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.
Most people are able to apply online but only about a third of those who call reach a live person. The number of call center employees has dropped by nearly 40 percent over the past two years.
To address the persistent worker shortage, some lawmakers have suggested job training programs, increased affordable housing and child-care access and cutting taxes, but it is unknown which, if any, will be the final solution.
Elaine Howle was the longest-serving auditor in state history and known for her determination to be detailed and independent. The job posting for her replacement will close later this month.
An appeals court in Boston will determine if the Maine governor violated an inmate’s 14th Amendment rights when she ordered the Department of Corrections to seize COVID-19-induced unemployment benefits.
Confusion and misinformation have made it difficult to gauge the impact of the omicron variant on the economy and work. Data that tracks unemployment rates since the start of the pandemic provides a rough guide.
Illinois and seven other states want the federal government to reinstate a pause on interest rates for loans used to pay unemployment benefits in the beginning of the pandemic. If left unpaid for a year, Illinois could owe $100 million in interest.
After the successful shift to remote work for many government agencies in 2021, the public sector has begun to weigh the benefits of hybrid work environments and reassess hiring practices.
State and local governments have billions to invest in recovery and equity. Emphasis on diversity and purpose-driven jobs could get them the workers they need to make the most of a historic opportunity.
The paid family and medical leave legislation that passed more than two years ago with bipartisan support will miss its Jan. 2023 launch date. Residents could lose out on $453 million of paid leave benefits.
The Living Wage Act of 2022 would gradually increase state minimum wage to $18 by 2026. The initiative will soon begin to collect signatures to try and get the measure in the upcoming Nov. election.
With its close proximity to larger metropolitan areas and low cost of living, Northeastern Pennsylvania is well-positioned to attract and maintain workers. But the region will need to campaign workers to avoid losing them.
A coalition of state universities, industry and government partners will receive $2 million in two-year grant funding from the National Security Agency to develop a cybersecurity workforce.
A Bloomberg report ranked the city as a standout city in the nation for crypto-related job hires, averaging 1.9 crypto hires per 100,000. Three of the top 10 cities were located in New York state.
Labor data suggests that Gov. Mike DeWine’s decision to cut the extra $300 of federal funds from unemployment benefits 10 weeks ahead of the federal deadline had little effect on moving people back into the workforce.
To deal with a multimillion-dollar deficit, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department cut $99.9 million in overtime. But as crime and homicides increase across the county, officials say that’s not feasible this year.
The transit agency normally employs about 2,300, but is currently down about 150 workers, forcing it to trim services for dozens of bus routes. It is offering $2,000 hiring bonuses and may consider rehiring retired operators.
It’s little wonder that so many Americans are dissatisfied with their jobs — and quitting them. We need new approaches to education beyond high school that give every learner the opportunity to flourish.
California’s official unemployment rate is 7.5 percent. But a newer method of measuring unemployment reveals a far larger portion of the state is struggling to find full-time employment that pays enough to cover the cost of living.
The right to disconnect can be the catalyst an organization needs to review its workplace policies. But what’s really needed is a cultural shift that gives workers more control over how they work.
The Division of Occupational Safety and Health board will not enact its own worker vaccine mandate while the federal mandate is under legal review. The state’s emergency COVID workplace rules remain in effect.
The city will alter routes across the city to reduce wait times and improve service as it continues to grapple with a bus driver shortage and low ridership numbers. Full service could resume next year.
From 2010 to 2019, the state’s median household income rose 44 percent, from about $47,000 to $67,000, the most of any state. Experts are not yet sure what caused the large increase.
The Department of Workforce Development has adjusted training and workload, but high demand has led to turnover among judges, significantly delaying the unemployment claims process.
Gavin Newsom spent two weeks out of the public eye, then explained that he had wanted to spend time with his children. Some state lawmakers lauded the decision, while others claimed it was a violation of the public trust.
If Hispanics in the U.S. were an independent country, they’d have the world’s seventh-largest economy. They will also account for the majority of new adults entering the workforce in coming years.
A newly launched Gender Equity Dashboard shows that the gender pay gap increased by 6 percent between 2016 and 2019 and experts are worried the pandemic has only worsened the divide.
Only 53 percent of Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s 16,070 employees have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, compared with 74 percent of LAPD employees.
Though many businesses continue to allow remote work options, a number of companies have recently established headquarters in the state. Many expect the hybrid work week will give employees the best of both worlds.
A top cabinet member in the Parson administration and a Kansas City superintendent recently announced their sudden resignations without reason, possibly harming the public’s trust in local government.
An audit found that between July 2020 and June 2021, 3.3 percent of unemployment payments went to scammers, an increase of 2 percent from previous years, and nonfraud overpayments rose by 20.9 percent.
The state’s drop in birth rate has been happening faster than the national average, despite high rates of immigration. Soon, Texas will need to bring in workers from other states to meet labor demands.
