MGM Springfield Aims To Meet Hiring Goals For Veterans

MGM Springfield has been under a lot of pressure from the Massachusetts government after it submitted an amended proposal that significantly reduced the size of the Springfield project.

MGM senior executives were recently summoned to meet with senior government officials to discuss the company’s commitment to the Springfield project. One of the major concerns by the government is the fact that the new proposal will cut back on the number of employment opportunities being created.

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission has also been closely monitoring the hiring process for the Springfield project and has emphasized the fact that MGM must meet diversity targets in their recruiting process.

The gaming regulations in the state require casinos to encourage diversity, fairness and transparency in their hiring process and MGM Springfield has confirmed that they are meeting those requirements in their recruiting process.

MGM confirmed in October 2015 that it had hit the set targets for hiring women and minorities as 12.3% of constructing hiring had been awarded to contractors who were women, 13.6% went to contractors who belonged to the minorities and 0.3% went to the veterans. The company has a target of hiring 10% women contractors, 5% minorities and 2% veterans. When it came down to design jobs, 1.9% when to businesses that were owned by women, 4.6% to minority owned businesses and 0% to veteran owned businesses.

MGM Springfield highlighted its concerns to the MassGaming Access and Opportunity Committee during its monthly meeting in October at the UMass Center in Springfield. MGM Springfield officials stated that they were finding it hard to recruit veterans as the process to indentify and shortlist veteran owned businesses were not very well established.

In a statement, Jill Lacey-Griffin, Director of Diversity Development for the Mass Gaming Commission said

This committee has a lazer like focus on how diversity inclusion is happening….They’re working towards their own goals. The goals were approved by the Commission…That’s what this committee is all about is ensuring that they will be successful

The overall workforce hiring targets for MGM Springfield stood at 6.9% for women, 15.3% for minorities and 8% for veterans. The overall workforce hiring as of now for MGM Springfield stood at 9.54% for women, 30.23% for minorities and 6.67% for veterans.

The government is currently encouraging veterans to apply for these jobs by registering their business via the VetBiz system or directly via the gaming commission with proof of service.