City-County Workforce Development Merger
Partner:
Client:
Cook County, City of Chicago
Practice Area:
Project Year:
2011
Project Description:
The City and County will merge workforce development efforts across the region, announced Cook County President Preckwinkle and Chicago Mayor Emanuel on October 20th, 2011.
Today, four different boards and associated staffs support approximately 100 agencies and organizations. The merger aims to create a single Chicagoland Workforce Board as a centralized partner for businesses seeking employees and residents seeking jobs, whether in the city or suburbs.
Workforce Development consolidation was one of the 19 recommendations made in June by the Joint Committee on City-County Collaboration. “The Collaboration initiative is rapidly becoming a national best practice,” said Collaboration Committee member Ralph Moore, President of Ralph G. Moore and Associates. “Gathering the county’s brightest minds in the area of workforce development on one team will result in more effective strategies while eliminating the debilitating competition for dollars and talent between the separate initiatives.”
Mayer Brown helped develop the initial recommendation for consolidation and will continue to provide legal support to the effort. David Narefsky, Partner at Mayer Brown, said, “The consolidated workforce initiative is an excellent example of innovative City-County collaboration on shared services. Mayer Brown is very excited to provide legal support for this important project.”