HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0022.018 2008-2010
Mr. Darwin L.D.Ching November 8, 2009
Department of Labor and Industrial Relations
State of Hawaii
830 Punchbowl Street, Room 321
Honolulu, Hawaii, 96813
Dear Mr. Ching,
This is in response to your letter dated November 4, 2009 regarding the Senior Training
and Employment Program (STEP) and the Hilo Unemployment Insurance Department,
both under your jurisdiction.
First, I would like to thank you for helping me to secure my unemployment insurance
benefits, on reconsideration, based on the corrected disability forms submitted by Dr.
Williams to the Hilo Unemployment Insurance Department. I hope that this department
will think twice before allowing Mr. Yamasaki to act as the head of this important
department even for a short while in the event Mr. Inouye should leave town for any
reason again. I thank you especially since my language was so poor and by the time I
reached you so many individuals had refused to help or prepare me for unemployment.
There are several things that must be said about the STEP program in light of the fact that
this program was a straight forward employment program (SEP) when I entered it four
years ago. When I entered this program I had to fight very hard to secure the job I wanted
and needed in my district. I was disqualified and finally reinstated and allowed to work
for a non-profit in my area, now known as SPACE (Seaview Performing Arts Center for
Education) This non-profit along with at least 24 others in lower Puna, Hawaii had not
been certified to participate in the SEP program. You must understand that low income
seniors especially disabled ones cannot, add hours of commuting time as well as gasoline
costs to minimum wage employment. The local Hilo office did not seem to understand
this problem. At that time Mr. Yoshida, the new counselor, finally made a field visit to
Belly Acres and certified Graham Ellis's program that had been active for twenty years in
the East Hawaii area with schools and community events.
When President Bush's Administration decided to change this employment program to a
so called "training" program, absolutely no training was given as far as I could see. I
continued to use the same skills in my job that I had arrived with and continued to enjoy
working with my host agency who made it clear that they did not have the money to hire
me since they were in construction building the performing arts center. I was able to help
in this process. The one training STEP gave the seniors during this time was a very basic
computer class that contained what I already knew but I stayed in class to help another
woman on how to use a mouse. When I approached Mr. Yoshida to ask for specific help
in art computer skills pertinent to my job and requested by SPACE, I was deigned. To my
knowledge there were never "various training programs" other than some county
information and rules seminars. We were given a class at Workforce Development by a
STEP hired person on how to prepare a resume but when I went back there for actual
unemployment, the resume was not in the computer system. There had been no
cornin. INO. a a.
~l-FLI
Ref. '-'ate 1 2009
instructions that we were supposed to enter this information. However, it is mandatory
for the unemployment application process. By this time Mr. Yoshida was the acting or
real head of the program in Hilo. The previous head, Mr. Kaya had recertified me at
SPACE at the end of 2008 and we had agreed that I would write a grant to employ
myself as my IEP (Individual Employment Plan). Mr. Yoshida did allow me to attend one
basic grant writing class in 2009. In August of 2009, I did receive a small grant from the
"Healing your Island" County Grant. I am currently working with my committee from
Puna Community Development Plan with no pay.
Since the termination of our senior jobs coincided with the economic crisis where
millions of people have lost there jobs and homes, I thought perhaps someone in
government might like to help the 106,000 seniors who are on this program nationwide. I
was mistaken. Even the 200-300 persons on this program in Hawaii did not deserve to
keep their jobs until a "supposed" national recovery next year. In spite of the fact that the
lead STEP Planner in Washington DC, Judith Gilbert, has told me that the states CAN
modify their agreement with seniors, the State of Hawaii has refused to even consider this
option. Mazie Hirano's office also found that the federal government did NOT say we
had to get off our jobs and reapply for our last two years. Additionally, hard to serve
areas or cases could apply to the Federal Department of Labor to extend their time. That
application must be made by the grantee, that is YOU, Mr. Ching. I realize this was not in
your mind since when we spoke; you did not even know that the STEP program was
under your domain. Now, that we have been pushed off it is a mote point, I suppose.
Perhaps reconsideration was in order here as well. Mrs. Young and Mrs. Chong who are
the State of Hawaii STEP head persons in your Honolulu Office, didn't think so. They
don't seem to understand that the outer islands are a much different world and are hard to
serve rural areas. They have been using the excuse that the fed's made them do it. This
simply is NOT true.
In my case, Mr.Clyde Yoshida, the counselor and new head of STEP is filing a
Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) against me tomorrow morning at 8:30am in the
Third Circuit Court with Judge Barbara Takase. If Judge Takase allows the TRO, I will
be effectively barred from my last 2 years in the program. It seems loud and foul
language cannot be tolerated in a foul and unfair situation where people hired to serve
and help the public take their much higher salaries and go home comfortably to dinner.
My terrible language was delivered the day I was disqualified from Unemployment
Insurance and before I reached you early the next morning on the phone. After receiving
a call from the police that day, I ceased calling the Hilo Office as I was requested and
agreed to do, but for some reason, 10 days later Mr. Yoshida was still fearful of being
attacked by a "bowling ball", if I am Tuoting him properly4filed for the TRO. It was
delivered late Thursday, November 5 . two weeks later, not allowing me to reschedule
I
since all offices were closed on Friday.
Unfortunately, each time I have approached The State Department of Aging or the
County Department of Park and Recreation who supposedly service senior needs, I find I
am rebuffed with some "Reasonable" excuse.
Sincerely, Toby S. Hazel, RR4 Box 2298, Pahoa, Hawaii, 96778
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