3 The Opportunity Ahead: A Call to Action for American Skills and Jobs Governor Malloy of Connecticut announced his support for a $3.6 million legislative package, which included the creation of a statewide Platform 2 Employment program serving 500 long-term unemployed Connecticut residents. With broad support from both sides of the aisle, the General 34 Assembly’s budget, which passed in May, included the Governor’s recommendation. Aetna Frontier Communications MetLife Aetna, one of the nation’s Frontier Communications Corporation is America’s largest MetLife has joined an leading diversified health communications company, providing broadband, voice, and extensive list of U.S. care benefits companies, television products and services to rural areas and small and companies participating joined the White House medium-sized communities in 27 states. in the White House’s Best Practices pledge in Frontier has formally committed to giving the long-term Long-Term January. Since that time, unemployed a better chance at a good job by adopting best Unemployment Initiative. Aetna formed a practices on recruiting and hiring. However, years before its In support of the relationship with Skills for CEO signed the Best Practices Pledge, Frontier was alert to initiative, MetLife is Chicagoland’s Future eliminating hiring screens, such as credit checks, that could undertaking efforts to Talent, one of the inadvertently disadvantage the long-term promote the hiring of the organizations highlighted unemployed. Removing the credit checks had no negative long-term unemployed. during the White House’s effect, a fact the company recently proved by reviewing hires This has included events on long-term who would have been “screened out” had a credit check policy educating its recruiters unemployment. The been in place. Looking at 30 hires, 95 percent of those hired about the issue and primary objective of their would have failed a credit check. This talent would have been soliciting their feedback joint program was to on ways to improve on assist the unemployed in lost due to a screen with no bearing on a position’s job hiring and outreach finding jobs and to ensure qualifications or the applicant’s performance. The ripple effect efforts that will assist these individuals were of a “do not hire” decision significantly and negatively affects with recruiting the long- properly trained to an applicant’s (and his/her family’s) housing, health term unemployed. maximize their success insurance, self-respect, and more. Frontier is a better once hired. company for having a talented and dedicated new employee. MetLife is also partnering Since signing the Best Practices Pledge, Frontier has with local intermediary Their relationship with the implemented other steps to make their hiring process more organizations in Warwick, organization was formed accessible and user-friendly. For example, video interviewing Rhode Island and a few short months ago is now common (in person interviews are an option) and has Raleigh, North Carolina with a goal to hire 10 made the hiring process more accessible to those with that support the hiring of people for Aetna’s physical challenges. Video interviews are especially helpful for the long-term Chicago office. Skills for customer service jobs, allowing the off-site interviewer/hiring unemployed. In Warwick, Chicagoland’s Future MetLife is working with a Talent screened, manager to appreciate “soft” competencies not apparent from non-profit organization interviewed and a resume. Interviews with applicants having high levels of that provides job seekers presented Aetna with 20 these competencies can result in job offers, demonstrating with pre-employment highly qualified that a resume showing wide gaps in employment is not an preparation and training candidates to be indicator of a candidate’s overall abilities. The success of programs and connects considered for 10 open video interviewing has expanded hiring pools; hiring managers job seekers to employers. roles. Aetna was see it as a positive development and it is appreciated by In Raleigh, MetLife is extremely impressed with applicants who might not be able to travel easily, for whatever working with Wake the caliber and overall reason, to an interview site. Technical Community quality of the candidates. Frontier Communications is now a member of Platform to College which has Aetna hired 10 new Employment, a nationally-recognized program to help long- applied for one of the employees from that term unemployed workers get back to work. The Company Ready to Work grants to group of candidates on plans to use Platform to Employment for more hires in 2014. train the long-term June 23rd. To date, Aetna unemployed and is pleased to report that In addition, in June 2014, Frontier’s Vice President of Talent veterans in cybersecurity. all are successful. Acquisition and Development, was appointed to the board of the WorkPlace 34 "Governor Malloy Announces Programs for Long-Term Unemployed," Connecticut Department of Labor (February 2014). 61