Department Merge Needs Legislative Approval

The merging of Wyoming's two agencies that deal with employment; Wyoming Workforce Services and the Department of Employment will first need Legislative approval.  So says the new common director of the two departments, Joan Evans.

Evan says, even so, they're already meeting with staff to discuss what shape that merger might take.

"We've already met with the staff in Cheyenne. We meet with the staff in Casper this week- also make contact with their field staff- and talk about the things that we have in common, the things that we feel may be a duplication of effort."

Right now the Department of Employment handles unemployment insurance, but accompanying work search requirements go through Workforce Services.

"and so just right there," Evans says, " there can be some ways that a client can be confused.  They can not know which agency provides which part of that service.  We'll definitely be looking at the processes as they pertain to unemployment and reemployment."

Ultimately they want to become more user friendly to their customers.

Evans says she suspects Legislators will be supportive, but they won't really know until after the session begins and a bill related to the combining of the departments is introduced.