Workforce
State and local governments face a tight labor market and a competitive disadvantage with the private sector. But salaries aren’t the only issue, with cities, counties and states all grappling with training, retention, remote work and increased union activity.
Companies that grew tech talent rapidly during the pandemic are now firing workers in droves in an effort to reduce operating costs and improve profitability, creating an employer’s market.
Approximately 34 million Americans above the age of 16 have some kind of disability. By 2020, the participation rate of those with disabilities had increased to 20.4 percent, a 2.2 percent increase from 2014.
States and city governments are rethinking job requirements, replacing four-year degrees with proven skill applications to bring in new applicants.
In the 2022 fiscal year, the school district sponsored 232 workers on H-1B or specialty occupation visas, which is nearly four times greater than Houston’s 60 workers, the second-highest total in the U.S.
The annual Medicare-plus advertising blitz now under way should remind us that smarter post-employment benefit designs for state and local employees are long overdue.
Pandemic-era federal money is gone, yet problems remain.
The nation’s agriculture industry is pushing for better protections for crops and the people who grow them against a changing climate, like the unprecedented drought that hit Illinois this summer.
A new law signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul last month prohibits employers from accessing a worker’s or applicant’s private social media accounts, which advocates claim is a win for worker privacy.
People in struggling communities can benefit from the work-from-home phenomenon. But they need some mentoring to do it. Some innovative startups are getting them there.
Two months after wildfires tore across the Hawaiian island, it remains unclear whether survivors will receive unemployment payments if they’re too traumatized to work. The August wildfires killed 98 people and destroyed 2,200 structures.
There is a lot governments could do to give more people ways to serve their communities, benefiting themselves while addressing civic challenges. Public service is an antidote for disunity.
The state’s jobless rate is at 3.6 percent, which is lower than the national rate, but there are 90,000 unfilled jobs across several industries. The state is attempting to attract workers with education and job training.
The New York school district’s after-school instruction faces a teacher shortage two weeks before its scheduled start date. The majority of the program has been funded through American Rescue Plan dollars, which will expire by Sept. 2024.
The Biden administration’s decision to grant work authorization to Venezuelans has sparked state action.
The city’s pilot program will start this month to help day workers register for work, receive skills training and help ensure that workers get paid accurately by contractors when the job is finished.
Under increased scrutiny and even attack, election workers are leaving their jobs in record numbers. For those who stay, resources are being offered to help preserve their mental wellness.
The California governor vetoed a labor bill that would have made workers eligible for unemployment payments after two weeks on strike. Newsom said the bill would put more strain on the already stressed system.
This year's commemoration recognizes the community's importance to the country’s future, as the source of more than three-quarters of new workers.
In hopes of luring in chipmakers, states have been increasing their incentives for semiconductor manufacturers so that they may capitalize on the long-term economic development opportunities.
The state has the most clean energy jobs of any state in the Midwest, is fifth nationally for the growing industry and ranks second highest for hybrid and EV employment. However, it remains in the bottom 10 states for EV sales.
Gov. Greg Abbott signed a law that will increase the minimum payment for the first day of jury duty from $6 to $20. But 75 percent of people in Dallas County who receive a jury summons throw it away, ignore it or otherwise skip showing up.
Baldwin County, Ala., schools are in the process of constructing a preparatory academy that will open for the 2024-25 school year and will provide training in a variety of trades to help students seamlessly transition into the workforce.
Cash grants to get remote workers to relocate may sound like desperation. But they can actually work, generating a buzz and bringing in new blood.
With the general election a year away, officials say they need more than 1,200 people to sign up for training on electronic poll books for in-person voting.
It’s not enough for public and private employers to simply drop college degree requirements. State governments have a crucial role in matching workers and employers based on consistently defined competencies.
Nearly half of all Americans now live in a jurisdiction where it’s legal to smoke weed. But for some workers, including bus drivers and train operators, drug-testing protocols make legalization irrelevant.
The state opened the school year with 3,584 teaching vacancies, almost a 20 percent drop from the previous year, but many of the new hires are less qualified. There’s been a 51 percent decrease in the last decade in traditional teacher preparation program enrollment.
The state Assembly voted 53-14 to give employees on strike access to state unemployment insurance benefits, despite concerns about an indebted and poorly structured fund. The Senate will consider the bill next.
An issue that seemed settled has returned, with states considering whether to loosen child labor laws. There might be some argument for revisiting them, but there’s evidence of growing abuse of existing laws.
State Sen. Lena Gonzalez has introduced legislation that would give workers at least five days of mandated sick pay every year. It is estimated that unscheduled absenteeism costs employers about $3,600 annually for each hourly employee.
At the end of the month, some $24 billion in government aid for child-care providers will run out, threatening the spots for 3.2 million children. The upheaval may force parents, especially women, to reduce work hours.
