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.
Studies have found that four-day work weeks offer a variety of benefits to employees and employers. But not everyone is in favor of a shorter work week, especially amid a tight labor market and high inflation.
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.
The state’s Labor and Employment Department moved its fraud detection tools to the “highest possible level” in the spring to prevent further fraud. However, the effort has caused significant slowdowns for legitimate claims.
Weakening licensing requirements for high-impact technical professions doesn’t help businesses. They value it in their hiring to maintain service quality and avoid liability and reputational damage.
Labor organizer Jane McAlevey has advice for how workers can continue to demand more of employers and union leaders, but there are still obstacles to overcome before gains can be made.
In 1984, about 19,000 volunteer firefighters staffed stations across the state; today, the numbers have decreased to just around 10,000. For many parts of the state, the loss of volunteer teams could have devastating impacts.
In 2021, roughly half of all Latino, Black and Native American workers earned $10,000 or more below the state’s median per capita income, and 54 percent of workers in the state earning $32,239 or less were female.
Though officials have pushed job training and career readiness programs, the lack of child care, affordable housing or mental health services prevents people from joining the workforce.
The San Juan County, Wash., Council voted unanimously to transition to a 32-hour work week for approximately 70 percent of the county’s workforce without decreasing the employees’ pay. The move raises wage rates while avoiding a possible tax increase.
With nearly 40 percent of families with children in Hamilton County, Tenn., struggling to pay their bills, a new coalition aims to help and encourage employers to adopt flexible schedules, remote work, onsite child care and improved health-care benefits policies.
Municipal strikes have been rare for decades, but union activity in California suggest they might be making a comeback. Blame it on inflation and staff shortages.
For many workers, the e-commerce giant’s explanation that “serendipitous things can happen” while working in an office is not enough to justify an in-person return. But three months after the mandate, enforcement is unclear.
California is one of the few states that requires farmworkers working in the heat to have shade, water and rest, but those rules are often not followed. Additionally, 39 percent of workers reported having problems keeping their own homes cool.
Charter, the parent company of the area’s cable and broadband provider Spectrum, will cover 100 percent of tuition costs for workers pursuing a high school diploma, undergraduate or associate degree and some certificate programs.
Data from cities, counties and states reveals the roles they have the toughest time filling (and they’re not just in cybersecurity). Here are some of their innovative approaches to navigating these workforce shortages.
Following labor unrest with writers, actors and hotel workers, a one-day strike by city workers in Los Angeles was aimed at getting stalled negotiations going again. It also reflected a desire for respect.
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The Service Employees International Union Local 721 began its strike at 12:01 AM on Tuesday to protest unfair labor practices by city negotiators and management. The union represents more than 7,000 gardeners, mechanics, custodians, lifeguards, engineers and more.
Several states have changed their policies in an attempt to overcome the national lifeguard shortage, lowering the minimum lifeguard age and offering large bonuses. Many pools and beaches are implementing aggressive recruiting tactics.
Transit agencies are facing worker shortages around the U.S. A new report says reforming human resources practices can help hire, train and retain workers of all types.
School districts across the state are struggling to fill teaching staff vacancies, so much that many will violate a new state law requiring public school districts offer free pre-kindergarten education.
Across the country, turnover and vacancies are high. Counties are raising salaries but still can't compete with the private sector.
A survey of 112 of the state’s agencies found that more than half allow the vast majority of their employees to work remotely and 49 departments gave telework eligibility to 100 percent of their employees in May.
Shifting demographics and changing migration patterns have impacted the city, moving it toward the future with programs that reflect the country’s history of blending cultures.
Last September, more than 35 percent of Americans with disabilities, including nonvisible disabilities such as neurodivergence, had jobs, a record in the 15 years in which the federal government has kept track of such data.
There are approximately three dozen worker-owned businesses across the state and in nearly every sector of the economy. Experts predict that a new employee-ownership law will only increase that number.
The national share of employed women in their prime working age hit 75.3 percent in June, the highest recorded rate since the U.S. Census Bureau began reporting numbers in 1948.
