Wilmington, DE – Governor Markell issued the following statement in reaction to President Obama’s State of the Union address:

“The President delivered the messages needed for our country to meet the challenges of the 21st century, recognizing that the new economy offers incredible possibilities for all of us if we tap into the talents of all of our people, embrace the promise of new technology, and ensure everyone has the opportunity to reach his or her potential.

“He recognized that this means providing access to high quality education and training from pre-K students through workers who are retooling for new industries. It means engaging with economies around the world, while working together to address the impacts of climate change, and it means removing the barriers to our citizen’s success, including political gridlock. I was pleased to hear he hopes to work with Congress to address the substance abuse epidemic and inequities in our criminal justice system. And I was inspired by his call for the Vice President to lead our country’s efforts to cure cancer. Joe Biden has been fighting for people for four decades, and this mission may be his greatest and most lasting gift to our country.

“While our prosperity certainly requires effectively fighting national security threats from foreign enemies, it also demands that we hold true to our values, as the President said tonight. There is no reason why leaders at the national, state, and local levels cannot rally together around these missions.”

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Guided Department’s efforts to create more opportunities for Delaware workers

Wilmington, DE – Having successfully led the Department of Labor’s efforts to support Delaware workers during one of the most challenging times in the state’s history, Secretary John McMahon announced today that he would retire to spend more time with his family. An effective date, as well as Governor Markell’s nominee to replace him, will be announced in the coming days.

“John’s work has driven tremendous progress throughout the Department of Labor, while dealing with the unprecedented demands for Department services during a time when so many workers needed assistance as a result of the Great Recession,” said Markell. “Importantly, he has also played a vital role in helping our state tap into the talents of groups who were too often unable to access the employment opportunities they deserved, from recently returning veterans to people with disabilities. I am grateful for John’s passionate service and wish him and his family the best in everything that comes next.”

One of the signature accomplishments of Secretary McMahon’s leadership involved the vast improvement of Delaware’s online resources to support workers in improving their resumes and identifying job openings, while assisting employers in finding well-qualified Delawareans to fill company needs. Tens of thousands of workers have used these services, with more than 60 percent of Delawareans who use the services of the Division of Employment and Training now gaining employment within 90 days. That’s up from 42 percent in June 2010.

In the state’s new resume builder application, workers input their skills and experiences into a program that churns out a professional resume that more clearly indicates their strengths. Employers can then search the database for the people who are most likely to fit in their companies. In addition, the Department has launched web-enabled career lattices focusing on the manufacturing, IT, finance, retail, and hospitality sectors. These tools give workers an easy way to determine jobs for which they qualify in growing fields and the skills they need to acquire to help advance their careers.

Additional progress made during McMahon’s tenure includes:

• Veterans: Unemployment rate for most recent returning veterans (age 18-34) has dropped from 14.5% (2010) to 5% (2014), following an intensive effort to engage the business community in considering these individuals.
  • From 2009 to 2014, the Department’s Veterans Program experienced a 55% increase in positive employment outcomes for all veterans served and a 40% increase for disabled veterans.
• People with Disabilities: The Department has partnered with businesses statewide to help improve employment opportunities for people with disabilities and a recent study ranked Delaware first in getting youth receiving social security disability benefits into employment.
  • The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation’s efforts to connect people with disabilities to employment opportunities resulted in benefit savings of $1.65 million in 2014, compared to less than $1 million prior to 2008.
• Workplace Safety: The number of injuries and illnesses causing employees to miss work decreased by nearly 23 percent from 2008 to 2013, from 3,690 to 2,860.
  • During this time, the Department’s Division of Industrial Affairs has increased outreach to provide free workplace inspections to Delaware employers.

“It has been my highest honor to lead the Department of Labor and the truly dedicated and committed staff who worked tirelessly throughout the Great Recession,” said McMahon. “I am grateful to Governor Markell for this incredible experience and for the chance to be part of the dedicated efforts of so many state leaders to support our citizens through both recession and recovery. While it is not easy to leave the many Labor employees who work so hard every day on behalf of our state, this job demands a tremendous commitment and I feel it is necessary to step down to have more time to spend with my family.”

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Delaware schools greatly expanding opportunities to earn college credit

Dover, DE – Building on efforts to ensure all Delaware students graduate prepared to continue their education or start a career, the Governor announced today that the number of high school students taking college-level classes before graduation is dramatically increasing for the second consecutive year. Across the state, 28 high schools have offered classes with a combined attendance of more than 2,100 students during the fall semester. That represents an increase of about 400 from last fall, when 25 high schools offered 100 classes with a combined attendance of just over 1,700 students. By the end of this academic year, total attendance will surpass 2,700 in 170 dual enrollment courses. The number of classes and participants has tripled in the past two years since Governor Markell announced an initiative to increase these opportunities in his 2014 State of the State address.

A full breakdown by individual districts and schools will be released by the Department of Education next month.

“Our goal is to make dual enrollment available for every student in Delaware who wants to participate, and together, we are making that more of a reality every year,” said Governor Markell. “Students who take college courses in high school are more likely to attend and persist in college and to graduate ready for their next step, so we are eager to continue our progress in years to come.”

Through these dual enrollment courses, students receive instruction either on a college campus or from a teacher who has received special accreditation from one of the state’s higher education institutions. Credit can count toward high school graduation and a college degree. Dual enrollment is different from Advanced Placement courses, which prepare students for an exam, through which they can earn college credit if they receive a high enough score. Participation in AP classes has also steadily increased, including by more than 400 in the past couple of years.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, students who complete college credit while in high school require less remediation, have higher Grade Point Averages, and earn more credits in college.

“This progress is only possible because of an intense effort by educators and administrators to prepare to offer these classes, as well as by our colleges and universities,” said Education Secretary Steve Godowsky, who recognized the University of Delaware, Delaware State University, Delaware Tech, Goldey-Beacom, Widener and Wilmington University for working with districts. “At a time when education and training beyond high school is more important than ever for students to reach their potential, our state needs a strong partnership between our districts and our higher education community. Their collaboration on these courses showcases the best of what that can mean for our young people.”

Markell highlighted the state’s progress today at POLYTECH High School, one of the schools that has made the most progress in making more college-level courses available across a variety of subjects, ranging from anatomy to sociology. In addition, partnerships with Delaware Technical & Community College and Wilmington University have allowed the school to explore opportunities for students to take dual enrollment courses in nine Career Technical Education areas, including electrical construction. Overall, attendance in dual enrollment at POLYTECH doubled from about 130 to about 260 in just the past year. The Governor visited with students taking electrical construction, early childhood instruction, psychology, history, and personal wellness.

“Almost all median income jobs now require post high school coursework or certification,” said POLYTECH Principal Jason Peel. “Our students will be able to work right after high school as well as have an advanced start to earning a college degree. I am so proud of our teachers for seeking out these opportunities for their students.”

In his 2014 State of the State address, Markell announced an initiative to ensure all high school seniors have access to a college-level class, regardless of their financial circumstances. The state has funded hundreds of students each year as part of this effort.

The Department of Education has worked with districts to identify college-ready students who would benefit from taking a dual enrollment course through one of the state’s higher education institutions. Students can then enroll in college having accumulated credits without any financial burden, thus making college more affordable and increasing the likelihood they will graduate on time.

The dual-enrollment increase complements a partnership that the state has launched with the College Board to send all college-ready seniors application and financial aid resources, including application fee waivers to eligible students. Students then receive help in school filling out their applications and financial aid forms. For the past two years, every college-ready senior has applied to college and nearly all enrolled. Previously, as many as one out of five had not.

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 ​DOVER, DE – Insurance Commissioner Karen Weldin Stewart today announced she has fined Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Delaware $383,000 for numerous violations, including failure to pay policyholder claims in a timely fashion.

Commissioner Stewart has also fined Aetna, Inc. $100,000 for failing to pay policyholder claims in a timely fashion and for charging excessive copays, among other violations.

The fines resulted from routine market conduct examinations of each insurer performed by Insurance Department examiners.

A copy of the Stipulation and Consent Order and the Market Conduct Exam Report for each matter may be found at

http://delawareinsurance.gov/

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Commissioner Stewart Urges People without Coverage to Enroll Now

​Dover, DE – The open enrollment period for obtaining health insurance through Delaware’s Health Insurance Marketplace ends on January 31. If you want health insurance coverage to begin on February 1, you’ll need to enroll in a plan by January 15. If you enroll in a plan between January 16 and January 31, your health insurance will not take effect until March 1, 2016.

Insurance Commissioner Karen Weldin Stewart reminds Delawareans who think they can’t afford health insurance that eight out of ten people who enrolled in Delaware received help paying for their insurance. Find out if you qualify for financial assistance now by going to www.healthcare.gov.

If you don’t have health insurance coverage in 2016 you’ll risk having to pay a federal fee at tax time. You’ll pay a penalty of either 2.5% of your income, or $695 per adult ($347.50 per child) — whichever is higher. You pay the fee when you file your federal tax return for the year you don’t have coverage.

After January 31, 2016, you can’t buy a health insurance plan for the rest of 2016 unless you have a specific life change — like having a baby, getting married, or losing other health coverage — that qualifies you for a Special Enrollment Period.

Are you ready to enroll? Consumers can find more details about the various plans and their related premiums and deductibles, as well as any potential premium subsidies they may be eligible for, at www.healthcare.gov. If you need additional help choosing a plan, there are free and local assistance available across the state to help answer your questions. They can also assist you with the enrollment process – find their contact information at www.choosehealthde.com.

Commissioner Stewart also reminds you that scam artists are active as enrollment deadlines approach, so be cautious if you purchase a health plan through a site other than www.choosehealthde.com or www.healthcare.gov. Other websites may offer plans that don’t contain the coverage benefits available through the Affordable Care Act.

Don’t forget, small businesses can apply for SHOP coverage for their employees any time, all year. Go to https://www.healthcare.gov/small-businesses/employers/

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