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Workforce Recovery Newsletter
February 2013
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Upcoming Events
FEL and Career Transitions

 

Monday, March 4

12:00 noon Eastern

 

This one-hour webinar from Cengage Learning will introduce you to Career Transitions, the new Florida Electronic Library (FEL) resource available to you in Florida. Career Transitions helps library patrons find jobs, create resumes, and prepare for interviews

 

Register here.

Trends and Issues in E-Government Services

 

Tuesday, March 5

2:00-3:00 p.m. Eastern

 

Join Pam Thompson and the E-Government Workgroup to discuss delivery of E-Government services in Florida libraries.

 

Register for the online meeting.
Webinar Recordings

 

Did you miss the Veterans' Resources Webinar on January 23? You can access the recording of this and other Division online meetings and webinars here.

Improving Women's Financial Literacy & Capabilities Globally

Wednesday, April 17
 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon Eastern
  
The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and Visa Inc. co-host this seventh annual Financial Literacy and Education Summit.
  
The program brings together international financial literacy experts to address potential solutions to improving women's financial literacy and capabilities globally.
  
Additional information and registration for this free online summit can be found here.
Become Money Smart!

April 20-27
  

Money Smart Week @ your library, is a national initiative between the American Library Association and the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago to provide financial literacy programming to help patrons better manage their personal finances.

 

Register your library as a partner here.

Greetings! 

  

Although Florida's economy continues to slowly improve, the unemployed, underemployed, small businesses and entrepreneurs in our state still need the resources that libraries provide. This month's newsletter focuses on ideas and resources to strengthen your patrons financial well-being.

 

Please let me know if I can help you with your efforts, and don't forget to share your ideas and resources on the Project Compass Florida website.

  

Pam Thompson

850.245.6633 
Tax Tips from IRS
      
Each year the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) provides tax publications, fact sheets and tips on their website. Here are just a few links that can help your patrons, whether employed, unemployed, or self-employed, file their returns this year.
  
The Hobby or Business? fact sheet explains the rules for determining if an activity qualifies as a business and what limitations apply if the activity is not a business. Incorrect deduction of hobby expenses account for a portion of the overstated adjustments, deductions, exemptions and credits that add up to $30 billion per year in unpaid taxes, according to IRS estimates. 
  

Each year millions of people have their tax returns prepared for free by IRS-certified volunteers. The IRS programs Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) provide free tax help in communities across the country. Here are

Ten Things to Know About Free Volunteer Tax Help that the IRS would like your patrons to know.  
  
People facing financial difficulties may find that there's a tax impact to events such as job loss, debt forgiveness or tapping a retirement fund. What Ifs for Struggling Taxpayers
provides different job- or debt-related scenarios and the possible tax impacts.  
  
Education is the best way to avoid the pitfalls of these too good to be true tax scams. Tax Scams and Consumer Alerts
provides links to information to help taxpayers avoid becoming victims of tax scams.
  
There can be a tax impact to events such as job loss or debt forgiveness. The Tax Center for the Unemployed covers many subjects including assistance with filing and paying taxes, starting your own business, health insurance and more.
  
Tips for the Self-Employed includes six key points about self-employment and self-employment taxes.
Starting an Internet Business
      

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) provides consumers information if they are considering buying an Internet business opportunity. FTC provides advice on how to recognize sales pitches that are short on details and long on high-pressure tactics and tips on how to investigate the offer.

 

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) site on starting an online business provides practical information on how to be more than just a seller on sites like eBay, Etsy and even Craigslist. SBA's Ten Steps to Starting a Business provides the new small business person or entrepreneur with important tools to help their businesses succeed.

Credit Counseling
  
According to an October 2012 article in U.S. News and World Report,

Americans owe $721 billion on outstanding credit cards. Yet only a fraction of people seek aid from a credit counselor. This is partly because of the bad rap credit-counseling agencies have gotten by being confused with debt-settlement companies.

 

Credit counselors advise people on how to make better budget and lifestyle decisions and develop a debt-management plan to pay back creditors. Below are two reliable resources for your patrons.

 

USA.gov provides advice for your patrons on how to choose a credit counseling agency. 
  
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) also provides a list of approved credit counseling agencies. Patrons can search by state and judicial district for contact information. Many of the approved agencies offer services in languages other than English. 
Go Direct
   
  
The Go Direct site provides complete information on how to make the switch.
  
Recipients can choose to receive their benefit payments by direct deposit to a bank or credit union account or to a Direct Express Debit MasterCard card account.
  
The U.S. Treasury Department's Go Direct is a public education campaign to help educate federal benefit recipients about the new electronic payments requirement and what it means for them.
Connect2Compete
  
  

In Spring 2013 Connect2Compete will launch a three-year, national public service campaign to promote digital literacy. The EveryoneOn campaign's goal is to encourage people who are limited or non-Internet users to learn how to do "one thing better online." Public libraries are key to the success of this effort because of their demonstrated commitment to providing free access to the Internet as well as to improving people's skills (e.g., using a mouse, applying for jobs online, or creating email accounts).

There are three resources currently available.

  1. Program Brief: Explains more about EveryoneOn and what to expect in the next few months and during the campaign.
  2. Frequently Asked Questions: As questions arise, this document will be updated.
  3. Pre-Recorded, Online Session: Discusses much of the documentation. Can be helpful as a review or as additional staff become involved.

Because campaign details continue to evolve, updates will be sent as they become available. Libraries are asked to update their library profile in order to help people looking for digital literacy training or public access computers to see the library as a provider in their area.

 

EveryoneOn is designed to raise awareness of the importance of digital literacy skills - which libraries have embraced for years. This is a great opportunity to promote public libraries as trusted and valuable providers of free public access technology and training as we strive to build stronger communities.

 

For additional information about the campaign, contact Cara Wilner, Connect2Compete, at cwilner@connect2compete.org. 
Can You Help?
HelpWanted

 

How is your library supporting your small business and job-seeking patrons? Do you have a favorite resource? Send your article to Pam Thompson at pam.thompson@dos.myflorida.com to be included in the next newsletter.

This program is made possible by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, administered by the Florida Department of State's Division of Library and Information Services.