Category: Uncategorized

The Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Development released a document that outlines its response to the inquiries received from employers regarding work refusals for unemployment insurance.

In the revised legislation, Continued Assistance for Unemployed Workers Act of 2020, there is a requirement that claimants must not refuse suitable work. In order to fulfill the requirement of “able, available, and seeking work” there must be a reasonable effort on the part of the claimant to obtain suitable work. In the case of someone refusing to show for an interview, this could be viewed as “non-availability” unless the claimant can provide documentation to the department that warrants an exemption. TN DOL notes a claimant is only required to report three viable work searches weekly. If the failure to report to the interview occurred during the same week that a specific work search was reported it could possibly result in an overpayment.

Any employer is encouraged to report work refusal (this includes a no-show for an interview to the department for further review. This process is further outlined here.

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation announced Wednesday they are partnering to develop a statewide electric vehicle fast charging network to power the growth of EVs across Tennessee and reduce barriers to transportation electrification.

TDEC and TVA signed an agreement to collaborate and fund a network of fast charging stations every 50 miles along Tennessee’s interstates and major highways. This initiative would add approximately 50 new charging locations, tripling the existing fast charging network. There are only 24 fast charging locations currently operating in Tennessee that are open to all consumers and support both charging standards common to EVs.

“This investment in electric vehicle charging infrastructure is a monumental step forward, and I’m proud that Tennessee is leading in this important effort,” Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee said. “With TVA’s partnership, we will be able to continue our work to protect our environment and improve our transportation infrastructure.”

“Innovative partnerships with state agencies like TDEC and our local power companies are essential in developing one of the nation’s most comprehensive EV fast charging networks, starting in Tennessee,” TVA President and CEO Jeff Lyash said. “Through this partnership, TVA is positioned to be a national leader in electric transportation by making it easier for local power companies to install fast charging stations, which make electric vehicles an easy choice for consumers to make.”

A network of public fast charging stations will promote EV growth by giving drivers more confidence that they’ll have easy access to refueling while they’re away from home, eliminating so-called “range anxiety” that keeps many consumers from considering EVs a viable option.

TVA, the nation’s largest public power provider, says EV adoption will spur jobs and economic investment in the region, keep refueling dollars in the local economy, reduce the region’s largest source of carbon emissions, and save drivers and fleets money.

“This agreement shows TDEC’s ongoing commitment to a clean environment,” TDEC Commissioner David Salyers said. “This is an exciting development for Tennesseans, and we are pleased to partner with TVA on this project that will benefit rural and urban communities alike.”

TDEC and TVA will leverage various funding sources to support the development of the fast charging network with an anticipated project cost of $20 million. TDEC has committed 15 percent, the maximum allowable, of the State’s Volkswagen Diesel Settlement Environmental Mitigation allocation to fund light-duty EV charging infrastructure. Approximately $5 million from this fund is expected to be allocated to fast charging infrastructure along corridors. The remainder of the project will be funded by TVA, other program partners, and program participant cost share.

The agreement reflects recommendations outlined in the Tennessee Statewide EV Charging Infrastructure Needs Assessment, conducted in 2019 by Drive Electric Tennessee, a consortium that includes TDEC, TVA and the Tennessee Department of Transportation. The agreement will support Drive Electric Tennessee’s goal of 200,000 light-duty EVs in Tennessee by 2028. As of December 2020, 11,034 light-duty EVs were registered in Tennessee.

TVA is working with a group of local power companies to design a charging station experience convenient for drivers, located close to major highways, and featuring access to amenities that drivers expect.

To learn more about this partnership, the Memorandum of Agreement, and Tennessee’s Volkswagen Diesel Settlement Environmental Mitigation Trust Beneficiary Mitigation Plan, visit tva.com/ev and http://tn.gov/EVfastcharge.

The Tennessee Valley Authority is a corporate agency of the United States that provides electricity for business customers and local power companies serving nearly 10 million people in parts of seven southeastern states. TVA receives no taxpayer funding, deriving virtually all of its revenues from sales of electricity. In addition to operating and investing its revenues in its electric system, TVA provides flood control, navigation and land management for the Tennessee River system and assists local power companies, and state and local governments, with economic development and job creation.

The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation exists to enhance the quality of life for citizens of Tennessee and to be stewards of our natural environment by protecting and improving the quality of Tennessee’s air, land, and water through a responsible regulatory system; protecting and promoting human health and safety; conserving and promoting natural, cultural and historic resources; and providing a variety of quality outdoor recreational experiences.

Sharing this article from Site Selection magazine which outlines the challenges facing today’s workforce as the pandemic continues.

Against this backdrop, we turned to several leaders in economic development and asked them to share their views on the top issues facing the workforce and workforce development. What they had to say was telling, but even more impactful was the way they said it.

A heightened sense of urgency was evident in their voice. So was an overwhelming emotion of empathy for failing businesses and laid-off workers. These conversations were unlike any I’ve had in 20 years of reporting at Site Selection magazine and Conway Data.

For that reason, I’m letting them speak for themselves, with their words edited only for style, clarity and brevity. In some cases, their words are so powerful, you’ll want to read them twice.

Read more.

Business leaders across Tennessee continue to be more optimistic about the state’s economic outlook than the nation’s, according to the most recent survey conducted by the Boyd Center for Business and Economic Research at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

The Tennessee Business Leaders Survey shows that respondents credit Tennessee’s positive outlook largely to stronger business investment and better government leadership. Looking more broadly, 80 percent view the US economy as worse than a year ago, before the COVID-19 pandemic began, but 90 percent believe it has improved or held steady over the past six months. Thirty six percent of respondents in August 2020 expected the US economy to be a little or considerably better over the next 12 months, but that number climbed to almost 50 percent in the January 2021 survey.

“This shows us that Tennessee business leaders are optimistic that the worst economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are behind us,” said Bill Fox, director of the Boyd Center. “There’s even more optimism about the Tennessee economy, and an appreciation for how quickly many businesses were able to adapt to the new normal of the past year.”

Read complete article from the University of Tennessee.

This Op-Ed written by Bryan Daniels, president and CEO of the Blount Partnership, appeared in the Feb. 7, 2021 edition of The Daily Times.

Since 2015, the Blount Partnership has collaborated with the cities of Alcoa and Maryville and Blount County government to generate eight major economic development announcements that totaled 3,270 jobs and $1.8 billion in capital investment.

Developing a successful community does not come easily. It takes the cohesive meshing of nonprofits, businesses and government to bring about positive opportunities to Blount County. That cooperation is unrivaled, not only in Tennessee, but nationally as well. It is this special blend that led Amazon to make Alcoa the home for its newest fulfillment center that Gov. Bill Lee proudly announced Wednesday.

Coming to fruition after many months of negotiations, the name behind the developer was finally revealed. The wrapping came off the package and what was assumed proved to be true. Blount County gained a huge employer that not only provides a solid starting wage and comprehensive benefits, but is known to be a major contributor in every community it joins.

Amazon is committed to supporting this community as it does everywhere it has located. It works side by side with community partners to find solutions and build long-term, innovative programs that have a lasting, positive impact. We look forward to working with its local leadership to ensure there are opportunities to engage with our educators through advanced robotics, science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programs.

But sometimes there’s confusion on how we got there. What is conveyed in the media is sometimes lost in translation. Even when facts are presented on paper and further discussed, what is presented to the public does not always fit the tone. To that end, here is information everyone should know about how the Amazon deal is structured.

First, Amazon is investing no less than $200 million in Blount County for purchasing the property, completing all its earth work, and constructing the facility. With that, Amazon is hiring no less than 800 full-time employees at a starting wage of no less than $15 per hour plus full benefits. It also has pledged to provide up-skill training for in-demand jobs.

Secondly, construction of the facility is to be completed by May 2022 and must be fully operational by fall 2022 in preparation for the upcoming holiday season. Moreover, the Industrial Development Board (IDB) will take possession of the entirety of Amazon’s assets and charge a lease back for use of its assets that is equal to the property taxes Amazon would have paid. This ensures that no property taxes paid by Blount County citizens are used for Amazon’s benefit.

The question about incentives always arises. People wish to know what was given up to gain such a prestigious company. A lot of times, there are tax breaks that make a deal happen. In this case, no local incentives were provided to Amazon from Blount County, the city of Alcoa, nor the IDB.

In fact, the IDB borrowed $12 million from Alcoa and Blount County to make roadway improvements to Cusick and Singleton Station roads to ensure that Blount County citizens are not impacted by Amazon’s logistic operations. Amazon’s lease payments to the IDB will be used to pay back the full amount.

Cusick Road improvements begin April 1, 2021, and are to conclude by May 31, 2022, while the Singleton Station Road improvements begin no later than October 2021 and are slated to be completed by October 2022.

Additional projects undertaken include completion of Blount County’s remaining section of the Blount-Alcoa-Maryville Greenway system linking it to Knoxville’s Greenway. That begins in spring 2021 with a completion date no later than December 2023.

Finally, public water and sewer line extension work around Cusick Road begins in spring 2021 and is scheduled to be completed by October 2021.

Let us not forget why Amazon chose Blount County. It did so because of our workforce resources, business-friendly atmosphere, top public schools, livability, and the opportunities for employees.

Furthermore, Amazon does not just ship to consumers across the globe; it also aids small businesses. Listing their products on Amazon helps increase their customer reach. As small businesses thrive, further job creation and spending are bound to happen.

Given that small businesses prosper by using Amazon, according to the economic update for the U.S. and Tennessee published by the University of Tennessee in January 2021, growth in tax collection in 2020 was significant due to online sales tax collections from companies like Amazon, companies that are being required to collect sales taxes for the first time. In particular, sales tax rose in 92 of Tennessee’s 95 counties, including in Blount County by 14%.

As shown above, Amazon is not asking to take anything away from the community other than its support. With that, it is willing to give back handsomely and has a track record of doing so, including a recently launched $2 billion Housing Equity Fund to create inclusive housing developments. With these facts in hand, we look forward to adding Amazon to our long list of successful businesses that call Blount County home.

Orders placed with U.S. factories for business equipment rose in December for an eighth straight month, underscoring steady improvement in capital investment that’s been a bright spot for the economy.

Core capital goods orders, which exclude aircraft and military hardware, rose 0.6% after an upwardly revised 1% advance in November, Commerce Department data showed Wednesday. The median forecast in a Bloomberg survey of economists predicted a 0.5% gain, after a previously reported 0.5% November advance.

The broader measure of bookings for all durables, or goods meant to last at least three years, increased 0.2%, less than forecast as orders for commercial aircraft and defense hardware declined. Economists had expected total orders would post a stronger advance of around 1% in December. Even with that shortfall, total orders are close to their pre-pandemic levels. Orders for motor vehicles rose 1.4% in December while demand for defense aircraft jumped 5%.

The capital goods figures corroborate other recent data that show that manufacturing is exceeding expectations and investment in equipment remains strong, helped in part by ultra-low borrowing costs. Supply-chain constraints and workforce issues, such as workers calling out sick, have been restraints on production, but still-lean inventories should continue to drive output in the coming months.

“The manufacturing sector recovery is robust, supported by strong domestic spending in goods and the global industrial upturn, led by China,” Ian Shepherdson, chief economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, said in a note. “We see no reason to expect this favorable outlook to change in the near-term, but the fate of the U.S. economy overall is much more contingent on the services sector, still hamstrung by covid.”

Read complete article.

Tennessee is ranked No. 1 in the South Central Region for workforce development, according to Site Selection magazine. Read more.

Tennessee Advanced Energy Business Council produced this video about creating high-quality jobs and high-quality life in Tennessee. View it and contact us to begin your journey.