For Immediate Release – July 15, 2022
Hagåtña, Guam – The Guam Department of Labor (GDOL) formalized its partnership with Mane’lu by providing training to Mañe’lu’s staff on GDOL’s Workforce Development Overview, which include the Wage and Hour, Fair Employment Practices, and Workers Compensation Commission Divisions.
This partnership began two years ago when Mañe’lu offered services to Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) clients who needed help with interpretation, translation, submitting paperwork, and other types of assistance. GDOL and Mane’lu continue to bridge the gap in employment related services through the Micronesian Resource Center One Stop Shop (MRCOSS).
“I want to commend the work of Mañe’lu, MRCOSS, and their entire team who have been instrumental in ensuring PUA recipients always understood the process, completed their forms, got their questions answered, and knew how to get assistance. I am truly grateful for their partnership,” said Acting GDOL Director Jerry Toves. “With more training about our different divisions, Mañe’lu now has more knowledge about Labor laws and can better assist our mutual clients. We look forward to this continued partnership as we provide services in workforce development.”
“We are honored to be partnering with GDOL to improve access to both organizations’ programs that will assist individuals gain training and employment. Mañe’lu and MRCOSS have become an essential resource and space to help our brothers and sisters from the outer islands become settled here in Guam through workshops and case management that is provided in the four primary languages of the Federated States of Micronesia. The formal partnership means a more direct connection in assisting those looking for employment and providing support to clients who come into GDOL needing language specific assistance. Acting Director Jerry Toves and I have been talking about formalizing our existing partnership for two years now, and to finally see everything come to fruition has been exciting,” said Mañe’lu Executive Director Samantha Taitano.
At the conclusion of the training, participants were presented with certificates of completion, recognizing that the Workforce Development Overview and Training allows Mañe’lu staff to effectively serve the community with a better understanding of employment assistance.
For more information, please contact the American Job Center at 671-475-7000/1 or via email at ajc.training@nulldol.guam.gov.
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