CONTENTS:

• Advocacy and Public Policy
• Unemployment
• Job Training and Special Needs Placement - Allentown.
• Job Search Resources - Allentown
• Other Resources

Advocacy and Public Policy

• Interfaith Worker Justice
• National Labor Committee
• Jobs with Justice, National
• Jobs with Justice, Philadelphia
• Can my boss do that?

Workers, Jobs, Unemployment - Public Policy resources

• Employee Free Choice Act
  www.iwj.org/index.cfm/employee-free-choice-act
  www.freechoiceact.org
• Wage Theft Prevention Act
  www.wagetheft.org
  www.iwj.org
• Comprehensive Immigration Reform
  www.immigrationpolicy.org
• Unemployment Compensation: extended benefits expire later this year
  www.dli.state.pa.us
• Energy Efficiency / Renewable Energy
  www.energyjustice.org
• "New Energy for America" (www.apolloalliance.org)
  Other reports: www.apolloalliance.org/reports/
• "Maximum Wage"
  www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/aug/06/maximum-pay-inequlity-executives
• Mountain Rose Herbs(Eugene, Oregon) a model company for sustainable business practices
  www.mountainroseherbs.com

Minimum Wage/Living Wage

• Let Justice Roll: Living Wage Campaign
• Living/Minimum Wage (Interfaith Worker Justice)

Unemployment

• Pennsylvania Unemployment Compensation - information about benefits and filing claims.
• Philadelphia Unemployment Project - extensive resources on unemployment and jobs; also resources on health care and housing assistance
• Project Back-on-Track is sponsored by the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO and funded by the PA Dept. of Labor and Industry. Pennsylvania residents who are currently unemployed are invited to share their opinions about the development of new services for the long-term unemployed in Pennsylvania at www.projectbackontrack.org.

Job Training and Special Needs Placement - Allentown

Government Funded:

• Lehigh Valley Careerlink / Workforce Investment Board - 1601 Union Boulevard. Allentown. PA
  Government funded clearing house for job training, search, unemployment etc.
• Office of Vocational Rehabilitation - 45 N. 4th St. Allentown. PA
  State funded work training program for those with disabilities. Includes job training/coaching.

Private/Non-Profit:

• Permanent Employment Program at Lehigh County Conference of Churches - 534 Chew St., Allentown. PA
  United Way funded transitional work program, working with chronically unemployed offering job readiness, training, and job search capacities. Paid job training for those in Allentown and Lehigh County on occasion. 2010-2011 plan to work with close to 30 individuals at 15 hours a week with a budget of approximately $60,000.
• Good Shepherd Work Program - 1901 Lehigh St., Allentown. PA
  For individuals with physical and mental disabilities. Paid work opportunities with heavy supervision for those with special needs.
• Clean Team at the Allentown Rescue Mission - 355 W. Hamilton St., Allentown. PA
  Clean Team participants are homeless clients of the Allentown Rescue Mission, and they will do real work in neighborhoods of downtown Allentown, picking up litter. 2010-2011 plan to work with 40 individuals at 30 hours a week with a budget of $194,000.
• Clubhouse of the Lehigh Valley - 1437 Linden St., Allentown. PA
  The Clubhouse of Lehigh County offers psychosocial rehabilitation services that provide hope and heating for men and women recovering from mental illness. It is a place where adults come together to learn valuable job skills, gain support and meet people.
• Allentown Weed and Seed - Grace Eniscopal Church, 5th and Linden Sts., Allentown. PA
  Job readiness assistance and referrals for those in weed and seed area (Tilghman to Hamilton and 8th to American Parkway, as well as, American Parkway to Front St. and Gordon to Hamilton)
• Work Ready Program at the CACLV - 44 E. Broad St., Bethlehem. PA
  The Work Ready Program is a six-month program designed to assist individuals moving from welfare to work. It focuses on those with less than a ninth-grade education and teaches the skills necessary in finding and keeping a job. Works solely with TANF clients.
• Program for Women and Families - 1030 Walnut St. Allentown. PA
  Works with women who are transitioning out of the criminal justice system to address employment needs through their residential and outpatient programming.

Job Search Resources

• Career Link - Pennsylvania Employment Service

Clothing:

• First Impressions for Men - 1031 W. Linden St. Allentown, PA (610) 439-1061 [appt. only]
• The Perfect Fit for Women - 1101 W. Hamilton St. Allentown, PA (610) 871-5060

Legal Services:

• North Penn Legal Services - 65 E. Elizabeth Ave. Bethlehem, PA (610) 317-8757

GED Services/ESL:

• The Literacy Center - 801 Hamilton St., Allentown, PA (610) 435-0680
• Hispanic American Organization - 462 Walnut St., Allentown, PA (610) 435-5334
• Salvation Army - 810 W. Turner St., Allentown, PA (610) 432-2381
• Sixth St. Shelter - 219 N. 6th St., Allentown, PA (610) 435-1490
• CareerLink - 1601 Union Blvd., Allentown, PA (610) 439-1123 X313
• Lehigh Carbon Community College Donley Center - 718 Hamilton St. Allentown, PA (610) 799-1940

Transportation:

• Private Industry Council - 1601 Union Blvd., Allentown, PA (610) 841-1163

Child Care:

• Hispanic American Organization - 462 Walnut St., Allentown, PA (610) 435-5334
• Department of Public Welfare (LONG WAITING LiST)

Support Groups:

• Many different churches have support groups for networking and dealing with unemployment.

Job Training: Commentary

• The New Poor: Job Training Struggles to Keep Pace in an Economy in Flux
  (New York Times: July 19, 2010).
  U.S. Dept. of Labor study: many job training programs don't help the unemployed find work; but also, what does work.

Other Resources

• Dilbert