4 out of 5 employers say...

Issue 8.50

December 16, 2022

SURVEY REVEALS DELAWARE'S WORKFORCE NEEDS

BY THE DELAWARE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD

The Delaware Workforce Development Board released key findings from its recent survey of Delaware employers conducted by Zogby Analytics. The survey was commissioned by the Board to further its mandate to drive programs and initiatives that most effectively increase the number of Delawareans possessing the job skills Delaware employers need.

Board Chair Scott Malfitano highlighted the comprehensive nature of the Zogby effort, covering 251 respondents of different sizes and sectors throughout the state, and added “such a scope was critical to the value of this information in ensuring the Board’s programs are as effective as possible.” Read more >

View the full report >

40%

Site lack of experience as the most common barrier to hiring. Self-motivation and initiative was rated second

≈45%

Site lack of time among staff and management as the top barrier to providing training. Lack of funding and high costs are also common barriers

4 OUT OF 5

Respondents report having positions that do not require a college degree

NEARLY 50%

Say that they accept individuals coming

out of the criminal justice system

TOP NONTECHNICAL SKILLS LACKING AMOUNG APPLICANTS:

Self-motivation, communication skills, problem-solving, and critical thinking

are nontechnical skills most commonly lacking among job applicants

“While many employers are posting jobs that no longer require a university degree, that should not be interpreted to mean that a high school diploma is sufficient for people seeking opportunities. Technical and durable, or soft, skills are critically important and are career building blocks. However, most jobs will require a career full of certificates and credentials as job needs change and the skills needed to meet those requirements evolves." - Michael J. Quaranta

DELAWARE'S PAID FAMILY &

MEDICAL LEAVE PROGRAM

WHAT BUSINESSES NEED TO KNOW

The State Chamber’s Employer Advocacy Committee met in late October for their quarterly meeting. The committee was joined by Chris Counihan, Delaware Department of Labor’s (DOL) Paid Family and Medical Leave implementation manager. Counihan joined the Department in August with the task of setting up the new insurance program, along with a new division within the DOL to administer it. The new division will add between 35 to 60 employees to the Department, and they expect to be fully staffed by 2025.

Some important dates for employers to be aware of:

January 1, 2024 – Final deadline for all Delaware employers to provide notice they have opted out of Delaware’s public plan. Employers with 10 or more employees are automatically enrolled unless you opt out and provide proof of private or self-insurance.
January 1, 2025 – Payroll taxes start being collected. Contribution is 0.8 percent and is split between employer and employee.
January 1, 2026 – Claims start being accepted and paid.

Congratulations, Helana Rodriguez!

LEADERSHIP DELAWARE ANNOUNCES CLASS OF 2023

Leadership Delaware, Inc. (LDI) annually selects Delaware’s best and brightest leaders to join its program and welcomes the Class of 2023, LDI’s 15th class of Fellows. After an intense, challenging, and competitive application and interview process, the interview committee selected twenty-nine outstanding candidates.

Congratulations to Helana Rodriguez, director of the State Chamber's workforce development affiliate, The Partnership, Inc.! Read more >

40 YEARS IN BUSINESS

NEWPORT FAMILY RESTAURANT

CELEBRATES MILESTONE ANNIVERSARY

A staple in the community, Newport Family Restaurant is not only known for its delicious, homecooked meals but also for its proprietor who’s famous for her cooking—Maria Perdikis. The restaurant first opened its doors in 1982 and is proud to celebrate the huge milestone of 40 years in business.

From very humble beginnings, Maria grew up in a small mountain village called Pisterzo, Italy. Read more >

President's Message

Interest rates and inflation have dominated conversations for businesses over every size, industry, and location around Delaware for much of 2022. A growing consensus seems to be emerging from economists that overall inflation may have peaked, yet some spotty and important inflationary elements remain, such as commodities like food and wages in the service sector and in-demand labor pools. Read more >

PHOTOS OF THE WEEK

DSCC's Tyler Micik met with

U.S. Senator Chris Coons to discuss

labor shortages and offer solutions

to help solve employer needs

DSCC's Helana Rodriguez led the collection and distribution of 751 blankets to nursing homes throughout Delaware through her initiative, Project Comfort

IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING YOUR MEMBERSHIP:

Over the last few years, we have updated and modernized functional areas of our operations. The next planned change is to transition our membership dues billing cycles to a calendar-year cycle.

In order to complete this transition, you will be invoiced a one-time prorated membership dues amount which will ‘pay you up’ through 12/31/23. Please be on the lookout for your prorated invoice. You should receive it via email no later than December 2. Members already on January billing cycles will not see any changes or prorated bills. Moving forward, members will be billed your annual membership dues in mid-November for a January 1st effective date.

These changes will enable us to be more efficient and bring added focus to the delivery of great events, communications efforts, and policy advocacy to Delaware's business community. Please contact Melissa Brayman at mbrayman@dscc.com with any questions. Thank you for your continued support!