I.Purpose

This communication provides guidance on how job orders should be handled using the Sharing Career Opportunities and Training Information (SCOTI) Labor Exchange (LE) system in a One-Stop environment.

II.Effective Date

Immediately.

III.Background

Both the Workforce Investment Act, Public Law 105-220, and the Wagner-Peyser Act amendments mandate the coordination and development of a nationwide system of public labor exchange services, provided as part of the One-Stop system of the states.

IV.Guidance Statement

Job order processing involves the comparison of specific job skill requirements with those of the job seekers. Business practices and steps for processing job orders in a One-Stop environment must adhere to the Wagner-Peyser Act and the SCOTI LE system requirements.

A.Sharing Information with One-Stop Partners

Wagner-Peyser staff is required to use SCOTI LE when providing labor exchange services. One-Stop partners can request access to the SCOTI LE system and are encouraged to list all available job openings in the SCOTI LE system. Partners and entities using SCOTI LE must work cooperatively and share job orders to effectively and efficiently serve employers. The One-Stop operator(s) in each workforce investment area should develop processes and procedures on how all job orders are shared and worked among One-Stop partners. Quality service to employers and job seekers must be the top priority in making such decisions.

B.Identifying New Job Orders - Use of SCOTI LE Reports Function

Job orders may be placed directly into the SCOTI LE system by employers utilizing self-service, or by One-Stop staff working with the employer. To provide timely services to employers, it is imperative that One-Stop management and staff closely monitor new job order activity in their location. The SCOTI LE "New Job Order Report" and/or the "ERO004 Job Order Activity Report" should be utilized and monitored on a regular basis to identify job orders that have been administratively assigned to each One-Stop location.

The SCOTI LE "New Job Order Activity Report" is conveniently found on the SCOTI LE welcome page in spreadsheet format.

C.Referring Job Orders to Labor Exchange Call Centers for Processing

For each new job order received by a One-Stop location, a decision should be made as to whether the job order will be processed and handled by the One-Stop or forwarded to a LE Call Center for processing. The decision should take into account such factors as:

• Is this a new employer with which the One-Stop is attempting to develop a long- term relationship and therefore will require close scrutiny of the recruitment process?
• Did the employer specifically request that the One-Stop handle the recruitment?
• Are there special circumstances involved; i.e., the One-Stop will be involved in the physical recruitment effort by taking applications or conducting interviews on site?
• How many job openings are there with the employer and what is the size of the company?

D.Job Order Match Pool

Match Pool

Once a job order has been received, staff should generate a match pool and begin job order processing as soon as practical. Under normal circumstances this activity should occur within one (1) working day. The match pool is generated by use of the "Run Match" button on the Job Match screen in SCOTI LE. This action will create and display a match pool of qualified candidates whose skills must be reviewed based on the employer's detailed skill requirements before notifying them for possible referral. This match pool is generated, and must be worked in veterans' priority order.

Priority of Service for Veterans

Veterans are given full advantage of services available through the One-Stop delivery system. Veterans must also be given priority of service when referrals are made on a job order. The SCOTI LE system supports priority referral of qualified veterans to job openings.

Veterans (and unemployment insurance claimants) are automatically prioritized for selection and notification in the job order match pool. The prioritized match pool is shown below:

I.Veteran Status:

a.Disabled Veteran;

b.Campaign Badge Veteran;

c.Other Veteran;

d.Eligible Person; and

e.Non-Veteran

II.UI Claimant Status

III.Date of Least Recent Referral

IV.Numerical Order by SSN

Veterans' status is automatically calculated by the "veteran's wizard" in SCOTI LE. The match pool must be processed in the order presented from the top down, which means that veterans must be considered for referral first. Because veterans must be given priority, the SCOTI LE system will not allow a veteran to be bypassed in the match pool without staff documenting the reason for the decision not to notify them on the Notification and Referral screen. Veterans' priority of service does not mean that veterans must be referred to the job order; it means they must be given consideration first. If a veteran, or any other job seeker, does not meet the minimum qualifications for the job order, they should not be referred to the employer.

Match Processing

To maximize efficient service to employers, any One-Stop staff assigned an appropriate LE role can conduct a match and refer job seekers to any job order regardless of the work site location. No single One-Stop or individual "owns" a job order. SCOTI LE allows any authorized staff to run a match and make referrals of qualified candidates to any job order that is in "open" status and is not currently in use by another SCOTI user.

Open status means the job order is available to be matched to job seekers. One-Stop staff must review the skills and experience of each job seeker and ensure they actually meet the requirements of the employer before referring them for the job opening. Once a decision is made regarding a specific job seeker on a job order, the job seeker will no longer appear in a subsequent match for that job order. Unprocessed match pool records are not maintained by SCOTI LE. When staff close out of a job order, the existing match pool will be removed. The next time a staff person opens the job order to continue referral activities a new match pool must be run. A record of all job seekers notified and/or referred is displayed under the "Make Referrals" tab of the job order.

In order to effectively run a job seeker match, three variables must be entered on the "Desired Employment" tab for a job seeker: occupational code, location and wage. The correct code must be used to get a good job match.

The job referral process begins after the job order match pool is created. Each applicant in a job order match pool must be reviewed in order of priority.

E.Screening, Selection, Notification and Referral of Job Seekers

Screening and Selection

Building a long-term relationship with an employer customer requires that qualified job seekers are provided for their hiring consideration. After a match pool has been generated, a determination must be made as to whether a job seeker is "qualified," meaning that the job seeker meets the minimum requirements/skills for a specific position. Employer criteria for determining a job seeker's qualifications may include work experience, training, skills that require extensive training or practice, pertinent knowledge, or the physical capacity to perform the essential functions of the job.

Starting with the first job seeker in the job order match pool, the job seeker's qualifications (displayed in the job seeker's "Duties" text box on the Notification and Referral screen) must be reviewed. These duties are pre-populated from the Employment History screen previously completed by the job seeker or One-Stop staff, and they detail the job seeker's duties acquired from a previous job.

One-Stop staff responsible for entering the job seeker's past duties on the Employment History screen must capture pertinent information regarding the job seeker's skills. It should include information not already pre-populated in the job seeker's O*NET occupational code description. The closer the job seeker's duties align with the employer's job requirements the more likely a referral will be made.

The employer's job requirements are reflected on the Job Order Requirements' screen. In the "Desired Skills" text box, staff should enter details for the specific skills desired by the employer, which are not already captured in the pre-populated O*NET description. The Desired Skills could include the following requirements: specific hardware and software applications, desired educational levels or degrees, specific experience or other requirements not captured in other SCOTI LE fields.

In the screening and selection process, the job seeker's duties are compared with the employer's job order requirements. The comparison assists One-Stop staff to determine if the job seeker can be notified for possible referral.

Notification and Referral

Job referral is the process by which a registered job seeker is notified and referred to a specific job opening on a job order, and the referral is recorded on that job order. Identifying and selecting job seekers for referral to a job opening begins as job seekers are processed in the match pool.

Veterans are listed at the top of the match pool so that they may receive the required priority of service. Staff should determine if the veteran meets the minimum requirements of the job order. If the veteran meets the requirements an initial attempt should be made to contact him or her by telephone. The telephone approach quickly facilitates the placement process for employers and job seekers. If the veteran cannot be contacted by phone (either directly or by leaving a message to contact the One- Stop), then a call-in notice should be issued, which will generate a notification letter that is mailed to the applicant. This process should be followed for each veteran in the match pool, or until sufficient referrals have been made to fill the number of referrals requested by the employer. This same process should then be followed for the non-veterans listed in the match pool.

The only reason job seekers should not be notified is because the individual does not meet the minimum requirements for the job order. Job seekers who are interested and qualify should be referred to the job order if there are referral openings available.

Only one staff person can work a job order record at a time. Others may only view the record. The SCOTI LE system automatically locks the job order while it is being worked.

If a job order is in referred status, this means all of the requested referrals and notifications have been made. One-Stop staff cannot make a new referral and notification until a negative result on a notification or referral is entered, or the employer requests an increase in the number of referrals desired.

Referrals on Mass Recruitment Job Orders

The mass recruitment job order is a specific job order type in which a large number of candidates are desired by the employer. Candidates may be referred on a mass recruitment job order without completing a registration in SCOTI LE. Staff may simply enter the name and SSN of the individuals referred using the "Make Referrals" tab on the job order. SCOTI LE will create a partial application record using default values for the individual if he or she do not already have a registration record in the system.

Quality Assurance

The following steps are taken to ensure that the employer receives appropriate referrals:

• Review the employer's referral instructions, including methods of contact, contact person and driving directions, as appropriate.
• Ensure that the job seeker has the necessary pre-employment skills (completing an employment application, preparing a resume, interviewing) to adequately represent his/her qualifications to the employer.
• Provide additional relevant information about the employer's hiring practices.
• Provide the job seeker with a printed referral or introduction card or letter to give to the employer, as appropriate.
• Record the referral on the job order in accordance with established SCOTI LE system procedures.

F.Job Order Processing and Maintenance

Timeliness of Job Order Entry and Match Processing

Job orders should be entered into SCOTI LE at the time they are received. The job orders shall be verified for accuracy of content immediately. After completing the review, a match is conducted and the notification and referral process should begin immediately. Working job orders timely presents a positive image to the employer and facilitates job seekers who could be referred to the job order to have an opportunity to be interviewed and potentially placed in employment.

It is important to note that, by default, most job orders in SCOTI LE will remain active for up to 90 days (Alien Labor Certification orders are usually open for 30 days). After that time, the job order will be inactivated by the SCOTI LE system. To keep the job order open longer, the close date can be extended by the One-Stop staff.

Retention of Employer's Record

Once an employer has placed a job order in the SCOTI system, the employer's record will be maintained for at least three years. Employers' records will automatically be updated through the Labor Market Information data system.

Employer Contact & Follow-up

Unless the job order was forwarded to an LE Call Center for processing, the One-Stop center where the job order was originally taken is responsible for maintaining the order. By contacting the employer, staff can follow up to determine whether the employer requires additional referrals, or the order can be closed out.

G.Communication with the Employer

Communication with the employer during the selection process is important to keep the employer informed of the progress toward filling the job order and to assure that One-Stop staff is selecting job seekers based on the employer's current requirements and preferences.

SCOTI LE has the capability to generate a referral verification letter. If One-Stop staff chooses the option to send a referral verification letter, the SCOTI LE system will mail the letter to the employer. The sole source of information on whether a job seeker was hired is the employer.

It is important to note that on the Job Order Summary tab, the close date of the order signals the SCOTI LE system to close the order. The order will close on the date it is scheduled to close unless the date is changed to a future date.

V.Technical Assistance

For general policy or process questions, staff may contact the local ODJFS District Coordinator. For questions or concerns specific to services to veterans or veterans' priority of service, staff may contact the local ODJFS District Veterans Program Manager.

For additional information, you may send your questions or requests to the Bureau of Workforce Services: wiaqna@odjfs.state.oh.us

VI.References

Workforce Investment Act of 1998, Public Law 105-220; Title III, Section 302, and amended Section 3(c)(1) of the Wagner-Peyser Act

Final Rules, 20 CFR, Chapter V, Part 652.3

The Jobs for Veterans Act of 2002, Title 38, Section 4212 and Section 4215, as amended by Public Law 107-288

WIA Rule 5101:9-30-04, Mandated use of the "Sharing Career Opportunities and Training Information System" (SCOTI)

Rescissions: None