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.
COVID-19 forced many companies to increase automation to avoid in-person interactions, a trend that is likely to stay even as the economy continues to rebound. There’s been a 20 percent increase in robot orders this year.
The two-month session ended without lawmakers revamping the state’s unemployment system that has proven inadequate over the last year. However, the Legislature did pass a bill to update the unemployment website.
Some workers who are sick or have to care for family members will have protection against financial losses, thanks to provisions in the American Rescue Plan.
More than a year into the pandemic-induced recession, many unemployed Oregonians are still struggling to secure their benefit payments. The state is still well below the national average for timely benefits payments.
The pandemic put thousands of employees out of work, but Amazon doubled its workforce in California’s capital city to accommodate increased delivery demands. It is now the fourth leading nongovernment employer in the area.
A poll found that one-third of Bay Area residents plan to commute to an office less than they did pre-pandemic, and only 20 percent of respondents expect to take public transit in the future.
250 Caltrans toll-booth workers will be replaced by automated systems at the end of July. No workers have yet been laid-off and the department is working to connect the displaced workers with new opportunities.
Thousands of state residents needed to reapply for unemployment benefits after their one-year mark, once again overwhelming the state’s system, leaving claimants without answers or benefits.
Wastewater offers high-tech jobs at the leading edge of sustainability and public health. But aging workers are leaving, creating a shortage of skilled workers. Public utilities need to step up their recruitment game.
COVID forced businesses to adapt to the social distancing guidelines or close. As the economy continues to grow, many will return to the workforce in different positions than the ones they had pre-pandemic.
Many believe that the coronavirus pandemic has set a new standard for workplace expectations. While companies may soon be reopening offices, remote work policies, worker flexibility and virtual training won’t go away.
While some companies are advocating for their workers’ mental health, others seem to take advantage of remote workers’ blurred lines between work and home and many aren’t getting the support they need.
With the help of the federal digital consulting office 18F, the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development will begin a highly anticipated overhaul of the state’s unemployment insurance system.
Tennessee businesses can mandate their employees get vaccines if being unvaccinated poses a threat to others in the workplace. But not all officials agree that COVID-19 vaccines should be required.
In Florida, billions of dollars have been stolen by fraudsters filing for unemployment claims under a stolen identity, sometimes using names of individuals who are still working. The solution is better cybersecurity protection.
Many companies have offered stipends to workers to establish an ergonomic home office, which has created an unexpected profit for companies that produce at-home office equipment and furniture.
E-Verify ensures workers have proper documentation, but undocumented workers have been using stolen identities as a way to pass through the system. It’s unclear whether the worker or employer is exploiting the loophole.
The online portal would be less prone to crashing and could be repaired without shutting down the entire website. It has received bipartisan legislative support, but many say more improvement is needed.
With the passage of the American Rescue Plan, the state’s labor department is working to extend unemployment benefits to those who are eligible while verifying documents to prevent further fraud.
Beckley, W.Va., wants to welcome remote workers to the city as a part of the downtown redevelopment plans by leveraging collaborative work spaces, affordable cost of living and other lifestyle amenities.
The number of unemployed Americans skyrocketed due to COVID-19 and the surge hit state unemployment systems hard. We look at systems in Hawaii, Rhode Island, Indiana and Texas.
Federal and state regulations that required two weeks of paid leave to recover from COVID-19 expired on Jan. 1, leaving many state workers with the mandated minimum of just three days sick leave.
Some state residents waited for six hours to speak to someone regarding their unemployment payments, which hadn’t arrived months after filing. Hold time has since decreased, but many still await their payments.
California’s Future of Work Commission issued a report on how the state can eliminate work poverty through programs that guarantee work opportunities and a million new jobs in clean energy.
Millions of worn-out K-12 educators and workers are wondering if their compensation is enough to justify the risk they are taking to teach kids during the pandemic. Vaccines will help, but it may not be enough.
To bring remote tech workers to the city, officials created Tusla Remote, which builds a community through networking, group activities and civic engagement opportunities. Now there’s financial incentive as well.
New Jersey officials are urging claimants to visit a tip sheet to better understand the federally mandated questions before filing for unemployment, otherwise they may wait for weeks for their eligibility to be cleared.
Though COVID-19 has led to record unemployment numbers across the nation, a study found the cause was more dependent on the number of COVID-related deaths than it was the restrictions imposed on businesses.
There has been an exodus of nearly 1,600 unemployment department workers in California since the pandemic began, further impeding the state’s ability to quickly respond to the huge wave of jobless claims.
Washington state has been the victim of massive unemployment fraud and a data breach that exposed 1 million people’s personal data. Lawmakers want to improve cybersecurity and data sharing to prevent future cyberattacks.
