With Summer coming to a close and Fall upon us, it is time for the leaves to change color and the temperatures to drop. Time for the warm Summer weather to give way to cooler Fall temperatures. We had our Summer BBQ at Silver Falls State Park and it was a great time seeing people I had not seen in a very long time. Our very own Erika Motzko coordinated the BBQ and it was a great event. Looking forward to next year’s event. We will have other events coming up in the future and if you are interested in getting involved, or putting on an event yourself, feel free to reach out to me or Erika.
As of October, our Executive Board is very active and I’m excited to be working with this year’s Board members. We are busy with developing opportunities to provide various types of trainings and educational opportunities. More on that to come.
As always, if you are interested in knowing more about YOUR IAWP Chapter please don’t hesitate to reach out to anyone on the board and/or you can reach out to the chapter by emailing: info@iawporegon.org.
Feel free to get ahold of me directly and let’s chat.
Excited for the future,
Ron Sohnrey
President
IAWP Oregon Chapter
By Rebecca Nance, Senior Legislative Advisor
The September “Legislative Days” were held from September 27 through 29, 2023; the Oregon Employment Department (OED) presented on a variety of topics.
Paid Leave Oregon Director Karen Humelbaugh and Unemployment Insurance (UI) Director Lindsi Leahy were invited to participate in the Interim House Committee on Business and Labor to talk about Professional Employer Organizations (PEOs) and how the department works with them. In addition to OED, two PEO representatives, the Department of Consumer and Business Services (DCBS), and the Department of Revenue also presented.
Employment Department Director David Gerstenfeld gave an update on the department’s Modernization initiative to the committee.
State Employment Economist Gail Krumenauer presented as part of a panel about the State of Oregon’s Workforce and Economy.
Here is the link to the hearing agenda, and here is the link to the hearing video. If you have the time and interest, I recommend you take the time to check these out.
November Legislative Days are right around the corner, November 6 thru 8. Agendas have not yet been finalized, but you can always check out the Oregon Legislature website for information. There are many tabs across the top of the page, the committees we most frequently appear before are House Business and Labor and Senate Labor and Business.
January Legislative Days are the precursor to the short legislative session. Short Legislative sessions are held for 45 days in even numbered years; the upcoming short session starts in early February 2024. We anticipate legislation that will address the Supplemental Employment Department Administrative Funding (SEDAF) change we sought during the 2023 long session. The SEDAF change request got lost in the shuffle between the Senate walk-out and end of session negotiations. The Senate Labor and Business committee will likely be offering Paid Leave Oregon changes as well.
My trusty colleague, David Genz, and I continue to work closely with the Director’s Office, program staff, and legislators.
If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at rebecca.nance@employ.oregon.gov. It may take a day or so to respond, but I’m always happy to provide information.
by Steve Bent
The Oregon Chapter of the International Association of Workforce Professionals (IAWP) joined hands with NAMI Oregon, a state organization under the National Alliance on Mental Illness, to sponsor a unique and engaging fundraising event this past Sunday. The "Sunday Karaoke Funday" was held at Ruzzo’s TapRoom in Damascus, aimed at raising awareness and funds for mental health services in the community.
A Harmonious Blend of Fun and Purpose
The event featured karaoke hosted by KJ Steven D, also known as Steve Strain, who graciously donated his DJ fee back to IAWP as a way to foster community involvement. Thanks to the sponsorship, IAWP members gained free admission, bypassing the usual cover charge, and also received two free raffle tickets for various drawings throughout the evening.
"The idea behind this FUNdraiser was to create an enjoyable space where we can all come together, have fun, and also contribute towards a meaningful cause," said Steve Strain, who is also a member of IAWP. "Music is a universal language that unites people, and what better way to support mental health than through a shared love for music?"
About NAMI Oregon
NAMI Oregon is an independent, grassroots organization with a mission to improve the quality of life for individuals living with mental illness, as well as their families and loved ones. Operating under the larger umbrella of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the organization offers a range of educational, supportive, and advocacy programs across its 15 local chapters in Oregon.
Gary Marschke, Outreach & Development Manager for NAMI Oregon, expressed his gratitude in a statement, saying, "Thank you Oregon Chapter of the International Association of Workforce Professionals for sponsoring our family-friendly Sunday Karaoke event at Ruzzo’s Retreat. Thanks to their generous support, both money and voices were raised in support of mental health services for those in crisis.
Strengthening Community Involvement
For IAWP, this sponsorship was an opportunity to demonstrate its commitment to community service and social responsibility. By sponsoring the event, IAWP not only supported mental health awareness but also offered its members a unique way to engage with the community. "As an association committed to workforce professionalism and community involvement, it’s great to be associated with organizations like NAMI that work on crucial issues affecting our society," said Grant Axtell an IAWP Board Member.
A Night to Remember
The event successfully blended fun with purpose, attracting a diverse crowd who sang their hearts out in support of mental health awareness. The sponsorship allowed for not just a great evening but also for considerable funds to be directed towards NAMI’s efforts in Oregon.
For those who missed this entertaining yet purposeful gathering, there is always a 'next time' as the organizers hope to make it a recurring event. "Sponsoring this FUNdraiser was just the beginning," Steve Strain hinted. "We look forward to continuing this collaboration and raising both our voices and funds for a cause that impacts us all."
For More Information
For details on future events or how to get involved with NAMI Oregon or IAWP, you can visit their respective websites or contact them directly.
NAMI Oregon: Website
IAWP: Website
Controlling the narrative!
Data is data, neither good nor bad, just a measure of where the economy is based on people’s behavior (how much they spend, how much they travel, how much they work, how much people earn, how many start college, how many complete their degree, etc.) These are facts without any emotions and free from any agenda or bias. People will pull from the large array of data what they feel supports their agenda or interest and ignore or trivialize those data points that do not.
Take for instance the cry of “Recession” that has been trumpeted by so many “experts” and the media over the last three years. This yell became louder when the GDP hit two consecutive quarters with a negative growth, one was later revised upwards to no loss. Despite the fact that consumer confidence was strong, and retail sales and wholesale sales were up, and unemployment kept dipping below its much higher historical overage of 5.7 percent nationally (even reaching below 4 percent in some months) which are all contradicting of a recession trend. Then came inflation and people bellowed Recession within six months… a year and a half later, consumer confidence is still above 100, the stock market is adjusting to its historical five year moving average trend line (See Figure 2. Below). Unemployment is still almost two percent below its historical average. Employment continues to grow above 250k a month (which is why inflation is still strong).
The point is that data can be taken out of context (where it resides with other data that complete the story). Or people can look at the most recent data in a long-standing measure of activity and claim that things are either “really Good!’ or “Really Bad!” Take for instance the stock market. When people only see the last few days of activity in the stock market (See figure 1.), any change is magnified by its proximity to each other. But smart investors will tell anyone that day trading is a risky proposition, that one should play the long game in the stock market, because long term the market has grown an average seven to eight percent every year. In fact, the Dow jones is currently still above its natural historical trend, when applying a five-year moving average to the data to emphasize recent trends more than older trends. (see figure 2.)
When you think about your posture, you probably don’t think about your tongue - but you should. Believe it or not, the human tongue does have a proper position to be held in the mouth, and the positioning is referred to as tongue posture. Considering the numerous anatomical structures in the head and neck that support the tongue as well as the consequences of improper tongue posture on the entire body, maybe an appreciation week for the tongue is in order.
You might wonder, other than allowing me to speak and contributing to the sense of taste, what does my tongue do? The entire list of functions attributed to the tongue by anatomists and physiologists is too long to list in this brief article. Just some of the functions of the tongue include: assisting in chewing, swallowing, breathing, contributing to endocrine function and digestion, stimulation of the autonomic nervous system, and even upper limb strength and posture. Problems associated with poor tongue posture can range from neck and shoulder pain, headache, disrupted sleep, emotional fragility, and even premature aging of facial appearance.
So what is proper tongue posture? Well, the tongue should not rest on the bottom of the mouth, but rather be held on the roof of the mouth (aka hard palate) with the tongue’s tip about one-half inch from the back of the top front teeth. The tongue should be relaxed and breathing should always be performed though the nose with the mouth closed.
Being aware of the interconnection between structures of our bodies not taking those relationships for granted makes being human easier and more meaningful.
In the case of tongue posture, if Shakespeare had access to the research and modified Hamlet’s line to “…hold thy tongue against thy hard palate”, Hamlet may have been a happier fellow - certainly healthier.
IAWP Mentorship Program Supports Career Development for Workforce Professionals
The International Association of Workforce Professionals (IAWP) is excited to announce the launch of its Mentoring Program. Click for more info
The Oregonizer
VOLUME 50, ISSUE 3
Contributors to this issue:
Ron Sonhry
Paul Messet
Steve Bent
Mark Butterfield
Email: info@iawporegon.org
Website: http://iawporegon.org
Location: 2490 Fisher Rd NE, Salem, OR 97305