Page 6 The Skanner CAREERS EDITION June 1, 2016
CAREERS
Metro Expands Boundaries and Income
Requirements of FOTA Program
M
ore residents of North, North-
east and Southeast Portland
now have the irst opportunity
to apply for jobs at the Oregon
Convention Center, Portland Expo
Center and Portland’5 performing arts
venues as a result of a community task
force recommendation to broaden the
boundaries and income requirements
of Metro’s First Opportunity Target
Area (FOTA) program.
The FOTA program gives lower in-
come earning residents of a particular
area of North, Northeast and Southeast
Portland irst opportunity, ater inter-
nal hires, at jobs at these Metro venues.
The new boundary includes the fol-
lowing zip codes: 97024, 97030, 97203,
97211, 97212, 97213, 97216, 97217, 97218,
97220, 97227, 97230, 97233, 97236,
97266.
The annual household income lim-
it is now set at $47,000 for households
of one or two people, and $65,000 for
households of three or more people.
The original income limits were set at
$24,000 for an individual and $40,000
for a household of four.
The FOTA Task Force recommenda-
tions were made in October 2015, for-
mally adopted by the Metro Exposition
and Recreation Commission in Janu-
ary 2016, and became efective Feb. 1,
2016. The Task Force recommended
the changes to respond to demograph-
ic shits and economic changes due
to gentriication and displacement of
the communities in the original FOTA
boundary area.
The Task Force had three big con-
cerns about its charge of advising Met-
ro on the revision of the FOTA policy
and program. First, it felt that these
irst opportunity jobs needed to be
re-targeted to individuals and families
in those City census tracks that have
the highest number of minority and
low-income residents today. Second, it
felt that the eligible household income
thresholds needed to be expanded so
that Metro’s higher paying job oppor-
tunities could also be available to low-
er-income working families, as well as
families in poverty. And third, the Task
Force recommended investing more
resources in building strong working
relationships with community organi-
zations that service the targeted popu-
lations so its outreach is more efective.
“Metro’s revised FOTA policy, as ad-
opted, addresses all of the Task Force’s
critical concerns in a meaningful way,
and increases the opportunity for
more minority and low-income indi-
viduals to have irst shot at competing
for the living wage jobs that open up at
Metro in the future,” commented Jeana
Woolley, a member of both the origi-
nal FOTA Task Force, and the current
FOTA Task Force.
The FOTA program was created in
1989 to provide economically disadvan-
taged residents within an area near the
Oregon Convention Center (OCC) irst
opportunity to apply for employment
at the OCC. Later, Metro expanded the
program to include Portland Expo and
Portland’5 venues.
Health Care Employers Host
Career Fair June 29
Employers,
training
providers and educators
from around the Port-
land metro area will be
present at a health care
and long-term care fare
to help jobseekers launch
a career in health care or
long-term care.
Jobseekers will be able
to meet individuals who
are currently employed
in a variety of positions
within this ield and hear
their stories, and to net-
work with employers
who have jobs current-
ly available in nursing,
caregiving, food prepa-
ration, skilled trades,
housekeeping or admin-
istration.
If you are exploring
Health Care professions,
are currently in Health
Care seeking to change
your work experience,
are currently in school,
or changing careers this
is the event for you.
This free event takes
place from 10 a.m. to
3 p.m. at the Holiday
Inn-Portland
Airport,
8439
NE
Columbia
Blvd. To register, visit
https://www.eventbrite.
c o m /e / h e a l t h - c a r e -
j o b - c a re e r - f a i rl o n g -
term-care-registration-
24243587222?aff=e-
browse#tickets.
Oregon Unemployment Rate
Stays at a Low 4.5 Percent
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP)
— The state Employ-
ment Department says
Oregon added more than
5,000 jobs in April, keep-
ing its jobless rate at 4.5
percent.
The agency says Ore-
gon has gained 64,100
nonfarm payroll jobs
since last April, when
the unemployment rate
was 5.7 percent. That’s
the most jobs Oregon has
ever added in a 12-month
period. The next closest
was in May 1997, when
the state added 61,500
jobs.
Since April 2015, job
growth has been espe-
cially strong in construc-
tion, health care, and
professional and busi-
ness services.
Oregon’s labor force
participation rate rose
to 62.6 percent in April,
up from 60.8 percent in
April 2015.
Nine Counties
Sue Oregon
Over Paid
SickLeave Law
ALBANY, Ore. (AP) —
Nine counties are suing
the state, claiming Ore-
gon’s new paid sick-leave
law is an unfunded gov-
ernment mandate.
KEZI-TV reports that
Linn County commis-
sioners iled the suit
Friday in Linn County
Circuit Court. They were
joined by Douglas, Jefer-
son, Morrow, Malheur,
Polk, Sherman, Wallowa
and Yamhill counties.
Since January, Ore-
gon law requires em-
ployers with at least ten
employees to provide
paid sick leave. Employ-
ers must provide one
hour of sick time for ev-
ery 30 hours worked, or
1 1/3 hours for every 40
hours worked.
The commissioners are
asking the state court
for its interpretation of
the constitution, which
states they may refuse
to comply with any state
law if they aren’t given
funding from the state.
Linn County Commis-
sioner Roger Nyquist
said the county can’t af-
ford any additional costs.
We honor the many
accomplishments of
African Americans.
It is our primary goal as a labor union to better the lives of all people working
in the building trades through advocacy, civil demonstration, and the long-held
belief that workers deserve a “family wage” - fair pay for an honest day’s work.
A family wage, and the beneits that go with it, not only strengthens families, but also
allows our communities to become stronger, more cohesive, and more
responsive to their citizens’ needs.
Our family wage agenda relects our commitment to people working in the building
trades, and to workers everywhere. In this small way, we are doing our part to help
people achieve the American Dream. This dream that workers can hold dear
regardless of race, color, national origin, gender, creed, or religious beliefs.
Paciic Northwest Regional Council of Carpenters
Representing more than 5.000 construction workers in Oregon State.
Do you want to know more about becoming a Union carpenter?
Go to www.NWCarpenters.org
PORTLAND OFFICE
1636 East Burnside, Portland, OR 97214
503.261.1862 | 800.974.9052
HEADQUARTERS
25120 Paciic Hwy S, Suite 200, Kent, WA 98032
253.954.8800 | 800.573.8333
