Workforce

States See Record Low Unemployment Across the US

Black women, young people and people with disabilities are among the workers benefiting.

Automation Risks Creating a Two-Tier Workforce of Haves and Have-Nots

COMMENTARY | As workplaces welcome more automated processes, staff members must adapt to modern skills to thrive in a tech-centric environment.

Inside One State's Effort to Build New Workforce for Broadband Expansion

States nationwide are struggling to find enough workers to reach federal goals of expanding high-speed internet to every home this decade. New Mexico wants to fix that by ramping up trainings and apprenticeships.

County Wants to Employ Ex-Offenders and ‘Break the Cycle’

A unique jobs website lists available Shelby County government jobs for people with arrest or conviction histories in an effort to fill job vacancies and reduce recidivism.

Skills-Based Hiring: How the Public Sector Can Use It to Their Advantage

COMMENTARY | Government can’t compete with the private sector in pay, but placing a greater emphasis on practical skill sets could give it an edge.

Celebrating Public Service—and Public Servants

COMMENTARY | Government is asked to solve our toughest and most intractable problems. That’s why we need to celebrate the people who make a difference through government service.

New State Efforts to Address Workforce Shortages

As governments continue to struggle to fill public sector jobs, states are getting creative—from the first-ever public service law to allowing DACA recipients to become police officers. Plus, more news to use from around the country in this week's State and Local Roundup.

Report: Laid Off Fossil Fuel Workers Need Support

COMMENTARY | As the energy landscape shifts toward renewables, a survey of laid off fossil fuel workers documents the challenges they face.

States Vote to End Subminimum Wage

Advocates for people with disabilities see progress in leveling pay and ending work segregation.

Cities Look to Solve the Construction Labor Shortage

Under a new program with the Labor Department, a dozen cities will work with federal experts to come up with plans to find much-needed infrastructure workers.

How an Auditor Shortage Could Hurt Local Governments

Fewer auditors have led to a lag in financial reporting and is threatening to translate into more costs for governments.

As Government Employees Work From Home, People Find Services Curtailed

Everything from pandemic policies to security concerns is causing agencies to reduce in-person services, including licenses and permits.

Three C-Suite Roles That States and Cities Need

COMMENTARY | The private sector offers a glimpse into new leadership roles that can help state and local governments foster a better work environment.

Can Performance Pay Help States and Cities Hang onto the Best and Brightest?

After years in which compensation tied to performance was considered a “failed experiment,” workforce pressures are bringing it back to the table again.

Oregon Provides Child Care Support for Construction Workers

The program subsidizes child care in an effort to bring more workers into the construction trade.

The Other Digital Divide

Jobs using technology are more common in some parts of the country than in others, according to a recent study. The divide is leading to a widening wage and skills gap.

Key Steps in Creating a Diverse Broadband Workforce

COMMENTARY | States urgently need to identify and build robust workforces now or risk being left behind.

States With Legal Pot Consider How to Protect Cannabis Workers

In some states, so-called labor peace agreements have figured prominently in efforts to set up legal pot marketplaces.

L.A. School District Workers Demand Historic Raise During 3-day Strike

Teachers in the nation’s second-largest school district joined bus drivers, cafeteria workers and paraprofessionals in a “sympathy strike,” resulting in over 65,000 personnel absences and bringing classes to a halt.

State Cyber Workforce Challenges Reaching ‘Crisis Levels’

By marketing themselves better and adapting to remote work, states can attract and retain more cybersecurity workers, a new report suggests.