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.
The right policies can help more regions take advantage of AI for economic growth and prepare against some of its harms, according to a new report.
The state’s Department of Job and Family Services has predicted that it will take until early December to issue a ruling on the massive backlog of unprocessed unemployment benefits appeals.
Thousands of state employees, nearly 8 percent of the state workforce, have filed for exemption from the vaccine mandate, which includes hundreds of state troopers and prison guards.
Current and former employees have accused the state trial court system of discriminatory practices due to their race. Some workers alleged they were passed over for promotions for white colleagues who were less qualified.
California’s proposed bill that would give farmworkers reliable access to N95 masks to protect them against wildfire smoke exposure, ensuring a safe and healthy work environment. But many say it doesn’t address the root issue.
The Biden administration’s federal vaccine mandate will impact about 170,000 workers, approximately one-third of the state’s workforce, even though Maine has one of the highest vaccination rates in the nation.
When workers own the businesses where they work, the benefits can be broad and deep. But they don’t know how these plans work or how to set one up. That’s where state and local governments can help.
The pay increase would affect about 146 workers and would cost about $300,000 per year. The resolution would make Santa Fe the first government in New Mexico to offer a $15 minimum wage for employees.
Federally-assisted unemployment benefits, an extra $300 a week, are set to expire on Sept. 6 and many experts aren’t sure that the end in boosted pay will get people back to work.
The Challenge to Compete Kansas Workforce 2020 report highlights how increasing work experience and apprenticeship opportunities will allow the state to continue to grow. The state will also need to retain young workers.
Despite the labor-market improvement, many domestic employees, one in three of whom are immigrants and many are also undocumented, are still without work or working less hours than pre-pandemic.
Shifts in how we think about work in a post-COVID-19 world could create an opening for fairer hiring with the help of asynchronous interviews, using artificial intelligence to help reduce recruiting bias.
The Unemployment Insurance Agency asked nearly 650,000 jobless aid recipients to resubmit their qualifications due to a system error. While some are being waived, other residents are being asked to pay back their unemployment benefits.
As remote work continues to expand while the coronavirus persists and businesses are reconsidering their office needs, creating opportunities for coworking spaces allow workers to get an office-like feel without a true office.
The state’s unemployment debt amounts to more than 43 percent of all that is owed to the federal government. As much as $11 billion of the state’s unemployment payments were fraudulent.
Gov. John Bel Edwards agreed to a July 31 cutoff for the federally assisted unemployment benefits before the pandemic surged among the unvaccinated. Now the state’s economy is again closing, this time without financial help.
State spending on key public health activities has been flat or in decline since 2008 and salaries lag behind the private sector. Stakeholders are exploring strategies to meet the need for these essential workers.
A campaign in the states to make public workers “at-will” employees and undo civil service protections has gained traction at the federal level. But there are early signs of a counter-trend in local government.
The federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services notified the state that it cannot proceed with plans to require people to work to keep their medical coverage, which would likely result in thousands losing health care.
Payroll data for 29 local counties, cities and townships in the Dayton region reveal unfilled positions across the board. A public official described it as the busiest work environment they’ve had to deal with.
There is a growing movement for raising the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour to help reduce stress on low-wage workers. But a new report reveals that a $15 hourly wage isn’t always livable.
Lawmakers expanded child-care subsidies and passed a new capital-gains tax last year. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the state is the fifth in the nation for union membership.
The autonomous vehicle company Argo AI, along with Ford and Lyft, announced that 1,000 self-driving ride-hail cars would arrive in Miami this winter, worrying many Lyft and Uber drivers about their job security.
The laws prohibit fast-food chains from terminating, suspending or reducing employees’ hours by more than 15 percent without evidence of demonstrated misconduct or poor performance, or without a bona fide economic reason.
The state continues to struggle against unemployment benefits fraud as hackers’ methods evolve. State officials are calling for an audit to determine how to better protect the system.
As businesses begin the return to working in an office building, some aren’t requiring their employees to get vaccinated for fear that they will leave. Many companies are still looking for guidance from state officials.
A survey has found that one out of three renters nationally want to “upsize” their apartments for business reasons or family growth. In South Florida, that has increased the demand for larger rental units.
Job-based visas are in such a high demand that the government has resorted to a lottery-based system to award the documents. Still, only 28 percent of applicants will get a visa in 2022 as compared to 2014.
A group of Black city workers in San Francisco has alleged “rampant” discrimination and harm, specifically in racially disproportionate discipline of employees, after reviewing data released from the Municipal Transportation Authority.
In the early weeks of the pandemic, a software error, lowered security protocols and pressure to pay jobless residents quickly resulted in payments for thousands of fraudulent unemployment claims.
Employers across the nation are struggling to find workers to fill open positions, but some economists believe this problem could be solved by hiring foreign-born workers to fill gaps in both low-skill and high-skill positions.