U.S. Department Of Labor Announces $1.1 Million Grant To Assist Hurricane Katrina Evacuees in Kentucky
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a National Emergency Grant (NEG) of $1.1 million to the state of Kentucky to provide employment assistance and training to evacuees of Hurricane Katrina. The funds, awarded to the Kentucky Cabinet for Workforce Development, will assist approximately 447 evacuees statewide. "My home state of Kentucky has welcomed Hurricane Katrina survivors with open arms and generous hearts," said Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao. "This $1.1 million grant to Kentucky will provide Katrina survivors with job training and placement services they need to get started in new jobs so that they can rebuild their lives."
 

Ali Honored at Opening of Hometown Center
Muhammad Ali can still draw a big crowd. The boxing great took center stage in his hometown Saturday night to celebrate the opening of the Muhammad Ali Center, a six-story tribute to Ali's storied career and a legacy to his ideals of peace and tolerance. The Hollywood-style event, at a performing-arts center next door to the Ali Center, drew an adoring cast of actors, singers, athletes and even a former president, Bill Clinton—reflecting the champ's star appeal. "The world is a better place because of you," Clinton said. "You thrilled us as a fighter and you inspired us even more as a force for peace and reconciliation, understanding and respect." Though frail, Ali still flashed his famous playfulness. Diveristy Inc. Newsletter,. .
 

Study: Growing pressure on hospital EDs threaten access to care
 Growing pressures on hospital emergency departments, from persuading specialists to provide on-call coverage to dealing with a growing number of patients with serious mental illness, could compromise access to emergency care and add to rising health care costs, according to a study released today by the Center for Studying Health System Change based on site visits to 12 U.S. communities. The rising pressures are a result of larger forces throughout the health care system, including financial incentives that reward specialist physicians for performing more procedures outside general hospitals, diminishing access to primary care, and declining funding for community-based mental health services, the study indicates. From AHA News NOW, November 18, 2005
 

HR Weekly News of the American Society of Human Resource Management in its November 7, 2005 electronic newsletter contains a number of articles highlighting critical issues facing businesses. Among these are “Overtime on Top of Double Time” and “Flu Season Takes Toll on Bottom Line.” Go to shrm.org.

 

NAWBO SmartBrief provides news, tips and other information that is useful for growing especially women-owned and small businesses. The November 8, 2005 issue indicates that the number of construction companies owned by women increased by 30% from 1998 to 2004, whereas the number of women-owned businesses in all fields grew 17.4% in the same period. The same issue has a number of other articles of interest to include “Small Businesses Grapple with Health Coverage Costs and Improved Software Making Business More Intelligent.” This issue of NAWBO SmartBrief provides the following quote of Jack Welch, former CEO of General Electric:
“An organization’s ability to learn, and translate that learning into action rapidly, is the ultimate competitive advantage.” For more information, go to smartbrief.com.

The Diversity Inc. newsletter keeps companies current on a wide range of corporate-diversity initiatives, legal issues and national diversity trends. Articles for the 11/10/2005 email newsletter includes  “Honor Veterans by Ensuring Career Opportunities Back Home” and  “Would a Male Candidate ‘Bake a Mean Sweet Potato Pie.” Concerning Veterans and Soldiers returning from the war, Secretary Chao of the U.S. Department of Labor kicked off a new initiative. She indicates the following:  
"The ‘Key To Career Success' cards and REALifelines Online advisor are part of our outreach efforts to help veterans and returning soldiers access good job opportunities and develop new career pathways, "said Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao. “Our servicemen and women have put themselves in harm's way to protect our homeland and help other countries achieve freedom and democracy. We want to do everything we can to welcome them home and facilitate their reintegration into civilian life.”  Go to the DOL website at WWW.dol.gov to obtain more information about Secretary Chao’s outreach efforts and www.Diversityinc.com for more information about its newsletter.

The Board Cafe Emporium offers good advice for non-profit boards particularly. This month's main course article, “Board Chair: Making Your Mark” offers a practical and simple approaches to promote positive relationships with board members and to “get the job done.” Among the suggestions are to “choose three objectives for the year that you want to accomplish as board chair-one for the organization, one for the board and one for yourself.”  Another is to meet with board members individually. Go to www.boardcafe.org for a copy of this month's featured article that you can use.