Showing posts with label United States Department of Veterans Affairs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label United States Department of Veterans Affairs. Show all posts

Monday, June 22, 2015

Mark Warner On "On Demand" Work Force




Friends,

I wanted to let you know about a significant issue I’ve started to focus on: the big shifts occurring in the workplace and among the workforce as more and more people work “on-demand” in what’s called the "sharing economy".

Whether by economic necessity or by choice, as many as one-third of American workers now piece together several on-demand opportunities to make a living. And with continuous advances in technology, that number continues to grow, especially as the Millennial generation enters the workforce.

Today, online platforms such as Airbnb, Uber, TaskRabbit and Etsy can provide easy-to-use digital platforms to match supply and demand for goods and services. These innovations are changing the traditional employee-employer dynamic.

The sharing or on-demand economy, where people are contract or freelance workers, provides exciting opportunities in terms of freedom and flexibility in hours and work-life balance. But many of these on-demand jobs do not provide traditional safety net protections for workers: unemployment insurance, workers’ compensation for injuries, or pension and retirement planning.

Yet Washington has mostly remained on the sidelines as the U.S. economy, its workforce and the work place, have undergone perhaps the most dramatic transformation in decades. As policymakers, we have a role to play with this tremendous shift.

Earlier this month, I delivered a speech about the potential impacts of generational and technological changes on the American economy. My recent op-ed in the Washington Postexplored some ways that policymakers might begin to address these challenges.

Finally, as I work to find solutions to make this sharing or on-demand economy work better for more people, I’d like to hear from you. If you are working in this on-demand economy, tell us your story: Is it working for you? Could it work better? What are the advantages of this type of work? Do you see any downsides?

Please email your thoughts to: projects@warner.senate.gov.

Thank you,


Mark R. Warner

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Governor McAuliffe Announces 150 New Jobs in City of Virginia Beach

Virginia Beach, largest city and part of large...
Virginia Beach,  (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
~ DOMA Technologies, LLC to expand operation~

RICHMOND - Governor Terry McAuliffe announced today that DOMA Technologies, LLC, a Virginia Beach-based company that specializes in cloud-based data and document management, plans to create 150 new jobs and lease an additional 15,000 square feet of office space. The expansion will support the company’s recent $50 million four-year contract from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to help improve timeliness for the processing of claims for disability benefits. The additional office space will be adjacent to DOMA Technologies’ corporate headquarters location at 2875 Sabre Street, where it currently occupies 21,200 square feet.

DOMA’s Electronic Knowledge Data Management platform will serve as the PrivateMedical Record Portal, providing all workflow functionality and secure record storage necessary to request, receive, process and transmit medical records to the Veterans Benefits Administration. Claims support representatives in DOMA’s Virginia Beach offices will work with 54 regional Veteran’s Affairs Regional offices, healthcare providers and third-party organizations from across the country in processing up to 32,500 requests per month.
Speaking about today’s announcement, Governor McAuliffe said, “The efficient benefits processing services that DOMA Technologies will provide to our veterans and their families is truly invaluable. Virginia has the highest number of veterans per capita in the entire United States, and it continues to grow. Each year thousands of veterans go without adequate mental and physical healthcare, and disability benefits are critical to their wellbeing. I applaud this Virginia-based, veteran-owned company on its proactive approach to be part of the solution. It is a priority for my Administration to secure employment for our veterans and ensure that healthcare is available. I am working to build a New Virginia Economy, and I am proud that DOMA Technologies’ expansion and addition of 150 new jobs to service this important contract are part of this movement.”
“I have the distinct honor of leading the Governor’s New Virginia Economy Workforce Initiative, and one of our priorities is to position Virginia as the most veteran and military friendly state in the Union,” said Maurice Jones, Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade. “Around one in ten Virginians is a veteran, and DOMA Technologies’ new contract and subsequent expansion will allow Virginia’s veterans to get the benefits they deserve in a timely manner. We are proud to boast this small, women- and minority-owned business on our corporate roster, and commend the company and Virginia Beach on this important win.”
DOMA Technologies, LLC was founded in 2000 and is a certified small, women- and minority-owned (SWaM) business.
“As a veteran-owned company, we are keenly aware of how this program will positively impact the claims process and overall quality of life of this nation’s veterans and their families,” said Pat Feliciano, president and co-founder of DOMA Technologies. “The DOMA team is committed to serving our veterans and beneficiaries with the highest level of quality and customer care.”

The Virginia Beach Department of Economic Development worked with theVirginia Beach Development Authority to secure the project for Virginia. Funding and services to support the company’s employee training activities will be provided through the Virginia Economic Development Partnership’s Virginia Jobs Investment Program.

“I’d like to congratulate Pat Feliciano and his team for their leadership and capabilities in securing this important contract with the Department of Veterans Affairs,”said Virginia Beach Mayor William D. Sessoms, Jr. “We are confident that, with the quality workforce available in Virginia Beach, DOMA Technologies will be extremely successful as it seeks to fill these 150 new permanent positions and provide a valuable service to an important segment of our population.”


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Thursday, June 19, 2014

Update on VA Scheduling Problems From Senator Mark Warner

Injuries incurred by service members are cover...
Injuries incurred by service members are covered by the Veteran Administration. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
I wanted to give you a quick update on our efforts to fix the scheduling problems recently disclosed at Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities across the country, including medical centers in Hampton and Richmond

The Senate on Wednesday overwhelmingly passed bipartisan legislation to begin addressing demand for care. It ensures that vets who have to travel more than 40 miles to get to a VA hospital can access private health providers closer to home, and it gives the VA secretary more authority to fire senior managers for poor job performance. 

I’m also proud to report that this bipartisan Senate legislation includes my proposal to put together a team of private sector data and I-T experts to go in, at no cost to tax payers, to assess the scope of the VA’s scheduling problems and recommend technology and management steps to fix it. I’m also pushing the White House to support this commonsense, private sector approach, and those discussions are proceeding as well. 

Click here to watch a short video update from Senator Warner on the VA’s scheduling problems.

We already have a model for how this could work. Back in 2010, when we learned about the back office mess and data management challenges at the Army’s Arlington National Cemetery, I worked with the Army to allow a team of experts from the nonprofit, nonpartisan Northern Virginia Technology Council to recommend specific fixes for the Cemetery’s management issues. Thanks in part to the great pro bono work by members of NVTC, we upgraded Arlington Cemetery from an analog to a digital operation. In fact, you now can use a smartphone app to locate the grave of a loved one at Arlington. 

Every veteran who contacts the VA should be able to schedule an appointment in an efficient and timely way. I believe this private sector assistance makes sense, and this is something that can be completed quickly. 

I will keep you updated as we continue to push for effective solutions to address the deeper challenges at the VA. And if our office can ever be of help to you, please contact us. I encourage you to also sign-up for future newsletters like this one that discuss the specific issues of concern to you and your community. I promise never to share your email address, and I won’t clog your inbox with unwanted messages. 

Regards, 

Mark R. Warner