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.
Half the state's D.A. offices can't hire enough attorneys, with some vacancies remaining open for years.
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.
Employers across the state are struggling to fill vacant positions as the pandemic-exacerbated worker shortage continues. There are currently more than 110,000 open jobs on the Job Center of Wisconsin website.
Gov. Charlie Baker’s future of work study suggests that as many as 25 percent of workers could potentially be displaced over the next decade as remote work, e-commerce and automation increase.
Amazon warehouse workers in Pennsylvania are twice as likely to have serious injuries than at other warehouses in the region. Last year, the state’s Amazon warehouses reported 7.2 serious incidents per every 200,000 hours worked.
Registered apprenticeship can bridge the gap between job seekers looking for a living wage and employers who need skilled workers. The system, established during the Great Depression, is experiencing a renaissance.
As businesses begin to reopen, many are wondering if employers should require their staff to get vaccinated against the coronavirus to prevent future spread. But it’s difficult for businesses to navigate the legalities of requiring vaccines.
Gov. Ron DeSantis has decided to end the federal unemployment benefits program more than five weeks early to encourage hiring. The state’s jobless pay is $275 per week, or $6.87 per hour, one of the lowest rates in the country.
As the country still struggles with a mass worker shortage, some Ohio companies are trying to encourage workers to apply for positions with incentives that include pay increases, signing bonuses and flexible schedules.
After a year of system glitches and jobless claim fraud, the state claims it has improved its system and is ready to verify eligibility again. So far, ESD has sent verification notices to approximately 105,000 claimants.
Mobile, Ala., Mayor Sandy Stimpson has proposed that the city copy Birmingham’s plan to give its full-time and part-time city employees a $5,000 and $2,500 bonus, respectively, for working during the coronavirus pandemic.
