Moeller retires after 39 years

By Dan Bechtold

Editor

Whether helping an employer find that just right employee or helping a young person find their first job, Deb Moeller is always there to help.

Moeller is an employment specialist with the S.D. Department of Labor and Regulations. She has worked for the department in the Winner office for 39 years.

Moeller will be retiring April 22. The public is invited to a retirement party for her on April 22 from 5-7 p.m. in the city building suite 121.

Moeller started working for the department in 1983. At that time the office was located on the highway where American Family Insurance is now located.

Moeller started as a secretary and worked her way up to employment specialist.

She has worked with all the programs the department has administered over the years from employer services, on the job training, TANIF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) and many more.

She has also worked with unemployment insurance which is now called re-employment assistance.

Years ago, unemployment claims were taken at the office in Winner now it is down on line or through a call center in Aberdeen.

“One thing about this job, no days is the same. There has been no day that has been the same for 39 years,” said Moeller.

In the very early years she coordinated the Rent a Kid program. This is where persons would call in if they wanted someone to mow their lawn, baby sitting or other work.

Cendent was a large call center in Winner and with their application they required a typing test. “We did a lot of typing tests when the reservation center was here,” she said.

Moeller enjoyed working with employers and those persons seeking a job application.

“A lot of people call us because they do not know where to start. They might have a question about unemployment tax number, they might be starting a new business and have questions. I think we get those questions because of the business services we provide,” she explained.

Now it is an employee market. Years ago it was just reversed. There could be 10 applications for one job and now employers do not have a large pool to choose from.

Moeller believes it started prior to the pandemic. People found they did not need 2 to 3 jobs to survive. Also, a lot of people retired during the pandemic.

Persons found during COVID-19 they could work in a different environment not just an office. COVID forced many people top work from home and they found it a doable solution in their job.

One of Moeller’s last big push was helping people during the pandemic because there were so many questions persons need a place to turn and get answers. Many times persons waited for hours on phone to get a response to a question so it was nice to talk to some one local who could provide the help.

Moeller explained she knew enough about unemployment insurance that she could help people. “They were happy to talk to someone due to the long wait time on filing claims,” she said.

“I enjoyed it. I knew I was helping people in the pandemic. It was a crazy busy time but I enjoyed it,” she said.

The Department of Labor office moved to Main Street in 2000 and in 2018 moved to an office in the city building. The office is now managed by the Pierre office.

Moeller grew up in the Winner area and is a 1981 graduate of Winner High School. She went to National College of Business in Rapid City to study computers. She soon found out this is not what she wanted for a career.

“Technology and the pandemic taught us we could work from home and we would be fine and the job was still getting done,” she said.

Moeller has enjoyed working with people. “I had the opportunity to advance and to work in the community I grew up in. It has been an honor to work in this community. There were so many employers I knew because they had a connection with my family and it has been so fun to meet new employers.”

Moeller and her husband Tim live on a farm north of Witten. They have two grown sons who are both coming back to the farm to work.

Tanner graduated from Mitchell Tech in 2020 in ag business and Loren will graduate in May from South Dakota State University with a degree in animal science.

When asked what she will miss the most, Moeller said the people.

Moeller has been a great employee for the Department of Labor and Regulations. She has worked hard to help people find a good job and on the same note she has been a great asset that employers can call.