by Becky Andrus | Jun 7, 2022 | Regional News
ICYMI: Forbes: State of Michigan a Top-Ten Employer for New Graduates
LANSING, Mich. — Today, Governor Whitmer celebrated the State of Michigan’s ranking as a top ten employer for new graduates in Forbes’ “America’s Best Employers for New Graduates” list. The State of Michigan was ranked 8th out of the 300 total recognized organizations. The list is based on an independent survey of more than 20,000 young professionals in the United States from companies with at least 1,000 employees.
“I am proud that the State of Michigan has been recognized as a top ten organization for new graduates to bring their talents, develop new skills, and start their careers,” said Governor Whitmer. “By enacting paid parental leave, increasing workplace protections, and boosting transparency, my administration has strived to ensure our state’s nearly 50,000-strong workforce has the support to thrive and serve the people of Michigan at the highest level. We will always ensure that State of Michigan employees have what they need to raise a family and ensure a solid quality of life in the state they serve.”
Since being elected to office, Governor Whitmer has implemented new initiatives to build and strengthen the state’s workforce.
Enacting Paid Parental Leave
In February 2020, Governor Whitmer announced the State of Michigan would begin offering paid family leave. This commonsense, family-first approach provides 12 weeks of paid leave immediately following birth or adoption of a child to the near 50,000 State of Michigan employees. Governor Whitmer’s paid family leave policy celebrated its second anniversary this year. Since its implementation, nearly 2,000 civil servants have spent more time bonding with their children.
Creating A More Welcoming Workplace
In 2019, Governor Whitmer signed an executive order to enhance anti-discrimination laws in state employment, contracting, and provision of services.
In her 2019 State of the State Address, Governor Whitmer acknowledged the importance of government transparency and strong ethical standards. She signed a series of executive directives setting new rules for the executive branch. These reforms have led to the creation of the public “Sunshine” webpage, which includes the governor’s public calendars, federal income tax returns, and personal financial information.
The first executive directive of Governor Whitmer’s administration was signed to empower state employees to speak up about imminent threats to public health, safety, or welfare. It encourages openness and reassures workforce protections by law for state employees who speak up.
If you’re interested in pursuing employment with the State of Michigan, click here.
by Becky Andrus | Jun 7, 2022 | Local News
ONTV Announces the Premiere of New Series
“Ideas and Insights”
Orion Neighborhood Television, Orion’s community access television station, announces the premiere of a new series entitled “Ideas and Insights.” The program will premiere on June 11 at 9 p.m. on Comcast Ch. 10, AT&T U-verse 99 and simulcast at orionONTV.org. The show is produced and hosted by Dr. Badrinath Rao, Associate Professor of Sociology and Asian Studies at Kettering University. In the 8 episode series, Dr. Rao remotely interviews authors and professors from all over world to discuss topics about some of the most pressing issues of our time.
In the premiere episode, Dr. Rao discusses the distressing state of democracy across the globe with John Keane, professor of politics at the University of Sydney in Australia. Prof. Keane offers a seminal analysis of the aberrations of democracy from his latest book, “The New Despotism.” “Ideas and Insights” is like no other program ONTV has produced before,” says Ian Locke, ONTV executive director. “When Dr. Rao approached us with his idea for a program that would challenge viewers to think about the times we are in, we couldn’t say no. This program connects our viewers with leading thinkers of our time from across the globe to inspire us to think about how we interact with, and treat one another. It’s very inspiring and thought provoking.”
The program is produced at ONTV, but will be shared nationwide with other community TV stations. “Meaningful programming isn’t just found on commercial media outlets,” says Locke. “Stations like Orion Neighborhood Television exist to allow the public access to media, to encourage free speech, and the sharing of independent ideas.”
A new episode of “Ideas and Insights” will air weekly on Saturdays at 9 p.m. and include additional air times on Sundays at 9 a.m., Mondays at 9 p.m. and Wednesdays at 5 p.m. on all ONTV media platforms.
Orion Neighborhood Television is an award winning community access television station serving the Village of Lake Orion and Orion Township. ONTV is housed at the Orion Center at 1349 Joslyn Rd. ONTV can be seen on Comcast Cable, AT&T U-Verse Channel 99, Roku and Amazon Fire TV, via the Cablecast channel. Programs can also be seen on-demand at www.orionontv.org. Contact ONTV by phone: 248-393-1060, Email: [email protected].
by Becky Andrus | Jun 7, 2022 | Feature Writers, High School Sports
Written Saturday June 4th at 8:00 PM
By Sammy Taormina
Bloomfield Hills performed very well on Friday afternoon at the Division One State Tennis Finals at Western Michigan University. The Blackhawks had 10 State Finalists and eight State Champions but it wasn’t enough as they scored 32 points which was good for second place. Ann Arbor Pioneer took home the State title with 33 points.
The OAA was well represented in Kalamazoo besides the Blackhawks. Troy was third with 22 points, Clarkston was seventh with 12 points, Stoney Creek was tied for eighth with 10 points, Adams was tied for 15th with four points, Troy Athens and Lake Orion were tied for 19th with three points, and Farmington was tied for 22nd with one point.
Groves, Berkley, and Seaholm were in the Division Two State finals which took place on Saturday afternoon at Hope College. Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern took the crown with 34 points. The Maples finished second with 30 points. Groves tied for fourth with 17 points. Berkley was tied for 12th with six points.
The OAA should be strong again next season in girls tennis.
by Becky Andrus | Jun 7, 2022 | Regional News
Gov. Whitmer Announces Canadian EV Charging Network Operator FLO Investing $3 Million, Creating 133 Jobs in Oakland County
LANSING, Mich. – Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer joined Louis Tremblay, the chief executive officer of FLO, a leading North American electric vehicle charging network operator and smart charging solutions provider, to announce a new electric vehicle charger manufacturing facility in Auburn Hills. This $3 million investment is FLO’s first-ever U.S. manufacturing facility and is expected to create 133 jobs in 2023, continuing Michigan’s momentum leading EV-related investments as the state prepares for an electric future.
“We are proud to welcome FLO to Michigan and serve as the home for their very first manufacturing facility in the United States,” said Governor Whitmer. “As we look toward growing our economy, investing in our workforce, and creating good-paying jobs, we know the importance of leading the transition to electric vehicles. FLO’s presence in Oakland County builds on our tradition of automotive manufacturing with an eye toward our electrified future. This announcement is the latest in a series of recent, major investments in Michigan’s economy, and I could not be prouder that the world’s manufacturing leaders know Michigan is the place to be.”
FLO offers smart home charging solutions for both single-family houses and multi-unit residential buildings, as well as access to thousands of public charging stations across the country. FLO will receive an $800,000 Michigan Business Development Program (MBDP) grant for the project. The company expects to produce 250,000 EV chargers by 2028 for the U.S. market and the Auburn Hills facility is expected to create a total of 730 direct, indirect and induced jobs by 2028.
“The opening of this U.S. facility marks a new chapter in FLO’s efforts to support EV adoption across North America,” said Louis Tremblay, FLO president and CEO. “Our team brings over a decade of experience at all levels in the EV charging industry to the U.S. market. From manufacturing and installation to charger maintenance – we are a part of the charging process every step of the way. We look forward to getting to work here in Michigan and continuing our mission of fighting climate change by accelerating EV adoption.”
Governor Whitmer has launched several initiatives to advance Michigan’s EV infrastructure to draw investments from companies such as FLO. Those include the Michigan Revolution for the Electrification of Vehicles (MiREV), which works directly with employers to ensure Michigan has the programs and resources to fill both current and future talent gaps for in-demand and emerging jobs in the mobility and electrification industry and played a key role in helping to attract FLO to expand and grow in Michigan. The governor also launched the Office of Future Mobility and Electrification, which works across state government, academia, and private industry to enhance Michigan’s mobility ecosystem.
“Michigan is an ideal location for EV charging companies wanting to change the world. We offer customer proximity, a strong supply chain, a talented workforce, commitment to innovation, and aggressive programs to rollout charging infrastructure,” said Trevor Pawl, Chief Mobility Officer for the State of Michigan. “We are honored to have FLO, one of the most exciting charging companies in the world, join our mobility and electrification industry as they expand their presence across North America.”
Today’s news builds on other recently announced initiatives to expand Michigan’s electric vehicle charging infrastructure and deploy mobility projects across the state. In May 2022, Governor Whitmer announced a partnership with Adopt a Charger and electric vehicle automaker Rivian to install charging stations in Michigan state parks. The installation at Holland State Park kicked off phased state park EV charging installations as part of the Lake Michigan EV Circuit and across the state. The state of Michigan and National Park Service also announced a partnership in April 2022, which aims to improve safety, sustainability, and equitable access at national parks through innovative mobility technologies deployed in Michigan’s five national parks: Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Isle Royale National Park, Keweenaw National Historical Park, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, and River Raisin National Battlefield Park.
Also in April 2022, Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist II announced that Michigan will launch six new services to expand electric vehicle charging infrastructure, increase access to electric vehicles, and broaden electric vehicle adoption in communities around the state. The six mobility companies – Chargeway, eCAMION, ElectricFish, Fleet Lab, MoGo, and Volta – will receive more than $577,000 in total funding through the Michigan Mobility Funding Platform to deploy mobility projects in Lansing, Traverse City, Port Austin, Allegan County, Burt Township, Monroe, Ann Arbor, Detroit, and DTE Energy’s Service Territory.
These electric vehicle projects align with the governor’s April 2022 announcement of her MI Healthy Climate Plan, which outlines a series of goals to encourage greater electric vehicle adoption statewide.
“Electric vehicles need reliable, sustainable charging wherever and whenever they travel, and that’s forcing a complete reimagining of the infrastructure and ecosystem to support them,” said Maureen Donohue Krauss, president and CEO of the Detroit Regional Partnership. “It’s exciting, the future of mobility is being created in the Detroit Region and companies that want to be part of it need to be here. We are proud to partner with the MEDC in bringing an innovative company like FLO to Michigan.”
With a common goal of sustainability and increasing electric vehicle charging infrastructure, FLO will feel right at home in the state of Michigan.
“FLO’s announcement underscores Michigan’s leadership in the EV and mobility sector. As Team Michigan, we remain committed to winning the future of mobility and EV manufacturing here in our state,” said MEDC CEO and Michigan Strategic Fund President and Chair Quentin Messer Jr. “We are thankful for the opportunity to welcome FLO’s newest U.S. manufacturing facility to our state and appreciate the legislature’s continued partnership and support for critical tools like MBDP that are helping us secure these critical investments. Companies looking for innovative partners, a supportive business climate, and dedicated workforce need look no further than right here in Michigan.”
by Becky Andrus | Jun 7, 2022 | Regional News
Media contact:
AG Press
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Monday, June 6, 2022
AG Nessel Defends State Minimum Wage Protections for Employees of Federal Contractors
LANSING – Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel joined a coalition of 16 attorneys general, led by California, in an amicus brief in defense of state minimum wage protections for employees of federal contractors in Washington v. GEO Group. The case centers around a lawsuit filed in 2017 by the State of Washington challenging GEO Group, Inc.’s (GEO) failure to pay state minimum wages to individuals who worked for GEO during their confinement to GEO’s private, for-profit detention facility while awaiting the outcome of civil immigration proceedings. In the amicus brief, the coalition highlights the critical importance of state minimum wage protections, pushes back on GEO’s efforts to evade broadly applicable wage and hour laws, and urges the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit to affirm the lower court’s judgment.
“As attorney general, protecting the residents of our state from exploitation is a top priority,” Nessel said. “The Michigan minimum wage is currently $9.87 an hour and through their unfair labor practices, GEO Group, a private business, attempted to clothe itself in federal immunity and exploit immigrant workers to circumvent minimum wage laws. I stand with my colleagues in asserting that state minimum wage laws are applicable to any entity that conducts business in a state regardless of the entity’s status as a federal contractor.”
In 2017, the State of Washington and individual plaintiffs filed lawsuits against GEO challenging its failure to pay the state minimum wage to civil immigration detainees who worked for the company while confined to its privately-owned facility in Tacoma. For years, GEO paid these workers $1 per day — well below Washington’s minimum wage, which ranged between $7.35 and $13.69 during the years when GEO relied on civil detainee labor to run its facility. In 2021, a federal jury determined GEO violated Washington’s minimum wage laws and ordered the company to pay all its workers at least the state minimum wage. Despite the decision, GEO continues to assert that, as a federal contractor, it should not have to comply with the state’s broadly applicable wage laws. In the amicus brief, the coalition makes it clear that selling goods or services to the federal government does not place a private employer beyond the reach of a state’s minimum wage or other wage and hour laws.
In the amicus brief, the coalition asserts:
- states have broad authority to regulate employment, including minimum wages;
- broadly applicable wage and hour laws protect workers, guard against exploitation, promote job creation, and support thriving labor markets;
- the intergovernmental immunity doctrine does not exempt private employers from broadly applicable state minimum wage statutes; and
- the Ninth Circuit should affirm the district court’s judgment in favor of the plaintiffs.
In filing the amicus brief, Attorney General Nessel joins the attorneys general of California, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Oregon, New Mexico, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
