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.
With enrollment trending down, colleges are simplifying the process for students to get credit for skills they already have, which can save them both time and money.
Washington state is first to see the employment repercussions as workers are laid off, permanently and temporarily. “It’s impossible for us to know how many folks potentially will apply for unemployment insurance.”
Some employees are receiving paid sick leave from their company while others are having to take indefinite leaves without pay. The coronavirus crisis could provide an opportunity to rebuild workforce regulations.
Uber Works has expanded into its third American city: Dallas. At the end of 2019, 2.9 million Americans work in seasonal or temporary positions, and the temporary work app hopes to appeal to that workforce.
States have been twice as likely to block paid sick leave mandates at the local level as they've been to impose such requirements themselves. That may change.
Tennessee Valley Authority is replacing IT specialists in Chattanooga with a French-based contractor. The union that represents TVA workers says that the company is threatening its own cybersecurity by breaking contract.
Flippy is a robot that can make burgers and chicken fingers and costs less than a human worker. But robots, like Flippy, are a financial risk that don’t always work. “We took a bet. A risky bet. But it’s paying off.”
IBM reworked its hiring after realizing that “there’s over 700,000 [unfilled] tech jobs… there are only about 70,000 [candidates] with a computer science degree.” The new apprenticeship program hopes to bridge the gap.
The state wants to create a workforce that can support the growing number of financial service employers; Florida State College’s grant will help move them toward that goal. Officials hope this will keep tech talent in the state.
Kingsburg, Calif., expects to build a call center for the newly merged T-mobile, Sprint company that foresees employing more than 1,000 people. The center hopes to be fully staffed and operational by 2022.
Officials gathered in Manchester, N.H., to discuss the possible, positive implications of technology in the workforce. Technology can be a net gain for the workforce, as long as we ensure it doesn’t widen economic gaps.
With increasing tech and automation, the next work generation can expect to have 19 jobs over their career, which could require constant skill updating. California’s commission hopes to develop ideas on how to embrace it.
Could a cyberattack that hit a West Virginia county school system have been prevented if the Office of Technology didn’t have vacancies in 22 percent of its positions? Many fear that private industry will steal all tech workers.
California’s Bay Area is increasingly difficult to afford on an average STEM salary, which is forcing workers to commute or move. Companies are taking note and building offices in Texas and Pennsylvania to accommodate.
A study found that loneliness in the workplace is increasing and can be connected to increased electronics. Loneliness at work could lead to lower levels of productivity, missing days of work or even quitting a job.
As technology begins replacing simple tasks like check-out and stocking, stores are now finding new ways to occupy their employees’ time. Mostly, employees are stepping in where robots can’t: high-touch human interaction.
The L.A. County Board of Supervisors has passed a Women in Technology Hiring Initiative aimed at connecting at-risk and disconnected youth ages 14-24 with career mentors and training them to bolster its entry-level IT candidates.
Most educators will say that robots in the classroom are a bad idea. There are administrative tasks that robots could potentially do but “we need to be thinking more deeply around ethics” before they’re a permanent feature.
In anticipation of a tech-driven world, Alabama wants to focus on topics like automation, robotics and cybersecurity. Too often government is left behind regarding tech. “We do not want that to happen here at the robotics park.”
The Maryland Workers' Compensation Commission has undertaken the development of a modern Web-based and intelligent system to be used for filing and managing compensation claims from workers.
As technology becomes more competent, ensuring that humanity isn’t replaced or lost is an important part of moving forward.
Studies found that workers were less discriminatory against their fellow human coworkers once robots were introduced. Differences between beliefs or political views suddenly paled in comparison to human and non-human.
The algorithm examines facial expressions, word choice and tone to establish “willingness to learn” and “personal stability.” But AI researchers say “regulators should ban the use of affect recognition” due to potential discrimination.
Lawyers claim that the app, TIKD, that allows consumers to pay for traffic citations is “unlicensed practice of law,” but the TIKD company defends that it “is not, and has never claimed to be, an attorney.”
Raleigh finished just behind Austin, Texas, as the best area in the country for IT jobs by evaluating cost of living, number of opportunities, and projected job growth. The tech hub San Francisco ranked fifth
Google workers claim they were fired for speaking out. Google says they were fired over data misuse. More and more, workers are holding their companies accountable “not just in the business side of what they do.”
New technologies are poised to automate everything from infrastructure to traditionally human jobs, and some fear a coming robot takeover. But the real problem is it isn't happening fast enough.
The first autonomous freight vehicle will drive alone but guided by a behind-the-wheel driver, just in case. The self-driving semi could revolutionize trucking, alleviating the deficit of drivers.
New study compared AI patents and Department of Labor job descriptions to see where jobs “could potentially be exposed to, complemented by, or completed by AI.” The researcher doesn’t think jobs will be lost, but “if research continues to show similar findings, then none of us (is) safe.”
As U.S. immigration policies become more strict, many tech workers are migrating to Canada through the Global Skills Strategy program. The GSS program processes visas more quickly, alleviating anxieties about future residency status.
Maury Regional has an app that allows patients to video chat their physicians for urgent care needs. The average wait time is between 5 and 7 minutes and prescriptions can be sent to a pharmacy of the patient’s choice.
