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.
Officials are beginning to wonder if work-from-home flexibility after pandemic restrictions subside will be beneficial to their employees. For some agencies, working remotely has increased productivity and cost savings.
The state’s unemployment system incorrectly labeled Paulie Keener ineligible to receive nearly $600 in jobless aid. Keener’s lawsuit claims he hasn’t been provided equal protection under the law.
Its growth will provide more and more high-demand, high-wage jobs. Our education system is key to training that workforce of the future, with a particular focus on marginalized communities.
An investigation into the company’s Pierce County warehouse revealed that Amazon is violating state workplace safety laws by requiring employees to work at speeds that exacerbate injuries and lack proper recovery time.
They need to leverage public spending and build partnerships to create and nurture sustainable-wage employment and training for local residents, particularly those from underserved communities.
The state lost millions of dollars to fraud last year, as criminals took advantage of the sharp increase in pandemic-related unemployment. Now, officials are seeing another spike in fraudulent claims, but this time they’re better prepared.
Gov. John Bel Edwards isn’t ready to end additional federal payments before studying its impact. The state is heavily dependent upon tourism jobs, which have not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels.
The state announced it would shut down a prison in Susanville that could result in a loss of a quarter of the city’s workforce. Gov. Newsom has pledged to close two of the state’s 34 correctional facilities.
The man who used the identities of more than 100 Washington residents to collect fraudulent unemployment benefit payments is helping officials get a better understanding as to how the widespread fraud occurred.
Gov. Laura Kelly has said she was considering removing the state from federal unemployment bonus payments to encourage workers to return to the workforce. Many Republican states are considering withdrawing the aid.
Two-thirds of Americans over 25 don't have a bachelor’s degree or higher. A Harvard study uncovers inconsistent efforts to give these workers skills for economic mobility and calls for improving the problem.
Officials are worried the city could lose 24 percent of its current workforce by mid-2022. Competition from the private sector has hurt recruitment, especially for specialized fields, such as engineering.
The New Jersey Labor Department said the transition to the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation program would be seamless for unemployment claimants, but many are still without pay after weeks.
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.
