Workforce

States Have the Resources to Clear Criminal Records

COMMENTARY | Most governments already have the capacity and technology to deliver automatic record clearance to all those eligible for relief equitably, expeditiously and at scale.

  • By Jay Jordan and Alia Toran-Burrell

Public Sector Work Equals High Job Satisfaction

A new workforce survey reveals what employees love about the public sector, and what’s driving them away.

  • By Molly Bolan

Home-Based Care: Fixing the Childcare Drought in Rural America

Some rural counties are trying an approach to tackle childcare shortages. A new program supports home-based childcare providers with resources, education, and grants.

  • By Anne Vilen, The Daily Yonder

Feds to Hand Out $39B to Chip Makers in Workforce Development Subsidies

To access the funding, companies will not only need to show how they plan to train and recruit workers, but also how they will provide child care.

  • By Kery Murakami

Legislative Staffs Are Pushing to Unionize

Since Oregon successfully unionized in 2021, statehouse employees in half a dozen states have also sought to organize.

  • By Kyle Chouinard

California Dangles Bonuses for Nursing Homes That Add Staff

Rather than simply reward top-performing facilities, the state’s Medicaid program will hand bonuses to nursing homes — even low-rated ones — for hiring more workers and reducing staff turnover.

  • By Samantha Young, Kaiser Health News

Finding Public Sector Workers in High Schools

Though many young people are ignorant about jobs in the public sector, internships can help educate them and draw them into the workforce.

  • By Katherine Barrett & Richard Greene

Cyber Training Expands to Local Leaders

The National Cybersecurity Center will offer the training every two years, and push local governments to take advantage of free resources and information-sharing.

  • By Chris Teale

New York’s Death Grip on In-office Work is Starting to Loosen

Amid workforce crises, Eric Adams cracks open the door to “flexible” arrangements and Kathy Hochul invests in a hybrid future.

  • By Annie McDonough

The Worker Shortage Is Real. Could Tech Help Governors Close Gaps?

Business leaders pointed to high-tech job training and tools like artificial intelligence as possible solutions to the historic shortage of workers.

  • By Kery Murakami

As Texas Booms, Local Governments — Especially in Small Towns — Struggle to Find Workers

A cascade of issues including inflation and growing distrust in government aren’t helping local governments hire for critical positions in public safety and utilities.

  • By Pooja Salhotra, The Texas Tribune

‘Whole Nation’ Effort Needed to Build Broadband Workforce

Federal investment could mean the creation of up to 150,000 broadband-related jobs, but state and local leaders must build robust apprenticeship programs and commit to diversity to make it happen.

  • By Chris Teale
Featured eBooks
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Are Pensions the Answer to the Public-Sector Worker Shortage?

COMMENTARY | Research shows that pension benefits overwhelmingly help attract skilled workers, especially millennials.

  • By Bridget Early

Can Women Help Fill the Shortage of Trade Workers? Unions Are Betting On It.

But with only about 2 percent of tradespersons identifying as women, recruitment and retention initiatives by unions are just scratching the surface.

  • By Jessica Kutz  , The 19th

State Looks to ‘Unconventional’ Tactics to Find Talent

The Indiana Office of Technology eliminated degree requirements for most jobs in 2019, and now it uses a work-based learning apprenticeship program to reskill employees keen to learn IT.

  • By Chris Teale

States Strive to Reverse Shortage of Paramedics, EMTs

Two-thirds of states considered legislation last year related to emergency medical workers.

  • By Marsha Mercer, Stateline

The States Gaining the Most Clean Energy Jobs

A new analysis finds companies have announced more than 100,000 positions in fields like solar and wind power and battery-making since Democrats pushed through a massive climate law.

  • By Bill Lucia

Several States to Consider Ending Subminimum Wages

Workers in the restaurant industry typically make around $2.13 an hour plus tips. The volatility of that wage is one reason several states are introducing bills to replace it with a minimum wage.

  • By Molly Bolan

State & Local Roundup: Cranking Up Workforce Development Programs

Plus: A governor moves to rein in remote work. City workers go on strike. A semiconductor factory announcement. And more news you can use from across the country.

  • By Elizabeth Daigneau

Human Resources Has a Data Problem. Here’s How To Fix It

COMMENTARY | Public sector HR departments need to evolve from counting activities and outputs to measuring results and outcomes.

  • By Bob Lavigna

A Journey from Work to Home is About More Than Just Getting There

COMMENTARY | The psychological benefits of commuting that remote work doesn’t provide.

  • By Kristie McAlpine and Matthew Piszczek, The Conversation