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.
DHS is using federal funds to reimburse local police who partner with ICE, a policy that could reshape law enforcement in rural communities with limited staffing and resources.
Before the pandemic, court systems across the nation were unable to meet the demand for public defenders, citing issues of low pay and severe overwork. COVID has only exacerbated the problem.
The e-commerce company has struggled throughout the pandemic with building too many warehouses and not having enough workers to staff them. But a 3.8-million-square-foot expansion in upstate New York has hired 1,500 full-time workers.
From 2000 to 2019, the Maine city’s pay gap between men and women shrank 21 percent and in 2019 women made 91 percent of what their male counterparts earned, 9 percentage points above the national average.
Some Alaskan employers are building housing for workers, including efforts to convert former military barracks and a state ferry into worker lodging, in hopes that relieving housing struggles will attract workers.
While new leadership and a quick economic rebound have allowed the state’s Employment Department to better address new claims and phone calls, the agency still has outstanding issues to be resolved.
In 2019, the New York State Industries for the Disabled helped employ 5,293 workers with a disability. Yet, the state ranked 43rd out of the 50 states for residents with a disability who were employed.
The ballot measure would have asked voters if app-based drivers should be considered employees or independent contractors. The judges said the petition was “vaguely worded.”
During the pandemic, a record-breaking number of people of all ages quit their jobs in “the Great Resignation.” But as inflation rises and employers increase wages to attract workers amid a labor shortage, many are returning to the workforce.
With historic funding for badly needed projects arriving at the same time as historic shortages of construction workers, what can states do to open up the employment pipeline?
While the unemployment rates are close to pre-pandemic levels, employers are still struggling to fill positions. Statewide, businesses reported about 30,000 fewer workers than in February 2020.
Forty-eight recreation centers in Philadelphia have just one full-time worker. Labor leaders and supporters of the city's parks and libraries are calling for more than $15 million in new funding to address staffing problems.
The county wants to require employers to disclose minimum and maximum pay for job listings. Currently, more than half a dozen states have pay transparency laws, including jurisdictions in New York.
A recent study found that the state’s investment to connect 238,000 households by 2026 would raise worker wages, help bridge digital divides and boost the state’s labor income by $843 million annually.
The state’s Employment Development Department says that it was flooded with 47,000 suspicious claims in early May, which would have amounted to as much as $560 million. There has not yet been word who is behind the fraudulent claims.
While many firms expect workers to be remote about 30 percent of the time after the pandemic, the rate has “stalled” around 40 percent since last fall. Cities will have to adjust as less workers commute into downtown spaces.
The U.S. House passed YouthBuild for the Future act as part of the larger $78 billion Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. The bill now moves to the Senate.
The state saw a civilian labor force gain of 14,000 and an employment increase of 19,000 last month. April was the 12th consecutive month of job growth and 10th consecutive month of unemployment decline for the state.
Inflation, desire for hybrid work and low wages have caused great swaths of workers across Massachusetts to leave their jobs in human services, threatening the industry. Some say the state needs to be proactive.
Cities and counties are still struggling to regain pre-pandemic employment levels. New approaches to hiring and retention could help fill the gap.
The estimated cost of attendance at a University of California is $38,504; California State Universities are expected to cost $30,676. Only 33 percent of Californians said a four-year degree was needed for a successful and profitable career.
The Texas city’s manufacturing jobs reached 52,000 last fall, its highest level in more than two decades; employment in auto manufacturing more than doubled over the last 20 years.
Despite declining COVID numbers, the state’s unemployment numbers remain well above the national average. Businesses are still cautious about hiring and thousands of workers are quitting their jobs.
To combat the continuing labor shortage, many companies are reconsidering hiring requirements and are “downcredentialing” their job openings. Many expect this reclassification to continue beyond the pandemic.
The Minnesota city has received more than $1 million from the state to help prepare individuals for new careers, particularly in the health care, construction, IT and manufacturing fields.
A new report found that just more than one-third of the California county’s 190,000 total jobs were “quality jobs.” But a public-private initiative wants to upgrade the region’s employment by about 20 percent.
Advocates are pushing for “clean slate” legislation, which would expunge criminal records for people with low-level or non-violent crimes. But until reform happens, these groups are helping to secure second chances.
Failing to invest in the emergency response communication workforce and infrastructure is taking a toll. One important way to bolster call center employee morale and retention is to reclassify these professionals as first responders.
Interviews and surveys with hundreds of teachers and school administrators reveal the effect of persistent staffing shortages on school personnel – and on students.
Started by Jerry Brown nearly 50 years ago, the CCC is a rock-solid model for programs that combine workforce development, public service and pushback against climate change.
Employees are 15 times more likely to build retirement savings if they have automatic payroll deductions at work, according to AARP. But such plans don't exist for about 55 million American workers.
