Clinic, Mennonite Village, Oregon State University, 

Workforce Development Network, and LBCC staff classrooms. A typical day and a half visit to 

the Corvallis site began with a brief discussion with the project leader to obtain a program 

update, moved on to visits and interviews with other program staff or partners, and ended with 

another discussion with the project leader. 
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D. REPORT COMPONENTS 

The report is organized as follows. Chapters 2 through 4 describe the program designs, 

implementation methods, challenges, and data collection for each of the program operators. The 

description of each site includes information about the service area and setting, the program 

partners, the project goal and planned approach, the services that were actually provided, 

participant recruitment and enrollment and how it compares to the target population, and 

program challenges. A summary of the lessons learned is described in Chapter 5. Appendices A 

through C provide supporting material for the report. Appendices D through F present the results 

of special research projects related to the demonstration projects. A literature review of research 

to inform low-wage worker retention and advancement projects is presented in Appendix D. 

Appendix E includes a summary of Oregon State University research on retention and 

advancement among low-wage workers in Oregon which was funded as part of the Linn-Benton 

demonstration project. Appendix F is a case study of one of the Oregon employers whose 

approach to reducing turnover rates among low-wage workers has been remarkably successful. 

Appendix G is a CD containing some of the materials generated by the sites in support of the 

project. On the CD are flyers, enrollment and tracking forms, focus group materials, workshop 

synopses, employer recruitment documents, and some workshop curricula. 
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CHAPTER 2: PORTLAND COMMUNITY COLLEGE 

STEP-BY-STEP 

In this chapter, detailed information is presented about the Portland Community College (PCC) 

Step-by-Step Low-Wage Worker Advancement and Retention Project1

. We describe the project 

design and implementation, present data on participants and services, and discuss 

implementation challenges. To ease comparison of the demonstration projects, all site-specific 

chapters are organized with the same headings, although there may be slight differences in 

section order. 

 Sub-Grant 

 Service Area and Setting 

 Program Partners 

 Project Goal 

 Approach 

 Services Provided 

 Target Populations & Recruitment 

 Enrollment 

 Implementation Challenges 

A. SUB-GRANT 

In May 2002, once it appeared that an award would be made to Oregon, a retention team was 

formed to develop the Portland Community College (PCC) service delivery plan, and on June 30, 

2002, the team was notified by OED that they were being funded for a two-year period at 

$212,000. However, there was a substantial time lag between this notification and the signed 

agreement between the state and the community college. The project operated for nine months 

without a signed agreement. In order to accept the grant funds, the state legislature had to be 

involved, resulting in an unanticipated delay in the actual transfer of funds. During those nine 

months, program operators at the community college became increasingly concerned that they 

would not have a signed agreement in time to bill for the costs incurred. This delay slowed 

 

1

 See Appendix B for a chart version of this discussion. 
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project implementation, as the community college had to absorb program costs throughout most 

of the first year. 

B. SERVICE AREA AND SETTING 

Portland Community College is located in Beaverton, a suburb of Portland. The service area is 

Washington County, which includes the cities of Portland, Beaverton, Hillsboro, and Tigert. 

Washington County is the fastest growing county in the state. The population is 80 percent nonHispanic white, 11 percent Hispanic, and 9 percent other. Hillsboro has a growing Asian and 

Russian immigrant population. 

Local employers include several high tech and electronics companies (Intel, IBM, Hewlett 

Packard, Tektronix), call centers, Nike sports apparel, and Fred Meyer stores (similar to WalMart). Agriculture, lumber, manufacturing and food processing are other major industries. 

The project was implemented during a national economic recession. Moreover, Oregon vied with 

Alaska for the state with the highest unemployment rates. At the start of the project, June 2002, 

the unemployment rate in Oregon was 7.2 percent (compared to 6.0 percent nationally) and in 

Washington County was 6.5 percent. At the end of the project, June 2004, the rate was 6.8 

percent in Oregon (compared to 5.8 percent nationally) and 5.6 percent in Washington County. 

At the start of the project, Washington County was particularly affected by economic downturns 

in technology, transportation, and manufacturing coupled with a regional energy crisis. 

C. PROGRAM PARTNERS 

The Portland Community College, operator of the One-Stop Career Center, managed the grant. 

They worked closely with the Department of Human Services (DHS), co-located at the One-Stop 

Career Center, to obtain referrals. After the DHS Self Sufficiency Program placed a welfare 

recipient (client) in a job, they would notify staff of the demonstration project who would then 

attempt to contact the worker and invite him/her to participate in the program. The Tualatin 

Valley Center was the community partner that provided mental health counseling and testing for 

learning disabilities. 
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D. PROJECT GOAL 

The project, called Step-by-Step, was modeled after an earlier project, Steps to Success, which 

assisted welfare recipients to obtain jobs. Although many welfare recipients transitioned to paid 

employment, they typically did not stay employed for long, nor did they find employment at jobs 

that paid a living wage. Many of these workers, even those working full-time, had incomes that 

still qualified them for welfare. Others had difficulty keeping a job and thus were cycling back to 

welfare and job search services. The Step-by-Step project was designed to address the problems 

of low wages and job instability. The Step-by-Step goal was to help low-wage workers, many 

of them newly employed welfare recipients, build a stable work history and develop a career plan 

that would increase their chances of career advancement and self-sufficiency. 

E. APPROACH 

PCC’s approach coupled a case management approach with workshops. Step-by-Step aimed to 

increase retention and career advancement among low-wage workers by: 

 Improving workers’ soft skills, 

 Providing counseling and referrals to help workers deal with work and personal 

problems, 

 Helping workers develop and begin implementing a career plan, and 

 Funding a limited amount of education or vocational training. 

The Step-by-Step project only minimally involved employers. With the client’s approval, 

employers were to be contacted to help resolve work-related issues. At the urging of ETA in 

August, 2003, the program staff began planning to augment their employee-focused approach 

with one focused more on employers. A part-time staff person was hired to recruit employers 

who would encourage (or possibly require) their low-wage workers to participate in the Step-byStep project.2

 However, the recruitment of employees via their employers did not occur, because 

the program staff was concerned that the remaining grant period was too short to recruit 

employers and deliver program services, including the training stipend, to their employees. 

 

2

 See Appendix G (Project Implementation Tools) for specific elements of the employer recruitment plan 
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Nevertheless, the Step-by-Step project model was focused on working with employees, not 

employers. It sought to change employee skills, aspirations, and behaviors, not employer 

practices. If the project had more time, employers may have been enlisted, but their role would 

have been primarily to recruit low-wage workers for the existing project and to inform Step-byStep staff about career progression and job requirements in their companies. Employer input on 

the workshop curriculum was not expected to result in major changes because it was assumed 

that low-wage workers, regardless of their occupation or employer, can benefit from the same 

type of soft skills development and career planning assistance. 

F. SERVICES PROVIDED 

The combination of workshops and case management provided soft skills training, career 

planning, job search support and referrals. Soft skills were taught in semi-monthly group 

workshops that also served as a support group for participants. A retention specialist/case 

manager led the workshops focused on work issues, such as dressing for success, communication 

skills, and teamwork. A mental health counselor from Tualatin Valley Centers led the workshops 

focused on mental health issues such as dealing with stress. Table 2.1 presents the workshop 

topics. 

Child-care and dinner were provided for the evening workshops, and incentives, such as gift 

certificates, were used to increase attendance. Initially, participants were required to attend 80 

percent of the workshops over a six-month period in order to be eligible for tuition and/or supply 

reimbursement. This requirement aimed to limit the tuition and supply reimbursement to 

participants who demonstrated their commitment through consistent workshop attendance. 

However, the six-month period coupled with the quarter start times for most training and classes 

often resulted in long delays for participants eager to begin. The requirement was reduced to 

attendance of 80 percent of the workshops over a four-month period. Prior to each workshop, 

the retention specialist case manager called participants to remind them of the workshop. 

Participants were expected to notify her if they would not be able to attend. 

The retention specialist also provided individual case management services. The retention 

specialist was available “on call” at all times via cell phone for participants who needed help 
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resolving work or personal problems, such as getting along with co-workers or supervisors, 

finding last-minute transportation or childcare, or paying rent. The retention specialist linked 

participants to support services available on-site at the One-Stop Career Center, such as free 

work clothing or equipment, or referred participants to other service providers, such as Tualatin 

Valley Center, for mental health and substance abuse counseling. 

Table 2.1: Step-By-Step Workshop Topics 

Retention Specialist Instructor 

Mental Health 

Specialist Instructor 

 Career Planning 

 Staying Interested/Motivated on the Job 

 Dealing With Other People’s 

Behaviors/Attitudes 

 Communication 

 Conflict Resolution 

 Teamwork 

 Time Management 

 Barriers: Transportation, Childcare, 

Housing Resources 

 Money Management 

 Healthy Habits: Sleep, Meals, Exercise 

 Stress Management/Relaxation/Selfcare 

 Goal-setting/Priorities 

The case manager also worked individually with participants to develop career plans and shortterm goals that would lead them to advancement with their current employer or to a better job 

with another employer. The case manager utilized the community college’s “Career Pathways” 

which delineates requirements for careers that require relatively short periods of training or have 

intermediate levels of certification. She also researched and developed career pathways for 

occupations of interest to participants that require training outside the community college. The 

emphasis was to help participants plan for long-term goals by articulating short-term steps. As 

short-term goals were achieved, participants were given rewards with the hope that the rewards 

would be an incentive to continue with the longer term plan. 

If the results of the career pathway research suggested additional training or education, it was 

possible that some, if not all, could be paid by the project. The project had included a budget for 

a small amount of additional education or vocational training for participants. 

G. TARGET POPULATIONS AND RECRUITMENT EFFORTS 

Initially, the target population was former or current TANF recipients who were newly hired 

(within the past four months). The plan was to target individuals from this population who had 
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histories of job retention difficulties or who had learning difficulties which impacted job 

performance. 

For the first year of the project, recruitment was primarily from referrals from the Department of 

Human Services (DHS). Once a TANF client was placed in a job, the Step-by-Step retention 

specialist contacted that client (through a personal phone call) inviting him or her to join the 

program. The recruitment effort was very labor intensive. Each month, the retention specialist 

would contact as many as 100 new hires. From this population, typically only five or six would 

express any interest and only one or two would actually come to a workshop. Once it became 

clear that the DHS referral process would not provide adequate numbers of participants, the 

project expanded its recruitment effort by targeting WIA clients who were interested in training 

but were ineligible for WIA training resources. 

In addition, during the final nine months of the program, the staff made a more concerted effort 

to engage the business community in the referral process. A list of potential employers was 

compiled utilizing input from the One-Stop Career Center staff, and these employers were 

contacted through a mass mailing. Employers were encouraged to refer employees with potential 

retention issues, defined as employees in need of skills training, soft skills, counseling, support 

services, or conflict resolution training. Although some employers expressed interest in the Stepby-Step program, the remaining grant period was insufficient to offer their employees the 

program, including the training stipend. In order to be eligible for a training stipend, employees 

needed to attend four to six months of workshops and develop a career plan. At that point, a 

training provider could be identified and the stipend request submitted. If training was to be 

provided by a school or college, there might be further delay due to the academic calendar. 

H. ENROLLMENTS 

The project anticipated recruiting 218 eligible participants over the course of the grant. 

They were only able to recruit a total of 66 participants into the program by the end of the grant. 

The PCC project utilized an Access database system to record participant background 

characteristics, utilization of program services, and outcome information about wages and 
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promotions. The Access data reports were used to develop Table 2.2 and the presentation that 

follows. In addition, the Retention Specialist kept records of participants and provided 

additional information about their background, their program involvement, and their outcomes. 

Some of the Access data are internally inconsistent, and in some cases the Access numbers do 

not match the numbers provided by the Retention Specialist. Problems with the Access database 

were noted by program staff, who in retrospect would have designed the database differently. 

Thus, it was necessary to piece together the available data to estimate characteristics of the 

program participants and their program involvement. Fortunately, the data discrepancies are 

relatively minor and do not substantially alter the description of the program. 

Table 2.2 presents information about the participants at the time of enrollment. The cumulative 

data are shown for January 2003, a couple of months after the program began recruitment; June 

2003, about mid-way through the program; and January 2004, the last month they accepted new 

enrollments. As shown, 57 participants were enrolled in the program. More than two-thirds (70 

percent) of the participants were female, and 60 percent of the participants were white. Most 

participants (71 percent) were newly employed, having worked for three months or less at their 

current job. Data on whether the participant was currently receiving TANF or had previously 

been receiving TANF were available for 41 participants, and indicated that about one-third were 

currently on TANF, one-third had been on TANF in the past, and the remaining were low-wage 

 

3

 Of the 13 participants, 9 enrolled in November 2002, 2 enrolled in December 2002, and 2 enrolled in January 

2003. 4

 Missing gender for 1 participant as of January 2004. 

5

 Missing race/ethnicity for 6 participants as of January 2004. 6

 Missing employment at enrollment information for 2 participants as of January 2004. 

Table 2.2: Participant Enrollment Information 

Quarterly Cumulative Enrollment from January 2003 until January 2004 

JAN 20033 JUN 2003 JAN 2004 

Participants 13 34 57 

Gender4 Female 9 25 39 

 Male 4 9 17 

Race/Ethnicity5 White 3 14 30 

 Hispanic 3 5 5 

 Other 7 15 16 

Length of 

Employment6

0-3 Months 11 28 39 

 4-6 Months 0 3 6 

 6 + Months 2 3 10 
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workers but had never received TANF. 

Of the 57 who enrolled, about one-third did not complete at least 80 percent of the workshop 

series. As of June 2003, 7 participants of 34 (21 percent) had enrolled in some kind of training. 

From July 2003 until January 2004, another 13 of 23 (56 percent) had enrolled in training. The 

higher rate of training for the latter group reflects the slightly different population of workers 

who were recruited from WIA applicants as opposed to TANF placements. 

According to reports from the Retention Specialist, a total of 66 people had enrolled in the 

program. As of January 2004, after recruitment ended, the Retention Specialist estimated that 

she had 20-30 active clients, of which 10-15 were attending Wednesday night workshops, 9 were 

starting the series of Monday morning workshops, and 7 were clients who had almost completed 

the series of workshops. The participants who were WIA applicants were noticeably different 

from the earlier TANF new-hire participants. Most of the WIA recruits were male, and 

compared to the earlier recruits, more readily committed to the program. The WIA recruits were 

more likely to attend workshops and utilize program resources, such as testing for learning 

disabilities and stipends for additional training. The Access database report partially 

substantiates the Retention Specialist’s description of the change in participant characteristics 

over time. The percent of males was slightly higher in the second fiscal year – 36 percent 

compared to 26 percent in the first fiscal year. 7 In the last month of enrollment, December 2003, 

6 of 8 enrollees were male. The database shows that as of January 2004, there were 16 

participants who were still attending workshops.8

Outcome data are limited to those who completed training. As of June 2004, the Retention 

Specialist had contacted all 17 participants who had completed training, and reported that 10 of 

the 17 (59 percent) had received a wage increase and promotion to a better job. 

I. IMPLEMENTATION CHALLENGES 

 

7

 July 1, 2003 – June 30, 2004 was the second fiscal year and July 1, 2002 – June 30, 2003 was the first fiscal year. 

8

 It is possible that the Access report did not show nine very recent recruits, which would have brought the Access 

numbers in alignment with the Retention Specialist’s estimates. 
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Demonstration projects, by design, often face major challenges. Generally the objectives of 

demonstrations are to (1) work with new client groups; (2) test new services; and (3) offer new 

ways to deliver service. PCC executed all three objectives but faced the following challenges: 

Client Groups

In the case of client groups, PCC found that there were different categories of low-wage 

workers who needed different types of services. Those who faced retention problems often 

had serious barriers to employment, such as child care, transportation and housing problems, 

learning disabilities, or mental health issues. These barriers affected their ability to 

participate in the Step-by-Step project, even though workshops were designed with them in 

mind offering free learning disability testing, counseling, and training stipends. Voluntary 

participation by this group in workshops and career planning was limited, and few managed 

to utilize the free training. 

The other group of low-wage workers could generally be categorized as individuals with 

retention and advancement problems because of declines in employment opportunities for 

individuals with low skill levels. These low-wage workers had fewer barriers to employment 

and were more eager to take advantage of the Step-by-Step testing and training benefits. 

This client group was more likely to enroll in the workshops but less in need of the workshop 

soft skills lessons and group support. 

The ability of the project to successfully recruit participants was directly related to the type 

of client targeted. The project started out focusing on current or former TANF clients, many 

of whom had significant problems outside the workplace. It was not until the project was 15 

months along that the focus shifted to include more of the less challenged low-wage workers. 

The DHS recruitment process was less successful than the process which involved 

connecting with applicants applying for WIA services. WIA applicants were looking for 

some type of training or assistance in changing employment, and thus they were motivated to 

accept the benefits offered through the Step-by-Step project. This client group was also easier 

to identify. The One-Stop Career Center conducted orientation sessions for potential 

enrollees in the WIA funded training programs, and the retention specialist could make 
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presentations at the orientations. Also, once it was known that the Step-by-Step program was 

seeking enrollees outside the DHS system, career counselors also made referrals. 

Employers might be considered another client group. Because this was a case management/ 

workshop model, the role of the employer was minimal in the first phase of the project. Once 

the decision was made to more actively court employers, program staff discovered that 

employer recruitment was more time-consuming than anticipated. Informal contacts through 

the monthly Employment Department meetings were unsuccessful, and so they hired a parttime employee to develop promotional material and a list of local employers to target. 

Statistics on the costs of turnover were gathered and used in the written material. A script 

was prepared to use when making follow-up calls to employers. If an employer was 

interested, a plan of service would have been developed. However, the project never reached 

this phase. Several employers expressed interest, but the project was too close to the end 

date to offer their employees four to six months of workshops and additional training. 

New Services

While workshops are not necessarily new services, in the case of this project, the workshops 

were designed specifically to address challenges faced by workers with retention and 

advancement problems. Once again, the problem of diverse needs clients had to be 

addressed. Participants from the DHS recruitment process faced different problems than the 

WIA applicant recruits. Originally, the project required that enrollees attend at least 80 

percent of the offered workshops and maintain connection with the program for at least six 

months before they would be eligible for training. This meant that individuals eager to 

complete a GED or other training had to wait. It also meant that regardless of whether 

participants found the soft skills workshops useful or not, they had to attend. Ultimately, the 

project relaxed the six-month participation requirement to four months (and in some cases 

less). 

Holding workshops in the evening also presented logistical problems. As was mentioned 

earlier, the clients with serious retention problems often had child care, transportation and 

housing problems. To engage these clients, barriers to attending workshops needed to be 
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solved. Child care services had to be arranged, transportation needed to be subsidized, dinner 

had to be provided, and the sessions had to be scheduled to maximize participation. 

Training is also not a new service, but decisions regarding how to use limited training dollars 

presented challenges. The costs of training varied, from $500 for a GED course, to $700 to 

$1,000 for a semester of PCC classes, to several thousand dollars for a computer certification 

program. Training outside of PCC was available through private training providers but at a 

significantly higher cost. 

With limited resources, the project staff wanted to ensure that training: 

 was appropriate and realistic given resources and time available to achieve career 

goals; 

 would result in improved retention and advancement; and 

 was the best path to reach career goals. 

In addition, training needed to be programmed to fit the grant program period. College 

enrollment is limited by the standard enrollment periods, as well as the availability of courses 

during the client’s free time. If a client required substantial college course work to meet 

career goals, that client needed to be identified very early in the program in order to enroll for 

normal quarter or semester programs. Given that clients were required to participate in four 

to six months of program services before being eligible for training, it was almost impossible 

for clients to complete full course work for most occupations. Even certification programs 

required full-time enrollment for six months to two years. 

Other Challenges

Time is always a challenge. In the case of this demonstration project, time was a critical 

issue. Once program staff determined that recruitment methods had to change, that 

requirements for training needed to be modified, and that they needed to more fully engage 

the employer community, there was little time left to offer a full range of services or to 

determine if these changes would affect the project outcomes. 
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Data collection also presented a challenge. One of the PCC program’s strengths is the use of 

standard data collection forms and a database system. Even so, the program staff discovered 

that the database and Access reports needed modification. Furthermore, although data were 

collected, it has been very difficult to determine “success.” The expected outcomes of the 

project included both enrollment levels and on-the-job experiences. The PCC plan stated that 

70 percent of the participants would remain on the job for at least three months and those 

remaining employed for six months would receive wage increases. Tracking enrollment 

levels, while seemingly a simple task, requires clear definitions regarding enrollment, 

successful completion, termination, etc. Tracking wage gains has also proved to be very 

difficult because once participants stop coming to workshops or stop receiving active 

services, making contact with them has been almost impossible. To further complicate 

analysis of outcomes, the Step-by-Step project served two slightly different client 

populations. Additional background information, such as work histories, number of children 

under age 12, number of other adults in the household and their employment status, and the 

participant’s educational attainment, would need to be factored into any analysis of program 

impacts. With only 66 participants, and even fewer participants who completed the 

workshops and additional training, meaningful outcome analysis is not possible. 

Finally, the program operator suggested that the funds available to implement this project 

were inadequate. The money was used to support one full-time retention specialist, a parttime employer relations worker (in the last year of the project), and to pay for time spent by 

other partner organizations. The balance of funds was used for support services, gift 

incentives, and training costs. Had the project been fully enrolled, it is not clear that the 

retention specialist would have been able to handle the projected caseload. As it stands, 

because the caseload was low, more money was made available for training. 
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CHAPTER 3: LINN-BENTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE 

HEALTHCARE WORKER RETENTION 

AND CAREER ADVANCEMENT INITIATIVE 

In this chapter information about the Linn-Benton Healthcare Worker Retention and Career 

Advancement Initiative is presented. We describe the project design and implementation, 

present data on participants and services, and discuss implementation challenges. To ease 

comparison of the demonstration projects, the chapter is organized with the same headings as 

Chapters 2 and 4, although in a slightly different order. The headings are: 

 Sub-grant 

 Service Area and Setting 

 Program Partners 

 Project Goal 

 Approach 

 Target Populations & Recruitment 

 Enrollment 

 Services Provided 

 Implementation Challenges 

A. SUB-GRANT 

The sub-grant is between the Oregon Employment Department and the Workforce Development 

Network (WDN). The WDN partners identified Linn-Benton Community College (LBCC) as 

the fiscal and staffing agent for the sub-grant. The sub-grant amount is $210,000. 

Although originally a two-year project slated to begin July 2002 and end June 2004, the subgrant was delayed. The delay resulted in an original 18-month sub-grant with Oregon 

Employment Department beginning in January 1, 2003 and ending June 30, 2004. In the spring 

of 2004, the project obtained a no-cost extension to June 30, 2005. A second no-cost extension 

to December 30, 2005 was also awarded, thereby resulting in a three-year project. 
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The Oregon Employment Department encouraged the Workforce Development Project Team to 

be creative in their proposal, while at the same time offering them two model choices – 

workshop/seminar or case management – both of which the project team rejected. The project 

team did not want to start any interventions or programs that could not be sustained. 

Furthermore, their previous experience with the case-management model under the Job 

Opportunities and Basic Skills (JOBS) program failed to increase retention1. Instead, the project 

team proposed a sectoral project focused on the healthcare industry where employment needs are 

difficult to meet and are projected to become even worse, and where career advancement is 

possible. The project would identify and test ways in which employers and the community 

college could better help low-wage workers in the healthcare industry advance to higher paying 

jobs. The project targets the working poor population without regard to whether or not they are 

current or former welfare recipients. The project would recruit healthcare partners, conduct 

research on the needs of healthcare employers and employees, then design and test interventions. 

B. SERVICE AREA AND SETTING 

The service area includes two disparate areas, Linn and Benton counties. Linn County has the 

highest unemployment rate in Oregon, whereas neighboring Benton County has the lowest. At 

the start of the project, June 2002, the unemployment rates were 9.4 percent and 3.4 percent in 

Linn and Benton counties, respectively. The population in both counties is over 90 percent 

white. The major ethnic minority groups are Hispanic and Ukrainian in Linn County; and 

Hispanic, Southeast Asian, and Middle Eastern in Benton County. The three largest healthcare 

providers in two counties are: Samaritan Health, Mennonite Village, and Corvallis Clinic. 

Samaritan Health Services is the largest healthcare provider in Linn and Benton counties. They 

operate all five of the hospitals in a three-county region (Linn, Benton and Lincoln), long-term 

care facilities, and physician offices. Samaritan Health Services employs a vast array of 

healthcare workers. There are 11 labor unions operating in the Samaritan Health system, 

although one of the hospitals is not unionized. 

 

1

 The JOBS program, part of the 1988 Family Support Act, paid for work-related activities required of all recipients 

of Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) with children age three or older. 
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Mennonite Village provides healthcare services for approximately 600 residential elderly 

patients living independently, living in assisted care facilities, or living in nursing homes. 

Mennonite Village has 330 employees and an outstanding reputation as a high quality care 

facility and a good place to work. There are no unions at Mennonite Village. 

Corvallis Clinic provides outpatient care in the main clinic located in Corvallis, which has 

approximately 80 physicians, and in two smaller clinics located nearby in Philomath and Albany, 

each with seven doctors. The multi-specialty clinics employ 566 workers, many of them young 

female college students working part-time. There are no labor unions at Corvallis Clinic. 

C. PROGRAM PARTNERS 

The program partners include the three healthcare providers in the region and Oregon State 

University (OSU) in Corvallis, as well as the Workforce Development Network (WDN), itself a 

consortium of the following six principal partners: 

 Oregon Employment Department (OED), 

 Community Services Consortium (CSC), 

 Vocational Rehabilitation Department (VRD), 

 State of Oregon Community Human Services (CHS), 

 Oregon Coast Community College (OCCC), and 

 Linn-Benton Community College (LBCC). 

The WDN consortium is the operator of the One-Stop Career System in Oregon Workforce 

Investment Board (WIB) Region 4, serving Linn, Benton and Lincoln counties. LBCC is the 

lead agency for the WDN and manages the demonstration sub-grant. Because the demonstration 

serves Linn and Benton counties only, OCCC, which serves Lincoln County, was not involved in 

the project. 

The partners each have at least one representative on the project management team, which 

directs the project. The 13-member team includes three healthcare employer representatives, one 

OSU professor, two Community Services Consortium members, one Community Human 

Services staff, one LBCC faculty member and one LBCC manager (the project leader), the 
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director of the Workforce Investment Board, the Region Four One-Stop Coordinator, the D-4 

JOBS Director and one Oregon Employment Department representative. The healthcare 

employer representatives are the Human Resources Directors from the Corvallis Clinic and from 

Mennonite Village, and the Staff Educator for Professional Development from Samaritan Health 

Systems. The OSU representative is an agricultural economics professor. 

The management team oversees the project, reviews ongoing project activities, secures 

additional resources as needed, and garners support from the community college and the 

healthcare employers. Decisions as to what occupations to focus on and what activities would be 

undertaken were made by the team. For example, in the second meeting, the team began to 

define the target occupations. The group decided that the three healthcare managers would 

together choose the appropriate occupations. In the third meeting, the group decided that 

teaching supervisors how to be career coaches would be valuable. 

In addition to providing input to the design and management of the project, the healthcare 

employer representatives played a critical role on the management team by providing expertise, 

identifying salient issues, proposing strategies, testing and evaluating strategies, and facilitating 

research. The employers provided the facilities for much of the research and action strategies 

and gave the project access to employees and employee data. 

The project management team uses a consensus model of decision-making requiring 100 percent 

agreement among members present at the meeting. Absentee members forfeited their vote. 

Scheduling meeting times when everyone, particularly the healthcare representatives, could meet 

was a challenge. Although not all project management team members attended all meetings, the 

healthcare representatives had very good attendance. In the latter phases of the project, the 

project leader used email, more than meetings, to gather members’ opinions. 

Prior to the project, some members of the management team had worked together, while others 

had never met. The project leader had a ten- to fifteen-year relationship managing workforce 

development projects with members of the WDN. The community college trains healthcare 

employees in the area, and thus had strong ties to the three healthcare employers. In addition, the 
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community college had a previous grant involving supervisory training and job classification 

systems at Mennonite Village. The WDN had previously worked with the OSU Agriculture 

Research Department on a project focused on TANF in rural communities. In contrast to the 

longstanding relationship between the project leader, the other WDN members, and the OSU 

professor, prior to this project, the WDN members had never met the three employer 

representatives, nor had the three healthcare representatives met each other. 

D. PROJECT GOAL 

The project goal was to identify short- and long-term strategies to increase low-wage workers’ 

earnings and job progression and to satisfy employers’ needs for a stable workforce. 

Specifically, the following five project goals were described2

: 

1. Identify and demonstrate replicable strategies to reduce turnover in low-wage 

healthcare occupations; 

2. Identify and demonstrate replicable strategies to increase the ability of low-wage 

healthcare workers to advance to higher paying and/or more technical occupations 

within the healthcare system; 

3. Identify attributes of low-wage healthcare workers who successfully retain healthcare 

employment and who are promoted and/or demonstrate increased earnings; 

4. Identify pre-employment strategies and actions workforce providers can take to 

enhance retention, career building and wage enhancement for healthcare workers; 

5. Identify individual and system-wide workplace environmental factors and strategies 

including diversity issues that promote the retention and advancement of low-wage 

healthcare workers. 

E. APPROACH 

This project focuses on local health-care employers and their low-wage employees. The project 

conducted research to understand the issues and tested strategies identified by the project 

management team. The strategies included services or activities that help low-wage workers in 

job search and career development, skill development, and overcoming barriers to retention and 

 

2

 Goals as stated in a description of the project prepared by LBCC January 29, 2003. 
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advancement. 

Although project funds initiated or facilitated the strategy implementation, many strategies were 

chosen that might be self-sustaining after the grant. For example, one strategy, providing career 

counseling “on-site” at two of the healthcare facilities, was a modification of the community 

college’s normal outreach and recruitment. Presumably, if the on-site counseling proved 

beneficial to both the healthcare facility and LBCC, then the counseling would continue without 

the need for additional grant funding. 

In order to select appropriate strategies, the project assessed the needs of workers at the 

healthcare facilities. The project focused on improving the retention and career advancement of 

healthcare workers in lower-paying jobs, such as certified nurse assistant (CNA), who make less 

than $12 per hour. Although the focus was on the retention and career advancement of the 

lower-wage healthcare workers, the project recognized that strategies might involve workers at 

other levels, especially supervisors. In a previous project, the community college had surveyed 

CNAs and discovered that the #1 reason for turnover was not wages or the type of work, but 

rather the way the charge nurses supervised them. The survey results led to supervisory training 

for nurses (who typically do not receive such training as part of their nursing educational 

program). Anecdotal data and follow-up surveys suggested that the training made a positive 

difference. 

The project leader envisioned the project occurring in phases. The first phase, January 1, 2003 

through September 30, 2003, included formation of the management team, assessment of 

healthcare workers’ and employers’ needs, and development of the Oregon State University 

research component. The formation of the management team involved recruiting healthcare 

partners Corvallis Clinic, Mennonite Village, and Samaritan Health, and developing a working 

relationship between the WDN and the healthcare partners. The assessment tools (paper-andpencil survey questionnaires and focus group discussions) identified some retention issues and 

aided the management team in choosing appropriate action strategies. The Oregon State 

University research sought to identify attributes of successful healthcare workers. This formal 

research component was designed to inform future efforts more than to guide decision-making 
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for this project. 

The second phase, October 1, 2003 to June 30, 2004, was the estimated time when the employee 

action strategies and the Oregon State University research project would take place. In the 

spring of 2004, LBCC obtained a no-cost extension to continue activities for another year. The 

sub-grant was further extended to December 2005. 

F. TARGET POPULATIONS AND RECRUITMENT 

Recruiting Employers. The project recruited local healthcare employers. This recruitment effort 

built upon previous work the community college had done with Samaritan Health, Mennonite 

Village, and Corvallis Clinic. The representatives from Mennonite Village and Corvallis Clinic 

were human resource managers and part of the administrative team at their facilities. The 

representative from Samaritan Health was the Staff Educator for Professional Development, and 

was not part of the administrative team of her organization, which is also considerably larger 

than the other two healthcare organizations. All three healthcare representatives became active 

participants of the project management team. 

A key to recruiting the healthcare partners was the long-standing collaborative relationship 

between the community college and the healthcare organizations. One faculty member from the 

college knew almost all of the nurses at the facilities and was well-respected by the employers. 

LBCC and the healthcare organizations had worked together in the past on projects and continue 

to work closely together to provide healthcare training in the area. 

The recruitment challenge was obtaining the collaboration of all three healthcare organizations in 

the area. At first the healthcare representatives were hesitant, as they did not know each other, 

and their organizations had a competitive and contentious relationship with each other. 

However, all three representatives independently told us that they agreed to participate because 

they came to believe that ultimately they could all gain if the project identified strategies to retain 

and advance healthcare workers. The rural nature of the counties may also have facilitated 

employer participation, as none of the three healthcare organizations wanted to be the one not

participating. All three compete in a limited market of healthcare workers, and all three wanted 
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to reap the potential gains in employee retention and advancement and in community 

recognition. 

Target Population. The management team agreed that the three healthcare employers should 

recommend the target employee population. Criteria for selection of occupational groups 

included an hourly wage of $12 or less, a high turnover rate, and sufficient numbers of 

employees at these healthcare facilities. The numbers of employees in occupational groups 

meeting the wage criterion are listed in Table 3.1 by employer (Note: only occupations with five 

or more employees are shown). As can be seen from the table, there is little overlap in the major 

low-wage occupational groups at the three healthcare facilities. Although Mennonite Village 

and Samaritan Health both employ CNAs and CMAs, two healthcare occupational groups 

frequently targeted for retention and advancement, Corvallis Clinic does not. 

It should be noted that the turnover rates for these healthcare employers are modest or low 

compared to the national averages of 70 percent or more for rural non-hospital facilities and 40 

percent for hospitals. Mennonite Village and Samaritan Health experience the lowest turnover – 

only 11 percent or 12 percent per year on average. Turnover at Corvallis Clinic is higher, 

especially in their targeted occupations of office specialists and clerks, for whom turnover 

averages around 30 percent.3

Early in the project, the largest healthcare partner, Samaritan Health, decided not to participate 

because of labor union issues. Although the Samaritan Health representative continued to attend 

management meetings, her organization was concerned that participation would be viewed by 

employees as management’s attempt to influence employees involved in a labor dispute or to 

head off unionization at the one non-union hospital in their system (four others were unionized). 

 

3

 Up until a few years prior to this project, turnover at Mennonite Village was considerably higher – about 35%. As discussed in 

the case study (Appendix F), in 1997 Mennonite Village began instituting changes in their personnel policy that were 

associated with a dramatic drop in turnover. 
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Table 3.1: Number of Low-Wage Workers by Occupation by Healthcare Employer – Potential Occupations 

for the LBCC Healthcare Worker Retention and Career Advancement Initiative* 

Occupation 

Corvallis 

Clinic4

Mennonite 

Village 

Samaritan 

Health 

Medical 

 Physical Therapist Aide 6 

 Laboratory Assistant I 11 

 Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) 112 223 

 Certified Medical Aide (CMA) 16 24 

 Resident Aide 14 

 Phlebotomists 42 

Clerical 

 Claims Accounts 

Receivables Processor 

5 

 Contract Insurance Specialist 7 

 Imaging Office Specialist 5 

 HIS Clerk I 18 

 HIS Clerk II 13 

 HIS Clerk III 11 

 Medical Office Specialist I 28 

 Medical Office Specialist II 26 

 Medical Office Specialist III 18 

 Secretaries 129 

 Front Office 

(Reception and Registration) 

 120 

Custodial 

 Housekeeping/Laundry 27 103 

 Storeroom 13 

 Transporters/Courier 5 11 

 Maintenance/Custodian 10 15 

 Cooks 7 

 Dietary Aides – Waitress 31 

*Only occupations with five or more employees and paying an hourly rate of $12 or less are shown. Data from 

February 2003 site visit handouts. 

Recruiting Employees. Recruitment of participating healthcare workers took the form of 

advertising activities or services at the two participating healthcare facilities. Successful 

methods of engaging employees included distributing flyers in mailboxes,5

 conducting lunchtime pizza focus groups, and informational meetings.6

 For some activities, such as the 

Leadership Academy, interested employees submitted applications from which managers and/or 

supervisors selected participants. 

 

4

 All of the employees at Corvallis Clinic have a minimum of a high school diploma or GED. 

5

 The flyers were distributed to low-wage workers, who reportedly felt honored to be recognized and affixed the 

flyers to their workstations. 6

 Workers often had to leave the lunchtime meetings in order to attend to patients. 
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G. ENROLLMENTS 

The project was not a traditional service delivery model in which employees are recruited to 

participate in workshops or receive case management, and thus enrollment levels are not 

comparable to those of the Portland or Sacramento sites. 

H. SERVICES PROVIDED 

As shown in Table 3.2, the project activities encompass research, career counseling, skills 

training, certification and credit courses, and a website. The table lists the activity, where and 

when it took place, the eligible population for the activity and the actual participants, and any 

outcomes or results. The activities are further described below. 

Research Activities. The project conducted survey and focus group research to better understand 

the barriers and facilitators to retention and advancement among low-wage workers. Although 

the response rate to the paper and pencil survey of healthcare employees was low (28%), the 

survey results highlighted working relationships with co-workers and supervisors as a key factor 

in retention. LBCC staff conducted focus groups at Corvallis Clinic and Mennonite Village to 

obtain additional information about factors related to job retention and career advancement. The 

focus group discussions also emphasized the importance of working relationships, citing 

problems working on a team as a primary reason for workplace dissatisfaction. The focus groups 

also pointed to a lack of on-site career information and LBCC advising as barriers to continuing 

education and career advancement. 

In addition, the project supported research on retention and career advancement for low-wage 

healthcare workers at a state and county level. The purpose of this research was to add to the 

general knowledge about retention and advancement among low-wage healthcare workers rather 

than to inform the design of project activities. 

Career Counseling. To address the time and travel barriers mentioned by focus group 

participants, the project conducted Career Fairs and offered LBCC advising at the job sites. At 
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the Career Fairs, LBCC advisors discussed the community college programs, financial aid, and 

family resources available to students. Low-wage employees were also offered half-hour 

personal career counseling sessions with a LBCC career adviser who came to the worksite 

several times a month. The personal career counseling sessions were popular; approximately 

one-third of the low-wage employees took advantage of the on-site counseling. 

Skills Training. Skills training workshops, classes and coaching seminars were offered to 

healthcare workers at Corvallis Clinic and Mennonite Village, although the Leadership Academy 

class was restricted to low-wage workers. 

In the first half of 2004, the project provided lunchtime workshops on burnout reduction, conflict 

resolution, successful teams, and balancing work and family for all interested healthcare workers 

at Corvallis Clinic and Mennonite Village. Lessons learned from the workshops include 

choosing names with more positive connotations (employees may have been reluctant to attend 

the burnout workshop for fear of being labeled “burned out”), and recognizing that the amount of 

learning was limited due to the lunch period (45 minutes) and work distractions. 

In late 2004, building from their experience with the lunchtime workshops, the management 

team decided to offer an off-site course in leadership skills and knowledge of healthcare issues. 

The course required that employers pay for release time. The Healthcare Leadership Academy 

was designed and facilitated by the LBCC Training and Business Development Center. The 

goals were threefold: (1) to help frontline and entry-level healthcare workers develop leadership 

and interpersonal skills; (2) to inform them about relevant healthcare issues and challenges 

facing the community and region; and (3) to deepen their knowledge of their own organization 

and its role in providing healthcare in the community. There were eight full-day sessions once a 

month from October 2004 through May 2005. 

Participants in The Healthcare Leadership Academy included eight employees from Corvallis 

Clinic and ten employees from Mennonite Village. (Two other participants dropped out at the 

start due to health and family issues). All were frontline workers but represented many jobs, 

including jobs in information technology, billing and clerical, direct patient care (CNAs, CMAs, 
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Dietary Aides), kitchen services, and home care. Most of the participants (15 of the 18) did not 

have any education past high school and did not plan to earn a certificate or degree. They took 

the Leadership Academy course to improve their job skills (16/18). Only one of the 18 

participants worked less than 35 hours per week; the rest worked 35 or more hours per week. All 

18 participants completed the course. 

Course reviews completed by the 18 participants were favorable. The two healthcare employers 

were also positive about the course and are planning to fund release time and tuition for a second 

Leadership Academy course in 2006. 

The paper and pencil survey results and focus groups pointed to the need for supervisory training 

for nurses, who typically do not receive such training in nursing programs. For five weeks in 

May and June 2005, 11 supervisors of low-wage workers at Corvallis Clinic attended a once-aweek four-hour class in supervisory skills taught by LBCC staff. The class follows a traditional 

classroom model with lecture (e.g., theories of supervision) and discussion. Ten supervisors at 

Mennonite Village were taught similar course material but in a different format. At Mennonite 

Village, supervisors look at material on a website and bring real problems to discuss at a meeting 

with the trainer and two or three other supervisors. This modified coaching model costs less in 

release time for the supervisors but costs more for the trainer. The course material in the 

coaching class is tailored to the problems actually encountered by the supervisors, and 

supervisors are coached in how to implement new techniques. 

Certification and Credit Courses. The project orchestrated the design and delivery of 

certification courses in beginning- and intermediate-level medical terminology and intermediatelevel nurse assisting (CNA II) to meet the needs of low-wage workers at Corvallis Clinic and 

Mennonite Village. Barriers to continuing education, such as inconvenient class times and 

locations and anxiety about returning to school, were addressed by offering classes once a week 

in the evenings and tailoring the class for these particular students. In addition, the healthcare 

employers automatically give raises to employees who successfully complete a course. 

Students for the Medical Terminology classes were from the health information systems and 
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medical office assistant positions at Corvallis Clinic. The instructor for the course described the 

students of the Terminology I class as representing a wide range of ages and learning abilities, 

and requiring more assistance dealing with anxiety and learning disabilities than a typical LBCC 

class. The students had good attendance (only one or two missed as many as three classes) and 

most were enthusiastic about continuing with Terminology II. Although 30 employees enrolled 

for Terminology I, eleven dropped early. All 19 remaining in the class passed, although one by 

just one point. Overall, their performance was good with 15 students receiving As and Bs and 

only one student receiving a D. Five completed Medical Terminology II. 

The project supported the development of a curriculum for certified nursing assistant II (CNA II) 

in restorative care. The curriculum, which includes more nursing and therapy skills than are 

taught in CNA I, was approved by the Oregon State Board of Nursing. The CNA II certification 

allows an employee to perform many of the same duties as a licensed practical nurse (LPN) and 

is a step towards becoming a therapy assistant or nurse. Mennonite Village paid the tuition and 

release time for their employees enrolled in CNA II. 

Beginning in the fall of 2005, the project funded tuition grants for low-wage employees to take 

courses at LBCC. Sixty grants were awarded to 52 employees (eight employees received two 

grants). 

Website. A website was created for employers, employees and the public to showcase project 

activities, to describe healthcare jobs, and to provide convenient links to LBCC career advising, 

Corvallis Clinic and Mennonite Village employment information, and other community 

resources. The website is located at http://www.healthcarecareer.org. 
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Table 3-2: LBCC Healthcare Worker Retention and Career Advancement Activities and Participants 

Activity Where & When Target Population 

Actual Participants/ 

Sample 

Research Healthcare Worker Paper & Pencil Survey to research factors related to job retention and career advancement 

Corvallis Clinic & Mennonite Village; Spring 2003 

412 healthcare employees at Corvallis Clinic & Mennonite Village who earn $12/hr or less 

116 (28 percent)  

  

Focus groups to research factors related to job retention and career advancement 

Corvallis Clinic & Mennonite Village; 45-minute focus groups at each facility in the Fall 2003 

Healthcare employees at Corvallis Clinic & Mennonite Village – especially younger employees who reportedly were less likely to complete the survey 

3 focus groups at Corvallis Clinic had a total of 36 lowwage employees; 2 focus groups at Mennonite Village had a total of 15 low-wage employees 

      
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OSU analysis of statewide PRISM7 & UI8 data to 

research factors related to retention and career advancement among lowwage healthcare workers 

 Healthcare workers in Linn 

and Benton counties 

Data were obtained by county for the state of OR 

    

Career Counseling Career Fair – LBCC advisors on-site to talk about programs, financial aid, family resources9

Corvallis Clinic 3/5/2004 11 :30 am – 1 :30 pm Mennonite Village 3/2/2004 Noon-3 :30 pm 

Healthcare workers at Corvallis Clinic and Mennonite Village 

• 

On-site personal career counseling – half-hour personal sessions with LBCC career adviser

Corvallis Clinic & Mennonite Village 

Healthcare workers at Corvallis Clinic and Mennonite Village 

Healthcare employees at Corvallis Clinic & Mennonite Village who earn $12/hr or less; 87.25 advising hours 

• 

Skills Training 
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Skills training workshops – LBCC nurse Burnout reduction  Conflict resolution  Successful teams  Balancing work and family 

Corvallis Clinic & Mennonite Village 

 Burnout Dec 2003 & Jan 

2004 – 45-min workshop 

 Conflict May 2004 – 45-

min workshop 

 Teams May 2004 – 45- 

min workshop 

 Family June 2004 – 45- 

min workshop at Corvallis; not offered at Mennonite Village 

Healthcare workers at Corvallis Clinic and Mennonite Village 

 Burnout workshop 

sparsely attended - 6 instead of 12 per workshop 

 Conflict workshops well 

attended at Corvallis – 24 + 36 attendees; 3 attended at Mennonite Village 

 Team – 9 attended at 

Corvallis; 20 (including 6 CNAs) attended at Mennonite Village 

 Family – 26 + 29 

attendees at Corvallis 

  

Leadership Academy to increase leadership skills and knowledge of healthcare issues inside and outside their organization 

LBCC and other locations; one day per month Oct 2004 – May 2005 

Healthcare workers at Corvallis Clinic and Mennonite Village who earn less than $12/hr * 

20 enrolled but 2 dropped out before academy started due to medical and family reasons. 18 completed the course 

• 

• 

Supervisory training In May 2005 20 hours of 

classroom supervisory training at Corvallis Clinic. In June 2005 same content as the Corvallis Clinic training but taught to small groups of supervisors using a coaching rather than classroom instruction model 

Supervisors of low-wage workers at Corvallis Clinic and Mennonite Village 

11 supervisors – Corvallis Clinic 10 supervisors – Mennonite Village 

• 

Certification and Credit Courses 
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Medical Terminology I, II, III classes and certification 

Terminology I: Corvallis Clinic; 6-9 PM once/week for 11 weeks Winter 2005 Terminology II: TBD 

Healthcare workers at Corvallis Clinic who earn less than $12/hr * 

30 students enrolled in Terminology I, but several dropped out early on, resulting in a class of 19; 5 completed Terminology II 

• 

• • 

CNA II restorative care class and certification 

May 2005 – 40 class or lab hours plus 40 clinical hours 

Healthcare workers at Mennonite Village who earn less than $12/hr * 

19 completed • 

• 

Tuition Grants for LBCC classes 

LBCC – 2005-2006 Healthcare workers at 

Corvallis Clinic and Mennonite Village who earn less than $12/hr * 

60 grants were awarded 52 individuals received grants (8 received 2 grants) 

Website Website to provide information about the project, careers in healthcare, and links to healthcare employers, LBCC career advising, and community resources 

http://www.healthcarecareer.org 

Healthcare workers and employers; public 

• 

*Applicants were selected based on their job performance: 11/14 selected from Mennonite Village and 8/9 selected from Corvallis Clin
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I. IMPLEMENTATION CHALLENGES 

The following were identified by the project leader as challenges to implementing the project: 

 Recruiting employers was time-consuming. The project leader believes that it was 

critical that the community college had a long-term relationship with the healthcare 

partners. The project leader emphasized listening to the employers’ agenda and trying to 

find ways to support their agenda, rather than vice versa. 

 Building trust between the WDN and the healthcare partners, and among the healthcare 

partners, took time. 

 Initially the project management team met every month for 2 1⁄2 hours. It was challenging 

to keep participation levels high, and the project leader eventually assumed more and 

more responsibility. Because of everyone’s busy schedules, for efficiency, the project 

leader began communicating with the management team via email more often. The 

project leader also began to accept more responsibility for program operations and to rely 

less upon group decision-making. 

 Initially it was difficult to obtain input from low-wage employees, as employees were not 

represented on the project management team, and the survey response rate was low. The 

project leader had envisioned including employee representatives as part of the 

management team. However, the three healthcare representatives were opposed, as they 

believed that their ability to speak candidly would be curtailed if workers were present. 

Input from low-wage employees was eventually obtained from focus groups, workshops, 

the medical terminology class and the Leadership Academy. 

 The project aims to discover new approaches to help low-wage workers. A challenge is 

keeping committee members innovative, while also tapping their expertise. The project 

sought the experience and expertise of the workforce partners but did not want to 

“inherit” their more traditional approaches. The involvement of employers has been 

helpful in this regard, as the employers are not wed to existing workforce approaches. 

 It is difficult to find a convenient time and place for meetings with low-wage workers. 

Even offering activities during lunchtime at work is problematic as workers were often 

summoned for work, and some workers at Mennonite Village work evening (10 PM to 6 

AM) rather than day shifts (6 AM to 2 PM, 2 PM to 10 PM). Holding evening activities 

at LBCC was not a viable option for daytime shift workers, as they often commuted to 
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work from outlying areas (due to lower housing costs) and had evening childcare and 

family responsibilities. The project did schedule some activities at 1 PM for the 2-10 PM 

shift workers and at 2 PM for the workers who have just finished their shift, but neither 

time was convenient for the graveyard shift workers. 

 Although one of the employers has easily been able to pay for release time and 

substitutes so employees can attend the terminology class or the Leadership Academy, 

the other employer has “maxed out” its ability to sponsor employees for classes, even if 

the grant pays for the tuition and books. 

 Nursing training capacity was an important factor in career advancement counceling. 

Although LBCC had recently increased the capacity of their nursing program by starting 

a series of classes in the spring, as well as in the fall, and offering classes during the 

summer, the nursing program and the “feeder” classes fill quickly. Thus the career 

advancement counseling may steer participants toward occupations for which LBCC 

training is more readily available, for example, dental assisting. 

 The college will not provide classes in any occupational field unless there is some 

assurance that there will be jobs for people who enroll, and there is a minimum of 15 

students enrolled. Although the employers can assure that jobs are available, few 

employers have as many as 15 employees needing the same course. For example, one 

employer mentioned a specific need for phlebotomists, yet will not be able to use the 

college as a source for this training because the employer cannot use 15 phlebotomists. 
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CHAPTER 4: SACRAMENTO EMPLOYMENT 

AND TRAINING AGENCY 

WIA REWARDS PROGRAM 

In this chapter we present detailed information about the Sacramento Rewards Project. We 

describe the project design and implementation, present data on participants and services and 

discuss implementation challenges. To ease comparison of the demonstration projects, the 

chapter is organized in the same manner as Chapters 2 and 3. The headings are: 

 Sub-Grant 

 Service Area and Setting 

 Program Partners 

 Project Goals 

 Approach 

 Target Populations & Recruitment 

 Enrollment 

 Services Provided 

 Implementation Challenges 

A. SUB-GRANT 

Once the grant was signed between ETA and the California Employment Development 

Department (EDD), a sub-grant was awarded by EDD to the Sacramento Employment and 

Training Agency (SETA) for implementation. SETA is responsible for the One-Stop career 

center in Sacramento. SETA identified two Centers to implement the project. One Center is 

directly managed by SETA and the other is managed by EDD. 

Shortly after the award of the sub-grant, ETA requested a detailed implementation plan that 

provides a formal mapping process of who, when, where and how the goals and objectives of the 

project will be met. SETA submitted both a work plan and a statement of goals (outlining goals, 

milestones and anticipated dates for achievement). As a result of the review of these documents, 

ETA noted that the role of the employers appeared to be relatively minor. The employer 
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community was not clearly defined nor did it appear to be significant given the objectives of the 

proposal, so ETA requested that the grantee amend its proposal and implementation plan to 

enhance the role of the employer community. California agreed and made the necessary 

changes. 

B. SERVICE AREA AND SETTING 

Only Sacramento-based Employers were targeted for participation in the Rewards program. 

Workers were eligible for participation, regardless of their residency. Since most of the 

participants in the program were recruited through the One-Stop career center or through 

community outreach and not as a result of contacts with employers, almost all participants were 

residents of Sacramento City and County. 

At the time the grant was awarded, the Sacramento–Arden-Arcade–Roseville, CA Metropolitan 

Statistical Area had an unadjusted unemployment rate of 5.2 percent. During the life of the 

grant, the rate rose to a high of 6.1 percent in March, 2004 and dropped to a low of 4.2 percent in 

May, 2005. 

The project planners identified five local industries that would be likely to hire low-wage 

workers: tourism (hotels), high technology, customer service call centers, healthcare, and 

construction. 

C. PROGRAM PARTNERS 

Program partners were limited to the implementing agencies and their boards: Sacramento 

Employment and Training Agency–SETA, Sacramento Works Career Centers (Local WIB), and 

Employment Development Department (EDD). 

D. PROJECT GOALS 

The overarching goal of the project was “To provide job retention and life skills services to lowwage workers who are at risk of losing their job or not advancing in their career fields.”1

 

1

 Sacramento WIA “Rewards” Program Overview delivered at Low-wage Worker Symposium, June, 2004. 
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Originally, the project anticipated serving 250 clients. The service level was based on 

implementing a case management style program aimed primarily at the low-wage worker. Once 

ETA made it clear that there should be more employer involvement, the project implementation 

team revised their proposal and reduced the client base to 100. The management team 

anticipated that there would be a need to devote more staff time to employer recruitment, thus 

reducing the available time for case management. 

The California proposal included a detailed listing of goals. The REWARDS Program Goals are 

as follows: 

Measure Goal 

CalJOBs Vacancy Listing 65 percent of all job opportunities available due to a 

program participant moving into a different job will be listed 

in CalJOBS and filled by referrals from project staff. 

Retention Rate 73 percent of program participants will have earned wages 

in the third quarter following the quarter they are enrolled in 

the project. 

Wage Gain The average wage gain of all program participants will be 

$1,040 per year as measured in the third quarter following 

exit from the program. 

Career advancement with existing employers 

(upward mobility) 

Within one year following enrollment, 25 percent of all 

program participants will obtain advanced job opportunities. 

Decreased dependence on public assistance 

subsidy 

50 percent of all program participants who are receiving 

public assistance subsidies will experience a decrease in the 

total subsidy amount one year after enrollment. 

Increased employer customer satisfaction Employers participating in the project will rate their 

satisfaction with project services as “satisfied” or “very 

satisfied” (a minimum of 6 on the ACSI 1 to 10 scale). 

E. PLANNED APPROACH 

The Sacramento team developed a comprehensive planning document outlining its approach to 

implementing the project. The following are excerpts from that document: 
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Implementation Phase 

Out-station WIA Rewards Team in 

2 Sacramento Works Career Center 

(SWCC) locations 

 Integrate WIA Rewards Team into the Sacramento 

Works Career Center (SWCC) system 

WIA Rewards Team is a cohesive 

& integrated team 

 Conduct Team Building activities for WIA Rewards 

Team 

 Establish multi-disciplinary team meetings 

Employment services will be 

provided in the community 

 WIA Rewards Employment services will be provided at 

the 2 SWCC sites 

Staff are aware of the other 

available opportunities and services 

in the community. 

 Integrate staff into ongoing training of the SWCC 

system – including topics on employment, training, 

education and support services resource information 

Employer Involvement 

Engage & Expand Employer 

Involvement in WIA Rewards 

Initiative 

 Identify potential employers to target WIA Rewards 

Services 

 Obtain employer listing from New Employer Registry 

& EDD Job Development contacts 

 Use existing employer contacts of SWCC 

Promote Employer Involvement in 

WIA Rewards Initiative 

 Conduct meetings to introduce concept and receive 

input from community 

 Market the services to employers, potential participants 

including job seekers and incumbent workers 

Provide Customized Rewards 

Services based on the needs of the 

employers and their employees 

 Recruit and assess needs of new employers 

 Conduct job retention and career advancement 

workshops 

 Provide career counseling 

 Address support service issues 

 Provide linkages to training opportunities, etc. 

 Workshop topics to include: Leadership development, 

conflict resolution & customer service 

 Backfill openings via CalJOBS 

 Provide information on tax credits and Enterprise Zone 

opportunities 

 Provide information and assistance in business 

development via the Business Information Centers 

WIA Rewards services will be 

responsive to the needs of the 

community 

 Solicit customer (job seeker, employer, community & 

providers) feedback 

 Customer satisfaction surveys (job seeker & employer) 

 Conduct ongoing internal monitoring of program & 

services for quality continuous improvement 

Low-wage Worker Services 

Employment services for 100 

participants will be provided in the 

community 

 Job seekers and low-wage incumbent workers will be 

referred to WIA Rewards Team for assessment, 

interview and introduction to the WIA Rewards 

services 

 100 appropriate participants will be enrolled in WIA 

Rewards 

Targeted participants will have 

increased employment 

opportunities 

 Participants will participate in Career exploration, 

assessment and job search activities 

 Participants will have increased 

vocational training opportunities 

 Participants will be introduced to a variety of 

vocational training programs 

 Participants will participate in vocational “Job Fairs” 

 Participants will tour apprenticeship training sites 
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F. TARGET POPULATIONS & RECRUITMENT 

Initially, the Rewards design team identified eight categories of individuals who would be served 

through the project. The list included: 

 CalWorks customers, 

 Low-wage earners, 

 Working Poor, 

 Refugees and immigrants that qualify for Federal Refugee services, 

 Women and minority males in non-traditional occupations, 

 Youth including emancipated foster youth, 

 Former CalWorks enrollees in low-wage jobs, 

 People in jobs earning less than 150 percent of lower living standard. 

During the process of revising the original proposal, the target groups were essentially eliminated 

in favor of targeting anyone who was earning less than 150 percent of the lower living standard. 

The main source of referrals for the program was staff at the One-Stop career center. In addition, 

posters, flyers and direct mailings were used to announce evening orientations. Recruitment 

materials were also provided to community and faith-based organizations with the hope that they 

might be able to identify incumbent workers needing help. 

For people interested in finding out more about the program, WIA Rewards group orientations 

were held once or twice a month at Mark Sanders and a WIA one-on-one orientation was offered 

at Hillsdale. At the WIA Rewards orientation, the case manager made sure that applicants had a 

Smartware Card2

, completed an intake application, and were employed. The case manager 

discussed how the program could benefit them (acknowledging their interests as noted on the 

intake application), and for Mark Sanders clients, scheduled one-on-one appointments. 

Applicants were considered suitable for the WIA Rewards program based on their wages in 

 

2

 The Smartware Card contains a magnetic strip which identifies the client and is issued to all individuals seeking 

personalized assistance at the Career Centers. When the client is provided a service, the Smartware Card is 

scanned in order to keep records of services received. 
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relation to family size and their willingness to attend workshops and work in partnership with a 

case manager. Of the clients who attended the orientation sessions, only about 10 percent 

actually enrolled in the program. Some clients did not meet the criteria (e.g., are unemployed) 

and some were not interested. 

Applications completed at both centers included: 

 Sacramento Works initial application (page 1 completed by everyone who uses the 

center, and page 2 is completed by those customers enrolled in WIA Rewards) 

 EDD Workforce Investment Act application for those enrolled in WIA 

Final data on worker recruitment efforts is discussed in detail in section G. 

Employer recruitment was also planned as part of the revised proposal. As was mentioned 

earlier, five industry groups were identified as those most likely to employ low-wage workers. 

In order to engage employers from these industries, surveys were sent to 250 employers asking 

about the kinds of services that the project could provide to improve employee retention and 

advancement. Some follow-up calls were made to discuss needs; and when possible meetings 

were arranged with company leaders. In addition, recruitment packages were sent to some 

employers who had listed vacancies in the CALJobs system. 

The project also engaged the assistance of industry advisory groups to spread the word regarding 

the project. They utilized the services of the Healthcare Workforce Collaborative, the 

Sacramento/Sierra Buildings Trade Council, Linking Education and Economic Development 

(LEED) and the California Association of Employers. There is no documented information 

regarding the benefit of involving employer associations. 

Primary responsibility for employer recruitment rested with the Mark Sanders Center. Funds had 

been allocated to the Center to support a staff person to market the program to employers, but 

there was a hiring freeze in effect which resulted in the function being relegated to inexperienced 

staff members. Contacts made with employers were generally by-products of calls made for 

other reasons (verification of placements, follow-up contacts). Once the primary business of the 

call had been completed, the staff member would mention the program briefly and ask if the 
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employer would like to see some program materials. Materials would be sent and no follow-up 

calls were made. The Mark Sanders Center reported that 13 employer contacts had been made 

over the life of the project. Of this number, it appears that only one or two were face-to-face 

contacts. One employer contact was made in order to co-enroll individuals who were involved in 

an Urban League on-the-job training experience in the Rewards program. 

The Hillsdale Center staff did make an effort to recruit employers by contacting at least 12 

employers. Of the 12 contacts, at least 7 employers were visited one or more times. Workshops 

were arranged for 2 employers, and needs assessments were conducted for 2 additional 

employers. Most of these contacts were the result of existing Center-employer relationships and 

as a result seemed to be more productive. Based on the site visits and quarterly reports, it 

appears that the Hillsdale site did attempt to conduct a hybrid program, but due to lack of 

sufficient employer interest, most of their effort went into individual case management services. 

The case manager at Hillsdale was involved with a base closing dislocated worker program and 

utilized those connections. 

G. ENROLLMENTS 

The revised enrollment level of 100 participants was equally divided between the two sites. 

Each site was to enroll 50 participants. As of the end of the two-year period, Mark Sanders had 

34 clients and Hillsdale had 49. In addition, the Mark Sanders site did not enroll any clients in 

2005. 

The background characteristics of the clients and hourly wage at WIA intake are shown in Table 

4.2 for each center. As can be seen from the table, the two centers differ in that compared to 

Mark Sanders clients, a larger percentage of Hillsdale clients are non-Hispanic white, low 

income, have a poor work history, and a smaller percentage are younger (19-29 years old) and 

co-enrolled in other programs. The two centers are similar in that most of their clients are 

female, about half do not have any dependents under age 18, about one-third are single parents, 

and everyone has completed high school or the equivalent and obtained some education post 

high school. 
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The hourly wages of Mark Sanders and Hillsdale clients at intake into WIA are quite similar. 

Over half of their clients were earning less than $10.00 per hour at intake, and only a couple of 

clients were earning $15.00 to $18.00 per hour at intake. It is important to note that intake into 

WIA was not always at the same time as intake into the WIA Rewards program. For many 

clients, the intake into WIA occurred months or years prior to intake into WIA Rewards. There 

were no wage data systematically collected that coincided with intake into the WIA Rewards 

program. 

H. PROGRAM SERVICES

The WIA Rewards program offered the following job retention and career advancement services: 

 Support – referral to appropriate agencies for legal problems, domestic violence, mental 

Table 4-2: Background Characteristics and Wages of WIA Rewards Clients 

Mark 

Sanders 

(n=34) 

Hillsdale 

(n=49) 

Gender Female 28 (82%) 36 (73%) 

Male 6 (18%) 13 (27%) 

Race Non-Hispanic White 4 (12%) 26 (53%) 

Other 30 (88%) 23 (47%) 

19-29 14 (41%) 11 (22%) 

30-39 10 (29%) 11 (22%) 

40-49 6 (18%) 19 (39%) 

Age 

50-63 4 (12%) 8 (16%) 

0 20 (59%) 24 (49%) 

1 3 (9%) 10 (20%) 

2 7 (21%) 10 (20%) 

Number of dependents < 18 

3-5 4 (12%) 5 (10%) 

Single parent* 10 (29%) 17 (35%) 

Low income 18 (53%) 33 (67%) 

Poor work history 5 (15%) 19 (39%) 

Education Post High School 34(100%) 45 (92%) 

Employed at WIA Intake 21 (62%) 33 (67%) 

Co-enrolled 23 (68%) 20 (41%) 

$6.75 - $9.75 18 (69%) 26 (58%) 

$10.00 - $14.00 7 (27%) 17 (38%) 

Hourly Wage at WIA Intake** 

$15.00 - $18.00 1 (4%) 2 (4%) 

Hourly Wage at Rewards Exit*** $6.75 - $9.75 5 (24%) 1 (17%) 

$10.00 - $18.00 16 (76%) 5 (83%) 

*2 missing 

**12 missing wage at intake (8 Mark Sanders; 4 Hillsdale) 

***21 Mark Sanders and 6 Hillsdale clients had exited the program 
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health, substance abuse, and child care 

 Case management/job coaching to monitor job status and needed support 

 Incentives to reward participants for reaching their set goals and outcomes associated 

with steady employment; 

 Incentives that reinforce the customer self esteem (i.e. personal recognition awards, 

certificate of achievement, on time drawing and customer referral awards); 

 Connection to industry mentors; 

 Career Counseling; 

 Re-employment assistance; 

 Employer support - direct intervention to address workplace issues; 

 Workshops addressing job retention and career development issues such as building skills 

in crisis planning, goal setting, time management and other life skills. (Light meal and 

on-site child care available for children 3-12 during Rewards sessions.) 

Each enrollee was expected to develop at least one individual employment plan (IEP). The plan 

included ultimate goals, but the goals were broken down into smaller benchmarks to make 

achievement of the goal more manageable. Generally, four benchmark steps were selected as 

markers of achievement. When a benchmark step was completed, the participant received an 

incentive, such as $25 gas or food card. For example, a participant may have had the goal of 

becoming an Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN). Benchmarks might have been: (1) enroll for 

prerequisite classes; (2) attend regularly; (3) enroll in LVN courses; and (4) complete LVN 

courses. The benchmark approach was used to help low-wage workers move toward the goals 

they may have had for years but had failed to achieve due to becoming “stuck” somewhere along 

the path to achievement. The case manager and participant developed benchmarks together. If a 

participant had trouble achieving a benchmark, the benchmark was broken down into smaller 

steps. Other examples of benchmarks are (1) complete WIA Rewards recruitment questions; (2) 

gather transcripts; (3) enroll in a GED course; and (4) pass first class. 

Applicants were invited to attend WIA Rewards Workshops as soon as enrollment was 

completed. The workshops might have been included in the benchmarks to achieve a goal. 

Every workshop offered a light dinner and childcare. Topics for the workshops covered “soft 
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skills” and communication skills. According to the case managers, most of the participants had 

problems communicating with co-workers and supervisors and managing their time but did not 

have problems with childcare or transportation. 

The workshop course outline was the same for both Hillsdale and Mark Sanders, as the case 

managers worked together to develop the curriculum. There were roughly six weeks of 

curriculum (12 workshops); although adjustments of the curriculum were made depending upon 

the needs of the participants. Participants who came to the workshop on time received a small 

incentive, such as a candy bar. 

Unlike the Portland project which required clients to attend workshops and develop a career 

plan, the WIA Rewards clients chose the level of program services they received. Although the 

case managers regularly called clients to check how they were doing, clients were not required to 

utilize counseling or referral services or to attend workshops. Individual Employment Plans 

were supposed to be developed by the case manager in consultation with the client, but this was 

not consistently done nor did the existence of the plan affect program services. 

Nevertheless, in reporting about the program, we have chosen to capture some measure of 

program participation.3 We would have liked to measure the amount of counseling received, the 

number of referrals, and the amount of workshop participation – all key elements of the WIA 

Rewards program. Although early in the project the evaluation team was assured that the 

automated SMARTCARD tracking system would record Rewards participants’ use of services, it 

was later discovered that the SMARTCARD was not programmed to isolate WIA Rewards 

services, such as workshops. Despite the evaluators’ request to re-program the SMARTCARD, 

the system was never changed. The case management notes could have been used, but these 

notes were not consistently maintained at Mark Sanders. Furthermore, in order to count 

counseling sessions, many of which occurred on the phone, it would require distinguishing 

“counseling” phone calls from other phone calls (for example, left message for client to call back 

 

3

 Ideally, in measuring the program success, some background client characteristics and level of program 

participation would be factored into an analysis of change in retention or advancement. 
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or called to confirm employment). This would have been a laborious and imprecise process. A 

similar problem existed in documenting the number of referrals WIA Rewards clients were 

given. To simplify, we decided to ask for a count of the presence or absence of a career plan 

(Individual Employment Plan) and a list of WIA Rewards goals in the case file. This 

information was not provided by the grantee. However, we were able to obtain a roster of clients 

attending each workshop, one measure of program participation. 

The workshop topics, while similar at both sites, were not identical. Workshop topics were 

sometimes repeated. At Mark Sanders, 22 workshops were held between January 2004 and April 

2005. Workshop topics included the following: 

 Keeping the Job 

 Take this Job and Love It 

 Transferable Skills (3) 

 Staying Focused/ Staying Motivated (2) 

 What is Stress? (2) 

 Time Management (2) 

 Overcoming Barriers (2) 

 Conflict Management 

 Setting Goals (2) 

 Job Search (3) 

 Budgeting (2) 

At Hillsdale, 27 workshops were held between October 2003 and May 2005 (about two 

workshops per month). Shown below are the Hillsdale workshop topics and the number of times 

the workshop was offered, if offered more than once: 

 What I Need to Stay in the Job and Get Ahead (3) 

 What Makes a Good Worker? (3) 

 What Makes a Good Employer? 

 Conflict Management (3) 

 Attitude and Initiative (4) 

 Surviving Office Politics (3) 
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 Job Search 

 Successful Interviewing (1) 

 Communication (2 different workshops, the first offered three times, the second only 

once) 

 Assertive Communication on the Job (2 different workshops, each offered twice) 

 Job Survival Tools (2) 

 Healthcare 

 True Colors Personality Assessment 

 Goal Setting 

 Time Management 

 Financial Management 

 Money Management – Bad Credit 

 Insurance 

As of May 2005, 33 of the 34 Mark Sanders clients and 43 of the 49 Hillsdale clients had 

attended at least one workshop. Some clients attended more than one occurrence of a workshop 

on the same topic. The number of workshops attended by the clients is shown in Table 4-3. In 

addition to WIA Rewards clients, there were usually a couple of other attendees at each 

workshop. 

Table 4-3: WIA Rewards Workshop Attendance 

Mark Sanders Hillsdale 

# Workshops Offered 22 27 

# Workshops Attended by WIA Rewards Clients 0 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6-10 

11-15 

>15 

1 

0 

0 

1 

13 

2 

16 

1 

0 

6 

9 

7 

5 

1 

4 

11 

4 

2 

Table 4-4 shows the hourly wages at WIA entry (the appropriate wage data should be Hourly 

Wage at WIA Rewards Intake, but it was not always available) and exit of the 20 clients who had 

exited the program as of June 2005 for whom there were complete data (7 clients were missing 
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wages at intake). 

Table 4-4: Change in Wages from Program Entry and Exit 

(Note: Entry Wage is WIA Entry, not Necessarily Rewards Entry) 

Entry Hourly Wage Exit Hourly Wage Difference 

Hillsdale 

 7.50 11.54 4.04 

 6.76 9.60 2.84 

 8.60 17.15 8.55 

 17.25 10.00 <7.25> 

 10.00 11.00 1.00 

 13.30 10.31 <2.99> 

Mark Sanders 

 8.75 8.75 0 

 18.00 16.39 <1.61> 

 10.75 13.00 2.25 

 6.75 10.00 3.25 

 8.31 13.90 5.59 

 11.00 9.00 <2.00> 

 8.00 10.00 2.00 

 8.00 9.00 1.00 

 8.00 10.00 2.00 

 8.00 10.00 2.00 

 9.00 10.00 1.00 

 10.71 13.00 2.29 

 7.44 10.00 2.56 

 9.00 10.00 1.00 

I. IMPLEMENTATION CHALLENGES 

Project Management 

It was difficult to determine who was in charge of this project. While the Sacramento 

Employment and Training Agency (SETA) had received a sub-grant from EDD to administer 

the project, there appeared to be some doubt as to whether the SETA staff had the authority 

to control staff and work product from the Mark Sanders Center (an EDD Managed One-Stop 

career center). According to SETA staff, they did not. This meant that there was no overall 

program oversight. The result of this lack of oversight was inconsistent data collection, lack 

of consistency in file documentation, inability to fill the Employer Recruitment vacancy 

(funds were at Mark Sanders where there was a hiring freeze and should have be redirected 

to SETA where there was no freeze) and a lack of general program cohesiveness. 
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Project Design 

In an effort to respond quickly to the ETA’s request for proposal, the EDD and SETA relied 

on some elements of existing projects as the core of their design. Language was freely 

imported as were goals and measures to demonstrate success. There was no designated data 

collection system in place to track the achievement of the goals and measures. In addition, it 

was unclear as to who was responsible for tracking the goals and measures. 

Enrollment Levels 

Both Centers had difficulty in attracting participants for the program. While both sites 

conducted orientation sessions, the numbers of people who ultimately agreed to participate 

were very low in relation to the numbers attending these sessions. Only about 10 percent of 

the attendees were both interested and eligible for participation. The reason for lack of 

interest in participation could not be documented as there were no data on those attending the 

orientation sessions. The enrollment data from both Centers shows that most of the 

participants were female, under 50, single, childless and had completed high school. 

Employer Participation 

Staff acknowledged that they were naïve about how employers would respond to this 

project. While both Centers had lots of employer connections, those employers were 

accustomed to using their services for recruitment. The Human Resource personnel 

at some of the major companies were excited about the program, but line 

management did not want to contribute release time for their low-wage employees. 

Providing off-hours training or workshops was not an option because it creates 

liability problems for the employer. Also, one case manager believed it was 

threatening to management, and to first-level supervisors, to have the Rewards staff 

find out about how low-wage employees are treated. Even pizza lunches were 

vetoed. 

Another staff person suggested that the difficulty that they were having in getting 

employer participation related significantly to how the employers viewed low-wage 

workers. For many of the employers, expending time and energy to retain an 
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unskilled, low-wage worker was not worth the effort. A $10/hr. employee would be 

easy to replace, whereas replacing a $25/hr. employee might be more difficult. 

Training 

The educational system is not coordinated with the employer/employees’ needs. Educators 

tend to want three hours a week of training time, but employers cannot spare workers that 

long. Thus, identifying training opportunities that were suitable for employed workers was 

very difficult unless the employer was fully committed to having workers trained.

Data Collection

Data collection presented a challenge. The systems used were inadequate for thorough 

tracking of the Rewards project. As in many demonstration projects, Sacramento did not 

have a tested system of data collection in place in the early phases of the project. Both the 

Hillsdale and Mark Sanders Centers could have benefited from specialized technical 

assistance to establish satisfactory data management systems. Additionally, it would have 

been useful for someone to monitor the quality of case notes at Mark Sanders. 

Staffing

There were two significant staffing issues that faced this project. At the Hillsdale Center, the 

case manager was forced to be off for several weeks due to a medical problem. A 

replacement was found to carry on the program, but much of the program’s success had been 

related to her drive and initiative. She made contacts with employers; she was an active 

workshop leader; and she had established bonds with the clients. During her absence, the 

program was maintained but not with the same intensity. 

Mark Sanders staff stated that they were hindered by lack of funding to support adequate 

staff; however, even if additional funding had been made available, they would not have been 

allowed to hire personnel. As was mentioned earlier, the project had budgeted for a half-time 

Employer Relations Specialist who would do employer recruitment for both sites. Due to a 

hiring freeze imposed by the State, this position was never filled. (The Mark Sander’s Center 

is operated by the California Employment Development Department, a state agency.) 
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Instead, existing personnel with no experience recruiting employers were assigned the 

recruitment task in addition to their regular work.
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CHAPTER 5: KEY LESSONS LEARNED AND CONCLUSIONS 

A. KEY LESSONS LEARNED 

Each of the demonstration sites was able to identify lessons learned. Some were unique and 

related specifically to their demonstration program design, although most were shared by all 

sites. Table 5.1 categorizes lessons learned and provides specific details for each project. The 

comments from the two Sacramento sites have been merged since the project was the same at 

both sites, even though there were implementation differences. Below we summarize the 

lessons. 

Recruitment for all sites was more difficult than anticipated. Despite efforts to conveniently 

schedule and locate activities, recruitment and engagement of the low-wage population was a 

challenge. The Portland and Sacramento sites offered evening workshops with childcare and 

dinner but still had difficulty recruiting participants. The Sacramento project tried to conduct 

workshops at the job site but was told that there were liability issues for the employer. The LinnBenton project discovered that it was difficult to conduct workshops on the job site during lunch 

breaks or before or after shifts because participants were often distracted by work or family 

commitments, or simply needed a break. The Linn-Benton employee survey showed that 

workshops or classes before or after work at the community college were also problematic due to 

the additional commute time and competing family responsibilities. Ultimately, to fully engage 

participants in training, the Linn-Benton project obtained paid release time from the participants’ 

employers so once-a-month all-day training could be offered during normal work hours off-site. 

Recruitment methods affected the type of participant. As the Portland site discovered, referrals 

from the Department of Human Services were newly employed former and current TANF 

recipients. Less than five percent of these individuals were interested in the program. Those 

who agreed to participate, came to the workshops and worked with the counselor on a career 

plan but were unlikely to take advantage of the free learning disability testing and counseling, or 

the limited training opportunity (approximately one-free quarter of community college classes). 

To increase their intake, the Portland site added another recruitment source – WIA applicants 
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who did not qualify for WIA services. In contrast to the former and current TANF recruits, these 

individuals were mostly male. They had already taken the step to obtain additional training, and 

so they were more willing to agree to participate in the project and to utilize the project training 

resources. Differences in recruitment methods at the two Sacramento sites may also have 

attracted different types of participants. Those participants co-enrolled in other programs were 

not as engaged in the Rewards program as those recruited specifically for the Rewards program. 

Case management of low-wage workers is labor-intensive. The two programs that adopted a 

case management approach, Portland and Sacramento, discovered that the case managers’ role 

was broad and labor-intensive. In addition to providing workshops, the case managers were “on 

call” to help workers solve problems that could interfere with their work and to refer them to 

other agencies for help. In addition, the case managers, who were not career counselors, had to 

research career paths in order to help clients “map” near-term and long-term plans. The case 

managers also helped clients navigate the welfare system. Although recruitment at both Portland 

and Sacramento lagged behind original expectations, it is doubtful whether the case managers 

could have served more clients. 

Providing additional training is a challenge due to course schedules, cost, and time. Even when 

participants were eager to obtain additional training, it was difficult to find suitable courses. 

Community colleges do not accommodate working part-time students as well as full-time 

students. The course schedules do not fit well with daytime work schedules, and part-time 

students have lower priority for enrollment. Although Portland Community College had 

developed “fast-track” programs to certificates, these programs were too intensive for working 

parents or those employed full-time. Limited training dollars meant that courses had to be 

selected carefully in order to increase job opportunities for participants, most of whom had a 

high school diploma or less. The Portland program learned that resource allocation of training 

dollars is complicated. Initial prerequisites to weed out the less-committed participants, coupled 

with the academic calendar, delayed the start of training for many participants eager to begin. In 

addition, the costs of different training programs varied widely, and the program had insufficient 

funds to offer training to all participants. At the Linn-Benton site, grant money paid for courses 

specifically designed for the participants, whose employers paid for their release time. 
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Training supervisors of low-wage workers is also necessary. The survey and focus groups of 

healthcare employees for the Linn-Benton project showed that a key reason for staying with a 

job is having good relationships with co-workers and supervisors. Conversely, workers 

mentioned that they often have problems with nurse supervisors who do not receive supervisory 

training in their nursing programs. One of the employers working with the Sacramento project 

also requested training for supervisors. 

More money and time are needed to conduct a demonstration project. All three project staff 

noted that additional time and money are needed to plan and implement a demonstration project. 

Of the three projects, the Linn-Benton project demonstrated the most novel approach and was the 

most successful in engaging employers. Yet, Linn-Benton project activities for low-wage 

workers were just gaining momentum after two years and were scheduled to continue past the 

end of the grant, which had been extended to 36 months. The novel approach of Linn-Benton 

involved more than a year’s worth of planning, including employer recruitment, management 

team meetings and a needs assessment. It took the team nearly another year to decide on 

activities and to plan implementation. 

Sites could use more technical assistance in program design and monitoring. All three sites 

could use more technical assistance with designing a program that can be evaluated and that 

logically might achieve program goals, and in developing data collection systems to track 

program participation and to record critical wage and employment data at the start and end of the 

program. The design of the Linn Benton and Sacramento projects complicated program 

monitoring and evaluation, as program participants were often difficult to distinguish from nonparticipants, and the program itself was composed of various optional activities (i.e., participants 

could opt for little or no intervention). In contrast, the design of the Portland project clearly 

defined program participants as those who completed an intake form and attended 80 percent of 

the monthly meetings. The Portland project maintained a database system to track the 

attendance of program participants at monthly meetings, to record which participants opted for 

additional training, and to record wage and employment information, but the database was 

inadequately designed. The Sacramento project used their existing data collection systems to 

track program participants, but the existing systems failed to track key project activities (such as 
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workshops) or to consistently record wage and employment data at entry into the program. 
“An Assessment of the Low-Wage Worker Retention and Advancement Demonstration Project” 

Final Report – March 2006 

Coffey Communications, LLC 

Table 5.1: Lessons Learned 

Portland Community College 

Step-by-Step 

Linn-Benton Community College 

Health Care Worker Retention 

and Career Advancement Initiative 

Sacramen

and Tr

(Hillsdal

and Mark San

WIA R

Target Population 

 Clients needing retention help are often 

very different than clients needing advancement assistance 

 Must focus on a sector in order to have 

critical mass for training, especially skills training. Also workplace culture varies across industry. 

Recruitment & Enrollment Targets 

 Advancement population (WIA recruits) 

easier to engage than retention population (TANF new hires) 

 The first Career Day came too soon; it 

generated interest, but the program was not in place 

 Having employer support substantially 

improves participation levels. Although attendance at workshops and counseling sessions was voluntary, motivated workers attend because they feel they will gain from the experience and perceive that the employer will view them in a more favorable light. 

 The original tar

site would have accomplish. Evreduced to 50 ptwo-year periodenough clients t

 Recruitment me

client enrolled ipeople are respobrochures, they motivation than orientation progoutreach to the clubs, referrals, enrollees came specifically for Mark Sanders sfrom the WIA aworker programoften co-enrollespecifically inte
“An Assessment of the Low-Wage Worker Retention and Advancement Demonstration Project” 

Final Report – March 2006 

Coffey Communications, LLC 

Table 5.1: Lessons Learned 

Portland Community College 

Step-by-Step 

Linn-Benton Community College 

Health Care Worker Retention 

and Career Advancement Initiative 

Sacramen

and Tr

(Hillsdal

and Mark San

WIA R

Service Area and Setting 

 Connections with the community college 

are helpful 

 Connections with the community college 

are helpful 

 There are advantages and disadvantages 

to operating a program in a rural setting. Employers in a rural setting operate in a more “closed” labor market, and therefore may be more willing to participate. On the other hand, it is more difficult to obtain the minimum number of students necessary to fill a class. 

 A statewide bud

ability of state aqualified personEDD failed to fto recruit emplo

Workshops or Support Meetings 

 Workshop soft skills training and group 

support were more beneficial for TANF new hires than WIA applicants. 

 Workshops must be offered on site  Participants at on-site workshops may be 

distracted by work 

 Use names with positive connotations to 

attract participants (e.g., “Burnout” workshop was not popular, possibly because workers did not want others to think they were “burned out” and less effective employees). 

 Flyers distributed in employee mailboxes 

were effective in recruiting low-wage workers for upcoming workshops. 

 Workshops offe

work hours may for the employe

Case Management 

 Developing personal career plans requires 

extensive research 

 Not Applicable  For program co

recordkeeping oreviewed by the
“An Assessment of the Low-Wage Worker Retention and Advancement Demonstration Project” 

Final Report – March 2006 

Coffey Communications, LLC 

Table 5.1: Lessons Learned 

Portland Community College 

Step-by-Step 

Linn-Benton Community College 

Health Care Worker Retention 

and Career Advancement Initiative 

Sacramen

and Tr

(Hillsdal

and Mark San

WIA R

Training  Childcare is a barrier 

 Working parents opt for more family time 

over additional training 

 Work schedules can be a barrier – do not 

fit with course schedules 

 Prerequisites for training can weed out the 

less-committed but can also discourage those eager to begin 

 Academic calendars and course schedules 

can be barriers – few weekend and evening courses 

 Resource allocation is tricky - different 

costs for different education/training programs (e.g., $500 - $2000) 

 Need to evaluate the likelihood that the 

education/training program will lead to a better job 

 Cannot afford training/education for all 

participants 

 PCC Career Pathways program is short 

but too intense for working parents 

 Work schedules can be a barrier – do not 

fit with course schedules 

 Release time to attend training during 

normal working hours is necessary in order to attract workers who have family responsibilities 

 Courses may not have openings for parttime students  Courses may not be offered due to an 

insufficient number of students 

 Supervisory training for nurses is needed 

 Consideration s

funding training low-wage workproblems faced help develop skwith this populaproviding this kany envy that susubordinates rectreatment.” 

 Academic calen

schedules can bweekend and ev
“An Assessment of the Low-Wage Worker Retention and Advancement Demonstration Project” 

Final Report – March 2006 

Coffey Communications, LLC 

Table 5.1: Lessons Learned 

Portland Community College 

Step-by-Step 

Linn-Benton Community College 

Health Care Worker Retention 

and Career Advancement Initiative 

Sacramen

and Tr

(Hillsdal

and Mark San

WIA R

Employer Recruitment 

 Marketing employers requires: 

- Time - Dedicated staff person - Marketing materials (e.g., cost of 

turnover) 

 Must engage employers, as they are both 

part of the problem and part of the solution. 

 More time-consuming than expected to 

build trust, because the employers did not have any previous relationship with the workforce system, nor did the employer representatives know each other. 

 Recruit employers for whom you already 

have some relationship (e.g., LBCC and the healthcare partners). 

 Collaborate with employers in defining 

the problem and designing interventions. 

 Commitment m

management; thinsufficient. Ofworkshops may for the employe

 If there is a stea

workers who catraining, then sebecomes a choremployer’s best leave before theor wage increas

 Small employer

dependent on thbecause they getime to recruit aeven if the trainmight be a betteprograms in the 

 Consider worki

Business Adminresource. 

 Contacting indi

in the past who of authority in bemployed mighindividuals feel for services ren
“An Assessment of the Low-Wage Worker Retention and Advancement Demonstration Project” 

Final Report – March 2006 

Coffey Communications, LLC 

Table 5.1: Lessons Learned 

Portland Community College 

Step-by-Step 

Linn-Benton Community College 

Health Care Worker Retention 

and Career Advancement Initiative 

Sacramen

and Tr

(Hillsdal

and Mark San

WIA R

Project Management 

 It is important to enlist employers as part 

of the project management team. 

 Employers bring a fresh innovative 

perspective to a team of workforce partners. 

 A consensus model of team decisionmaking is slow but particularly useful in 

the early stages when the management team is building trust among members, defining the problem(s) to address, and proposing solutions. In the implementation phase, the project leader may assume more responsibility for decision-making. 

 A project leader skilled in team-building 

and management is essential. 

 There needs to 

Someone needs ensure consistenimplementation resources. 

Data Collection  Database design is critical but requires 

expertise 

 Collecting follow-up data from 

participants is challenging once workshop and counseling contact is finished – obtaining alternate contact names and numbers may help 

 Existing data co

modification in employment anand end of the pprogram partici
“An Assessment of the Low-Wage Worker Retention and Advancement Demonstration Project” 

Final Report – March 2006 

Coffey Communications, LLC 

Table 5.1: Lessons Learned 

Portland Community College 

Step-by-Step 

Linn-Benton Community College 

Health Care Worker Retention 

and Career Advancement Initiative 

Sacramen

and Tr

(Hillsdal

and Mark San

WIA R

Grant Process  $100,000 per year is inadequate 

 Grant delays slow program 

implementation 

 Two years is too short; it takes 4-6 

months to develop a program and hire personnel. That only leaves about a year to operate the program before winding down. 

 Grantee conference would be more 

beneficial at the beginning of the project 

 Two years is too short to recruit 

employers, build trust, define the problem, and design and implement interventions 

 Grantee conference would be more 

beneficial at the beginning of the project 
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B. REPLICATION POTENTIAL AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE 

DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS 

The LWWRA project experience, although limited to three sites implementing different program 

models, provides some examples of workshops, career planning, and goal setting procedures that 

were well-received by program participants. The workshop lessons developed by the Portland 

and Sacramento projects were similar in topics and the emphasis on soft skills. The workshops 

and Leadership Academy provided by the Linn-Benton project also included many of the same 

topics, such as conflict resolution and communication. All of the projects recognized the need to 

either provide childcare and dinner for evening workshops or to offer the workshops during 

normal working hours. 

In addition to soft skills, all three projects included career planning and the development of 

career ladders. The projects helped participants identify their interests, personality 

characteristics, and knowledge and skill strengths and to recognize how certain types of jobs 

would be a better match for them. Participants also learned about the training required for 

different jobs and the options for obtaining the training. Funding for limited training was 

available for some Portland participants, and the employers paid for training for selected LinnBenton program participants. The Portland and Sacramento case managers helped participants 

set goals and sub-goals, and then rewarded participants for achieving sub-goals. 

Only one of the three projects was successful in engaging employers. Based on the Linn-Benton 

experience, the following factors are important: 

 Choosing employers for whom the hiring and training of low-wage workers is difficult, 

or for whom the turnover of low-wage workers creates problems for all workers and 

potentially for customers 

 Recruiting employers with whom you have a previous relationship. 

 Obtaining commitment from upper management even if the HR person is the employer 

representative 

Other factors – the rural nature of the community and the leadership skill of the project director – 

may have contributed to Linn-Benton’s successful recruiting of employer partners but are not so 
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easily replicated. 

In addition to learning about the strategies and techniques used by the Portland, Linn-Benton, 

and Sacramento projects, future demonstration projects may further benefit from receiving 

technical assistance in the early stages. A longer planning period would allow multiple sites to 

collaborate in the planning process and to receive technical assistance in designing the program 

and the data collection systems. 

 
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APPENDICES 

Appendix A – Process Study Statement of Work 

Appendix B – Site Summaries for Each Sub-Grantee 

Appendix C – Cross-Site Matrices of Low-Wage Worker 

Demonstration Project Characteristics and Site 

Reflections Regarding Implementation 

Appendix D – Low-Wage Worker Literature Review 

Appendix E – Oregon State University Study of Low-Wage Health 

Worker Characteristics 

Appendix F – Mennonite Village: How One Employer Successfully 

Addressed Employee Turnover – A Case Study 

Appendix G – Demonstration Project Implementation Tools 
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Appendix A

Process Study Statement of Work 
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STATEMENT OF WORK 

Process Evaluation and Replication Component of the 

Retention and Advancement Demonstration Project for Low-Wage Workers 

PROJECT OBJECTIVE: 

Develop and implement new job search assistance services and workshops designed to increase 

the competitiveness of low-wage workers in a job or in the job market that can be rolled-out to 

local One-Stop centers to meet the job search and skill-building needs of low-wage workers, 

including former welfare recipients and individuals with learning disabilities. It is expected that 

this project will allow the One-Stop Centers to increase their capacity to provide effective 

employment and retention services to low-wage workers and to enhance their capacity to work 

with employers to strengthen their workforce. 

GRANTEES: 

To achieve the objectives of the project, grants have been awarded to the State of Oregon 

(March, 2002) and the State of California (April, 2003). 

PROJECT SITES: 

 Linn and Benton Counties in Oregon 

 Washington and Multnomah Counties Oregon which include the cities of Beaverton and 

Portland as well as primarily rural Tillamook County 

 Two sites in the Sacramento, California metropolitan area 

EVALUATION OBJECTIVES:

1. Document the processes used by the grantees to develop their individual programs with 

particular emphasis on the barriers faced by each. 

2. Document models or components of effective low-wage worker retention and advancement 

programs that can be used across the nation. 

3. Publish a “how-to” guide based on the experience of these grantees and based on findings 

from other similar low-wage worker retention program studies. 
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EVALUATION FOCUS/COMPONENTS: 

1. Grantee interface/coordination with: 

 One-Stop service delivery system 

 Employers 

 Welfare-to-Work and TANF programs 

 To provide job retention and advancement workshops to low-wage workers 

2. Demographics of workers served in the demonstration 

3. Treatments offered to targeted populations 

4. Participant flow through the systems developed by the cooperating organizations 

5. Participant success: 

 Job retention 

 Advancement 

 Another job/same job but in a career path 

 New career 

6. One-Stop success in filling jobs vacated by successful participants 

7. Implementation obstacles 

8. Potential for program replication 

EVALUATION METHODOLOGY: 

 Telephone interviews with grantees 

 Review of Administrative Records 

 Analysis of site reports 

 Site visits 

 Focus groups 

 Joint Oregon/California Meeting to exchange ideas and experiences 
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DELIVERABLES: 

1. Limited Technical Assistance to Sites 

2. Conference Agenda and Arrangements 

3. Project Design Report: 

 Data Collection 

 Templates and Procedures 

 Implementation Plans 

 Planned Analysis 

 Schedule of Task Milestones 

 Report Delivery Dates 

4. Progress Reports: 

 Initial 

 Quarterly 

 Mid-point Status Report 

 Draft Final Report 

 Oral Briefing 

 Final Report 

NOTES: 

This is a revised scope of work which includes: 

A. The addition of two additional demonstration sites in California that ended in September 

2005 

B. The Linn-Benton site was extended through December 2005

C. The recognition that some technical assistance will be provided to the sites 

D. The addition of a combined Oregon/California meeting to allow demonstration 

participants to share ideas/issues

E. The potential for using material from outside low-wage worker studies to develop a more 

comprehensive “how to” guide 

F. The Coffey Communications contract was extended through December 2005
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Appendix B 

Site Summaries for Each Sub-Grantee 
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JUNE 2004 

RETENTION AND ADVANCEMENT DEMONSTRATION 

PROJECT FOR LOW-WAGE WORKERS 

PROJECT OBJECTIVES: develop and implement new job search assistance services 

and workshops that will provide effective retention and employment advancement services to 

low-wage workers and that can be implemented by other local One-Stop Career Centers serving 

low-wage workers, including former welfare recipients. 

On March 15, 2002 

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR 

grants to 

OREGON EMPLOYMENT DEPARTMENT 

who sub-grants with 

 

Portland Community College 

Service Area 

& Project 

Location 

Washington County which includes the cities of Beaverton, Hillsboro, and Tigert. 

The project is housed at Portland Community College in Beaverton. 

Partners Original: 

Portland Community College – program administrator. 

Department of Human Services Self-Sufficiency Program – identify eligible participants 

Oregon Employment Department – referrals. 

Tualatin Valley Centers – learning disability testing, participation in group sessions, mental health 

services. 

There was no change in partners throughout the life of the grant. 

Setting 

Major industries include manufacturing, trade and services. Portland PMSA’s high-tech industry 

was one of the fastest growing industries in the nineties. Prior to the start of the project, there had 

been a downturn in the transportation, manufacturing, and high technology industries. There was 

negligible economic growth over the course of the project. 

The unemployment rate for the Portland PMSA (which includes Portland, Beaverton and 

Vancourver, Washington remained higher than the national average for the duration of the project. 

The 2002 average annual unemployment rate was 7.8%. At the end of the project, June 2004, the 

rate was 7.4%. 

The population is 80% white, 11% Hispanic, and 9% other. 

Prior/Current 

Experience 

Operates local One-Stop Career Center

Award Date June 30, 2002 – however, there was a substantial lag between the grant award date to the State and 
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the sub-grant and flow of funds to the local implementing agency. Program operators indicated 

that they were very concerned after operating for at least 9 months without a signed agreement. 

Program 

Duration 

24 months, ending on July 1, 2004. 

Planned 

Approach 

Case Management – Client Focus 

Voluntary participation by newly employed workers – Phase I 

Skills and personal/professional behavior training 

Development of Employment Success Plan 

Includes Learning Disabled 

Employer Involvement – Phase II 

Changes: 

Low enrollment caused program operator to change the approach for recruiting workers. Phase II 

was not implemented.

Referrals Original Plan:

1. Referrals from Department of Human Services (Welfare clients) 

2. Referrals from OED 

3. Voluntary enrollment 

4. Anticipated Employer referrals at some point (any low-wage worker) however, this did not 

occur. 

Originally a referral form was used to trigger a written invitation to participate in the program. 

This was followed up by a phone call regarding program services and enrollment potential. 

Modification: Because of the poor referral to enrollment ratio (50:1 or less), the project shifted its 

enrollment targets to WIA clients who were ineligible for training services.

Once it was determined that alternative means of identifying clients was needed, staff attended 

WIA staff meetings and presented information regarding the program. As a result, clients were 

referred for services. Interest from the WIA clients was more impressive than that expressed by 

the TANF population. The WIA applicants are mostly low-wage and newly hired. However, they 

are noticeably different from the TANF newly hired population. The individuals recruited from 

WIA meetings are mostly male, more readily willing to commit their time, show up at the 

workshops, tap into the resources offered (such as testing for learning disabilities), and are ready 

for additional training. 

At the same time, the grantee decided to approach employers about providing retention workshops 

for their low-wage worker population. Unfortunately, the shift in focus to employers and their 

workers was initiated late in the grant period and the grantee was concerned about starting 

programs for these employers and their workers and not being able to complete them before 

funding ran out. There was interest expressed by several employers, and it is likely that this 

approach might have been somewhat more successful than targeting newly employed TANF 

workers. 

Services Original Program: 

1. Bi-weekly meetings 

Evening program of two hours every other week over a 6-month period (12 classes). Attendance 

required at a minimum of 80% of offered programs in order to receive training and support service 

benefits. Meals served to participant and family. Childcare available. Drawing for prizes and 

other incentives offered. Participants sign personal contract. 

 Problem solving – personal and job related topics 

 Group setting – provides support 

 Identification of training and support service needs and referral to appropriate programs 

2. Assigned Employment Specialist from PCC to be coach and mentor—the retention 
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 specialist 

 Assistance with development of Employment Success Plan 

 Provision of “soft” skills training (staying interested in the job, assertiveness, conflict 

resolution, teamwork, money management, nutrition, setting goals and priorities, parenting, 

etc.) to enhance job retention 

 Provision of job-related skills training to enhance both job retention and advancement 

Modified Program: The major change to the services provided has been enabling participants to 

enroll in training after as few as 4 months of program attendance. This change was initiated 

because some trainees were ready after this period and also training provider schedules often did 

not coincide with the 6-month program schedule. In addition, the grantee had to become more 

flexible regarding spending limits on training. Truck driver training, for example, was a very 

expensive program, but it was approved because of the potential benefits of the training.

Employer 

Role 

Original Plan: 

 Refer participants 

 Participate in the development of curriculum for meetings and Career Advancement classes 

 Willing to participate in development of retention strategies 

While this was in the original project design, minimal efforts were made to identify employers to 

participate in the project. The reason for this was that employers who expressed interest early in 

the project were those who traditionally hired low-wage workers into positions where 

advancement potential was limited. The expectation was that employees from these firms would 

likely move on due to low wages and inadequate benefits regardless of the efforts made by the 

project. 

Modification: In mid-2003, after experiencing such difficulty in enrolling participants, the 

grantee decided to re-initiate efforts to engage employers in the program. A new staff member 

was hired to mount this effort. A letter was mailed to the largest employers in the region. The 

letter described the services available through the retention project and outlined the level of 

commitment required from participating employers. In addition to the letter, an 8-step plan for 

recruiting employers was developed along with a script to use with employers when discussing the 

program. Staff from the One-Stop Career Center were also asked to provide names of employers 

they thought might be interested in the program. All these efforts were time consuming, and by 

the time there appeared to be some benefit to the approach, the project was nearing its end date. 

Target Group Original Plan: 

 Newly hired within past 4 months 

 Former or current TANF recipient 

 History of job retention difficulties (fired from previous employment, left without another 

job, multiple employers in single year) 

 History of learning difficulties affecting employment 

 Referral from an employer or agency 

Modification: 

1. Newly hired 

2. Former or current TANF recipients or WIA clients ineligible for training services 

3. Expressed need for job retention and advancement services 

4. Low-wage workers nominated by employers–for workshop attendance 

Participation 

Levels 

Planned: 

218 screened as eligible (9 new 

participants per month) 

 70 – wage enhancement training 

As of June, 2004 – 66 people were enrolled in the 

program. 
“An Assessment of the Low-Wage Worker Retention and Advancement Demonstration Project” 

Final Report – March 2006 

Coffey Communications, LLC Page 89 

 35 – training for current job 

 25 – GED/Distance learning/College 

 training for career advancement 

Anticipated 

Outcomes 

Original: 

70% of enrollees will be on the job after 3 months 

Participants employed for at least 6 months will enhance their wage 

Comment: The site is having difficulty in follow-up. Participants may not be home, may not call 

back, may have moved, or may have changed jobs. In any of these cases, there is the possibility 

that they might meet the anticipated outcome measure, but no one can say for sure. 

Unique or 

Special 

Features 

 Participants provided cell phone numbers to call in emergencies (as defined by participant) 

 Career Pathway planning--next step after Employment Success Plan. Available to 

participants who have stayed on the job for 6 months. Includes Career Exploration workshop 

to develop plan. Formal skills training available. 

 Career paths are broken into small steps to make achievement more manageable both in 

terms of time available to participant and costs associated with career advancement training. 

 Participants are called and reminded of meeting dates every other week. 

 Mental Health services 

 Recognition of learning disabilities as hindrance 

Definitions Retention: Remaining in a position for at least one year unless changing job is for advancement, 

improved wages, improved benefits, or following a career path. 

Wage Advancement: Increasing monthly or annual wage 

Career Advancement: Increased job responsibility or new skill development 

Low-Wage: Entry wage for TANF worker (with children) is $8.50 per hour. $10.54 is living 

wage for single person without children. Minimum Oregon wage is $6.50 per hour. Highest wage 

earned by participants is $9-$10 per hour. Script used to recruit employers defined eligibility at 

$13.00-$14.00 per hour.
“An Assessment of the Low-Wage Worker Retention and Advancement Demonstration Project” 

Final Report – March 2006 

Coffey Communications, LLC Page 90 

 SEPTEMBER 2005 

RETENTION AND ADVANCEMENT DEMONSTRATION 

PROJECT FOR LOW-WAGE WORKERS 

PROJECT OBJECTIVES: develop and implement new job search assistance services 

and workshops that will provide effective retention and employment advancement services to 

low-wage workers, and that can be implemented by other local One-Stop Career Centers serving 

low-wage workers, including former welfare recipients 

March 15, 2002 

US DEPARTMENT OF LABOR 

grants to 

OREGON EMPLOYMENT DEPARTMENT 

who sub-grants with 

Workforce Development Network 

The original project design was described in a document forwarded by the Oregon Employment Department to the 

Employment and Training Administration in March, 2002. The design described in that document was very quickly 

modified by the project director with approval by OED and ETA. 

Service Area 

& Project 

Location 

The service areas are Linn and Benton Counties. The project is headquartered in Linn-Benton 

Community College located in Albany, Oregon. 

Partners Workforce Development Network 

Linn-Benton Community College – LBCC – Program Administrator 

Oregon Employment Dept. – OED 

Community Services Consortium – CSC 

Vocational Rehab Dept. – VRD 

Community Human Services – CHS 

Oregon State University – OSU 

Project Management Team 

Linn-Benton Community College – LBCC 

 Program Administrator 

 Welfare-to-Work Representative 

 Health Occupations and Services Department Chair 

Oregon Employment Department – OED 

Community Services Consortium – CSC 

Community Human Services – CHS 

Oregon State University – Research Team 

WIB Administrator 

One-Stop Career Center Coordinator 

Mennonite Village – HR Director 

Corvallis Clinic – HR Director 

Samaritan Health – HR Director 

Setting Major industries in Linn County have been timber and rare metal processing. Both have suffered 
“An Assessment of the Low-Wage Worker Retention and Advancement Demonstration Project” 

Final Report – March 2006 

Coffey Communications, LLC Page 91 

serious declines. The average annual 2002 unemployment rate at the start of the grant period for Linn 

County was 9%. This was the highest rate in the state. The average annual rate for 2004 was 9.3%, 

although as of September 2005, the unemployment rate in Linn County had dropped to 7.1%. In 

contrast, Corvallis (major population center for Benton County and the largest city in the two 

counties), has had the lowest unemployment rate in the state. It is largely a white collar town and home 

to Oregon State University. Unemployment in Corvallis MSA at the start of the grant was 5.4% (2002 

average annual) and as of September 2005 was 5.1%. 

More than 80% of the population is white. 

Hispanics are the next highest ranking ethnic group. 

Prior/Current 

Experience 

Operates One-Stop Career Centers for Linn and Benton Counties 

Award Date To Oregon Employment Department in March 2002. From OED to Linn-Benton Community College, 

February 2003. 

Anticipated 

Program 

Duration 

Original: 24 months 

Modified: Due to sub-granting difficulties with the State, the final agreement between Linn-Benton 

and OED was not delivered to the site until February 2003. LBCC had started planning work in midCY 2002. They published one time line in November 2002 anticipating that funds would be 

forthcoming. Because money was not available, they modified the timeline and reissued it in January 

2003. The revised plan anticipated an active program of 18 months from January 1, 2003 to June 30,

2004. Several months prior to the official program end date, it became apparent that there would be 

sufficient funds left in the grant at its normal termination date to warrant requesting a no-cost 

extension in order to continue to offer program services. 

Modified: A no-cost extension was issued allowing the project to continue until June 2005. At the 

time of the no-cost extension, $80,000 remained for this project. No modifications were made to the 

scope of work. Once the no cost extension was received, a similar extension was given to Oregon 

State University thus allowing them until June 2005 to complete the research component of the project. 

Modified: An additional no-cost extension was issued allowing the project to continue until 

December 2005. No modification was made in the scope of work as the projects underway are within 

the original scope. They include supervisory training, individual training grants, and CNA Training. 

Planned 

Approach 

Original Plan: A case management approach will be used to establish relationships with participants, 

flag problems, and provide support services such as child care, transportation, auto repair, tools, and 

clothing. This method will be used to identify training needs and determine need for workshops. 

Use training under Title 1, Voc Rehab, and TANF for those eligible. 

Modified Plan: The original program design put forward by OED was very short lived. Within a few 

months of its original presentation to ETA, a meeting was held with OED, ETA and the Linn-Benton 

project director who presented a program which was mainly directed towards working with employers 

from the health sector to improve their ability to retain current employees. The case management 

approach was not implemented. The primary focus is to provide retention and advancement services 

and techniques for employees and employers from three health care facilities. Shortly after the 

beginning of program operations, one facility changed its role from full participant to participation on 

the management team only. This shift was due to the initiation of a labor dispute which affected lowwage workers. This employer continues to serve in an advisory capacity on the Management Team. 

Services have primarily been offered in a workshop mode. Participants may avail themselves of 

training opportunities as a result of information provided by on-site counselors or workshop 

facilitators, but this project does not have staff or financial resources to support skills training. The 

project director, in consultation with the Management Team, identifies and coordinates services rather 

than delivering them. He has been able to utilize community college faculty, local healthcare 

providers, local workforce and community organizations to provide seminars/workshops covering 

burnout, conflict resolution, careers in healthcare, and a variety of additional topics identified as a 
“An Assessment of the Low-Wage Worker Retention and Advancement Demonstration Project” 

Final Report – March 2006 

Coffey Communications, LLC Page 92 

result of consultation with employers, and brainstorming sessions with the management team. In the 

late Spring 2003, a survey was administered to low-wage workers currently employed by the targeted 

employers. The results of this survey also factored into the service delivery plans. A Career 

Development Program has been initiated which provides career counseling on-site in a one-on-one 

format and via the Internet. This enables workers with family commitments to avail themselves of the 

program. A calendar of events was published in December 2003 detailing the availability of 

workshops, career fairs, and counseling opportunities. 

Modified Plan (as result of project extension): As a result of the no-cost extensions, the project will 

continue until December 2005. At the beginning of the first extension, there was approximately 

$80,000 remaining in the grant (from an initial $212,500) The changes are: 

 Project director will remain the same although his salary will be funded by the LBCC. During 

the initial project phase, 30% of his salary was covered by the grant. 

 There will be a greater focus on formal training activities such as: 

- Leadership Academy which will be offered to 20 employees (10 from Corvallis Clinic and 

10 from Mennonite Village. The program consists of a one-day session each month for nine 

months. Employees will be given time off to attend, and they will be offered personal 

leadership skills training and emerging trends in the medical industry as well as in their own 

facilities. There is some desire for mid-managers to participate in order to ensure acceptance 

and understanding by supervisor of the training received by their subordinates. Estimated 

cost of $19,000 (completed with high praise from participants and sponsoring employers) 

- Supervisory training - . There is some desire for mid-managers to participate in training 

order to ensure acceptance and understanding by supervisor of the training received by their 

subordinates. Corvallis Clinic wishes to have a component addressing the needs of the 

LWW. Mennonite Village has been unable to finance supervisory training for several years. 

The estimated cost is $15,000 – Fall 2005. 

- Certified Nursing Assistant Level 2 is a new category established by the Oregon Board of 

Nursing. At this level, the CNAs specialize. The program wishes to finance at least two 

classes; $30,000 for development and $10,000 for delivery. They requested funding of 

$25,000 from the WIB which was granted in the fall of 2004 which will help defray some of 

the original budget of $40,000. (Fall 2005) 

- Medical Terminology training at $15,000. Currently the LBCC is trying to partner with the 

local WIA to offer three sessions instead of the currently financed two sessions. This is a 

three-course program (3 credits each). Some individuals need all of the training and others 

only one or two of the courses. Completion of the full program will help with employee 

advancement. 

- Scholarships - $4,000 for fall and $4,000 for spring. (On-going as funds continue to be 

available.) 

The ability of the project to offer all of these programs will depend, to some degree, on the willingness 

of the WIB to co-finance some of the program components. 

Research Component: A small component of the project was a research study to be conducted by 

Oregon State University. The objective of the research is to find out if there is a profile of attributes 

and characteristics possessed by workers who enter employment at a relatively entry-level wage and 

successfully maintain employment and experience wage progression and career mobility. In addition, 

are there combinations of attributes of workers and work support services that seem to be particularly 

successful in maintaining employment and in wage progression (controlling for local labor markets 

conditions)? 

The research is underway but no findings have been reported to date. It is important to note that this 

research was provided mostly as a community service utilizing the services of an interested faculty 

member and graduate students. The grant covers all costs with the exception of the faculty member’s 

salary. 
“An Assessment of the Low-Wage Worker Retention and Advancement Demonstration Project” 

Final Report – March 2006 

Coffey Communications, LLC Page 93 

Research Component Modification: Awarded no-cost extension by grantee until June 2005. 

Submitted findings in June 2005. 

Referrals Original Plan: Targeted occupations will be identified by three (two after the start of the labor 

dispute) participating employers. The Management Committee will select which occupations to serve 

based on the following criteria:

 Pay scale of $12 or less per hour 

 High turnover in the occupation 

 Significant population of workers 

Referrals will come from the occupational pool but no information available on the process. 

Modification: Because of the shift from a case management to an employer workforce focus, the 

issue of referrals is somewhat moot. Workshops are announced by employers and flyers are used to 

attract participants. The flyers and announcements are targeted to the low-wage worker, but since 

these are not closed workshops, it is impossible to ascertain whether only targeted low-wage workers 

are attending. Attendance is voluntary. Career counseling sessions are offered by appointment – 

sign-up sheet – and these are limited to the target populations. 

No-Cost Extension Modifications: Due to the shift to more formal classroom training, referrals will 

be made by the participating employers. 

Services Original Plan: 

Assessment Phase: 

Management committee will develop action Strategies such as: 

 Job search/career activities 

 Barrier removal activities 

 Support Services 

 Skills training 

Modification: The management committee developed program strategies, but it appears that the 

project director identified activities and planned the events. This placed a lot of pressure on the project 

director who then became responsible for planning, budgeting, contracting, soliciting workers, 

advertising, employer relations, and coordinating all activities. The problem with this is that 

replication would require a similarly dedicated, energetic and creative project manager or a larger staff 

presence. Additional information included in Planned Approach section.

Employer 

Role 

Original Plan:

 Provide input to the design and management of the project 

 Provide access to employees and facilities 

 Identify salient issues 

 Propose strategies 

 Test and evaluate strategies 

 Facilitate research 

 Provide feedback 

 Promote findings 

Modification: This appears to be one of the few elements of the original program that has not 

significantly changed. The relationship between the project director and employers is extremely 

strong. 
“An Assessment of the Low-Wage Worker Retention and Advancement Demonstration Project” 

Final Report – March 2006 

Coffey Communications, LLC Page 94 

Target Group Original Plan: Incumbent workers meeting the definition of low-wage worker from selected target 

occupations. 

Modification: Interested individuals are not turned away from workshops, but the original plan is 

generally followed. 

Participation 

Levels 

Original Plan: The original plan did not 

provide any target numbers or demographic 

information regarding potential 

participants. 

Current: There has been no change. Attendance is 

taken at the workshops but no other data are collected. 

Modification: With the advent of formal training 

classes, it is hoped that more data will be available on 

participation levels and demographics. This will have to 

be cleared with the Community College. 

Anticipated 

Outcomes 

Original Plan: The anticipated outcomes for this project were to be the development of interventions 

that would assist employers in retaining workers and would help workers with advancement. It is clear 

that interventions have been developed, but there is no way to measure the impact of the measures 

other than to solicit the opinions of the employers and employees. This may be a next-step for the 

project. 

Modification: Outcome measures should be developed for the formal training components but have 

not yet been developed. (October 2004) 

Unique or 

Special 

Features 

Targeted to serving specific industry. 

Research component designed to profile which low-wage workers stay employed and advance. 

Profiling will be from the same occupational pool. 

 
“An Assessment of the Low-Wage Worker Retention and Advancement Demonstration Project” 

Final Report – March 2006 

Coffey Communications, LLC Page 95 

SEPTEMBER 2005

RETENTION AND ADVANCEMENT DEMONSTRATION 

PROJECT FOR LOW-WAGE WORKERS 

PROJECT OBJECTIVE: develop and implement new job search assistance services and 

workshops designed to increase the competitiveness of low-wage workers in a job or in the job 

market, that can be rolled-out to local One-Stop Career Centers to meet the job search and skillbuilding needs of low-wage workers, including former welfare recipients. It is expected that this 

project will provide the One-Stop Career Centers with increased capacity to provide effective 

employment and retention services to low-wage workers. 

April 1, 2003 

US DEPARTMENT OF LABOR 

grant to 

CALIFORNIA EMPLOYMENT DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT 

who sub-grants with 

 

Sacramento Employment & Training Agency (SETA) 

Mark Sanders One-Stop Career Center and Hillsdale One-Stop 

Career Center 

Service Area 

& Project 

Location 

Sacramento and surrounding counties – serve Sacramento employers only but will provide services 

to workers of those employers living in other counties 

Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 

925 Del Paso Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95815 

Hillsdale Career Center 

5655 Hillsdale Blvd., Suite 8 

Sacramento, CA 95842 

(916) 263-4100 

Mark Sanders Complex 

2901 50th Street 

Sacramento, CA 95817 

(916) 227-1395

Partners Sacramento Employment and Training Agency – SETA 

Sacramento Works Career Centers (Local WIB) 

Employment Development Department (EDD) 

Setting The average annual unemployment rate for 2003, at the start of the grant, was 5.7% for the 

Sacramento MSA. At the end of the project, June 2005, the unemployment rate was 4.8%. 

Sacramento County has third or fourth highest TANF population in the state. 
“An Assessment of the Low-Wage Worker Retention and Advancement Demonstration Project” 

Final Report – March 2006 

Coffey Communications, LLC Page 96 

Tourism (hotel), high tech, call center/customer service, healthcare, and construction are five 

industries in the area that hire low-wage workers. The three largest industries are government; 

trade, transportation & utilities; and educational and health services. Construction; educational 

and health services; and trade, transportation and utilities (mostly retail trade) account for 98% of 

the new jobs between 2000 and 2004. 

Prior/ 

Current 

Experience 

CalWorks: evening and weekend workshops; offered light meal, childcare, reward drawing or 

prize for everyone; ask what their issues are then develop curriculum, present information about 

career ladders, teach basic computer skills, assist in job search efforts 

Refugee Program: (from website) “SETA’s Refugee Program has served the local Community for 

the past 18 years, and currently contracts with 9 local agencies to provide Refugee services;” “to 

provide direct services intended to result in the economic self sufficiency and reduced welfare 

dependency of refugees through employment.” 

Award Date April 1, 2003 - April 30, 2005 (signed June 9, 2003 by DOL and May 30, 2003 by EDD) 

Program 

Duration 

24 months 

Planned 

Approach 

Original Proposal, March 2003: 

 Skills and personal/professional 

behavior training 

 “Career lattices” information 

 Customers linked to short-term 

training for basic occupational 

skills, soft skills, work based 

learning in high-demand 

occupations 

 Participants will also be eligible 

to obtain financial assistance for 

adult education, community 

colleges, occupational 

programs, and vocational 

training programs 

Revised Proposal, September 2003: 

 “The goal of the Sacramento WIA Rewards Program is 

to assist low-wage workers in attaining self-sufficiency. 

Program staff will assist low-wage workers by identifying 

potential barriers to employment and designing 

intervention plans that will facilitate job retention and 

advancement.” 

Plans may include: 

 Skills and personal/professional behavior training 

 “Career lattices” information 

 Customers linked to short-term training for basic 

occupational skills, soft skills, work based learning in 

high-demand occupations 

 Participants will also be eligible to obtain financial 

assistance for adult education, community colleges, 

occupational programs, and vocational training 

programs 

Referrals/ 

Recruitment 

Original Proposal: 

 Recruitment and referrals 

through the Career Center 

system – Staff from SETA, 

DHA, EDD, and many other 

partner agencies are co-located 

 Posters, flyers and direct 

mailings to announce evening 

orientations/incentives (food, 

child care) 

 Multi-lingual staff available to 

assist with recruiting limited 

English speakers 

 Unclear in grant application 

(and grant) as to whether this is 

an open enrollment or 

employer/industry specific 

Revised Proposal:

 Recruitment and referrals through the Career Center 

system – Staff from SETA, DHA, EDD, and many 

other partner agencies are co-located 

 Posters, flyers and direct mailings to announce 

evening orientations/incentives (food, child care) 

 Multi-lingual staff available to assist with recruiting 

limited English speakers 

 The program is currently open enrollment 
“An Assessment of the Low-Wage Worker Retention and Advancement Demonstration Project” 

Final Report – March 2006 

Coffey Communications, LLC Page 97 

Services Original Proposal: 

Job Retention and Career 

Advancement Strategies and Services 

 Support – referral to appropriate 

agency for legal problems, 

domestic violence, mental 

health, substance abuse, and 

child care 

 Case management/job coaching 

to monitor job status and needed 

support 

 Connect to industry mentors 

 Career Counseling 

 Re-employment assistance 

 Employer support 

Revised Proposal:

Job Retention and Career Advancement Strategies and 

Services as listed in original with the addition of: 

 Services to Families 

 Workshops addressing job retention and career 

development issues 

Employer 

Role 

Original Proposal:

“Participating employers will be 

asked to identify potentially eligible 

employees who may be in need of 

retention services. These individuals 

will be offered an opportunity to 

participate in the project.” 

Revised Proposal:

Employers will identify existing employees who may 

benefit from the project. These employees will be offered 

an opportunity to participate in the project. 

Employers will be surveyed regarding retention issues 

and option to address those issues. 

Employers will be offered assistance in refilling openings 

vacated by participating employees who have advanced. 

Employers will be offered the option of hosting 

workshops, similar to those offered at the One-Stop 

Career Centers, at their worksite. 

Target 

Groups 

Employee 

Customers 

(Original 

Proposal) 

 Employee 

Customers 

 CalWorks 

customers 

 Low-wage 

earners 

 Working Poor 

 Refugees and 

immigrants that 

qualify for Fed 

Refugee 

services 

 Women and 

minority males 

in nontraditional 

occupations 

 Youth including 

emancipated 

foster youth 

 Former 

Employee 

Customers 

(Revised)

Individuals 

employed in 

jobs which pay 

less than 

150% of the 

Lower Living 

Standard 

Employers 

(Original Proposal) 

 Initially Health Care 

and Construction 

 Use industry 

advisory groups to 

identify employers 

 Healthcare 

Workforce 

Collaborative 

 Sacramento/Sierra 

Buildings and Trade 

Council 

 Linking Education 

and Economic 

Development 

(LEED) 

Employers 

(Revised Proposal) 

 Health Care 

 Construction 

 Customer Service/Call 

Centers 

 High Technology 

 Hospitality – Use industry 

advisory groups to identify 

employers 

 Healthcare Workforce 

Collaborative 

 Sacramento/Sierra 

Buildings Trade Council 

 Linking Education and 

Economic Development 

(LEED) 

 California Association of 

Employers 
“An Assessment of the Low-Wage Worker Retention and Advancement Demonstration Project” 

Final Report – March 2006 

Coffey Communications, LLC Page 98 

CalWorks 

enrollees in 

low-wage jobs 

 People in jobs 

earning less 

than 150% of 

lower living 

standard

Participation 

Levels 

Original Proposal 

Planned: 

Recruit 250 and 

enroll 200 (50 per 

site per year)

Revised Proposal 

Planned: 

Recruit and enroll 100 (25 

per site per year)

Actual: 

The final enrollment numbers are: 34 at 

Mark Sanders and 49 at Hillsdale. The 

project was ultimately underenrolled by 17 

participants. 

Anticipated 

Outcomes 

 Career Advancement with existing employers 

 Increased wages for enrollees 

 Decreased dependence on public assistance 

 Employment retention due to enhanced skills attainment 

 Employer customer satisfaction 

Actual Outcomes: Unable to determine any of the stated outcomes. 

Unique or 

Special 

Features 

Job retention services will be available during evening and weekend, as well as daytime hours 

 
“An Assessment of the Low-Wage Worker Retention and Advancement Demonstration Project” 

Final Report – March 2006 

Coffey Communications, LLC 

Appendix C 

Cross-Site Matrices of Low-Wage Worker Demonstration Project Ch

and Site Reflections 

Regarding Implementation 
“An Assessment of the Low-Wage Worker Retention and Advancement Demonstration Project” 

Final Report – March 2006 

Coffey Communications, LLC 

KEY FEATURES OF RETENTION AND ADVANCEMENT DEMONSTRATION 

FOR LOW-WAGE WORKERS 

September 2005 

Project PCC Step by Step 

LBCC Healthcare Worker Retention 

and Career Advancement Initiative Sacramen

Start/End Dates July 2002 – June 2004 January 2003 – June 2004 April 2003 – April 

signed June 2003. 

Any Grant Modification No Yes, a no-cost extension through 

December 2005 

Yes, a no-cost exte2005 

Service Area Urban/suburban Washington and 

Multnomah counties (where Beaverton & Portland are located, respectively). The population of the Portland/Beaverton area (which includes Vancouver, WA) is just under 2 million. 

Rural Linn and Benton counties. Corvallis, home of Oregon State University (OSU), is the largest town with a 2000 Census population count of 49,322; nearby Albany has a population of 40,682 and Lebanon has a population of 12,950; other towns have populations under 10,000. 

Urban/suburban Saneighboring rural a

Unemployment Rate at Start of Grant 

Portland PMSA 2002 annual = 7.8% Corvallis MSA (Benton County) 2002 

annual = 5.2% Linn County: 2002 annual = 9.0% 

Sacramento PMSA 

Unemployment Rate at End of Grant 

Portland PMSA in June 2004 = 7.4% Benton County: 5.1% – September 2005 

Linn County 7.1% – September 2005 

Sacramento PMSA 

General Economic Conditions 

Portland’s principal industries are service, manufacturing, and retail trade. 

Benton county’s principal industries are government (33%), educational, health and social services (13%) and manufacturing (16%). Most employees work in management, professional, and related occupations, sales and office occupations, or service occupations. The unemployment rate was the lowest in the state during this project. Linn County’s principal industries are wood products, agriculture, mining, and manufacturing. Trade, transportation and utilities (23%), manufacturing (21%) and government (17%) are the top three 

Sacramento WorksWorkforce Investmindustries in criticaHealthcare, ConstrService/Call CenteHospitality. 
“An Assessment of the Low-Wage Worker Retention and Advancement Demonstration Project” 

Final Report – March 2006 

Coffey Communications, LLC 

Project PCC Step by Step 

LBCC Healthcare Worker Retention 

and Career Advancement Initiative Sacramen

industries. Linn County had the state’s highest unemployment rate. 

Other Programs or Legislation Affecting Low-wage Workers 

 Sacramento living 

contractor & fair su9/2003, mandates a and to be adjusted Consumer Price Inconsumers for all i(http://www.cityof_Legislation/pdf/P

Grantee Characteristics Community College, administrator for 

the Beaverton One-Stop Career Center 

Community College, administrator for the Albany One-Stop Career Center 

Hillsdale One-Stop by Sacramento EmAgency (SETA) anMark Sanders Oneoperated by the EmDepartment. 

Project Goals Help low-wage workers stay on the job 

or advance 

 Identify and demonstrate replicable 

strategies to reduce turnover and increase career advancement among low-wage workers in healthcare occupations. 

 Identify attributes of low-wage 

healthcare workers who obtain promotions 

 Identify pre-employment strategies 

that workforce providers can take to enhance retention, career building and wage enhancement for healthcare workers 

 Identify individual and systemwide 

workplace factors and strategies including diversity issues that promote retention and advancement of low-wage healthcare workers 

 Help low-wag

or advance 

 Help unemplo Increase wage

assistance dep

Industry Focus None Healthcare Healthcare, Constr

Service/Call CenteHospitality 
“An Assessment of the Low-Wage Worker Retention and Advancement Demonstration Project” 

Final Report – March 2006 

Coffey Communications, LLC 

Project PCC Step by Step 

LBCC Healthcare Worker Retention 

and Career Advancement Initiative Sacramen

Target Population  Originally targeted newly hired 

former and current TANF recipients 

 Added applicants to WIA who 

did not qualify for WIA 

 Recruited and tracked by 

Retention Specialist (except for a few participant referrals) 

 Healthcare workers in the following 

occupations: nursing and medical assistants, records 

 Workers earn

Living Standahttp://countin

ata/csa02/D22

with two child$16.41/hr ($3Sacramento CAssistance (D

 Workers are t

client tracking 

 Workers are r

Wage Files or and flyers/pos

 Workers are a

employers idemay be in neeservices 

Overview of Original Design/Scope 

 Provide a series of 12 workshops 

to teach “soft skills” 

 Offer funding for a limited 

amount of additional training (about one semester worth of classes) 

 Offer testing for learning 

disabilities and recommend adaptations 

 Conduct research to identify 

attributes of low-wage workers who do advance 

 Conduct needs assessment of 

healthcare employees 

 Offer workshops on-site  Offer career counseling on-site  Offer courses off-site with release 

time 

 Identify barrie

unemployed 

 Link low-wag

occupational work-based lebe funded froWIA and com

 Refer custom

legal problemmental healthchildcare 

 Provide job se

such as career writing, applipreparation, sassistance 

Design Changes Originally targeted TANF newly 

employed but recruitment was difficult; later targeted people who tried to get WIA benefits but did not qualify 

 Reduced emp

unemployed 

 Increased effo
“An Assessment of the Low-Wage Worker Retention and Advancement Demonstration Project” 

Final Report – March 2006 

Coffey Communications, LLC 

Project PCC Step by Step 

LBCC Healthcare Worker Retention 

and Career Advancement Initiative Sacramen

Model Assumptions Work ethic/culture is more 

homogeneous Change should occur in individuals: 

 There are some “soft skills” that 

apply across a wide range of industries, employers, and jobs. These soft skills can be taught in workshops and will increase job retention and advancement. 

 Providing training (about a 

semester’s worth of community college) can help participants achieve their career goals 

 Employees need to change in 

order to become more marketable 

 Participant commitment 

(workshop attendance and one career planning session) should be required as a way to screen recipients of training 

 Employee change can be 

facilitated by helping participants map alternative plans to achieve career goal, and then break plan into small steps 

Workplace cultures vary Change should occur in the system: 

 Program activities need to be 

developed specifically for an industry, and activities need to be tailored to the particular employers and community (e.g., what works for urban areas does not work for rural areas; workplace issues in healthcare are not generally the same as other industries) 

 The focus of change should be on 

what employers can do rather than on what employees can do 

Work ethic/culture Change should occ

 There are som

across a wide employers, ancan be taught increase job radvancement. 

 Employees ne

become more 

 Participants’ n

program shouattendance at counseling is required 

 Employee cha

helping particachieve careesmall steps, an

Main Outputs  A series of 12 workshops offered 

twice/month for peer support and soft skills training 

 A one-on-one counseling session 

to map out career path, next steps 

 About one semester’s worth of 

training 

 Learning disability testing and 

recommended adaptations 

 Survey and focus group data on 

low-wage workers at two healthcare facilities; 

 Workshops on burnout reduction, 

resume writing, interviewing skills, team building skills, conflict resolution; 

 Career advising on-site and with 

online program; 

 Research analysis of low-wage 

workers and low-wage healthcare 

 Evening work

twice/month fskills training 

 One-on-one c

out career pat
“An Assessment of the Low-Wage Worker Retention and Advancement Demonstration Project” 

Final Report – March 2006 

Coffey Communications, LLC 

Project PCC Step by Step 

LBCC Healthcare Worker Retention 

and Career Advancement Initiative Sacramen

workers in OR and in Linn & Benton counties 

 Leadership Academy course  Medical Terminology courses  Certified Nursing Assistant class  Scholarships 

Principal Partners  TANF 

 ED  Tualatin Valley Centers  PCC 

 Employers: Mennonite Village, 

Corvallis Clinic, Samaritan Health 

 TANF  ED  WIA  LBCC 

• Sacramento W• Employment • Sacramento E

Agency – SET

Lessons Learned  Low-wage workers with retention 

goals are a different population from low-wage workers who would like to advance; the retention population is more difficult to engage and less likely to take advantage of additional training. 

 It takes time and marketing to 

partner with employers, even if they have been customers of the One-Stop Career Center 

 Although the program may not 

target the unemployed, some participants will become unemployed and the program needs to plan for that 

 Childcare is a barrier to 

participants receiving additional training. It is expensive to provide childcare, and working parents prefer to spend time outside work with their children. 

 Relationships with coworkers and 

supervisors is a key factor in job retention 

 Workshops, counseling, and classes 

need to be offered at worksite 

 It takes time to partner with 

employers: employers within an industry are more likely to be competitors rather than collaborators when you start; it takes time to develop trust that the relationship will be worthwhile for the employers 

 Regardless of the content of the 

intervention, any employer interest in the needs of low-wage workers may be beneficial (perception of caring environment) 

 Innovative programs “rock the 

boat;” employers must be willing to take the chance (e.g., healthcare industry was a good choice – forecasts of labor shortage encourage action) 

 Recruitment i

appears. Indiemployment othese types of reasons they h

 Even though t

relationships wrelationship dprogram. Emprovide releassome are concif they send emprograms. 

 Large employ

target for thesmore able to rworkers, and turnover at thleave before tbenefits. 

 Tracking prog

there are no edata in a comp

 There are so m

successes in t
“An Assessment of the Low-Wage Worker Retention and Advancement Demonstration Project” 

Final Report – March 2006 

Coffey Communications, LLC 

Project PCC Step by Step 

LBCC Healthcare Worker Retention 

and Career Advancement Initiative Sacramen

to define. Thbe measured, (length of retaetc.), wage adcompletion, e
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Final Report – March 2006 

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CROSS-SITE REFLECTIONS REGARDING IMPLEMENTATION 

DESIGN QUESTIONS

PORTLAND CC 

Smith and Leavitt LINN-BENTON MARK SANDERS 

Why did you decide to focus on: An employer model? A worker model? 

We decided to focus on a worker model for a couple of reasons. Our counterpart in Multnomah County had run an employer focused retention project a few year back and found that it was not as successful as they had hoped. In addition, our current programming in the JOBS program is worker focused. We work primarily with lowwage workers who have a history of retention difficulties. If we had known that the preferred focus of the DOL was an employer model, and if an idea for a strategy that needed to be tested would have been shared prior to having to submit a proposal, we would have aligned ourselves with the employer focused model and our planning and brainstorming would have been in line with what DOL was wanting to see happen. I believe that the DOL is highly aware of strategies that need to be tried and tested and I would appreciate hearing more about these. 

Employer Model: 

We had not done it before and really wanted to try something new. 

The model section was determined by the grantor. 

AcmoemHodewoWemwihamoas fac
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DESIGN QUESTIONS

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Smith and Leavitt LINN-BENTON MARK SANDERS 

How did you anticipate conducting worker recruitment? Did it work? If not, why do you think it failed? 

 DNA We had hoped to rely on the 

employers to assist with the recruitment. It has had mixed results. 

Mark Sanders anticipated recruiting workers through fliers, outreach and utilizing the career center network. Staff also focused on internal programs that met the Rewards Project criteria: 

Initial Assistance Workshop (IAW)  Job Search for UI 

Skill Upgrade Program Referrals from Sacramento Urban League On-The-Job Training. 

Did it work? Yes. 

A brherecMutiFldiHuSaCeormaOrprgremmomaanwoA is the (Rtalstaonthea nprThbe
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Smith and Leavitt LINN-BENTON MARK SANDERS 

prwi

How did you anticipate conducting employer recruitment? Did it work? If not, why do you think it failed? 

We had planned to recruit 

employers to participate in the services that were designed for the worker. I believe that we were on the edge of this happening, unfortunately, due to staffing for this project and turnover in temporary help to launch this part of the project, we were unable to really demonstrate this aspect until the end. We anticipated contacting employers directly and employers that we already have existing relationships with. This strategy was working. We also targeted specific employers who hire a large number of low-wage workers. 

We worked with the healthcare 

departments at LBCC who had great relationships with the healthcare community. 

Staff anticipated focusing on the career center’s employer base. Staff took the opportunity to use EDD’s Job Order System as well as conducting surveys, marketing to employers in the Employer Services database, networking with the career centers in the region and sharing information with employers during recruitment events. Did it work? Marketing 

efforts were good, but the results were mixed. While employers supported the concept of the Rewards Program, for the majority, the practice was not economically feasible. For many, their staff turnover was far too great to release employees from work. 

Th

exemOuincinfemprrelphtheEmwoBoancothoretStothmaatt Win emhaintsehothe se

How did you determine We based our numbers to be It was based on the amount The contractor determined the Th
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Smith and Leavitt LINN-BENTON MARK SANDERS 

enrollment levels? What are appropriate referral and enrollment levels? 

served on the resources that were available for the project. Based on our experience working with similar populations and the FTE assigned to this project, the partners in this project used this experience to develop goals. Clients were considered “enrolled” once they attended a workshop and began receiving support services (i.e. bus tickets/gas vouchers). Three to six new clients per month seemed reasonable; however, many clients would commit to the program and not show up to the meetings. So in order to reach enrollment goals, we had to recruit six to eight people per month. 

of dollars and specific strategies. 

enrollment levels. This number was appropriate based on the funding amount. 

senuwe thiintof stathe maanmatarThdereccuense

How did you decide what topics would be covered in workshops? 

Initially, we brainstormed 

general topics that from our experience we felt would be important for the population we were working with but also included the clients in generating topic ideas based on what they felt they needed. These were not surprising topics; however, it did become clear where the most plaguing areas were for the clients. 

We determined that the 

Employer, employee and workforce partners’ opinions 

The topics were customer driven and heavily influenced by employers. Staff reviewed surveys given to the employers, and the information from the questionnaire given to the customers to develop the workshops topics listed below: 

 Time Management  What are Goals/Setting 

Goals 

Hiderettimcuesothdefofacto jobad
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barriers we should cover were those that occurred both at work and at home. Working with a Mental Health Specialist, we identified 12 barriers (i.e. anger management, health issues, dealing with difficult people)—1/2 of which were specific to the workplace and the other half specific to everyday living. In order to confirm we were on the right track, we asked the clients to brainstorm what they would like to learn in the workshops, and they came up with very similar ideas. 

 Verbal/Nonverbal 

Communication 

 Communication and 

Attitude 

 Listening Basics (Are 

You Listening? What Do You Hear?) 

 Job Survival Skills  Problem Solving  Skills/Conflict 

Management 

 30 Ways to Shine As A 

New Employee 

 Getting A Job And 

Keeping It 

 What I Need to Stay on 

the Job & Get Ahead 

 Seeing Myself as the Boss 

Sees Me 

 Balancing Work And Life  Good Characteristics Of 

A New Employee 

 Transportation/ChildcareWhat Are Your Plans?  Why we work? 

moWcudeweprkejobthe are deadThwe neWM

How do the projects handle rolling admissions in terms of workshop participation? 

Each client was expected to attend 12 consecutive workshops in order to receive the benefits of the program. So generally speaking, there was always a “core” group who felt comfortable with each other & built strong networking relationships. With the comfort level of this core group, it was easy to welcome new members and 

DNA DNA Th

woovwoapThtopspnewofacon 
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create an immediate feeling of trust. 

to topas

Should there be some kind of 

tracking of people who did not enroll to determine whether this program makes any difference at all? 

Ideally, yes. However, it was 

difficult enough tracking the “success” of those who were enrolled and actually participating. It would be quite challenging to track those who chose not to participate. 

It would be interesting to see 

but the numerous variables that affect whether someone enrolls or not would need to be factored in. We have data on people receiving public assistance and their rate of returning to public assistance which could also be helpful. 

It would add substantially to 

the cost and what would that universe entail! 

While this exercise would help 

judge whether your recruitment efforts were effective, given the amount of funding, it is not feasible to track non-enrollees. 

Pe

tranovaamcano

How can we define success? Smith: This project seemed so 

ambiguous, it was difficult to know if we were on the right track to success or not. However, as we began creating the project goals and accomplishing those goals, we felt successful. Also, as the clients engaged in the program and reported “success” stories, we knew we were doing something worthwhile. 

Success would be defined in terms of employment with no lapses in employment, client 

What have we learned and 

what will we do differently in the future. 

We can define success by looking at the goals the participant made and together determine if they were met. But we also defined success when participants continue to be active in the Rewards Program even though their initial goals have been met. 

Th

levprdecoemretetctraHomidegoease
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is not fired, does not leave job without another job to go to, increase in benefits, increase in wage, increase in responsibilities. I would also define success in terms of employer support and participation in the project. 

goa lby go

How do you decide when a person is no longer an enrollee? 

Smith: Knowing at the beginning of the project that we were working with a finite amount of time (2 years), we left each enrollee open until they withdrew themselves or until the project end-date. 

When a person does not follow through with the agreed upon plans or does not attend project activities as agreed upon. 

When they make more than $12 per hour 

The structure of workshops is set so that participants determine when they feel there is no longer a need to participate. For many, the Rewards Program acts as a support group; most remain in the program long after their goal has been met. 

A the no enva

    

 Thcanobe 

Data collection. What kinds of data do you think should be collected? Should it be different depending on the nature of the project? 

Smith: I think data collection will be different depending on the nature of each project. For our project, it was important to collect data on each client such as place of employment, length 

of employment, employment history and salary in order to 

It should depend on the project. Number of Workshops 

Types of Workshops Number of Employers Served Wage Gain Promotion The Positions that became available as a Result 

Th

prcuemwohigthoele
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determine any increase or improvement in these areas during the duration of the project. It would also be important to track the goals and accomplishment of goals of each client in order to track their “success.” 

The data that is tracked and reported would be different depending on the structure of the project. It makes sense that Linn-Benton would track different data than Washington County. What would have been helpful was to have the DOL be very specific about the data that they wanted to see. We could have built our database to collect that information. I also believe it is important to track whatever data is possible in a pilot project and this is the approach we used. We tried to anticipate what data DOL would want to see, what data would be interesting to collect, and what was possible to collect in addition to these. 

Promotion for those participating in the Rewards Program. 

coOtco

    

(Ube prw

How can we make the body of material developed for these programs available to other interested program operators? Are you willing to provide any assistance to other 

Smith: Once we figured out 

the nuts and bolts of our project, we created a brochure that turned out to be a great marketing tool. This would be the first step in sharing this 

Conference and/or written documents I have a very limited amount of time but can assist to a small 

Posting the material on a website and providing access to information for agencies who traditionally serve the underemployed. 

We 

mapremwema
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interested program operators? program with other program 

operators. It would be great to share our work with others. We can provide copies of any materials we used for this project and would be willing to answer questions for other interested program operators. 

degree Staff is willing to provide 

assistance if funds are available to assist. 

to prnathe 

What were your main barriers to program implementation? Not enough lead time Not enough money Grant period too short Lack of support Poor project design Other 

Smith: Not enough lead time—It would have been beneficial to have 2-3 months of planning time before implementation 

Not enough money Grant period too short—We needed at LEAST one more year!! Lack of support—Expectations seemed unclear. For example, had we known that employer involvement might have prompted an extension of the grant, we would have focused on this piece earlier on 

Poor project design—It would have been so beneficial to have had the Sacramento conference earlier on in the project in order to collaborate with the other groups. 

Not enough money – should have had full-time staff Grant period too short Difficulty in availability of people’s time (employer’s) Lack of support from one employer Labor problems We may have been too ambitious 

The main barriers for Mark Sanders were: Not enough money Not enough staff (relative fund issue) Lack of focus in the program design Lack of consistency 

AcimmaemIt wianmecaintbacuAlrequphocu
“An Assessment of the Low-Wage Worker Retention and Advancement Demonstration Project” 

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Although our ideas were similar to the Sacramento group, our project would have been stronger if we had been able to share ideas in time to actually implement them. 

I think the design concept of forging a union between supply and demand side models was a great plan. This is the direction of workforce development and is where we should be focusing. We were able to develop great services for populations that really needed direction and support in retention and wage enhancement; however, when it came time to branch out and recruit employers into partnering and participating in the project, we did not have the personnel resources to be able to follow through with this. We had essentially one full-time employee, Kristi, and the demands of the project services kept her busy. We really needed additional resources in order to be able to contact employers, interact and meet with them, sell the program, develop ways that we could partner and then follow-through. Additional resources would have allowed 
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Final Report – March 2006 

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Smith and Leavitt LINN-BENTON MARK SANDERS 

us to begin the work with employers much sooner and also the ability to put adequate time and resources towards these activities. 

We really needed at least four months of planning time before beginning services. We did do some planning in the initial few months of the project but did not have Kristi identified until just prior to services beginning. There was some confusion regarding when we were supposed to get started. We received word locally in July 2002 that we needed to get moving on this project. We started planning project services and a kick-off event immediately, and it was many months later before we ever had a signed contract. This created some confusion. 

If you had it to do over, what would you have done differently? 

Smith: I like the idea of groups going through workshops as cohorts. I might have started a new cohort each month or so as opposed to having students enter at any time. The reports seemed confusing each month, so it would be nice next time to determine clear goals in order to track 

Made sure we had employer support at the highest level. 

Maintain consistency in project design, budget for more staff, and allow marketing for greater employer outreach. 

Deincpaare emsuWemsewiFo
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only pertinent information. This might only happen with an allotment of “planning time” at the beginning of the project and clearer communication between the expectations of the grantor. 

With the same amount of resources, I would have planned fewer services for clients so that the Retention Specialists time was freed up in order to work more closely with employers. 

mothe a sembrvemadehigcu

What parts of your program do you think can be replicated? What are the caveats? 

Smith: The database, the 

workshops, the forms, the brochures, and the outcomes could all be replicated. It would be more difficult to replicate the recruiting process and the involvement of our partners if those resources weren’t available to others working on similar projects. 

I believe that the retention and wage enhancement services could be fully replicated with adequate funding. I would really be pleased to see the next phase of the work be tested, referring to the work with employers in an effort to forge the partnerships between supply and demand 

Engaging employers 

Providing career, educational and employment related counseling and activities on site Assessing what employees view as needs 

The workshops, incentives, group support, light meals during workshops and child care should be replicated. One caveat is not to give incentives too freely. Incentives should be gained for significant accomplishments. 

Mo

ca

SeInccoanW

A the to capo
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DESIGN QUESTIONS

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Smith and Leavitt LINN-BENTON MARK SANDERS 

side models. We were close to making this happen and would recommend exploring this further. 

Can these programs be sustained? How? 

Smith: I think these programs could be sustained with the support of employers who would be willing to invest in the benefits. 

These programs can potentially be sustained through partnerships with employers who are able to see the benefit to their participation and provide funding for the services. 

Not without additional revenue 

Yes. But the level of funding should match the goals. 

ThWsethiloothe cutar

Have there been any unanticipated positive or negative results? 

DNA The new relationships with the 

employers have been very positive and should lead to future collaborative efforts. 

One unanticipated negative result has been employer participation. We expected more interaction with those employers that we identified for services. 

Thpomoanseby Wanobthe 
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Final Report – March 2006 

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Appendix D 

Low-Wage Worker Literature Review 
“An Assessment of the Low-Wage Worker Retention and Advancement Demonstration Project” 

Final Report – March 2006 

Coffey Communications, LLC Page 120 

Low-Wage Worker Retention and Advancement: 

A Review of the Research Literature 

1.0 Introduction 

With the passage in 1996 of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity 

Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) and the passage of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) in 

1998, the role of the workforce investment system and the welfare system in serving welfare 

recipients and low-wage workers has changed considerably. The policy context for welfare 

programs and employment and training programs operated by the workforce system has moved 

to a work first model. The need to move more TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy 

Families) into the labor market or work activities has required extensive coordination with the 

workforce development system. The demand for policy and programmatic change in both the 

welfare system and the workforce system has created new employment centered collaboration 

between welfare and workforce programs. 

With a quarter of the nation’s workforce earning less than $9 an hour in 2002, low-wage 

workers constitute a significant segment of the labor market. They represent an important 

potential source of candidates for higher-skilled job openings that often go unfilled, particularly 

in high-growth sectors. But for many of these workers, job retention rates are low, and for their 

employers, the costs of job turnover are high. Opportunities for career advancement are limited, 

and access to government-provided financial work supports — such as childcare subsidies and 

health insurance — is often difficult. 

These collaborations have produced dramatic change in the policy structure of programs 

that affect employment of low-income workers. The Workforce Investment Act of 1998 

revamped the job training and workforce development systems into a network of streamlined 

One-Stop Career Centers that provide a full range of employment-related services. Several 

agencies may be involved in providing work related services to TANF recipients: the welfare 

agency, the Employment Service, WIA administrative agency, community colleges and other 

subcontracted service providers, including community based organizations and for-profit service 
“An Assessment of the Low-Wage Worker Retention and Advancement Demonstration Project” 

Final Report – March 2006 

Coffey Communications, LLC Page 121 

providers.

The PRWORA imposed time limits for welfare receipt. Efforts to get welfare recipients 

jobs intensified. Aided by a booming economy, the welfare caseload dropped from 4.5 million 

in 1996 to slightly over 2 million in 2003. At the same time, the number of single (divorced or 

never-married) mothers in the work force increased by 22 percent. Yet, many were still eligible 

for welfare benefits despite full-time employment. Of those who worked full-time throughout 

the year, more than one-third made less than the federal poverty level. Others cycled off and on 

welfare as they moved in and out of jobs. Studies of former TANF recipients showed that 42 

percent were not employed 12 to 18 months after leaving TANF and 25 percent had returned to 

TANF. On average, those who left TANF had family incomes of $1,000 to $1,500 a month.1 2 3

4 5

Programs have been funded by the federal government and by foundations to improve 

employment outcomes among low-wage workers, many of whom are former or current welfare 

recipients. The Low-Wage Worker Retention and Advancement Demonstration Project, funded 

by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, is one such 

example. These programs aim to help low-wage workers attain self-sufficiency by providing 

services that increase job retention and promote advancement to better paying jobs. To provide a 

better understanding of such programs, this paper synthesizes the findings from research as they 

relate to the following questions: 

• What program strategies and services help low-wage workers stay employed and advance 

to higher paying jobs? 

• What are the relative benefits of training, education and work experience for retention 

and advancement of low-wage workers? 

 1

 Loprest (2003). 

2

 Loprest (1999). 

3

 Jarchow (2003). 

4

 Acs and Loprest (2004). 

5

 TANF, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program, is the cash benefit program that replaced the 

AFDC Aid to Families with Dependent Children) Program in 1997. It is intended to provide temporary assistance to 

families with children. 
“An Assessment of the Low-Wage Worker Retention and Advancement Demonstration Project” 

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• What are effective strategies for engaging employers as partners in efforts to increase 

retention and advancement for their low-wage workers? 

Research on how to assist low-wage workers sustain employment and advance to better 

paying jobs includes (1) several recent studies of post-employment services; (2) the body of 

literature on the effectiveness of welfare-to-work and other pre-employment programs; and (3) 

the research on the effectiveness of various training and education programs, especially those 

under the 1982 Job Training and Partnership Act (JTPA) and the 1998 Workforce Investment 

Act (WIA). Much of the research has used a random assignment design, whereby individuals 

who are eligible for program services are randomly assigned to either the control group (no 

additional program services other than what has previously been offered or can be obtained in 

the broader community) or the program group (new program services). 

The random assignment design is the strongest research design in that any observable 

differences in retention or earnings are more likely related to the program.6 However, in a real 

life setting, a random assignment design is difficult to implement for a number of reasons. 

Control groups are unlikely to receive “no treatment.” It is difficult to measure the treatment that 

program participants received, let alone similar treatment control members received “outside” 

the program. In voluntary programs, participants may be disengaged or receive little 

“treatment.” The duration of “treatment” may also be ill-defined. Participants may be 

considered in training until they find a job, thereby biasing the employment status for the 

treatment group. Follow-up of controls and participants is also difficult, particularly in lowwage populations that are often transient. Even if follow-up occurs, employment duration and 

wage comparisons are problematical. If treatment did increase employment among those who 

are less likely to find employment on their own, the characteristics of the employed in the 

treatment group will differ from the employed in the control group. In such a situation, the 

wages of the employed in the control group might reasonably be higher, as they represent 

 6

 In contrast, much of applied social science research does not employ a random assignment design, and thus 

suffers from a self-selection bias that makes it difficult to distinguish program benefits from the possibility that 

individuals who choose the program are different from those who do not. 
“An Assessment of the Low-Wage Worker Retention and Advancement Demonstration Project” 

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individuals who are more self-motivated or have fewer barriers to employment.7 

 To provide background and context for the research results that follow, Section 2.0 

presents a description of the characteristics associated with low-wage workers. Sections 3.0 and 

4.0 address the first two questions that focus on the supply side of the issue – what can be done 

to help low-wage workers become more stable employees and command better wages? To 

answer these questions, we draw upon a number of large-scale random-assignment evaluation 

studies that have pertinent findings for low-wage workers and welfare-to-work populations. In 

Section 5.0 we review some case studies of programs that involve employers and discuss 

strategies for engaging employers as partners. This discussion broadens the issue to include the 

demand side and addresses the last question – what can employers do to increase retention and 

improve the quality of their workforce? 

2.0 Characteristics of Low-Wage Workers 

The terms low-wage worker, working poor, and self-sufficiency vary somewhat from 

study to study. Generally low-wage worker refers to either part-time or full-time workers 

earning less than $15,000 a year, or whose family income is under the official poverty threshold 

for a family of three.8 9 Acs, et. al. (2001) define the working poor as families whose adult 

members work a total of more than 1,000 hours per year and whose family income falls below 

twice the federal poverty threshold.10 11 By this definition, in 2003 a single mother with two 

school-age children would need to earn $30,520 to be self-sufficient.12 13 At this income level, the 

family would no longer be eligible for food stamps, childcare, Medicaid, or the Earned Income 

 7

 LaLonde (1995). 

8

 Carnevale and Rose (2001). 

9

 The poverty thresholds, updated annually by the U.S. Census Bureau, are used for official population 

statistics. The threshold amount is the cost of a minimum diet times three to represent the amount needed for a 

family to meet its basic food, clothing, and shelter needs. The multiplier of three represents the relative amount a 

family in 1955 spent on food. See www.census.gov/hhes/www/img/povmeas/sum.pdf for a discussion of proposed 

changes to the official poverty measure. 10 Acs, et. al. (2001). 

11 Foster-Bey and Rawlings (2002) use a slightly lower limit of 150% of the poverty level. 12 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, The 2003 HHS Poverty Guidelines. 13 Based on 2002 data, a single parent with two young children would need to earn $43,608 per year in 

Washington State in order to pay for rent, health insurance, food and transportation; although 77 percent of the job 

openings in the state paid less (reported in The Seattle Times, September 24, 2004).
“An Assessment of the Low-Wage Worker Retention and Advancement Demonstration Project” 

Final Report – March 2006 

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Tax Credit (EITC).14 

Using data from the 1997 National Survey of America’s Families, Acs, et. al. (2001) find 

that one in six non-elderly Americans lives in a low-income household. Almost two-thirds of 

these households have two adults and children. On average, the primary earner works full-time 

year round. These lower income families differ from higher income families in several ways: 

• Wages: the hourly wages of primary earners in low-income households is less than 

half that of primary earners in higher income households 

• Number of earners: lower income households are less likely to have a secondary 

earner 

• Work hours: Primary earners in lower income households are less likely to work 

daytime hours 

• Job stability: Primary earners in lower income households are less likely to have been 

at their job for more than a year (69.2% compared to 86.3% have been with their 

current employer for more than a year) 

• Benefits: Primary earners in lower income households are less likely to receive health 

insurance through their employer. (54.3% of lower income families receive health 

insurance through an employer compared to 88.6% of higher income families) 

• Number and age of children: Lower income families have more children and have 

younger children than higher income families. (43.3% of lower income families have 

three or more children compared to 22.9% of higher income families; 58.1% of lower 

income families have a child six years old or younger compared to 43.6% of higher 

income families) 

• Education of family head: The highest earning adult in lower income families is less 

educated (22.4% lack a high school diploma or GED compared to 4.3% in higher 

income families; only 10.4% are college graduates compared to 36.0% in higher 

income families) 

 14 Miller, et. al. (2004). 
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Characteristics of the low-wage workforce (workers earning less than $15,000 a year) are 

also described by Carnevale and Rose (2001) using data from the 1998 Panel Study of Income 

Dynamics (PSID). This sample of low-wage workers showed that 43 percent were in low family 

income households, defined as less than $25,000 annual income. The results are shown for three 

age groups: less than 29, 30-59, and 60 or older. Adolescents and semi-retired adults, who may 

choose to work part-time to supplement other income, are separated from “prime-age” adults, 

who presumably are supporting a family. Among “prime-age” (30-59) females, 32 percent had 

annual earnings below $15,000 and 24 percent had earnings between $15,000 and $25,000. 

Smaller percentages of prime-age males had these low earnings – 12 percent had earnings below 

$15,000 and 15 percent earned between $15,000 and $25,000. Workers earning less than 

$15,000 a year had low earnings due to low hourly wages, with 75 percent earning less than 

$8.50 an hour and working less than full-time all year. Only 35 percent of prime-age females 

who made less than $15,000 in 1998 worked 1,750 hours or more - an average of 35 hours a 

week or more for 50 weeks. 

Carnevale and Rose (2001) also describe the relationship between low earnings and 

education. The percentages of prime-age adults who are earning less than $15,000 a year are 

shown in Table F1. As can be seen, more highly educated workers are much less likely to be 

making under $15,000 a year. Gender differences are also quite pronounced. Compared to 

similarly educated males, females are two to three times as likely to earn less than $15,000 a 

year. 
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Table F-1: Percentage of Prime-Age Working Females and Males Earning Less 

Than $15,000 Per Year by Educational Attainment

Less than high school High school graduate Bachelor’s degree or more 

Prime-age females 61% 39% 16% 

Prime-age males 31% 15% 5% 

Similar findings of low earnings associated with lower educational attainment are 

reported by Kim (2000) using a sample of employed adult women, aged 18 to 64 years old, from 

the March 1998 Current Population Survey. Kim defines low-wage workers as those who were 

paid no more than $7.91 per hour in 1998 and thus could not support a family of four above the 

poverty level while working 40 hours per week, 52 weeks per year. Although in 1998 the lowwage female workforce was disproportionately under age 25, almost half of the low-wage female 

workforce was 25 to 45 years old. Women with a high school diploma or less were more likely 

to be paid low-wages. Those without a high school diploma represented 11 percent of all female 

workers but 21 percent of low-wage female workers; those with a high school diploma 

represented 36 percent of female workers but 42 percent of low-wage female workers. Ethnicity, 

but not race, was correlated with low wages. Hispanic women were overrepresented among lowwage workers, and 54 percent of Hispanic women were in low-wage jobs. Other factors 

associated with low-wage employment were marital status (never-married women are more 

likely to be in low-wage jobs), and U.S. citizenship (non U.S. citizens are more likely to be in 

low-wage jobs). Having a disability, having children, and working part-time are also associated 

with low-wage employment. One-third of the women paid low wages live below 150 percent of 

poverty level and two-thirds are not offered health insurance coverage by their employer.15

In terms of occupations, women employed in service and sales occupations are the most 

likely to be in low-paying jobs. Retail trade employs 21 percent of the female labor force but 37 

percent of the low-paid female labor force. The greatest percent of low-wage female workers is 

in the service sector because that sector employs 47 percent of all female workers.16 Among 

TANF leavers who found jobs in 1995 to 1997, 43 percent were employed in the service 

 15 Kim (2000). 

16 Kim (2000).
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industry, which pays poorly and has high job turnover and little benefits.17 

3.0 Program Strategies and Services That Help Low-Wage Workers 

Post-employment Programs 

There are three major evaluation studies of different post-employment retention and 

advancement programs for low-wage workers. Two of these studies have recently begun, and 

therefore, do not have reported outcome results. This section describes the three studies, the 

Post Employment Service Delivery (PESD) project, the Employee Retention and Advancement 

(ERA) project, and the National Work Advancement and Support Center Demonstration 

(WASC), and includes a discussion of the lessons learned from the implementation phase of the 

PESD and ERA, and the PESD outcome analysis. 

Post Employment Service Delivery (PESD) 

The first major study of retention and advancement is the Post Employment Service 

Delivery (PESD) project, funded in 1993 by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) 

of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Four sites operated PESD 

demonstration programs from 1994 to 1996 for welfare recipients who attained employment 

shortly after participating in the Job Opportunities and Basic Skills Training (JOBS) program. 

Participants were randomly assigned to receive program services or to receive regular services 

available to employed welfare recipients. The PESD case managers offered counseling and 

support, job search assistance, service referrals, assistance with obtaining benefits, and payment 

for work-related expenses. Case managers worked evenings and weekends, carried beepers or 

cell phones, and maintained personal and informal communication with clients to encourage 

client contact. 18 19

 17 Nightingale (2002). 

18 Rangarajan and Novak (1999). 

19 Rangarajan (2001). 
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 Results from PESD show that although case managers were successful in providing 

counseling and services to most clients during the first six months, the program did not increase 

earnings, reduce welfare, or increase self-sufficiency. Possible reasons for the lack of program 

impacts include the relatively high caseloads and failure to tailor the counseling services to the 

needs of the client. Caseloads were higher than expected because more clients lost their jobs and 

needed additional services over time. The PESD program also provided the same type of case 

management to all clients. Thus, for clients who did not need intensive case management, more 

resources were expended than necessary; whereas for clients with multiple or severe barriers, not 

enough resources were used. Lessons learned from the PESD demonstration include: 

• Simplify service delivery so that case managers spend less time resolving 

bureaucratic issues relating to child care, food stamps, and TANF benefits. 

• Begin job retention services before clients are placed in jobs as part of the job 

search process. 

• Tailor the level and type of service to the needs of clients to more efficiently use 

resources. 

• Involve employers and employer mediation to help resolve retention problems 

and identify strategies or training requirements for advancement. Although more 

than 40% of PESD clients reported workplace conflicts, few opted to have their 

case managers intervene, possibly fearing the stigmas of having been a welfare 

recipient or of needing assistance resolving problems. Perhaps pre-employment 

training or workshops for a broad segment of employees at the client’s workplace 

are options that avoid the stigmas. 

• Include more activities geared specifically toward retention and advancement, 

such as career planning. 

Employee Retention and Advancement (ERA) 

The Employee Retention and Advancement (ERA) project, funded by the 

Administration for Children and Families (ACF) in DHHS and the DOL, is an ongoing study of 

the strategies and services that help low-wage workers maintain employment and advance. 
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Using a random assignment design, the ERA project will test the effectiveness of various preemployment and post-employment strategies for job retention and career advancement, employer 

initiatives, and job retention strategies for the hard-to-employ. Considering the findings from the 

welfare-to-work studies and the PESD, ACF chose programs that emphasize placing clients in 

good jobs (associated with greater retention) and in full-time jobs (associated with 

advancement).20

 

There are 15 ERA programs in eight states. As shown in Table F-2, the programs differ 

somewhat in their focus. Seven programs recruit clients pre-employment for job search services, 

and four of these programs target participants who have barriers to employment (e.g., 

disabilities, substance abuse, long-term welfare recipients, welfare recidivists, individuals who 

have cycled in and out of employment). Seven programs begin services post-employment and 

emphasize advancement services: six to TANF recipients (and leavers), and one to low-wage 

workers in specific firms. The SC project recruits long-term TANF leavers, some employed and 

some not. 

Table F-2: 15 ERA Programs in 8 States: Services and Target Population21

 Services Target Population 

State 

Education &/or Training Job Search Career Planning Retention Advancement Regular TANF Recipients Specific TANF Recipients TANF Leavers Low-Wage Workers in Specific Firms 

1. LA √ √ 

2. TX √ √ 

3. OR √ √ √ √ 

4. NY √ √ √ √ 22 

5. NY √ √ √ 23 

6. MN √ √ √ 24 

 20 Bloom et. al. (2002). 

21 Bloom (2004). 

22 Recipients with disabilities 

23 Recipients with substance abuse problems 
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7. OR √ √ √ 25 

8. CA √ √ √ √ 

9. IL √ √ √ √ 

10. LA √ √ √ √ √ 

11. OR √ √ √ √ √ 

12. OR √ √ √ √ √ 

13. CA √ √ √ 

14. OH √ √ √

15. SC √ √ √ √ √ 

ERA is attempting to increase career advancement by encouraging participants to 

complete education and training programs while employed, or by encouraging participants to 

find better jobs, either with their current employer or with another employer. Some ERA 

programs will attempt to negotiate with employers for release time, flexible work schedules, 

tuition reimbursement, or on-site instruction in order to provide training to working single 

mothers, who have little time outside work to pursue additional training, and who cannot afford 

to lose income due to lost work hours.26

To increase retention, ERA counselors visit workers on the job and work with 

participants’ supervisors to discuss performance issues. Once participants have been stabilized 

on a job, counselors discuss advancement options and steps the participant would need to take in 

order to advance. If participants do not want their counselor to contact their employer or visit 

them on the job, because they may fear being stigmatized at work, counselors will respect their 

wishes. 

There are two implementation reports that have been released on the initial findings from 

the ERA program. At the time of the second implementation report, June 2003, all programs 

were operational. Outcome results are due in early 2005.27 The following program needs were 

identified in the second implementation report: 

 24 Recipients who did not succeed in a regular welfare-to-work program 25 Recipients who have lost their job or who have a history of recycling back to TANF 

26 Bloom et. al. (2002). 

27 Anderson and Martinson (2003).
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• Better marketing (emphasis on how the program will benefit participants rather than just 

a description of program components) 

• Financial or other incentives to increase participation in post-employment services 

because maintaining client contact has been difficult 

• Formal assessment tools (mental health and substance abuse problems, learning 

disabilities, domestic violence, basic skills deficiencies) to document barriers to 

employment and retention 

• Career counseling tools (e.g., interview guides, checklists, questionnaires) to help 

participants identify their skills, interests, personal characteristics and strengths and an 

appropriate career goal 

• Career paths in order to break long-term career goals into steps 

• Rapid re-employment and retention services to deal with the frequent occurrence of job 

loss 

• Staff training as career counselors in order to transition from a job placement and 

retention focus to career advancement 

• Maximum caseload size of 75 

• Referrals to other organizations for services, especially for the hard-to-employ population 

• Data collection systems to track program participation and participant outcomes (and 

ways of contacting participants after they no longer participate in a program) 

Only one of the ERA programs, Cleveland’s Achieve Program, is an employer-based 

program which aims to improve job retention among entry-level healthcare workers who have 

wages below 200% of the poverty line. The program, run by a local nonprofit service provider, 

Towards Employment, is working with 22 long-term nursing care facilities in the Cleveland area. 

The program includes one-on-one case management for low-wage workers, lunchtime discussion 

groups for all employees, and supervisory training for the supervisors of low-wage workers. 

Case managers collect intake information about demographics, job characteristics, barriers, and 

goals; provide career counseling and assist workers in developing a step-by-step plan; and offer 

retention services such as emergency assistance and help budgeting and accessing public 

benefits. The lunch and learn biweekly discussions are open to all employees and cover a variety 
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of topics such as home ownership, substance abuse, and the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). 

Supervisory training includes lessons on problem solving, relationship building, and managing 

employee styles.28

National Work Advancement and Support Center Demonstration (WASC) 

Another ongoing study, funded by federal and foundation funds, is MDRC’s National 

Work Advancement and Support Center Demonstration (WASC), which will test different 

worker-focused and employer-focused approaches to increasing low-wage workers’ retention 

and advancement. The demonstration program aims to expand existing WIA and One-Stop 

service delivery capabilities by increasing the hours of operation, access to work supports, and 

the availability of training. The demonstration will also test working with employers to identify 

low-wage workers and to develop on-the-job training that leads to advancement. The 

demonstration project began with the selection of sites in late 2003 and will conclude in 2007. 

The demonstration project will include a research component to test ways to increase the 

participation of low-wage workers and their families in job retention and advancement 

services.29

 

Pre-employment Programs 

Studies of the pre-employment Welfare-to-Work programs have discovered some 

strategies and services that seem to result in better retention and advancement. The National 

Evaluation of Welfare-to-Work Strategies (NEWWS) studied 11 programs at 7 sites (Atlanta, 

GA; Columbus, OH; Detroit, MI; Grand Rapids, MI; Oklahoma City, OK; Portland, OR; 

Riverside, CA). The programs varied in their approach to retention and advancement, with 

some programs emphasizing rapid employment and accumulation of work experience -- a “work 

first” approach. Other NEWWS programs emphasized adult basic education, GED preparation, 

English as a Second Language (ESL), or vocational training -- a human capital development 

 28 Fishman (2004). See also the website at http://www.towardsemployment.org/achieve.htm. 29 July 19, 2004 presentation at Workforce Innovations 2004 Conference, San Antonio, TX. 

http://www.workforceinnovations.org/speaker_docs
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approach. Some program sites combined employment and education strategies, varying their 

approach depending upon the client’s educational and work history. At all sites, welfare 

recipients were randomly assigned to either a program group or to the control group. To directly 

compare the “work first” and human capital development approaches, three sites operated both 

types of programs. Welfare recipients at those three sites were randomly assigned to one of the 

following: the work first program, the human capital development program, or the control 

group. 

The results show that the most effective program was Portland, OR, NEWWS30, which 

used a combined strategy of employment and education. The Portland, OR site tailored initial 

activities for participants depending upon their educational and skill level, work history, and 

barriers to employment. This individualized approach allowed counselors to adapt the program 

to meet the needs of the client. Participants were also encouraged to postpone employment until 

they found a full-time job that paid at least 25 percent more than minimum wage, offered stable 

employment and provided opportunities for advancement. Portland, OR NEWWS was more 

successful than the “work first” NEWWS sites at increasing employment and earnings. At the 

same time, the Portland program was superior to the human capital development sites at 

increasing receipt of occupational licenses or certificates and GEDs. Portland’s success in the 

NEWWS program might be attributed to several factors -- the mixed strategic approach, the 

established partnership between the community college and the welfare department, the use of 

clear employment messages for participants engaged in short-term training or education, high 

quality training and GED preparation courses, relatively low caseloads, provision of child care 

benefits, and the emphasis on holding out for a good job. 31 32 33 34

 

 Results from the control groups in the NEWWS programs show that most welfare 

recipients do obtain jobs, but their employment is unstable and their earnings are low. About 

three-quarters of the control group found jobs during the five-year follow-up period, but among 

 30 Also known as the Portland JOBS training program and the Steps to Success program. 

31 Michalopoulos (2001). 

32 Hamilton (2002). 

33 Freedman et. al. (2000). 

34 Scrivener et. al. (1998).
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those who found jobs, three-quarters were unemployed by the end of the fourth year. Average 

earnings, including zero earnings for those who did not work, ranged from $2,500 to $5,000 a 

year. Those with a high school diploma or GED at the start of the program earned an average of 

$4,839 a year, whereas those without a diploma or GED earned an average of $2,646. At the 

end of five years, one-quarter did not have health insurance, and less than half who had 

coverage obtained it from their employer. The majority of control group members enrolled in 

some type of vocational training or postsecondary education during the five years, but few 

enrolled in organized job search or adult education courses.35

 Initially, the program group participants in NEWWS, regardless of the program approach, 

fared better than the control group participants. All 11 programs increased participants’ 

employment and earnings and decreased the duration and amount of welfare receipt more than 

the control group. However, the effects decreased over time, so that at the end of the fifth year, 

only program participants from the Portland mixed strategy site and the Riverside “work first” 

site had significantly higher earnings than the control group. It is important to note that 

relatively few program participants experienced stable employment over the five years, and 

most program participants earned low wages. From 60 to 80 percent of program participants 

were unemployed for at least one quarter in the five years, and 70 to 85 percent earned less than 

$10,000 in the fifth year. Also, while a larger percent of program participants’ income came 

from their earnings, as opposed to welfare, income of program and control group members did 

not differ statistically.36 

 Additional analyses of NEWWS have compared the most disadvantaged -- those who had 

long-term welfare receipt, dropped out of high school, and had been unemployed long-term -- 

with the least disadvantaged who have none of these barriers or with the moderately 

disadvantaged who have one of the barriers. The NEWWS programs increased earnings for the 

two disadvantaged groups as well as for the least disadvantaged. However, the most 

disadvantaged still earned about half as much as the moderately disadvantaged. For the most 

 35 Hamilton (2002). 

36 Hamilton (2002). 
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disadvantaged, the type of program focus – employment or education – made little difference.37

4.0 Relative Benefits of Training and Work Experience 

There is a debate about the relative benefits of training versus work experience for 

increasing job retention and wages for low-wage workers. Training typically includes one or 

more of the following types of skill areas:38

• Basic skills: literacy, writing, math, GED preparation, English proficiency, instruction on 

how to complete a job application form 

• Hard skills: computer skills, technical or vocational skills and job-specific training 

• Soft skills: people skills, punctuality, understanding work place culture, selfmanagement, self-esteem and responsibility, communication skills 

Data from the 1997 National Survey of America’s Families (NSAF) show that a high 

school diploma or GED is the highest level of educational attainment for the head of household 

in 71 percent of low-income families compared with 39 percent of higher-income families.39 

The educational attainment of welfare recipients in the NEWWS was even lower -- half had not 

finished high school.40 This finding is substantiated by Lerman, et. al. (1999) using Current 

Population Survey data for metropolitan areas; they found that 40 percent of welfare recipients in 

1997 had less than a high school diploma.41 Moreover, the percent of low-income (defined as 

earning less than 200% of the poverty level) single-parents who have some college education has 

declined from 24% in 1996 to 17% in 1999, which may reflect the effects of the first three years 

of PRWORA and the emphasis on work over training.42 The percent of TANF families 

participating in education and training activities has also declined, from 5.8% in 1996 to 2.7% in 

1999.43

 37 Hamilton (2002).

38 Jarchow (2003). 

39 Acs et. al. (2001). Note Acs, et. al. define low-income families as having incomes less than 200 percent of 

the poverty threshold. 40 Hamilton (2002). 

41 Lerman et. al. (1999). 

42 Jones-DeWeever et. al. (2003). 

43 Strawn et. al. (2001). 
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The correlation between education and employment and income, especially for college 

educational levels, suggests that low-wage workers need to acquire additional education in order 

to obtain better wages.44 On average, college graduates earn $45,400 per year; high school 

graduates earn $25,900 per year; and high school dropouts earn $18,900 per year.45 The trend in 

the last 30 years indicates a growing gap, as the real wages of workers with a high school degree 

declined 18.5 percent, while the real wages of workers with a college degree increased 15.9 

percent.46 Even taking a few college courses without getting a two-year or four-year degree can 

increase earnings 5 to 11 percent.47 

Research of JTPA-funded projects found the impact of basic education and vocational 

training disappointing. Even among the most successful group, adult women, the gains were 

small. Although JTPA adult women earned $900 more than the control adult women, both 

groups’ earnings were well below the poverty line. JTPA participants had annual earnings at 

54% of the poverty line compared to 46.9% of the poverty line for control women. Furthermore, 

most of the earnings gains were due to higher rates of employment rather than to higher wages. 

Thus, there is little evidence from JTPA that training helps participants hone their skills to 

command higher wages. 48 49 50

The type and amount of training varied, but on average, those who received JTPA 

training received training for less than one year. The average training cost was a few thousand 

dollars per participant. Among economically disadvantaged participants (as opposed to 

dislocated workers), those receiving classroom training were most likely to be adult women; 

those in GED classes were most likely to be youth, and those in on-the-job training were most 

likely to be “job ready” men. On-the-job training resulted in the largest earnings gains. 51 

One noteworthy training success is the Center for Employment and Training (CET) in San 

 44 Carnavale and Rose (2001). 

45 Day and Newburger (2002). 46 Karoly and Panis (2004). 

47 Carnevale and Desrochers (2003). 

48 U.S. Department of Labor (1995). 

49 Bloom et. al (1993). 

50 Grubb (1995). 

51 Orr et. al. (1996). 
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Jose, California. CET provides basic skills and vocational training to young female single 

parents and young high school dropouts. On average, CET participants increased their annual 

earnings by $3,000. The program success may be due to the extensive involvement of local 

businesses in designing the skills curriculum and in providing technicians to teach some of the 

courses. Small class sizes, intensive instruction (35 hours a week for 7 months), and the 

integration of basic skills with vocational training using a “hands-on” approach are other 

distinguishing features.52 53

We reviewed several types of studies that provide information about the relative impacts 

of increasing the educational skills, the vocational skills, or the work experience of low-wage 

workers. Studies that compare the longer-term outcomes for women in welfare-to-work projects 

that emphasized a “work first” approach with those that adopted a human capital development 

approach are described first. Next, we present results of studies that examine the relationship 

between educational level, earnings and occupational choice in a national sample of single 

mothers. These studies point to the importance of focusing on select industries that pay better 

wages and offer more opportunities for advancement. 

Work First versus Basic Education and/or Vocational Training 

Several studies have looked at the longer-term impacts of the welfare-to-work programs. 

In an evaluation of the longer-term impacts of the California Greater Avenues for Independence 

(GAIN) Program in the late 1980s, Hotz, et. al. (2000) show the program benefits found in the 

three-year follow-up had disappeared by nine years. At three years’ follow-up, welfare 

recipients in work first programs had higher earnings, more employment and less welfare use 

than recipients in programs emphasizing basic education and/or vocational training. However, 

the gain in earnings for the employment-focused groups was largely due to increased hours, not 

increased wages. The later follow-up at nine years shows that the work first program benefits 

decline over time, while human capital development program benefits tend to remain constant or 

 52 U.S. Department of Labor (1995). 

53 Pindus and Isbell (1996). 
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increase over time.54 

The five-year follow-up NEWWS report (Hamilton 2002) of all NEWWS programs 

showed that employment-focused programs generally increased employment and earnings more 

than did education-focused programs. Among the three sites that ran both types of programs, 

few showed statistically significant differences in terms of employment, earnings, months on 

welfare, and welfare payments. Where there were significant differences, the employmentfocused programs were superior. Neither approach was successful in increasing earnings or 

employment in stable and well-paying jobs. Given that the employment-focused strategy was 

less expensive to implement, the results argue against programs attempting to increase human 

capital through education and training. 

 Another analysis by Bloom, et. al. (2003) analyzed pooled data from three evaluations: 

the California’s GAIN (Riccio and Friedlander, 1992), Florida’s Project Independence (PI) 

(Kemple and Haimson, 1994) and the NEWWS (Hamilton, 2002; Hamilton, et. al., 2001). 

Bloom’s analysis showed that a program’s emphasis on rapid employment had the largest 

positive effect on participants’ earnings in the first two years after random assignment. Next, 

personalized client attention was positively related to later earnings. Larger than average 

caseload sizes (the average was 136 clients) was negatively related to earnings. Participating in 

basic education classes is also negatively related to earnings, presumably because time in the 

classroom is time not spent earning money. However, there was no negative effect of vocational 

training, which also would have an opportunity cost. Other variables that were related to 

earnings, but reflect features that programs cannot control, include the local unemployment rate, 

the proportion of clients with a high school diploma or GED, the proportion of women with 

three or more children, and the proportion who had been on welfare for all of the preceding year. 

The analysis did show that participants who had completed high school or obtained a GED had 

higher earnings than did participants who had not completed high school. 

One drawback with the “work first” approach, compared to the human capital 

 54 Hotz et. al. (2000). 
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development approach, is that workers are likely to be back in the job market soon, and without 

a diploma or certification, finding another job can be difficult. In addition, many vocational 

training programs require a high school diploma or GED. The return to unemployment may be 

a good time for further training and retention services.55 However, career advancement from 

minimum wage to $15 per hour may require 1,000 hours or more of training.56 Based on the 

Portland, OR NEWWS experience, the combination of basic education and training pays off 

better than basic education or GED acquisition alone but may take a year or more. Similarly, 

high school graduates benefit from postsecondary education and training. The Atlanta human 

capital development NEWWS, the NEWWS site with the highest earnings gains for high school 

graduates, increased the number who obtained trade licenses or certificates. Thus, even without 

obtaining a two-year or four-year degree, postsecondary training and education appears to pay 

off.57 

A further analysis of NEWWS by Bos, et. al. (2002) examined educational and 

employment outcomes for a sample of NEWWS participants who did not have a high school 

diploma or GED upon program entry.58 Their analysis differs from other NEWWS analyses 

which compare the program effects of an education approach with a work first approach without 

regard to the fact that some participants in the education program never enroll in adult education 

classes or drop out very quickly. Bos, et. al. compare those who actually participated in adult 

education with those who did not, rather than those who were assigned to the education group 

versus those assigned to the control group. The disadvantage of this comparison is that it is not 

based on the random assignment of group members. Thus, characteristics of those who obtained 

additional education may differ from those who do not, and not all of these distinguishing 

characteristics will be controlled in the analyses. 

The results show that recipients who had relatively high reading scores at the time of 

program entry had the biggest gain from GED courses, whereas there was no improvement in 

GED receipt for those with less than a ninth grade education. At least a year of adult education 

 55 Blank (2002). 

56 Carnevale and Reich (2000). 57 Martinson and Strawn (2002). 

58 Bos et. al. (2002). 
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seemed to be necessary in order to show any increase in literacy. In contrast, for all but those 

with less than a ninth grade education at program entry, the greatest gains in math skills and in 

GED receipt occurred with six months of basic education but did not increase with more 

education. Unfortunately, the average participation time in adult education was twelve 20-hour 

weeks, which is considerably less than a year of high school. 

Bos, et. al. (2002) also looked at how GED receipt or additional literacy and math skill 

benefited workers. Those who received a GED had higher earnings and received fewer welfare 

benefits than did those who did not receive a GED (although there are other differences between 

the groups that may not have been controlled). A more robust comparison is between program 

participants who obtained a GED and control group members earning a GED. The program 

participants who received a GED had higher earnings, a finding which suggests program 

benefits further enhanced the value of the credential. An increase in reading skills was also 

related to higher earnings, even in addition to the effect of GED receipt. Increases in math skills 

did not show any additional impact on earnings or welfare receipt. 

The NEWWS program that had the best results, Portland, OR NEWWS, had a mixed job 

search and education or training focus. This result is consistent with the evaluation of the GAIN 

program in California in the late 1980s. Five years after assignment to the program group, 

participants in the Portland, OR NEWWS showed an average of $1200/year earnings increases, 

while participants in GAIN Riverside, CA showed $1400/year increases. Both Portland, OR 

NEWWS and Riverside, CA GAIN were flexible about initial activities, offered job search and 

short-term education services, enforced participation requirements, and were clear about the 

goal – increase employability. Both programs assigned participants who were not ready to enter 

the labor market to basic education (or in Portland to basic education, life skills, or training) and 

limited education or training to six months or less.59 

Portland, OR NEWWS and Riverside, CA GAIN differed in how they provided 

education and training and in how they counseled job searchers. Portland partnered with the 

 59 Hamilton (2002). 
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local community colleges to design and implement courses, whereas Riverside used primarily 

adult education schools. The Portland program increased the percentage of participants who 

received both a GED or high school diploma and a trade license or certificate. In addition, the 

program increased the proportion of welfare recipients who took a community college course by 

21 percent over the control group. Portland also counseled participants to wait for a good job, 

one paying at least 25% more than minimum wage and having the potential for stable 

employment. In contrast, participants in Riverside GAIN were encouraged to take the first job 

offered.60

Education and Occupational Choice 

Foster-Bey and Rawlings (2002) report that certain industries and occupations provide 

above average entry-level earnings, greater job quality, and the potential for upward wage 

progression and career advancement for single mothers leaving welfare, even those with less 

than a high school education.61 Using data from the Current Population Survey from 1993-

2000, they examined 18-64 year old single employed women with children under age 18. They 

looked at three groups: those who received welfare in the previous year, those who did not 

receive welfare but whose earned income is less than or equal to 150% of the poverty level for a 

family of three, and those whose earned income is greater than 150% of the poverty level for a 

family of three. The educational level of the women was coded as less than a high school 

diploma or GED, high school diploma or GED, some college but no degree, college degree or 

more. Industry groups included: (1) resources (agriculture/mining/forestry/fisheries); (2) 

construction and transportation; (3) manufacturing; (4) wholesale and retail trade; (5) hospital 

and medical services; (6) finance, insurance, real estate, business services, communication; (7) 

personal services, including private households; (8) personal services, not including private 

households; (9) other services; (10) educational services; and (11) social services. The results 

show that: 

 60 Hamilton (2002). 61 Foster-Bey and Rawlings (2002). 
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• Education and earnings were positively correlated. High school graduation, in 

particular, results in a dramatic improvement in earnings for all three groups, single 

welfare mothers, single low-income mothers, and single high-income mothers.62 

• After controlling for education and income/welfare status, researchers found that sectors 

such as manufacturing and health services provided above average earnings and 

opportunities for upward mobility. Construction/transportation and financial and 

business services were other industries where single welfare or low-income mothers had 

above average annual earnings. 

• Opportunities for upward mobility were estimated for industry groups by comparing the 

earnings of low income and welfare women with the same educational level, to 

determine whether low-income women, who presumably have greater work experience, 

indeed have higher earnings than welfare women, who presumably are employed in 

entry-level positions. The results confirm that for single mothers without a college 

degree, manufacturing, health services, financial and business services, and 

construction/transportation appear to both provide above average earnings for entry-level 

workers and to reward increased labor market experience. 

The authors conclude that there are several industries where women with a high school 

education or less can earn above average annual earnings and can achieve earnings growth. 

Thus, although the authors found that formal education is important – earnings increase with 

education – there are some industries where work experience and on-the-job training are 

rewarded regardless of educational level. 

The relationship between industry and earnings is also found by Andersson, et. al. (2003) 

using the Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD) data from unemployment 

insurance records and various Census Bureau household and employer surveys. They examined 

the data for male and female workers making less than $12,000 per year (in 2000 dollars) for 

three consecutive years, 1993-95, to determine their earnings growth between 1996 and 2001. 

 62 A college degree made a larger difference in earnings among high-income women. Interestingly, collegeeducated low-income women did not earn more than high school graduates. The authors note that the sample size of 

college-educated low-income women was small, although they did not specify the sample sizes in this report.
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Advancement rates were significantly higher among workers in construction, manufacturing, 

transportation/utilities, and wholesale trade than among workers in retail trade or the services 

sector. Greater earnings gains also occurred for workers at larger firms or at firms with lower 

turnover rates. Within industries, there is also variation. For example in manufacturing, firms 

producing durable goods (e.g. cars, appliances) pay more than those producing nondurables (e.g. 

textiles, apparel). In retail trade, supermarkets and department stores pay higher wages than 

restaurants and other small retail stores. In the service sector, the financial and health services 

pay better than personal services or hotel and entertainment services. 

Andersson et. al. (2003) found wage gains occurred even when employees were working 

for low-wage employers, although the gains were less than for high-wage employers. Early 

employment with a temporary agency increased a low-wage worker’s likelihood of being 

employed at a higher-wage firm, and thus of having higher earnings. Workers who changed jobs 

had greater wage gains than workers who stayed with the same employer. 63 

Placement in better jobs has also been shown by other studies to be associated with 

retention. In the Annie E. Casey Foundation Jobs Initiative demonstration project, welfare 

clients who obtained jobs in medical office administration, construction, manufacturing and 

business services had one-year job retention rates of 65 percent and higher starting wages, 

between $8.73 and $12.28 per hour.64

5.0 Effective Strategies for Partnering With Employers 

Many of the problems that lead to job turnover are associated with workplace issues. 

One of the lessons from the PESD was that case managers need to become more knowledgeable 

about their clients’ workplace in order to counsel effectively, and to occasionally intervene to 

help resolve workplace issues. Getting along with supervisors, coworkers, and customers was 

the biggest problem on the job, according to employed former welfare recipients in the 

Pittsburgh GAPS Initiative. This soft “people skill” was chosen four times as often as 

 63 Andersson et. al. (2003). 

64 Fleischer (n.d.) cited in Jarchow (2003). 
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characteristics of the job, such as job related stress, poor benefits or salary, inconvenient 

schedule, and poor working conditions.65 

In this section, we describe how employers can serve as allies in helping low-wage 

workers build a stable work history and achieve self-sufficiency. We present four case studies 

that show different approaches to working with employers to improve the quality of their entrylevel or near entry-level workforce. The first, the Michigan Welfare to Career Program, is an 

example of how the local welfare agency partnered with an engineering firm to increase 

retention. The second case study is a new project in which employer associations serve as 

workforce intermediaries to change human resource practices in manufacturing companies. As 

workforce intermediaries, the employer associations strive to meet human resource needs of 

companies while also meeting the career development needs of employees. Workforce 

intermediaries typically foster partnerships between employers, non-profit social service 

organizations, educational institutions, organized labor, and government agencies. The third 

study, San Francisco Works, is another example of a workforce intermediary--in this case a 

collaboration among the city’s largest businesses, the United Way, and the Chamber of 

Commerce to provide job training that will lead to better paying jobs. Seattle Jobs Initiative 

(SJI) is the fourth case study. SJI uses training coordinators and brokers as workforce 

intermediaries in a partnership of community business organizations and community colleges. 

We conclude this section with some recommendations from Crandall (2004) on how to engage 

businesses as partners in retention and advancement programs. All of these examples and 

recommendations reflect a “dual-customer” approach that serves both low-wage workers and 

employers. 

Case Study 1 – Michigan Welfare to Career Program 66

An example of how employers can partner with local welfare agencies to increase 

retention is the Cascade Engineering and Kent County Family Independence Agency “Welfare to 

Career” program in western Michigan. Welfare recipients are hired at Cascade at $8.75 to $9.10 

 65 Paulsell and Wood (2000). 66 Jarchow (2003). 
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per hour but can move up the career ladder to $15 per hour (in 2001, $15 per hour allowed some 

families to become totally self-sufficient). 

Cascade attributes their 90 percent or higher retention rate in 2002 to the following: 

• Creating and using an assessment tool to identify employment barriers; 

• Providing an intensive one-week orientation for all new employees (not just welfare 

recipients); 

• Developing a career path from basic-level production skills to technical and leadership 

competence; and 

• Inviting welfare caseworkers on site to help clients identify their current skill level and 

plan for skill development leading to advancement. 

Case Study 2 – National Association of Manufacturers Retention and Advancement 

Demonstrations (RAD 67

 Supported by The Ford Foundation and the Annie E. Casey Foundation as part of the 

Workforce Innovation Networks, the Retention and Advancement Demonstrations (RAD) seek 

to enhance retention and advancement among low-skilled workers in entry or near-entry 

positions by working with employers to improve human resource (HR) management. The 

projects partnered with the following employer associations: The Connecticut Business and 

Industry Association with over 10,000 members, the SMC Business Councils in Pittsburgh with 

over 5,000 members, and the American Society of Employers in the Detroit metropolitan area 

with over 1,000 members. The three associations developed a list of Human Resources best 

practices, recruited employers, and assigned personnel to advise and assist employers. 

 Recruiting employers to participate in RAD was challenging. All three employerassociations found that recruiting employers was more difficult than expected. Whiting quotes 

one RAD leader as saying, “Here we were offering essentially free, intensive services to 

employers. We thought they’d be lining up for the project, but this turned out not to be the case. 

 67 Whiting (2004). 
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We were surprised at how difficult a sell it was.”68 Reasons for the challenge of engaging 

employers include the recession, which hit the manufacturing employers in the RAD project 

hard; the lack of attention focused on entry-level workers and a fatalistic acceptance of their 

absenteeism, turnover, skill deficiencies, and low productivity; and the novelty of the offer. The 

recession resulted in closures and layoffs, and discouraged employers from embarking on a new 

project that involved training, which is often curtailed during a recession. The offer of free and 

intensive services to employers was unusual, as employers typically spend little time and 

resources on their entry-level employees. The possibility that receiving advice from RAD 

leaders would require changes in practice was also a deterrent. 

Despite the difficulty of engaging employers, RAD did eventually enroll 18 employers 

with 750 employee positions. Most of the employers were small and medium-size 

manufacturers. Some were ready to revamp their Human Resource practices and the workplace 

culture, while others merely wanted to upgrade their workers’ skills. 

 An unexpected reason for participating was that employers felt they needed to change 

their human resource practices in order to survive. RAD had anticipated that the main 

motivation would be to reduce absenteeism and turnover among entry-level workers. Instead, 

employers felt their business was threatened, and sought to improve the quality of their 

workforce in order to compete. 

 Another lesson that surfaced in this program was that the HR systems operated in a 

reactive rather than proactive mode. One project leader described the HR as “just-in-time HR.”69

HR practices for hiring, new hire orientation, training, supervision, communication, and 

discipline were poor and needed to be overhauled. Thus the RAD projects sought organizational 

change. The HR systems needed to be repaired, and training needed to be provided to managers 

and supervisors before efforts for entry or near entry-level workers could be effective. 

 The RAD projects typically began with a diagnostic and trust-building phase. This phase 

 68 Whiting, 2004, p. 3. 69 Whiting, 2004, p. 6. 
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often included employee interviews or analysis concerning HR policies and practices, the skill 

needs of various jobs and the training needs of employees, and on-the-job and at-home issues 

that are barriers to success. In the next phase, RAD projects have begun to implement changes 

to address some of the problems or needs identified. 

It is interesting to note that although basic reading and math skills are deficient for many 

entry-level employees, basic education was not listed as a high priority. Also interesting is that 

the RAD associations and participating employers prefer community colleges and technical 

institutes to other training providers. 

Case Study 3 – San Francisco Works (SFWorks) 70 

San Francisco Works (SFWorks) is an example of how a partnership between the 

Chamber of Commerce, a coalition of a city’s largest businesses, and the United Way can be 

created to develop and provide training programs for welfare recipients. SFWorks had two 

goals: (1) create stronger ties between employment training programs and the job market; and (2) 

give welfare recipients access to jobs paying more than welfare. Established in 1997, each 

partner played a role: the Chamber of Commerce worked with its members to create new job 

opportunities, the coalition of the 35 largest businesses created some financial backing and 

recruited businesses interested in establishing in-house training programs, and the United Way 

provided an infrastructure of accounting and human resources, as well as elicited communitybased organizations bids for services. SFWorks initially received funding from businesses and 

private foundations but later sought Employment Training Panel funds to pay participants during 

training. Lessons learned in the course of implementing and adjusting their program include: 

• Stress bottom-line benefits like reduced recruitment and hiring costs and tax 

credits to attract businesses.

• Leverage business partnerships and resources (on-site training, equipment, 

facilities, funds for paid internships) to grow the program. For example, a 

 70 Bliss (2000). 
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partnership with the Bar Association provided SFWorks with access to 40 law 

firms.

• Recognize that “employer-led” initiatives seek active participation and buy-in at 

various levels of the organization, and need advocates within the organization. 

This is different than just obtaining financial backing. For example, SFWorks 

moved towards an employer-led or sectoral (cluster of employers in the same 

industry) program with employers actively involved in shaping the training 

curriculum.

• Limit the role of private sector intermediaries to that of a broker between 

employers and training agencies, rather than a provider of training. 

Intermediaries that were perceived as unbiased were more influential.

• Use paid internships to help participants gain confidence and use their hard-skills 

training in a real setting. 

• Encourage employers to match employee volunteer mentors with participants. 

• Realize that some public funding sources, such as ETP, may be inflexible and 

thus additional funds will be necessary to pay for job training. ETP requires 

training and paid work experience to begin simultaneously, as well as placement 

and 90-day retention. ETP will not pay for any training that occurs prior to 

placement, and will recall the training payments if the participant does not stay on 

the job 90 days.

• Offer training prior to placement in internships as well as during internships. 

Participants needed skills training before internships because most lacked the 

skills needed to even be placed as interns. On average, participants had a 5th

grade reading level and 4th grade math skills. 

• Training needs to be led by employers and designed towards specific jobs in 

specific industries. Employer involvement in the training includes participants 

having a better sense of what to expect on the job, paid internships are 

coordinated in advance, and employers can readily receive the necessary support 

systems like mentoring. Employers also identify the specific hard and soft skills 

necessary for the job. 
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Case Study 4 – Seattle Jobs Initiative (SJI) 

One of the six cities funded by the Annie E. Casey Jobs Initiative in 1995, Seattle aimed 

to help low-income residents obtain living wage jobs and to supply employers in manufacturing, 

automotive, office occupations, and health care with qualified workers. Community-based 

organizations (CBOs) were in charge of recruitment, assessment, case management, job 

placement, and job retention services (including pre-employment training). Community colleges 

provided education and skills training and developed the curricula. Training coordinators 

facilitated communication among the community college faculty, CBOs, and employers. 

Brokers linked employers with the social service and training providers. Employers were 

involved in curriculum development and were asked to provide internships.71

The success of the SJI partnership is evident in the average hourly starting wage of $9.80. 

Forty-five percent of the placements advanced and are earning an average hourly wage of 

$13.12. In addition, the one-year job retention rate is 60%. 

These four case studies illustrate how employers, working with employer organizations, 

social service agencies, educational institutions, or government agencies, can modify their 

human resource practices in order to promote employee retention and advancement. In this next 

section, we present strategies for marketing employers and developing effective partnerships. 

Marketing Strategies 

 Crandall (2004) provides some strategies for forming partnerships with employers. 

Agencies can offer services to employers such as job placement, incumbent worker training, 

supervisor training, assistance in developing career ladders and mentoring programs, case 

management, and information about work supports (e.g., EITC, food stamps, healthcare, 

childcare, and transportation). To recruit and engage employers, effective marketing includes 

conducting a needs assessment, providing information about the cost of turnover and the 

advantages of increasing employee skill levels and loyalty, and establishing an agency contact 

 71 Fitzgerald (2004). 
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for the employer. Citing Hamilton’s 2003 study of the employer-focused ERA program in 

Cleveland, Crandall recommends that services be marketed to all levels of the organization rather 

than just low-wage workers. In addition, agencies can integrate their retention and placement 

services, make their services convenient (e.g., provide on-site training), and work with employer 

associations or the chamber of commerce to increase credibility.72 73 Finally, agencies should 

measure employer satisfaction with programs and services, share the findings with employers, 

and provide a plan for improvement. 

6.0 Summary 

The ultimate goal of welfare reform remains illusive. Programs have been successful at 

placing participants in jobs but have found little success at helping clients develop a stable work 

history and advance to better paying jobs. A few programs that have experienced relative success 

(e.g. Portland, OR NEWWS; CET; Riverside, CA GAIN) offer clues but no sure formulas for 

ways programs can increase participants’ retention, advancement, and self-sufficiency. Below 

we categorize these clues as they relate to employment, education and training, and case 

management and support services. 

Employment Services 

• Fit program services to the participants’ needs: 

o Maintain a flexible approach 

The most successful NEWWS programs, Riverside, CA GAIN and 

Portland, OR NEWWS, were flexible with initial activities. Another 

mixed strategy site, Florida’s Project Independence, used a formula 

approach and was less successful. (Gueron & Hamilton, 2002) 

• Communicate a strong employment message coupled with a strategy to seek and 

wait for a “good” job (higher-paying with benefits): 

 72 Crandall (2004). 

73 Hamilton (2003). 
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o Encourage low-wage workers to work. Work experience does lead to 

wage growth, although it is less important for low-skilled than for 

medium-skilled workers. (Gladden & Taber, 2000) 

o Encourage clients to select a good job that pays better than average wages 

and offers opportunities for advancement. Better-paying jobs with 

benefits are associated with higher retention. (Foster-Bey & Rawlings, 

2002; Andersson, et. al., 2003; Portland, OR NEWWS evaluation; 

Rangarajan, et. al., 1998a; Rangarajan, et. al., 1998b) 

o Steer clients toward industries, such as manufacturing, health services, 

construction/transportation, and the financial and business services, that 

offer better advancement potential (Cancian & Meyer, 2000; Foster-Bey 

& Rawlings, 2002) 

• Provide career advancement services and job search assistance to help 

participants change jobs strategically: 

o Encourage low-wage workers to strategically seek a better job and to 

change jobs when appropriate. Wage growth occurs with planned job 

changes. (Gladden & Taber, 2000; Andersson, et. al., 2003) 

o If a good job is out of reach, encourage clients to work for temporary 

agencies. Temporary work experience connects low-wage employees 

with good employers and provides low-wage workers with an opportunity 

to learn the work culture and requirements of better employers 

(Andersson, et. al., 2003) 

o Train agency staff as career counselors. (Anderson & Martinson, 2003 

Education and Training Services 

• Emphasize the importance of adult basic education, English as a Second 

Language (ESL), and GED preparation: 

o Encourage participants lacking a high school diploma to obtain a GED, 

especially if they have completed 9th grade or more, or if they have 

relatively high reading scores. (Bos, 2002) 
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o Support ABE/GED education that is “hands-on” and applied to vocational 

training (e.g., CET). 

• Encourage vocational skills training certification or licensing

o Encourage some post-secondary vocational training or certification (Bos, 

et. al., 2002; e.g., Portland and Atlanta NEWWS sites ) 

• Choose high quality training that is focused on employment: 

o Partner with community colleges or technical institutes to provide training 

or to assist employers with developing on-the-job training. (Whiting, 

2004; Bliss, 2000) 

o Seek employer input in vocational training but recognize that most 

employers do not have the in-house capability to develop training 

materials. (Bliss, 2000) 

Case Management and Support Services 

• Adopt smaller caseload sizes: 

o The maximum caseload size should be 75, as smaller caseload sizes are 

correlated with better program success (Anderson & Martinson, 2003; 

e.g., PESD and NEWWS) 

• Work with participants at their place of work: 

o Help new hires resolve workplace issues that could lead to turnover 

o Work with participants to plan for skill development leading to 

advancement (e.g., Michigan Welfare to Career Program) 

• Provide support services to increase retention: 

o Discourage low-wage workers from being laid off or from changing jobs 

twice within a year. (Gladden & Taber, 2000; Cancian & Meyer, 2000) 

o Provide or refer support services, such as emergency assistance and help 

budgeting, help accessing public benefits [Earned Income Tax Credit 

(EITC), food stamps], childcare, transportation, and healthcare. 

Partnerships with employers can be beneficial, although engaging employers is often 
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challenging. Examples of successfully selling a “dual-customer” approach involve employers 

who are faced with staffing shortages, stiff competition, such as the healthcare industry in a 

“boom economy,” or from manufacturers feeling competition from abroad (Whiting, 2004; Bliss, 

2000). A sectoral approach may be appealing as it spreads training costs among similar 

businesses and reduces the costs of “poaching” (Aspen Institute, 2002). Employer partnerships 

often target more than entry- or near-entry level workers. In many cases, the partnerships work 

to improve human resource practices that affect the entire organization such as identifying 

requisite job skills for positions, creating career ladders, providing new hire orientation, and 

training supervisors and managers, as well as front-line workers. In the near future, results from 

ongoing demonstrations will provide additional guidance to programs providing services to lowwage workers. 
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Appendix E 

Oregon State University Study 

of Low-Wage Health Worker Characteristics 

Formal Research Overview 

Low-Wage Healthcare Worker Job Retention and Wage Progression: 

What Factors Contribute to Worker Success? 
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FORMAL RESEARCH OVERVIEW 

Why do some members of the transitional workforce who enter employment at the low end of the 

wage-tier manage to ultimately follow a career path to a secure family wage job, while other 

low-wage workers seem either to be perpetually under-employed or unemployed altogether? 

This question, which is frequently debated among Oregon workforce, education and social 

service professionals, was at the heart of the formal research component of this project. 

RESEARCH QUESTIONS 

At the same time Action Strategies were being designed and implemented, the Oregon State 

University Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics designed a research project to 

address the following questions: 

Is there a profile of attributes and characteristics possessed by members of the transitional 

workforce who enter employment at a relative entry-level wage and successfully maintain 

employment and progress in wage progression and career mobility? 

Are there particular health sectors in which workers are more successful, and do labor market 

conditions affect the success of workers in low income occupations in maintaining employment 

and in wage progression? 
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RESEARCH REPORTS 

Two reports will be delivered as a result of this research component. They included: 

1. DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE OF LOW-INCOME HEALTHCARE WORKERS. With data from the 

Oregon Employment Department, researchers developed a portrait of the demographics, skills, 

attributes and services received in order to determine a profile of what is necessary for the entrylevel healthcare workforce to effectively move along the workforce continuum. This report was 

prepared by the Oregon Department of Employment. 

2. ANALYSIS OF FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO SUCCESSFUL RETENTION, CAREER 

ADVANCEMENT AND WAGE PROGRESSION. Two regression models were developed to 

determine the impact of worker characteristics, job characteristics, industry characteristics, and 

labor market conditions, on labor force turnover and wage progression. The models were used to 

identify the characteristics of workers that make them more successful and that seem to 

contribute to retention and wage progression. The report was prepared by Oregon State 

University. A summary of findings follows. It is anticipated that the final report will be available 

in early 2006. Contact Dr. Bruce Weber at Oregon State University 

(bruce.weber@oregonstate.edu) for more information. 
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LOW-WAGE HEALTHCARE WORKER JOB RETENTION AND WAGE 

PROGRESSION: WHAT FACTORS CONTRIBUTE TO WORKER 

SUCCESS?

What demographic characteristics of workers make them more successful in the labor market? 

In what health care sectors are low-income workers more successful in retaining employment 

and wage progression? Do local labor market conditions affect the employment retention and 

wage gain successes of workers in low-income occupations? The workforce development system 

has sought answers to these questions in order to better serve transitional workers and the 

currently employed seeking better jobs. This project has attempted to shed light on these 

questions for the Oregon workforce investment system. 

The analysis focused on two employment outcome measures that the system uses to track 

performance of individuals who have received workforce services and have exited the system: 

job retention, measured as the number of quarters during the period July 2000 to June 2001 in 

which the individual received earnings from the same employer; and wage gain, measured as the 

gain in wages reported by the employer between the first quarter employed and the fifth quarter 

after employment. 

Using data from the PRISM database of the Oregon Employment Department, we developed 

models of job retention and wage progression for the Oregon workforce served by the workforce 

system, which includes programs of the Oregon Employment Department, the Oregon 

Community College and Workforce Development Department, and several agencies of the 

Department of Human Services. The dataset includes about 215,000 individuals who had 

received employment-related services and exited the system between July 2000 and June 2001. 

Using a truncated Poisson maximum likelihood model, we estimated the impact of selected 

demographic characteristics (race, gender, age, education and disability status), health care 

sector, and labor market characteristics (job growth rate and percent of population living in rural 

places) on job retention (the number of quarters a worker was retained in the same job during the 
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four quarter period after entering employment). Using a Tobit maximum likelihood model, we 

estimated the effect of these same factors on the wage gain over the year. Our results are 

summarized in the following table. A plus (+) indicates that the variable had a positive effect on 

retention or wage gain. A minus (-) indicates the variable had a negative effect. A 0 indicates that 

the variable had no statistically significant effect on the employment outcome. 

We found that demographic characteristics (age, education, gender and disability), health care 

sector, and local labor market characteristics all matter for employment outcomes. Relative to 

Whites, Native Americans experience shorter job retention and lower wage gains, other things 

equal. Asians have better outcomes than Whites on both outcome measures. Hispanics have 

better job retention outcomes, but poorer wage gains, than Whites, other things equal. Being 

African-American has no effect on retention but boosts wage gains. Both wage gains and 

employment retention increase with age and education, but decrease for those who are disabled. 

Women have higher wage gains than men, other things equal. 

Local employment context matters as well. Those working for doctors’ offices or hospitals 

experience increased job retention and increased wages relative to those working in nursing or 

residential care, other things equal. And those living in “hot” labor markets (with high job 

growth) experience greater job retention and wage gains. 
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Summary of Effects of Selected Factors on Employment Retention and Wage Gain 

Among Oregon Workers Who Received Workforce System Services and Exited the System 

between July 2000 and June 2001 

Retention Wage Gain

Native American - - 

African American 0 - 

Hispanic + - 

Asian + + 

Female 0 + 

Disability - - 

Age + + 

Workforce Goal Flag + + 

NAICS 1 (Doctors’ Offices) + + 

NAICS 2 (Hospitals) + + 

H.S. Education + + 

Beyond H.S. Education + + 

County Employment Growth + + 
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Appendix F 

Mennonite Village: How One Employer Successfully 

Addressed Employee Turnover 

A Case Study 
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MENNONITE VILLAGE: 

How One Employer Successfully 

Addressed Employee Turnover

September 2005 

Prepared by: 

Joyce Kaiser 

Coffey Communications, LLC 

Prepared for: 

U.S. Department of Labor 

Employment and Training Administration 
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MENNONITE VILLAGE LOW-WAGE WORKER TURNOVER STUDY 

Introduction 

In 2002, the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (DOL/ETA), 

initiated a two-year demonstration project for the purpose of improving job retention and 

advancement for low-wage workers. Four sites in two states (Oregon and California) were 

awarded grants to experiment with different approaches to dealing with the low-wage worker 

population. In addition to sponsoring the demonstration project, DOL/ETA also supported a 

process evaluation to track the implementation and outcomes of the projects. 

During the course of the process evaluation, it was discovered that one of the participating 

employers from Oregon, the Mennonite Village, was experiencing significant success in 

retaining workers in the health care field. Their turnover rate for all employees is very low and 

among lower-level health care workers, is at least 40 percent lower than the national averages for 

these workers. 

While conducting case studies was not envisioned as a part of the original process evaluation, it 

was determined that understanding why this employer’s turnover rates were so low would add 

greatly to the body of knowledge regarding employment, retention, and advancement for this 

important group of low-wage workers. 

The study is divided into three sections plus an appendix: 

Turnover and Demand for Low-Wage Health Care Workers: This section provides 

national turnover rates for a variety of industries, turnover in health care occupations by 

state, and the demand for workers in the health care industry for Oregon. The demand 

information includes earnings and training methods for each occupation. The purpose of 

including these data is to demonstrate how truly unique the experience of the Mennonite 

Village has been and to show that their efforts will become increasingly important as 

demand for these workers increases over the next 5-10 years. 
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The Mennonite Village Experience: This section provides information regarding the local 

environment, the services offered, the organization's size and revenue, the turnover 

experience, and the policies and procedures in place at the Mennonite Village. 

Conclusions: Based on a case study, this section provides some possible reasons why the 

turnover rates at the Mennonite Village are lower than both the state and national 

averages for all similar health care occupations. 
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TURNOVER AND DEMAND FOR LOW-WAGE 

HEALTH CARE WORKERS 

Health care is becoming more important with the aging of the baby boom demographic. At the 

same time that the demand for health care services is increasing, the availability of health care 

workers is either remaining steady or declining. Moreover, the providers of health care are more 

likely to be paraprofessionals rather than professional physicians and nurses. 

 “Our health care system is becoming increasingly reliant on paraprofessional caregivers 

that include mainly certified nurse assistants, home health aides, and personal care 

attendants. These workers provide at least 70 percent of the health system’s direct-care 

services in hospitals, nursing homes, assisted-living facilities and other institutions. 

Nationwide, paraprofessionals total more than 2.1 million workers; 86 percent are 

women; 30 percent are non-white; and most are between the ages of 25 and 54 

(Recruiting Quality Health Care Paraprofessionals, Paraprofessional Healthcare 

Institute). 

Over the next eight years, the paraprofessional work force is projected to be the nation’s seventh 

fastest-growing occupation (Direct-Care Health Workers, Paraprofessional Healthcare Institute). 

Situated at the bottom of the health-care hierarchy, these direct care workers are the face, voice, 

hands and heart of our health system for millions of long-term care consumers. Unfortunately, 

because these workers are typically paid poorly and provided with little training and support, 

they leave direct-care for better-paying, easier, and safer jobs, elsewhere. As a result, the overall 

turnover rate for paraprofessionals in home care agencies ranges from 40 to 60 percent and, in 

nursing homes, is often as high as 100 percent.1

 

The American Health Care Association, Health Services Research and Evaluation unit published 

the Results of the 2002 AHCA Survey of Nursing Staff Vacancy and Turnover in Nursing 

 

1

 The Changing Face Of The Health Care Industry, Lynn Wallis, 

http://olmis.emp.state.or.us/olmisj/ArticleReader?itemid=00003584&segmentid=0002&tour=0&p_date=1 March 

31, 2004 
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Homes, February 12, 2003. In this report were more telling comparisons of turnover for specific 

health occupations in each state. The following tables are taken from that report. The first table 

shows the turnover rates for certified nursing assistants (CNAs) in all states. The findings were 

based on data from as few as 19 percent of all facilities (Louisiana) to as many as 60 percent of 

all facilities (Hawaii). The turnover rates ranged from a low of 20.7 percent (Hawaii) to a high 

of 135.5 percent (Oklahoma). The rate for Oregon was 68.2 percent. The second table provides 

data by state for a broader range of health care occupations which allows for comparisons among 

occupations in the health care field. In all states except Hawaii, the low-wage CNA had higher 

turnover rates than the better-paid Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN). In most states (44) the 

turnover rate for CNAs was greater than for Registered Nurses (RN). 

In addition to these tables, the report also provided information regarding turnover in rural versus 

urban settings: 

“Similar to the pattern for vacancy rates, urban freestanding nursing facilities experienced 

the highest turnover rate in every job category except CNAs in 2002. For CNAs, rural 

freestanding facilities had the greatest turnover rate. The CNA turnover rate at rural 

freestanding facilities was 76.4%, while that for urban freestanding facilities was 72.4%. 

Hospital-based facilities, whether rural or urban, experienced the lowest turnover rates 

across all job categories, at or below 30% for all positions except CNAs where the rate 

was about 40%.

”

2

 

2

 AHCA Survey of Nursing Staff Vacancy and Turnover in Nursing Homes, February 12, 2003
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In the case of Oregon, the following table highlights the substantial growth that is anticipated in 

the various health care occupations along with information on current average annual wages and 

training requirements. Nursing aides, orderlies and attendants (including CNAs) and Home 

Health Aides (including CNAs) have been highlighted to enable easy comparison with the 

balance of the higher wage, higher skilled jobs. As is evidenced by this chart, workers earning 

less than $22,000 make up approximately 18 percent of the health care worker needs (in Oregon) 

between now and 2012. Excessive turnover will further exacerbate the vacancy figures. 

The Certified Nursing Assistants comprise most of the paraprofessionals. They are required to 

have a CNA certificate before beginning work unless they are joining a licensed nursing care 

facility. In this case, they may undergo training during the first four months of employment. 

The training programs may be offered at the facility or off site as long as the program is 

approved by the state board. The 150 hour program is broken into two equal components, 

classroom and on the job. 

“Oregon had 16,613 state-certified CNAs in 1998. Over half (51%) of these CNAs worked in 

nursing homes, 17 percent in hospitals, 18 percent in assisted living facilities, and the remainder 

worked in home health organizations and temporary help agencies. Nursing home employment 

has a reputation for being hard, stressful, and low paying; problems with worker retention are 

significant. When employed in this setting, CNAs are often the principal caregivers, having far 

more contact with residents than other members of the staff. The National Institute of Medicine 

places the average annual nursing home turnover in the nation at 105 percent. The Oregon Health 

Care Association recently published an industry work force study which found an average staff 

turnover of 49 percent within 90 days of hire. A similar survey conducted by the Oregon Senior 

and Disabled Services Division found that 41 percent of the respondents had worked in their 

current facility for less than a year and over half of this group were either uncertain about staying 

or planned to stay less than a year. The survey ranked quality of care and teamwork as the most 

important category for job satisfaction.”3

 

3

 The Changing Face Of The Health Care Industry, Lynn Wallis, 

http://olmis.emp.state.or.us/olmisj/ArticleReader?itemid=00003584&segmentid=0002&tour=0&p_date=1 March 

31, 2004
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Exhibit H-3: Health Care Occupations in Oregon 

Current and Projected Number of Jobs, Average Annual Wages, and Required Training4

Number of Jobs 

 2002 2012 

Projected 

2002-2012 

Openings* 

Average 

Annual 

Wages 

Required 

Training 

Registered Nurses (RNs) 26,976 34,031 13,217 $51,783 Associate 

Nursing Aides, Orderlies, and 

Attendants (includes CNAs) 

12,180 15,214 4,787 $21,927 Short OJT 

Home Health Aides (includes CNAs) 7,108 8,813 2,716 $19,546 Short OJT 

Medical Assistants 5,038 6,244 2,701 $27,841 Moderate OJT 

Physicians and Surgeons 4,409 5,360 1,674 NA 1st Professional

Dental Assistants 3,763 4,735 1,733 $30,231 Moderate OJT 

Pharmacy Technicians 3,561 4,650 2,152 $26,662 Moderate OJT 

Pharmacists 3,075 3,890 1,856 $76,662 1st Professional

Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) 2,933 3,633 1,544 $34,775 Post-secondary

Medical Records and Health Information 

Technicians 

2,373 2,956 1,177 $26,722 Associate 

Dental Hygienists 1,831 2,314 784 $61,952 Associate 

Medical and Clinical Laboratory 

Technologists 

1,851 2,279 913 $46,837 Bachelor's 

Medical Transcriptionists 1,748 2,192 966 $28,790 Post-secondary

Radiologic, CAT, and MRI 

Technologists and Technicians 

1,708 2,123 836 $43,992 Associate 

Physical Therapists 1,638 2,049 874 $55,576 Master's 

Emergency Medical Technicians and 

Paramedics 

1,698 1,974 741 $32,694 Post-secondary

Medical and Clinical Laboratory 

Technicians 

1,427 1,770 719 $32,155 Associate 

Opticians, Dispensing 832 1,021 360 $26,704 Long OJT 

Occupational Therapists 754 916 372 $52,570 Master's 

Dentists, General 669 845 347 NA 1st Professional

Respiratory Therapists 660 809 333 $40,861 Associate 

Medical Equipment Preparers 595 753 337 $25,349 Short OJT 

 

4

 Wallis, L (2004) 
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Surgical Technologists 592 735 315 $35,463 Post-secondary

Physical Therapist Assistants 488 617 291 $37,442 Associate 

Speech and Language Pathologists 489 584 230 $50,378 Master's 

Physician Assistants 447 563 226 $69,042 Bachelor's 

*Openings include both growth and replacement (mainly retirement) needs over the projection period. 

**Table excludes self-employment. Some occupations, such as physicians and dentists, are highly self-employed. 

Average annual wages for these occupations are above $145,000. 

CNA = Certified Nursing Assistant; OJT =On-the-Job Training 

Home health care workers, who provide services to individuals who reside in their own homes, 

are also expected to be in great demand for the foreseeable future. In Oregon, these occupations 

are expected to be one of the fastest growing through 2012. The U.S. has one of the highest rates 

of home ownership in the world, and people are increasingly more likely to choose to remain in 

their own homes rather than to move into communal living arrangements. This situation is 

further complicated by the bad press associated with nursing home care. 

“In Oregon, the Employment Department estimated that there were 1,642 home health aides and 

13,236 nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants working in Oregon during 2000. The ratio of such 

workers to Oregon’s population was 70 home health aides and 410 nursing aides, orderlies, and 

attendants per 100,000 population. These statistics ranked Oregon 49th and 38th, respectively, 

among the 50 states in the number of health aides and nursing aides per capita.”5

 

“The state’s home health care employment is expected to grow by almost 51 % to reach 2,478 by 

year 2010. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the number of health and personal care 

aides who work in the U.S., totaling 746,000 in 1998, will grow by 58 percent to 1,179,000 

workers by year 2008. Median hourly wages vary from state to state but fall typically within a 

range of $7.17 to $7.99. While those working in home care receive a somewhat higher hourly 

wage than facility-based workers, home care tends to be only part-time work; and, thus, the 

average wage falls below that of nursing home workers.”6

 

5

 ibid 6

 ibid
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MENNONITE VILLAGE EXPERIENCE 

Environment and Population Demographics 

The Mennonite Village is located in Albany, Oregon, a medium-sized community located in the 

middle of the state. Albany is the major population center for Linn County. Mennonite 

Village’s workforce is generally drawn from the city and county. 

As of the 2000 census, the total population for Linn County was 103,069 of which 93.3 percent 

were white, followed by 4.3 percent other or mixed race, 1.3- percent Native American, .8 

percent Asian and .3 percent Black. Less than 4 percent of the population was born outside the 

United States. More than 81 percent of the population were high school graduates with 13.4 

percent receiving a bachelor’s degree or higher. The county is almost evenly split between males 

(49.4 percent) and females (50.6 percent). While the median age is 37, almost 25 percent of the 

population is 55 or older.7

Linn County’s unemployment rate, as of September 2004, was 9 percent, the second highest in 

the state. Neighboring Benton County had a rate of 3.5 percent, the lowest in the state.8

Facility 

The Mennonite Village is a private, non-profit organization established in 1947 as the Mennonite 

Home for the Aged. Over the years, it has evolved into a multi-function facility catering to the 

housing and health needs of the senior citizen. Although Mennonite Village is a faith-based 

facility, neither the employees nor residents are required to be members of any specific religion. 

The exceptions are the CEO and the Board of Directors who are currently required to be from the 

Mennonite faith. The influence of the faith is apparent in the mission statement that sets forth 

the values important to the organization.

Services 

 

7

 DP-1. Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000

Data Set: Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data

Geographic Area: Linn County, Oregon - see Appendix for full report 8

 Northwest Area Foundation - http://www.indicators.nwaf.org – See Appendix for more details 
“An Assessment of the Low-Wage Worker Retention and Advancement Demonstration Project” 

Final Report – March 2006 

Coffey Communications, LLC Page 178 

Mennonite Village provides the following services: 

• In-home care for those who wish to continue living in their own home but require 

assistance with domestic and/or personal care needs. 

• Active retirement living for adults over age 55, consisting of 258 separate homes in 

a planned community and congregate living (apartments), allows independence while 

providing support services such as housekeeping and meal service. Those moving into 

separate homes must pay for the homes in advance. They are then entitled to live in the 

homes until they die or require a different level of care. They are given priority for 

assisted living, nursing and Alzheimer’s care, although they may be required to wait for 

services depending on the current occupancy level in other units. Communal living in 

apartments is available on a month-to-month basis. 

• Assisted living that offers seniors independence and freedom with 24-hour access to 

medical care. This service is provided on a month-to-month basis. 

• 24-hour health care for seniors with four levels of long-term care, plus short-stay 

skilled rehabilitation and nursing services. 

• Alzheimer’s and dementia care is available in two separate living units depending 

on the state of the disease. 

Almost all, 95 percent, of the residents of the Mennonite facility are from Oregon and 90 percent 

are local residents. There are, however, no geographic restrictions regarding the origin of 

residents. 

Size 

As shown in Table H-1, Mennonite Village can provide nursing care for 220 patients and has 

287 independent living housing units. 

Table H-1 Mennonite Village Facilities 

Facility Type Units/Beds 

Independent living facilities 287 units including 30 apartment units 

Assisted living care 97 beds 

Nursing home care 64 beds 

Nursing home care - serious conditions 31 beds 

Alzheimer care 28 beds 
“An Assessment of the Low-Wage Worker Retention and Advancement Demonstration Project” 

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Employment Patterns 

As of April 2004, the Village employed 311 workers. Because this is a full service retirement 

community, the range of workers is broad and includes occupations such as registered nurses, 

certified nursing assistants, food service workers, laundry workers, office staff, maintenance staff 

and grounds keepers. The largest component of health care workers is Certified Nursing 

Assistants. State standards and the Mennonite Health Services Alliance, the sponsoring 

organization, dictate the size and mix of nursing care occupations. 

Wages 

For the 2004 fiscal year (October, 2003 – September, 2004), wages and salaries ranged from a 

low of $7.70/ hour to a high of $25.21. These data do not include executive salaries. As will be 

explained later in the document, employees are allowed to forfeit leave in exchange for increased 

wages. The forfeit plan allows for full or partial forfeiture. The maximum salary increase for full 

leave forfeiture at the lowest wage level is $.69 per hour and $2.27 per hour for the highest wage 

level. On a weekly basis this would result in a pay increase of $27.60 for the lowest paid worker 

and $90.80 for the highest paid worker. 

In addition to the basic salary, employees who avail themselves of educational opportunities may 

be eligible for education pay. 

The available average wage data from Oregon9 combine CNAs with several other occupations, 

so it is difficult to determine if the wages paid by Mennonite Village are better or worse than 

average. In addition, the Oregon data do not distinguish hospital from nursing home wages, 

although traditionally hospitals pay higher wages than nursing homes. The Mennonite Village 

may pay better than other nursing homes, but it is impossible to tell from the data. 

Revenue 

 

9

 The Changing Face Of The Health Care Industry, Lynn Wallis, 

http://olmis.emp.state.or.us/olmisj/ArticleReader?itemid=00003584&segmentid=0002&tour=0&p_date=1 March 

31, 2004 
“An Assessment of the Low-Wage Worker Retention and Advancement Demonstration Project” 

Final Report – March 2006 

Coffey Communications, LLC Page 180 

Revenue sources vary depending on the nature of care. Independent living is 100 percent private 

pay. Medicaid and Medicare provide some portion of the income for assisted living, nursing 

home and Alzheimer care. Overall, private resources account for 60 percent of the revenue. 

The most recent financial data show that there are gross assets of $38,000,000 and net assets of 

$11,300,000. In addition, there is a separate Foundation, established in the mid 1990’s, which 

supports and manages a $2.3 million fund. This money is used to fund the cost of services and 

fees for residents who have limited or exhausted financial resources. It is also used for capital 

improvements and staff development. Money for the Foundation is obtained through campaigns 

and private donations. In 1997, it had assets of $390,887. 

Turnover Experience 

Figure H-1 compares the 2002 turnover rates of Mennonite Village Direct Care staff in the 

Health Care Center Nursing Home with Oregon CNAs, LPNs, and staff RNs (see Exhibit H-2) 

and CNAs nationally in rural and urban free-standing nursing homes and nursing care wings of 

hospitals. The comparison is imperfect because the Mennonite Village turnover rate includes 

some RNs as well as the dominant group, CNAs. Nevertheless, the Mennonite turnover rate is 

the lowest, even lower than CNA turnover in hospitals or Oregon RN and LPN turnover, and less 

than half of the national CNA turnover rates in free-standing nursing homes. 

Figure H-1 

Direct Care Staff Turnover Rates in 

Nursing Homes - 2002

0

20

40

60

80

Location and Staff 

Position

Percent Turnover

Mennonite Village

OR CNA

OR LPN

OR RN

Nat'l CNA rural

Nat'l CNA urban

Nat'l CNA hospital
“An Assessment of the Low-Wage Worker Retention and Advancement Demonstration Project” 

Final Report – March 2006 

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This low 2002 turnover rate for Mennonite Village is reflective of a continued decline in 

turnover from 1997 to the present day. Table H-2 shows the turnover experience for various 

staff positions in the Mennonite Village from 1997 to April, 2004. Figure H-2 graphs the annual 

turnover rates over time for direct care staff only (shown in bold in Table H-2). As shown in 

Table H-2 and Figure H-2, Mennonite Village did not always have such a low turnover rate. 

Before 2002, the rate was double or more, similar to the current national rate for CNAs. Most 

recently, the rate has declined even further, from 34% to 28%. The question that begs to be 

answered is why such declines occurred. 

Mennonite Village Direct Care Staff 

Turnover: 1997-2003

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

1997199819992000200120022003

Year

Percent Turnover

Nursing Home

Assisted Living

In-Home Care

Alzheimer's 

Table H-2 Mennonite Village Staff Turnover Rate Comparison: 1997-2004 

Facility 2004 

through 

March 

2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 

Health Care Center 

(Nursing Home) 

10.71% 24% Not 

Provided 

Not 

Provided 

Not 

Provided 

Not 

Provided 

Not 

Provided 

Not 

Provided 

 Direct Care 11.75% 28% 34% 55% 62% 49% 71% 81%

 Support Services 5% 3% 8% 11% 12% 13% 1% 46%

Quail Run (Assisted 

Living) 

2.94% 7% 8% 26% 13% 27% 55% 96%

In-Home Care 5.83% 9% 35% 44% 23% 34% 27% 56%

Lydia's House -

(Alzheimer's Wing) 

11.25% 22% 31% 51% 54% 71% NA NA

Village (Independent) 0 10% 15% 15% 26% 19% 87% 56%

Dietary 

 Mennonite Home 8.96% 6% 24% 33% 49% 24% 36% 87%

 Quail Run 0 24% 34% 40% 15% 46% 94% 96%

Maintenance 3.66% 7% 9% 59% 34% 30% 42% 65%

Administration 0 8% 20% 18% 28% 10% 29% 34%

 

Total for organization 6.94% 16% 25% 40% 39% 39% 52% 76%

Number of positions 23 80 103 120 124 114 137 187
“An Assessment of the Low-Wage Worker Retention and Advancement Demonstration Project” 

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Coffey Communications, LLC Page 182 

OPERATIONAL POLICIES AND PRACTICES 

To attempt to explain why turnover declined during this period, interviews were conducted with 

staff from each of the occupational groups working at the Village.10 Where possible, interviews 

were conducted with staff who had worked in the facility for longer than seven years because 

these people could offer anecdotal information on changes that took place over the years. Of the 

24 staff interviewed, at least 16 had been employed more than seven years.11 In addition to 

conducting interviews, personnel manuals were reviewed. The objective of the interviews and 

reviews was to determine if there might be any correlation between the declines in turnover and 

policy/practices. The following represent the major observations regarding policy and practices. 

The policies or practices implemented since 1997 are in Italics. Activities described in the 

employee handbook or articulated in financial management handbooks have been deemed to be 

policy. Fringe benefits are discussed in detail at the end of this section. Where possible the 

fringe benefits available at the Mennonite Village have been compared to national averages. 

 

Human Resources Director 

The first HR director was hired in 1997. She was instrumental in initiating interest in turnover, 

developing an employee handbook, reviewing and revising job descriptions and pay scales. 

Health Benefits – Including Vision and Dental (Policy) 

Health, vision and dental insurance are available to both full- and part-time employees. The 

employer pays the full premium for the full-time employee. Any additional family member 

coverage requires contributions from the employees. Part-time workers pay half the premium for 

themselves and the same payments for family members as required of the full-time worker. The 

health plan is costing the employer a minimum of $400 per month for every full-time employee. 

In addition to the normal health benefits, management has remained abreast of all new federal 

programs relating to health benefits, e.g. health saving accounts, and where practical, have made 

these available to employees. 

 10 See Appendix for full summary of interview findings 

11 See Appendix for interview list detailing occupation and length of service. 
“An Assessment of the Low-Wage Worker Retention and Advancement Demonstration Project” 

Final Report – March 2006 

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Wages (Policy and Practice) 

Surveys have been conducted. Job descriptions and the salary structure were completely revised 

shortly after the first HR director was hired in 1997. 

Currently, the HR director uses survey data from local professional associations, such as the 

Cascade Employers Association and national data from other Continuing Care Retirement 

Communities. If a job is new to the organization, she might obtain job descriptions and salary 

information from other similar organizations to ensure that salaries are competitive. 

Pension Plan (Policy) 

In addition to sponsoring a 403(b) employee contribution pension program, the employer 

contributes 3 percent of the employees’ annual pay to a pension fund. For the lowest paid fulltime worker, this is approximately $500 per year. 

Leave Policy (Policy) 

There is no separate holiday, vacation or sick leave schedule. Each employee earns leave at the 

rate of 24 days per year (more days after 3 and 10 years). This leave can be used in any way the 

employee desires. 

The employee can also elect to forfeit all or 50 percent of their leave in return for an increase in 

their hourly pay. Older workers tend to keep the leave days, while younger workers with more 

family responsibility are more likely to opt for the increased pay. 

Donated Leave (Policy) 

Leave donation is allowable. Leave may be undesignated and banked in the Employee 

Assistance Fund (EAF) or it may be donated for a specific person as a result of a call for 

donations issued by a supervisor or the HR office. There is no pressure to donate. 

Tenure Bonuses (Policy) 

After 7,280 hours of service (3.5 years of full-time employment), staff are given a 3 percent 
“An Assessment of the Low-Wage Worker Retention and Advancement Demonstration Project” 

Final Report – March 2006 

Coffey Communications, LLC Page 184 

tenure bonus which is awarded at the end of each year. 

Scholarship Program (Policy) 

There are two scholarship programs. One is for any individual working at the Village and the 

other is limited to staff working in a particular section (Assisted Living). To qualify, employees 

must have worked for a minimum of 18 months, present recommendation letters, continue to 

work part-time, and maintain a 3.0 GPA. The general program is limited to support for a twoyear program at the same tuition level as the local community college. The student may attend 

for longer than two years, but the award will be capped at the cost of a full-time program offered 

for two years. The assisted living scholarship is only for individuals seeking an RN degree and 

has the same requirements as the general scholarship program, except that it is based on a threeyear full-time program. According to the most recent published brochure, more than 50 people 

have participated in the program since 1997. Support for the scholarship program come mainly 

from proceeds generated by two on-site, volunteer operated gift shops. Some additional money 

is received from the Mennonite Village general revenue and donations. 

Training Bonuses (Policy) 

Job related training may result in increases in hourly rates of pay from $.10-$.20 per hour or 

$200-$400 per year for a full-time worker. 

Employee Assistance Fund (Policy) 

This program is designed to help employees with short-term financial crisis or with need for 

compensated leave. It is fully funded through cash and leave donations, and the requests for 

assistance are presented to a committee of employees for consideration. Examples of requests 

might include gas, minor auto repairs, tires, food, or other emergency items that will affect the 

employees’ ability to be at work. The grants are generally in the form of vouchers to vendors for 

goods or services. The eligibility criteria are minimal. An employee must have passed his or her 

trial service period. 

Clear Job Descriptions (Policy and Practice) 

In 1998 or 1999, as part of an effort to formalize the personnel structure, the entire organization 
“An Assessment of the Low-Wage Worker Retention and Advancement Demonstration Project” 

Final Report – March 2006 

Coffey Communications, LLC Page 185 

participated in a job review and re-classification effort. The purpose was to establish a rationale 

for the pay structure for each job. Points were assigned based on job duties. Jobs and salary 

structure were compared with prevailing practices in the state. As a result, most people received 

pay increases. More importantly, there was a structure in place that was built on defensible 

evidence and which could be modified over time. Workers perceive the new system to be fair; 

pay is no longer related to how loud a supervisor complains about his or her workers’ pay. 

Performance evaluations were also initiated with the goal of conducting one evaluation at the end 

of the trial period and one each year thereafter. 

Job Sharing and Switching Work Hours (Policy and Practice) 

Job sharing is permitted but only one position is currently set up to be occupied by two people. 

However, there are a number of part-time positions. A more prevalent practice is to allow 

workers to trade hours without going through a bureaucratic paper approval process. The only 

factor that affects hour trades is the quality of patient care. If the patients will receive the same 

level and quality of care, then the switch may be made. 

Improved Initial Screening and Reference Checks (Practice) 

If workers with attitude and substance problems are hired, retention is difficult. The nature of 

the work requires responsible people, so hiring people who have demonstrated a good work ethic 

mitigate the turnover problem. The HR director modified the interview process to improve 

screening. Now the interview process includes both formal and informal conversations with 

prospective employees and involves more staff interacting with candidates. For example, a 

supervisor may interview a job candidate, but another staff person may tour the facility with the 

job candidate. 

Drug and Alcohol Testing 

Along with improved reference checks and initial screening, employees are also required to 

submit to drug and alcohol tests. 

Childcare (Practice) 

While childcare is not provided, help is offered to identify suitable childcare. Children may 
“An Assessment of the Low-Wage Worker Retention and Advancement Demonstration Project” 

Final Report – March 2006 

Coffey Communications, LLC Page 186 

come to the work site during those times when childcare problems arise. Older children may 

volunteer to work with the residents, and thus be on-site with their parents. 

CNA Appreciation Day along with Spa Day (Practice) 

The current nursing director for the acute care and nursing home facilities was originally a CNA. 

She went to school while working at the Village and got her RN. Because of her personal 

experience as a CNA, she recognized that the CNAs needed to feel valued, so she created a 

special day for them. During this period, seminars on a variety of topics are offered and two 

staff members are given a “spa day”-- an overnight stay at a hotel with spa facilities. This is a 

very popular event that was initiated within the past few years. 

Food Baskets and Christmas Gifts (Practice) 

During the holiday season, the HR office produces a list of lower-level staff members (low-wage 

workers) who have children. The list includes the names and ages of the children. The entire 

Village is asked if they wish to participate in a gift program for these employees. Interested 

parties are provided the names and ages of the children and they purchase appropriate gifts. The 

gifts are coupled with a food basket for each family. Donations are anonymous. 

Sharing Premium Savings from Workers Compensation Insurance by Having a Dinner 

with Gift Certificates and Prizes (Practice) 

On-the-job accidents are costly because they drive up the Worker Compensation (WC) insurance 

rates and often result in the need to hire replacement workers. Many companies post accident 

rates, warnings, and instructions on how to minimize risk, etc. It is not unusual to see a large 

poster indicating the number of days that the facility has gone without an accident. In addition to 

these common practices, in years when there have been virtually no on-the-job accidents, the 

Mennonite Village use the WC premium savings to pay for special “parties” which include 

dinner and prizes or gift certificates. This is an incentive for workers to help keep accident rates 

low by being careful and notifying management of potential risk factors. 

Promotion from Within (Practice) 

Whenever possible, job opportunities are offered to incumbent workers first. 
“An Assessment of the Low-Wage Worker Retention and Advancement Demonstration Project” 

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Autonomy (Practice) 

Autonomy is not necessarily a job attribute mentioned by the low-wage worker, but it was 

mentioned by the supervisory staff. This autonomy often resulted in beneficial decisions 

regarding the line staff. 

Free Training (Practice) 

CNA training is offered to new hires and existing staff desiring the certification. Other programs 

are offered in order for staff to maintain their professional licenses or standing. When there are 

sufficient numbers of participants, the training may be offered on-site to minimize employee 

hardship.

Seasonal Events (Practice) 

Some type of seasonal celebration is held in each of the four seasons. Typically, these events 

will involve the entire Village and in some cases will include the community at large. For 

example, an event is usually scheduled to coincide with national Senior Citizens Day or Week. 

Interest expressed by the Executive Director (Practice) 

Staff mentioned how much they valued the personal interest shown by the Executive Director in 

the work they performed and in their general job satisfaction. An issue arose regarding smoking 

on the premises. Several employees would gather outside the nursing facility to smoke. 

Unfortunately that smoke made its way into the ventilation system and complaints were lodged. 

The director called a meeting of smokers. All who attended thought that the meeting was for the 

purpose of telling them that smoking would no longer be tolerated on the grounds. Instead, the 

director announced that he was authorizing the building of two covered smoking patios. Both 

were to be convenient to duty stations but would not result in smoke making its way into the 

facility. People were surprised and pleased. 

Interest Expressed by Supervisors (Practice) 

Mentioned by many of those interviewed. 
“An Assessment of the Low-Wage Worker Retention and Advancement Demonstration Project” 

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Perception of Caring by Co-workers (Practice) 

Workers are encouraged to look out for each other. They are encouraged to acknowledge good 

work or deeds done by fellow workers and to celebrate others' life events. Cards are made 

available for workers to use on birthdays or anniversaries. Staff can also use these cards to 

acknowledge an event experienced by a resident. It is not unusual for a person to receive a note 

of thanks or praise from a fellow worker. 

Communications (Practice) 

A member of the management team recalled that the Workers Compensation Insurance carrier 

conducted a free survey in 1997 to identify worker concerns. Employees indicated that they 

were having a difficult time communicating with their supervisors and in getting information on 

new policies, procedures, and general events at the Village. Management was surprised because 

they perceived themselves as being open and approachable. Each supervisor was tasked with 

attempting to improve communications and an employee newsletter was established. The same 

survey was done the following year and communications dropped from first in importance to an 

insignificant ranking. 

The Corporate Culture (Practice) 

The corporate culture includes many of the policies and practices listed above, but it requires 

some explanation. The culture is structured around the mission statement12: 

“Stewardship: Acting out of love, and accountable to one another, we accept with joy 

the responsibility of participating in our community. We also accept our personal 

responsibility to prudently manage the community’s affairs and assets; to encourage the 

exercise and development of talents and spiritual gifts and to safeguard the heritage of the 

Mennonite Church. 

Service: Believing that serving each other is our true mission, we humbly devote 

ourselves to being the generous hands, the gentle voice, and the compassionate heart of 

Jesus. 

 

12 Promotional Brochure 
“An Assessment of the Low-Wage Worker Retention and Advancement Demonstration Project” 

Final Report – March 2006 

Coffey Communications, LLC Page 189 

Self-Determination: Respecting the dignity and worth of each individual, we pledge to 

encourage independence and freedom of choice and to provide opportunities for physical, 

mental, emotional, and spiritual growth, while considering the needs of all people within 

our community.” 

The level of interpersonal involvement among staff and managers is significant resulting in a 

“corporate family” rather than a disparate group of individuals. Because this is a faith-based 

organization, the mission statement has religious overtones, but there is no apparent pressure to 

join or practice any particular religion. The pressure is to treat co-workers and residents with 

respect and kindness. 

Fringe Benefits 

The array of available fringe benefits at the Mennonite Village is impressive when compared to 

facilities employing a higher percentage of service workers or workers employing individuals 

earning less than $15 per hour. 

While the chart attempts to show national statistics for employers, in some cases the only 

statistics available relate to percent of employees with access to a certain benefit. 

Mennonite 

Village 

National 

Statistics 13 Explanation 

Retirement Plans Yes 89% National Statistic for 

companies with 100 or 

more employees 

Health Care Benefits Yes 96% National Statistic for 

companies with 100 or 

more employees 

MV-Paid medical, 

prescription, vision, 

and dental insurance 

for single employees. 

Family plan requires 

contribution from 

employee. Partworkers are eligible 

and pay 1⁄2 premium 

 

13 Employee Benefits in Private Industry, 2003, Bureau of Labor Statistics News Release, 03-489 and selected tables 

from the National Compensation Survey: Employee Benefits in Private Industry in the United States, 2003 and 

2004. Information not available for all categories of benefit. 
“An Assessment of the Low-Wage Worker Retention and Advancement Demonstration Project” 

Final Report – March 2006 

Coffey Communications, LLC Page 190 

Mennonite 

Village 

National 

Statistics 13 Explanation 

for single and full for 

other levels. 

Employees With Medical Care 

Required To Contribute Toward Cost 

Of Single Coverage 

0% 

Includes prescription drug 

78% of 

employees 

required to 

contribute 

National Average 

Contribution for 

workers making less 

than $15/hour - 

$62.92/mo 

Employees With Medical Care 

Required To Contribute Toward Cost 

Of Family Coverage 

Yes- three levels 

Employee+spouse 

=$338.13 

Employee+child(ren) 

=$270.48 

Employee+family 

=$676.17 

Above amounts include 

prescription drug 

90% of 

employees 

required to 

contribute 

National Average 

Contribution for 

workers making less 

than $15/hour - 

$220.04/mo 

Dental Insurance Single – 0 contribution 

Employee +spouse 

=$15.21 

Employee+child(ren) 

=$26.41 

Employee+family 

=$41.62 

25% of 

service 

workers have 

access 

Vision Insurance Yes–No details available 18% of 

service 

workers have 

access 

Paid Leave/Holidays/Sick Leave 100% employees 70% 

employees 

National-Workers 

earning less than $15 

per hour 

Days after one year 24 14.6* National-Workers 

earning less than $15 

per hour 

*48% also receive paid 

sick leave 

Days after 10 years 34 22.1 days* National-Workers 

earning less than $15 

per hour 

*48% also receive paid 

sick leave 

Flexible Scheduling/Shifts Yes 2% of 

workers have 

access to 

flexible 

workplace 

National-Workers 

earning less than $15 

per hour 

Bonuses 

 

Yes 42% have 

access to nonproductivity 

bonuses 

National-Workers 

earning less than $15 

per hour 
“An Assessment of the Low-Wage Worker Retention and Advancement Demonstration Project” 

Final Report – March 2006 

Coffey Communications, LLC Page 191 

It is clear from this table that the Mennonite Village provides a benefit package that is more 

generous than most benefit packages for low-wage workers. 

Conclusions 

Since 1997, there have been some changes to wages and benefits. Low cost, “feel good” 

activities have been established, such as CNA appreciation day and holiday celebrations. There 

has been more focus on hiring people with good work histories and minimal personal problems. 

Employee development has also improved over the years. Although all of these practices and 

policies may contribute to improved employee retention, during interviews with staff, it appeared 

that what made a difference to them was that they were treated fairly and with respect. 

Employees perceived the following actions as ones which related to fair treatment and respect: 

1. Clearly articulated job descriptions and salaries which were commensurate with 

duties outlined in the job description. Employees did not want their raises and future 

opportunities to be solely dependent on whether their supervisors were able to lobby on 

their behalf with management. 

2. Communication among staff and supervisors. Employees did not want to rely on 

haphazard communications to find out about promotional and training opportunities or 

changes in policy. Not all employees have access to computers so e-mail was not a 

solution. The implementation of the employee newsletter and use of bulletin boards to 

communicate was important. In addition, having the executive director available for 

consultation was viewed as a sign of his respect for their work and their needs. 

3. Hiring of qualified individuals who had good work ethics and did not have 

dependence problems. Employees felt that management owed them the opportunity to 

work in a setting where they did not have to compensate for co-worker failures. 

4. Knowing that management would go the extra mile to ensure that employees could 

remain employed. If an employee could no longer work at a job requiring heavy lifting, 

management would try to find alternative employment in the organization. If short-term 

child care became an issue, management would help with finding a solution. 

In order to implement these policies and procedures, the most important change in this 

organization was the hiring of a human resource director who recognized the need to clearly 
“An Assessment of the Low-Wage Worker Retention and Advancement Demonstration Project” 

Final Report – March 2006 

Coffey Communications, LLC Page 192 

articulate job requirements and wages, thus establishing a transparent personnel system. 

At the same time that the HR Director was hired, the organization began to pay serious attention 

to the need to control turnover. It was not clear whether this was the result of input from the HR 

Director or whether the Executive Director and Chief Financial Officer were responsible for 

highlighting the need to deal with turnover. It may have been that hiring an HR Director was 

part of a larger plan for improving Village management. At any rate, managers were provided 

with turnover data for their departments and were given the impression that they needed to 

control turnover. While there are no hard data to prove that this focus caused managerial 

behavior changes, it may have affected their involvement with employees. For example, rather 

than replacing an employee who had a short-term personal problem, the managers may have 

elected to assist the employee to solve the problem. 

Having a central HR Department also enabled the organization to make better use of staff. If, for 

example, a worker is no longer needed in a specific area, efforts are now made to identify 

alternative employment opportunities rather than to terminate the worker. 

The HR Director was, and continues to be, responsible for ensuring that personnel policies and 

practices are consistent with the practices of other like organizations. 

The ability of the HR Director (and Department) to be effective, however, has a definite 

relationship to the HR Director’s position in the organization. In the case of the Mennonite 

Village, the HR Director is part of the executive management team and thus has direct access to 

the director and to other department heads. Personnel policies are developed in a team setting. 

As was stated in the introduction, there is no way to state, with certainty, that any of the policies 

or practices undertaken by the Mennonite Village were directly accountable for the decline in 

their turnover rates. Policies and practices that appear to be correlated with improved retention 

include fair wages and benefits, better screening of new hires, treating employees with respect 

and including employees in the decision-making process. 
“An Assessment of the Low-Wage Worker Retention and Advancement Demonstration Project” 

Final Report – March 2006 

Coffey Communications, LLC Page 193 

Appendix 

to 

Mennonite Village: How One Employer 

Successfully Addressed Employee Turnover 

Census Data for Linn County Oregon 

 

Population, Employment and Wage Highlights for Linn and Benton Counties 

and the State of Oregon 

 

Discussion Guide for Interviews with Mennonite Village Staff 

 

Mennonite Village Interview List 

 

Worker Testimonial 
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CENSUS DATA FOR LINN COUNTY OREGON

DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000

Data Set: Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data

Geographic Area: Linn County, Oregon

NOTE: For information on confidentiality protection, nonsampling error, and definitions, see 

http://factfinder.census.gov/home/en/datanotes/expsf1u.htm

Subject Number Percent 

Total population 103,069 100.0

SEX AND AGE 

Male 50,880 49.4

Female 52,189 50.6

Under 5 years 7,038 6.8

5 to 9 years 7,337 7.1

10 to 14 years 7,720 7.5

15 to 19 years 7,514 7.3

20 to 24 years 5,833 5.7

25 to 34 years 12,699 12.3

35 to 44 years 15,131 14.7

45 to 54 years 14,787 14.3

55 to 59 years 5,647 5.5

60 to 64 years 4,409 4.3

65 to 74 years 7,428 7.2

75 to 84 years 5,574 5.4

85 years and over 1,952 1.9

Median age (years) 37.4 (X)

18 years and over 76,239 74.0

Male 37,143 36.0

Female 39,096 37.9

21 years and over 72,214 70.1

62 years and over 17,473 17.0

65 years and over 14,954 14.5

Male 6,458 6.3

Female 8,496 8.2

RACE 

One race 100,504 97.5

White 96,059 93.2

Black or African American 327 0.3

American Indian and Alaska Native 1,313 1.3

Asian 799 0.8

Asian Indian 83 0.1

Chinese 156 0.2

Filipino 127 0.1

Japanese 71 0.1

Korean 185 0.2

Vietnamese 64 0.1

Other Asian 1 113 0.1

Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 151 0.1

Native Hawaiian 69 0.1

Guamanian or Chamorro 37 0.0

Samoan 17 0.0
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Subject Number Percent 

Other Pacific Islander 2 28 0.0

Some other race 1,855 1.8

Two or more races 2,565 2.5

Race alone or in combination with one or more other races 3

White 98,476 95.5

Black or African American 551 0.5

American Indian and Alaska Native 2,700 2.6

Asian 1,252 1.2

Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 320 0.3

Some other race 2,542 2.5

HISPANIC OR LATINO AND RACE 

Total population 103,069 100.0

Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 4,514 4.4

Mexican 3,402 3.3

Puerto Rican 123 0.1

Cuban 36 0.0

Other Hispanic or Latino 953 0.9

Not Hispanic or Latino 98,555 95.6

White alone 94,012 91.2

RELATIONSHIP 

Total population 103,069 100.0

In households 102,075 99.0

Householder 39,541 38.4

Spouse 22,506 21.8

Child 29,867 29.0

Own child under 18 years 24,081 23.4

Other relatives 4,439 4.3

Under 18 years 1,848 1.8

Nonrelatives 5,722 5.6

Unmarried partner 2,247 2.2

In group quarters 994 1.0

Institutionalized population 737 0.7

Noninstitutionalized population 257 0.2

HOUSEHOLDS BY TYPE 

Total households 39,541 100.0

Family households (families) 28,232 71.4

With own children under 18 years 12,651 32.0

Married-couple family 22,506 56.9

With own children under 18 years 9,087 23.0

Female householder, no husband present 3,952 10.0

With own children under 18 years 2,490 6.3

Nonfamily households 11,309 28.6

Householder living alone 9,086 23.0

Householder 65 years and over 4,002 10.1

Households with individuals under 18 years 13,886 35.1

Households with individuals 65 years and over 10,447 26.4

Average household size 2.58 (X)

Average family size 3.01 (X)

HOUSING OCCUPANCY 

Total housing units 42,521 100.0

Occupied housing units 39,541 93.0
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Subject Number Percent 

Vacant housing units 2,980 7.0

For seasonal, recreational, or occasional use 301 0.7

Homeowner vacancy rate (percent) 2.2 (X)

Rental vacancy rate (percent) 9.2 (X)

HOUSING TENURE 

Occupied housing units 39,541 100.0

Owner-occupied housing units 26,854 67.9

Renter-occupied housing units 12,687 32.1

Average household size of owner-occupied unit 2.62 (X)

Average household size of renter-occupied unit 2.50 (X)

LANGUAGE SPOKEN AT HOME

Population 5 years and over 96,024 100.0

English only 90,402 94.1

Language other than English 5,622 5.9

Speak English less than 'very well 2,413 2.5

Spanish 3,560 3.7

Speak English less than "very well" 1,793 1.9

Other Indo-European languages 1,350 1.4

Speak English less than "very well" 333 0.3

Asian and Pacific Island languages 602 0.6

Speak English less than "very well" 253 0.3

(X) Not applicable 

1

 Other Asian alone, or two or more Asian categories. 

2

 Other Pacific Islander alone, or two or more Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 

categories. 

3

 In combination with one or more other races listed. The six numbers may add to more than the 

total population and the six percentages may add to more than 100 percent because individuals may 

report more than one race. 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Summary File 1, Matrices P1, P3, P4, P8, P9, P12, P13, 

P,17, P18, P19, P20, P23, P27, P28, P33, PCT5, PCT8, PCT11, PCT15, H1, H3, H4, H5, H11, and 

H12. 
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POPULATION, EMPLOYMENT AND WAGE HIGHLIGHTS FOR LINN 

AND BENTON COUNTIES AND THE STATE OF OREGON 

Highlights for Linn County 

Total population (2003) 106,121 

Total population change (2002 – 2003) 1% 

Poverty rate (1999) 11% 

Number of jobs (2002) 52,125 

Annual average wage per job (2002) $29,760 

Unemployment rate (September - 2004) 9.0% 

Highlights for Benton County 

Total population (2003) 79,335 

Total population change (2002 – 2003) 1% 

Poverty rate (1999) 15% 

Number of jobs (2002) 53,008 

Annual average wage per job (2002) $33,446 

Unemployment rate (September - 2004) 3.5% 

Highlights for Oregon State 

Total population (2003) 3,559,596 

Total population change (2002 – 2003) 1% 

Poverty rate (1999) 12% 

Number of jobs (2002) 2,108,559 

Annual average wage per job (2002) $33,063 

Unemployment rate (September - 2004) 6.5% 

Data taken from Northwest Area Foundation - http://www.indicators.nwaf.org 
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DISCUSSION GUIDE FOR INTERVIEWS WITH MENNONITE VILLAGE STAFF 

Interviews Conducted between May 3 – May 6, 2004 

Reviewed, Edited and Approved by Mary Vines October 1, 2004

Confidentiality Statement: Before beginning this interview, I want to thank you for agreeing to 

participate in the study. I know that you are busy, and I will try to be as focused as possible. I 

have many questions and hope to talk to many different people, so please do not feel as though I 

expect you to be able to answer every question. In addition, before we start, I want to let you 

know that though I take notes at these interviews, information is never repeated with the name of 

the respondent. When I write this report and discuss findings, information from interviews will 

be compiled and presented so that no particular interviewee can be identified. Do you have any 

questions before we begin? 

Organization: Mennonite Village 

 5353 Columbus St. SE 

 Albany, OR 97322 

Phone: 541-928-7232 

 Fax: 541-917-1399 

E-mail: carol@mennonitevillage.org

Primary Respondents: Name: _Carol Jensen________ 

 Position: Human Resources Director 

 (See Attached List for Others Interviewed) 

GENERAL INFORMATION

ORGANIZATION 

1. Please provide a brief overview of your organization (local and national) and its services: 

a. Year established: 1947 – As the Mennonite Home for the Aged

b. Type of organization: Private, Non-Profit

c. General organizational mission/objectives: (language from the Covenant Statement)

 “Stewardship: Acting out of love, and accountable to one another, we accept with joy 

the responsibility of participating in our community. We also accept our personal 

responsibility to prudently manage the community’s affairs and assets; to encourage the 

exercise and development of talents and spiritual gifts and to safeguard the heritage of 

the Mennonite Church. 
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Service: Believing that serving each other is our true mission, we humbly devote 

ourselves to being the generous hands, the gentle voice, and the compassionate heart of 

Jesus. 

Self-Determination: Respecting the dignity and worth of each individual, we pledge to 

encourage independence and freedom of choice and to provide opportunities for 

physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual growth, while considering the needs of all 

people within our community.” 

d. Geographic area served by organization: 95% of the residents of the Mennonite facility 

are from Oregon and 90% are local residents. There are, however no geographic 

restrictions regarding the origin of residents.

e. Types of individuals served by organization: 

—Limited by religious affiliation? Religious affiliation is not a consideration for 

residency. 

—Priority for religious affiliation? None 

—Income criteria? Individuals not covered by adequate insurance, must demonstrate that 

they have sufficient funds to pay for care for a minimum of two years. After that, the 

Village will attempt to identify supplemental benefits (Medicaid). 

 

f. Types of health care services offered: 

—To non-residents (if any): In-home care for those who wish to continue living in their 

own home but require assistance with domestic and/or personal care needs 

—To independent living facility residents: Active retirement living for adults over age 

55, consisting of 258 separate homes in a planned community and congregate living 

(apartments) that allows independence while providing support services such as 

housekeeping and meal service. Those moving into separate homes must pay for the 

homes in advance. They are then entitled to live in the homes until they die or require a 

different level of care. They are given priority for assisted living, nursing and 

Alzheimer’s care although they may be required to wait for services depending on the 

current occupancy level in other units. Communal living in apartments is available on a 

month-to-month basis. 

—To assisted living facility residents: Assisted living that offers independence and 

freedom with 24-hour access to medical care. This service is provided on a month-tomonth basis. 

—To nursing home residents: 24-hour health care with four levels of long-term care, 

plus short-stay skilled rehabilitation and nursing services 
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—To Alzheimer patients: Alzheimer’s and dementia care is available in two separate 

living units depending on the state of the disease. 

g. Other relevant features about the organization: 

—This is a Faith-based facility although neither the employees nor residents are 

required to be members of any specific religion. This applies to all except the CEO and 

the Board of Directors who are currently required to be from the Mennonite faith. The 

influence of the faith is apparent in the mission statement which sets forth the values 

important to the organization. 

—Accredited Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) 

—Non-Profit with gross assets of $38,000,000 and net assets of $11,300,000. In addition 

there is a separate Foundation which supports and manages a $2.3 million fund. This 

money is used to fund the cost of services and fees for residents who have limited or 

exhausted financial resources. It is also used for capital improvements and staff 

development. Money for the Foundation is obtained through campaigns and private 

donations. The Foundation was established in the mid -1990’s. In 1997, it had assets of 

$390,887. 

2. Please describe the current arrangements between your organization and your affiliation with 

the Mennonite Health Services Alliance (MHSA). 

Mennonite Health Services Alliance is their sponsoring organization. 

 

3. How is policy developed for your organization? 

 

Individual managers have the latitude to develop operational policy for their units/sections. 

Policy that will affect patient care or that will require the commitment of resources is 

generally drafted by the Administrators, reviewed and approved by the CEO (in consultation 

with the CFO), shared with the Management Team and implemented. The CEO says that he 

involves the Board of Directors in an advisory capacity on important policy matters but they 

normally leave the management of the Village up to the Director and staff. The Board of 

Directors does include representation from the Independent Living component of the Village 

so the residents do have some influence in policy matters. 

STAFFING 

Nursing 

Certified Nursing Assistant 

Personal Caregivers 

Housekeeping 

Food Service 
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Office 

Laundry 

Maintenance 

...and more! 

1. Please provide the staffing pattern for your organization as it relates to patient care categories 

shown above: 

Not Available

2. What are the minimum requirements for entry into each of the above job categories? 

There doesn’t seem to be any organizational-wide minimum requirements. Most of the 

skilled and licensed jobs will require a HS diploma because to enroll in the certification 

programs there are minimum educational requirements. The food service operation will take 

dropouts as long as they demonstrate a “good attitude” and do not have poor employment 

histories. This is the case with several other low skill jobs. All units providing Medicare 

eligible services are required to have certified Nursing Assistants and Certified Medication 

Aides. 

3. Have those requirements changed over the past 5 years? 

 

No

4. Are there any workers currently on the payroll who would no longer be eligible for 

employment were they to apply for a job today? How many? 

No 

5. What is the ratio of nurses to aides/assistants? Is this ratio the same for all shifts? 

Standards are established by state law and the certifying organization. These are met. 

Ratios vary depending on the level of care. 

6. Can you provide an age and sex breakdown for each category of worker? 

Data was available but would require significant staff time to assemble. 

7. Can you provide information on length of service for each category of worker? Average 

data will be fine if we can identify those workers with exceptional length of service histories 

and those who may have just joined the organization. 

See above 

8. What types of workers are most and least likely to remain on the job? What is the basis for 

your determination? 
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The most likely to leave are direct care and dietary workers. Some direct care personnel will 

get training at the Mennonite facility and then move on to higher paying hospital jobs. This 

is not a big number but apparently it is a memorable event. 

9. What percentage of the low-wage worker staff is part-time? 

Approximately 25%. This is mostly a voluntary situation. These people only want part-time 

work. 

10. Are supervisors provided any in-service management and supervision training? If yes, how 

long is that training and is it mandatory? Are there other training programs that you believe 

contribute to improved relationships among workers? 

There is no structured in-service management and supervisory training. Supervisors may 

enroll in a variety of paid training. Training may be led by college instructors, the Employee 

Assistance Program, Cascade Employer’s Association, function specific societies or other 

professional trainers. 

11. Please discuss your “corporate culture.” 

The corporate culture is structured around the mission statement. The level of interpersonal 

involvement among staff and managers is significant resulting in a “corporate family” 

rather than a disparate group of individuals. People are encouraged to remember each 

other on special occasions (free greeting cards provided). When there are family or health 

problems which result in prolonged absence, staff throughout the facility will donate their 

leave time to the affected employee. At Christmas time, single parents are provided food 

baskets and gifts for their children through secret donations. While childcare is not 

provided, help is offered to identify suitable childcare. Children may come to the worksite 

during those times where childcare problems arise. Older children may volunteer to work 

with the residents thus being on-site with their parents. 

12. Are there any procedures/services your organization uses that are particularly effective in 

retaining workers? 

Management and staff mentioned a number of policies, procedures, services and benefits 

provided that might be effective in retaining workers, although there is no way to identify 

exactly which ones are significant. One interviewee said that it was the combination of 

corporate culture along with policies that supported that culture that made the difference. 

The following were mentioned throughout the interview process: 

a. Improved initial screening and reference checks. If workers come in with attitude and 

substance problems, retention becomes a real issue. The nature of the work requires 

responsible people, so hiring people who have demonstrated a good work ethic mitigates 

the turnover problem. 
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b. The existence of an HR Director. Having a central HR presence enables the 

organization to make better use of staff. If, for example, a worker is no longer needed in 

a specific area, efforts are now being made to identify alternative employment 

opportunities rather than to terminate the worker. The first HR Director hired in 1997 

was instrumental in initiating interest in turnover, developing an employee handbook, 

reviewing and revising job descriptions and pay scales. 

c. Structure of the leave policy. There is no separate holiday, vacation or sick leave 

schedule. Each employee earns leave at the rate of 24 days per year (more days after 3 

and 10 years). This leave can be used in any way the employee desires. 

The employee can also elect to forfeit all or 50 percent of their leave in return for an 

increase in their hourly pay. Older workers tend to want to keep the leave days while 

younger workers with more family responsibility are more likely to opt for the increased 

pay.

d. Donated Leave— described under corporate culture. 

e. Job Sharing and switching work hours. Job sharing is permitted but only one position is 

currently set up to be occupied by two people; however, there are a number of part-time 

positions. A more prevalent practice is to allow workers to trade hours without going 

through a bureaucratic paper and approval process. The only factor that affects hour 

trades is the quality of patient care. If the patients will receive the same level and quality 

of care, a switch may be made. 

f. Childcare and childcare policies – described under corporate culture. 

g. Wages. No staff member thought that the wages were exceptional. As a matter of fact, 

many staff mentioned that they could get (and had gotten) higher wages at doctor’s 

offices, clinics, and hospitals. If they left for wages, they generally returned because 

wages by themselves were not the determining factor regarding staying on the job. None 

of those interviewed felt that the wage policies were unfair or discriminatory or that 

management did not share savings with them. 

h. Health Benefits-including vision and dental. Health Benefits were mentioned as a reason 

for remaining on the job since so many companies did not provide these benefits. The 

workers were aware of the high cost of health insurance, and while they were not 

pleased with or did not understand the current plan, they were glad to be working for an 

organization that had these benefits. 

Health, vision and dental are costing the employer a minimum of $400 per month for 

every full-time employee. 

i. Tenure bonuses. After 7,280 hours of service (3.5 years of full-time employment), staff 

are given a 3 percent tenure bonus which is awarded at the end of each year. 
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j. CNA Appreciation day along with spa day. The current nursing director for the acute 

care and nursing home facilities was originally a CNA. She went to school while 

working at the Village and got her RN. Because of her personal experience as a CNA, 

she recognized that the CNAs needed to feel valued, so she created a special day for 

them. During this period, seminars on a variety of topics are offered and two staff 

members are given a “spa day.” They are given an overnight stay at a hotel with spa 

facilities. This is a very popular event which was initiated within the past few years. 

k. Food Baskets and Christmas gifts. During the holiday season, the HR office produces a 

list of lower-level staff members (low-wage workers) that have children. The list 

includes the names and ages of the children. The entire Village is asked if they wish to 

participate in a gift program for these members. Interested parties are provided the 

names and ages of the children and they purchase appropriate gifts. The gifts are 

coupled with a food basket for each family. 

 

l. Sharing premium savings from Workers Compensation Insurance by having a dinner 

with gift certificates and prizes. On the job accidents are costly because they drive up 

the WC insurance rates and often result in the need to hire replacement workers. Many 

companies post accident rates, warnings, and instructions on how to minimize risk, etc. 

It is not unusual to see a large poster indicating the number of days that the facility has 

gone without an accident. The Mennonite Village does all of these things, but, in 

addition, in very good years where there have been virtually no on-the-job accident, they 

have used the WC premium savings to pay for special “parties” which include dinner 

and the awarding of prizes and gift certificates. This is an incentive for workers to help 

keep accident rates low through care and through notifying management regarding 

potential risk factors. 

 

m. Promotion from within. Whenever possible, job opportunities are offered to incumbent 

workers first. 

n. Pension plan. In addition to sponsoring a 403(b) employee contribution pension 

program, the employer contributes 3 percent of the employees’ annual pay to a pension 

fund. For the lowest paid full-time worker, this is approximately $500 per year. 

o. Autonomy. Autonomy is not necessarily a job attribute mentioned by the low-wage 

worker, but it was mentioned by the supervisory staff. This autonomy often resulted in 

beneficial decisions regarding the line staff. 

p. Free training. CNA training is offered to new hires and existing staff desiring the 

certification. Other programs are offered in order for staff to maintain their professional 

licenses or standing. When there are sufficient numbers of participants, the training may 

be offered on-site to minimize employee hardship. 

 

q. Scholarship program. There are two scholarship programs. One is for any individual 

working at the Village and the other is limited to staff working in a particular section 
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(Assisted Living). To qualify, employees must have worked for a minimum of 18 months, 

present recommendation letters, continue to work part-time, and maintain a 3.0 GPA. 

The general program is limited to support for a two-year program at the same tuition 

level as the local community college. The student may attend for longer than two years, 

but the award will be capped at the cost of a full-time program offered for two years. 

The assisted living scholarship is only for individuals seeking an RN degree and has the 

same requirements as the general scholarship program except that it is based on a 3 year 

full-time program. 

According to the most recent published brochure, more than 50 people have participated 

in the program since 1997. Support for the scholarship program comes mainly from 

proceeds generated by two on-site, volunteer operated gift shops. Some additional 

money is received from the Mennonite Village general revenue and donations. 

r. Employee Assistance Fund. This program is designed to help employees with short-term 

financial crisis or with need for compensated leave. It is fully funded through cash and 

leave donations and the requests for assistance are presented to a committee of 

employees for consideration. Examples of requests might include gas, minor auto 

repairs, tires, food, or other emergency items that will affect the employees’ ability to be 

at work. The grants are generally in the form of vouchers to vendors for goods or 

services. The eligibility criteria are minimal. An employee must have passed his or her 

trial service period. 

s. Clear job descriptions. In 1998 or 1999, as part of an effort to formalize the personnel 

structure, the entire organization participated in a job review and re-classification effort. 

The purpose was to establish a rationale for the pay structure for each job. Points were 

assigned based on job duties. Jobs and salary structure were compared with prevailing 

practices in the state. As a result, most people received pay increases but more 

importantly, there was a structure in place that was built on defensible evidence and 

which could be modified over time. Workers perceive the new system to be fair and pay 

is not related to how loud a supervisor complains about his or her workers pay. 

Performance evaluations were also initiated with the goal of conducting one evaluation 

at the end of the trial period and one each year thereafter. 

t. Training bonuses. Increases in hourly rates of pay from $.10-$.20 per hour or $200-

$400 per year for a full-time worker. 

u. Seasonal events. Some type of seasonal celebration is held in each of the four seasons. 

Typically, these events will involve the entire Village and in some cases will include the 

community at large. For example, an event is usually scheduled to coincide with 

national Senior Citizens Day or Week. 

v. Interest expressed by director. Staff mentioned how much they valued the personal 

interest shown by the Executive Director in the work they performed and in their general 

job satisfaction. An issue arose regarding smoking on the premises. Several employees 

would gather outside the nursing facility to smoke. Unfortunately, that smoke made its 
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way into the ventilation system and complaints were lodged. The director called a 

meeting of smokers. All who attended thought that the meeting was for the purpose of 

telling them that smoking was no longer going to be tolerated on the grounds. Instead, 

the director announced that he was authorizing the building of two covered smoking 

patios. Both were to be convenient to duty stations but would not result in smoke making 

its way into the facility. People were shocked. 

w. Interest expressed by supervisors. Mentioned by many of those interviewed 

x. Perception of caring by co-workers. Workers are encouraged to look out for each other. 

They are encouraged to acknowledge good work or deeds done by fellow workers and to 

celebrate each others life events. Cards are made available for workers to use for 

congratulating others on birthdays or anniversaries. These cards can also be used by 

staff for residents. It is not unusual for a person to receive a note of thanks or praise 

from a fellow worker. 

y. Donated leave policy. As was mentioned in the section on the Employee Assistance 

Fund, leave donation is an allowable policy. It may be undesignated and banked in the 

EAF or it may be donated for a specific person as a result of a call for donations issued 

by a supervisor or the HR office. There is no pressure to donate. 

z. Communications. A member of the management team recalled that the Workers Comp 

Insurance carrier conducted a free survey in 1997 to identify worker concerns. 

Employees indicated that they were having a difficult time communicating with their 

supervisors and in getting information on new policies, procedures, and general 

happenings at the Village. Management was shocked because they perceived themselves 

as being open and approachable. Each supervisor was tasked with attempting to 

improve communications and an employee newsletter was established. The same survey 

was done the following year, and communications dropped from first in importance to an 

insignificant ranking. 

 

13. Comment on the religious affiliation of the staff. The question does not relate to whether 

you hire only church members but rather whether people who are interested in working at 

Mennonite Village are likely to be affiliated with a formal religion and whether this may 

affect their “staying power.” 

This was a difficult question to ask and it was difficult for those asked to answer. The 

question required a lot of explanation because I didn’t want the respondents to think that I 

had a bias in either direction. They also wanted to answer the question without bias but as it 

turned out there was no way that the respondents could speculate, with any level of 

confidence, on whether it made a difference. They thought that many people were affiliated 

with formal religious organizations but did not know for sure. 
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RESIDENTS AND PATIENTS 

1. How many residents are there in? 

 

Facility Units/Beds 

FY 2004 Funding 

Source to Date 

(3/31/04) 

FY 2003 Funding 

Source 

FY 2002 Funding 

Source 

Independent living 

facilities 

287 Units including 

30 apartment unitsSome added during 

these periods 

Private Private Private 

Assisted living care 97 beds Medicaid – 22.46% Medicaid – 26.02% Medicaid – 23.78% 

Nursing home care 64 bed Medicaid – 70.27% Medicaid – 64.56% Medicaid – 61.54% 

Nursing home care 31 beds Medicaid – 27.50% 

Medicare – 46.10% 

Medicare – 39.58% Medicare – 64.86% 

Alzheimer care 28 beds Medicaid – 28.24% Medicaid – 38.20% Medicaid – 41.36% 

– Other: Overall the Private Pay clientele has increased by about 3% since FY 2001 to an 

overall 59.68% of the population in the medical care facilities as of March 31, 2004.

2. Are individuals required to be members of a particular religion? 

No 

WAGES AND BENEFITS

1. How are wages determined? 

Surveys have been conducted. Job descriptions and the salary structure were completely 

revised shortly after the first HR Director was hired which was some time after 1997. 

National, state and local labor market data–identify sources: Currently, the HR Director uses 

survey data from local professional associations such as the Cascade Employers Association 

and national data from other Continuing Care Retirement Communities. If a job is new to 

the organization, she might call around for information from other similar organizations to 

obtain job descriptions and salary information to ensure that salaries are competitive.

Other: None mentioned

2. Benefits – Details in the main body of study

 

PERSONNEL PRACTICES 

1. Recruitment 
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Estimate the percent of low-wage workers coming from the following sources: No 

percentage estimates were available but in rank order a., c., and e. generate the most new 

hires. The internet is being utilized more and more by applicants for all levels of positions. 

Surprisingly, no use is made of either public or private agencies.

 

a. Referred by friend, relative, or patient 

b. Referred by an agency (public or private) 

c. Response to advertising 

d. Response to internet listing 

e. Walk-in inquiry regarding job availability 

 Other 

2. Reference check policy 

Extensive background and reference checks are conducted. The population is vulnerable, so 

this is essential. In addition, alcohol and drug tests are conducted.

 

3. Who makes hiring decisions? 

The unit supervisor does the reference checks and makes the hiring decision. Depending on 

the unit, co-workers may be involved. HR is regularly consulted for advice. 

4. What is the length of the normal trial service period? 

120 days 

5. Evaluation Policy 

120 days and then yearly. Step increases are given after the trial period and then every 6 

months. It takes 3.5 years to get to the end of the salary scale for a particular job. The 

Board of Directors allocates an annual cost of living adjustment every October. 

6. Career Ladders 

There are no published career ladders but “everybody knows what you have to do.” 

7. Counseling and guidance 

There is an Employee Assistance Program providing professional counselors who will assist 

with substance abuse, job stress, grief, divorce, etc. There are two licensed clergy on-site as 

a benefit to Village residents and they may be used for this service. People are also referred 
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to professionals off-site. 

8. Other interesting practices: 

Turnover is a front burner issue all the time. Turnover statistics are generated by 

department and provided to supervisors on a monthly basis. 

The low turnover rate is a point of pride for most supervisors, so they work hard to keep it 

low. 

Staff meetings are held on a regular basis beginning at the unit level up to the management 

team. 

Official job sharing is allowed. 

 

TURNOVER DISCUSSION 

1. Include the latest turnover chart: 

In main body of report. 

2. Relate turnover to: 

 Low-wage workers in general as compared to nursing staff/administrative professionals 

 Assignment (is turnover greater in direct patient care or in support (clerical, food service, 

maintenance). 

See Chart 

3. Why do you believe that turnover in this facility is so much lower than that in similar 

facilities in Oregon/US? 

No one factor. There is a sense of commitment and pride among the workforce about the 

service being performed, and there is a sense of responsibility among the management team 

in regard to caring for the workforce. 

4. Have you been able to quantify? 

NO 

OTHER 

1. To what extent do you think that the activities of the Low-Wage Worker and Retention 
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Program have benefited your operation? 

Very difficult to determine exact benefits. Added services for employees builds on internal 

reputation for caring about the workers.

2. To what extent do you think your policies and procedures could be replicated in other similar 

facilities? How does location, worker demographics, the population served, or other 

distinctive features of your operation make it either non-transferable or limit transferability? 

The policies and procedures could easily be replicated. There is nothing about the worker 

demographics, population served or location that necessarily impacts policy or procedures. 

If people understand upfront that they must have a commitment to the residents and a 

commitment to each other before accepting the position, that’s half the battle.

CHECKLIST OF ITEMS TO COLLECT DURING INTERVIEW 

(IF AVAILABLE) 

Additional documentation/evaluation reports detailing personnel policies 

Organizational chart for Mennonite Village 

 
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MENNONITE VILLAGE INTERVIEW LIST 

Name Position 

Length of Service 

(Years) 

Judy Gott Director of Nursing 14 

Stephanie Bates Activities Director 19 

Kate Brenneman Village Administrator 16 

Sue Currey In-home Care Office 5 

Ron Miller Building Maintenance 25 

Peg Short Food Service Director 32 

Sue McIntire CNA-Rehab Center 5 

Jodi Long Essen Haus Manager (Restaurant) 11 

Jeanie Reed Billing 15 

Gail Schlegal Receptionist – Quail Run Assisted Living Facility 10 

Amy Walling Certified Medication Aide-Quail Run 15 

Edna Ferebee Payroll/HR Specialist 13 

Bev Knox CMA 15 

Gladys Mast Medical Records 15 

Dave Detweiler Environmental Services Director 14 

Chet CFO Failed to obtain but more 

than 7 years 

Cheryl Landis Administrative Assist-Independent Living 6 

Yodi Allen Grounds Maintenance 5 

Linda Grounds Maintenance 19 

Mary Scott Lydia’s House (Alzheimer Care) 6 

Mary Taylor Team Leader (Alzheimer’s Care) Failed to obtain 

unknown 

Jewel Housekeeping/Laundry 26 

Ron Litwiller Executive Director 5 

Carol Jensen HR Director 4 

 
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WORKER TESTIMONIAL

The following e-mail was sent to the Executive Director of the Mennonite Village by one of the 

staff. With the exception of his name, all last names have been removed from the document. No 

other edits have been made to the e-mail. It has been included in this report because many of the 

policies and practices referenced in the report are also mentioned here. 

From: Staff Member 

Sent: Friday, November 05, 2004 11:59 AM 

To: Ron Litwiller (Executive Director) 

Subject: Mennonite Village 

 

Hi Ron, 

This isn't meant, necessarily, to be something for the entire staff but I felt I wanted to share with 

the people who may not always get a chance to experience what I have been fortunate enough to 

experience while here. There have been many who have worked here a lot longer than I. But 

maybe not too many that have experienced the full spectrum of our community and so many of 

life's changes while here. I don't even really remember the year I began working here. I think I 

am coming up on seven years. 

 

I began by taking the CNA course. I didn't really think nursing would be something that I would 

want forever but I knew I wanted to be somewhere I could make a difference. Taking the class 

was pretty much a spur of the moment thing; I had never even considered a "nursing home". So 

in I came, not sure what I was even doing. The CAN instructors, Margo and Margaret were 

wonderful and I did learn a lot. I really liked the environment here so after the class decided to 

try it for a while. I interviewed with Michelle (past DNS) and Melody (past staffing coordinator) 

and then I went "on call" on the evening shift. On call really turned into a 5 to 6 day a week job 

as I was scheduled frequently. Working on the floor really was a fast paced and difficult job but I 

loved the residents I got to know and felt good at the end of the shift. 
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After the first year I got the wonderful surprise that I was to have another child. The pregnancy 

was touch and go so I could no longer lift. My services were used in different ways at that point. 

It was wonderful to learn so many different jobs. I worked in HCC activities, I filled in for the 

restorative dept. I did staffing etc. During this time both of my older children became volunteers 

and spent many hours with the residents here in all kinds of capacities. I walked around here like 

a whale, staying up until my due date. 

After my daughter was born I came to fill in here and there. One day it was spur of the moment 

so I had to bring her with me. I brought her walker and she sat in the activities room with many 

of the "grandma" residents while I readied some activities. I remember walking her stroller down 

the hall delivering and reading mail to residents. 

During this time not only was there changes in my family life but here at work as well. The new 

administration offices, Lydia's House, Ashwood Court, and more. After a time I saw in the paper 

that there was an opening working for "The Village". I read the description and was very excited 

to apply. I met for an interview with Kate which made me even more excited because after 

speaking with her I knew this would be a job that I could still be involved in making a difference 

but also apply my love for creativity and business. Not to mention that Kate seemed to me like 

someone I could admire and learn from. I began in the new position creating the Village Update 

and planning for Village activity as well as different odds and ends when needed. I shared an 

office with Jean and LOVED what I was doing. 

As time passed there were many changes in my family life as well as my responsibilities in my 

work assignments. Some were difficult. Some a blessing. I became a single parent of three. At 

one point I got very sick and almost lost my life. At that time I saw how much the people here 

really care. I received many prayers and donations of earned leave allowing me to have enough 

time to heal before returning to work. I have made some life long friends with staff in every area 

on campus and a few residents as well. 

My family’s involvement in life here at The Mennonite Village continued to grow. My sister 

took the CNA training and became a Lydia's House employee. It was there that she met her now 
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husband. They even got married by our Chaplain Lynn in the Lydia's House Court Yard with our 

whole family attending. Here I will also interject that it was the former Chaplain here at the 

Mennonite Home, Mary Lou, that introduced me to Lynn and that's how I ended up joining my 

first church and getting baptized and, started me on my journey of becoming a Christian. (I can 

say this is probably the best thing that has happened as a result of working here!) 

I now feel that what I do here at work is more removed from the hands on experience regarding 

residents but none the less important. I enjoy meeting the people that come or call here from 

every area of the United States wanting to learn about our great community. I am proud when I 

tell them what we have to offer them. And I have learned so much working in all these new 

capacities. This week I was fortunate enough to have a brand new experience here at “work”. I 

was on the opposite side of the coin and had the wonderful opportunity to see exactly what our 

residents and their families experience when they come here at a very difficult time in their lives. 

My grandmother, and her husband, Dave, became residents of Ashwood Court in the last year. 

They were both in their 90's, still doing very well but needing a few services. After some great 

hesitation, they learned to love their new home and the people around them. Not too long after 

moving here Dave passed suddenly in their apartment. Our family was very grateful that 

grandma was here surrounded by loving neighbors and staff. She lived in the apartment for a 

time alone but began a decline in health after Dave left us. She had a small stroke that sent her to 

rehab for awhile. The staff there was wonderful and even though I work here they did not assume 

I knew everything, which I didn't, and they kept us very well informed. The care she received 

was wonderful. Angie and Beth went above and beyond to keep us sane. After a short stay 

grandma decided she would like to go to our family farm to live her remaining time. My parents 

wanted to grant this request and took her home. As most families learn from this situation it is 

harder than it appears to care for an elderly loved one who is failing. We hired Mennonite InHome Care to come and help. Again, I got to experience the flip side of the coin. They are 

awesome! So caring and helpful. I can't say enough how we appreciated them. But, after a time 

grandma became worse and ended up back here in rehab. Hospice was called in and on Tuesday 

they said we probably had about a week left with her. That same evening I had my girls, both of 

whom have spent many hours here during their lives, come in to say goodbye. They held her 
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hand and did just that. The next day I would go to grandma's room on my breaks. My son came 

to see her later in the day. I walked him down and upon entering the room I immediately knew 

based on working there in the past and seeing people pass that grandma was going to go to her 

glory very soon. I asked Judy to come in and confirm my suspicions. She agreed with me and 

suggested I call my parents. The aides who had been caring for her were all very attentive and so 

wonderful. 

Unfortunately grandma passed very quickly and my parents did not have time to arrive. But my 

son Cody, my sister Kristi (Lydia's House) as well as Chaplain Lynn were and I were there. 

Holding her hand. We watched her take her last breath. How glorious because I knew the angels 

were there. We stayed with her body until the funeral home arrived. How honored it made me 

feel when Beth, Judy and one of the aides walked grandma’s remains, draped in a beautiful quilt 

out to waiting transportation. How truly blessed I am to have experienced this wonderful place 

from both sides of the coin. Thanks be to God who I know put me here. I know my journey will 

always be intertwined with the great mission of this place. 

Signed by a 

Mennonite Village Employee 
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Appendix G

Demonstration Project Implementation Tools 

(CD-Rom) 

Portland Community College – Step-by-Step Program 

Linn Benton Community College – Healthcare Worker 

Retention and Career Advancement Initiative 

Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 

(SETA) – WIA Rewards Project 
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Linn-Benton Community College 

Healthcare Worker Retention and Career 

Advancement Initiative 

 (Demonstration Project Implementation Tools) 

Burnout Program Materials

 Burnout Content Curriculum for Seminars 

 Burnout Schematic 

 Safe Places to Vent 

 Self-Assessment 

 Tips and Strategies on Organizing at a Care Facility 

 What to Say When You Feel Overwhelmed 

Focus Group Materials

 Focus Group Page 

 Focus Group Questionnaire and Mennonite Village Responses 

 Mennonite Village Synopsis of Focus Group Responses 

 Survey Executive Summary – July 10, 2003 

Management Team Materials

 Project Management Team – Guidelines 

 Strategy Classification Table 

Miscellaneous Materials

 Healthcare Recruitment Flyer #1 

 Healthcare Recruitment Flyer #2 

 Leadership Academy 

 Leadership Academy Evaluations 
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Portland Community College 

Step-by-Step Program 

 (Demonstration Project Implementation Tools) 

Employer Recruitment Planning 

Employment Success Plan 

Job Enhancement Form 

Nike Letter 

Proposed Agenda for Career Day – 1 

Referral Form for the Retention Program 

Retention Project Intake Form 

Step-by-Step Flyer 

Workshop Topics 
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Sacramento Employment and Training Agency 

WIA Awards Program 

(Demonstration Project Implementation Tools) 

“Attitudes count: ‘Soft skills’ top list of what area employers desire” 

The Sacramento Bee News Article 

Recruitment, Assessment, Workshop, 

Employer Recruitment and Evaluation Documents