Workforce

Data literacy: the drive to educate the public sector workforce

As data-based decision-making becomes ever more important, data academies begin to blossom in local government.

Addressing the shortage of government accountants: 2 paths to efficiency

COMMENTARY | The dwindling number of qualified, government-savvy accounting professionals makes it imperative municipalities find new efficiencies sooner rather than later.

Want to attract Gen Z workers? Up your marketing game.

A contest asked young workers to mock up job ads that would convince their peers to work in government technology. Here’s what public officials can learn from those ideas.

In face of threats, election workers vow: ‘You are not disrupting the democratic process’

But the threats, including a recent fentanyl scare, have spurred some officials to leave.

Education linked to better employment prospects upon release from prison

People who get an education while serving time are less likely to return to prison and more likely to enter the job market, an analysis finds.

Apprenticeship programs are growing as the public sector faces workforce shortages

Registered apprenticeships, infrequently used by state and local governments in the past, are gaining the attention of staff-starved agencies.

How paid sick leave helps cure economic instability

Cities and states are enacting paid leave policies that prevent low-wage workers from choosing between rest and recovery or work and a paycheck.

Feds calls on states to reevaluate unemployment benefit accessibility

Access to unemployment has been declining and differs drastically across demographic groups. The Labor Department is urging states and territories to do something about it in new guidance.

Governor orders end to remote work, directs state workers back to offices

But concerns remain as one official says the move could hurt recruiting and retention of state employees amid staff shortages.

Sununu’s ‘Recovery Friendly Workplace’ serves as model for new national institute

A new national institute will provide training and resources for companies willing to hire and help people in substance-abuse recovery, and the White House's model legislation will help states create recovery-ready workplaces.

After SCOTUS setback, a new tack for student debt cancellation

Advocates highlight recent modifications to a program available to public sector workers, from urban planners to firefighters, that allows borrowers to receive a credit for past repayment periods.

Missouri becomes the 14th state with a majority-women supreme court

Abortion and gender-affirming care for trans youth could be among the issues the court faces.

The cyber workforce gap is growing

Despite a significant increase in the number of people entering the cyber field in 2023, demand is still far outpacing that supply.

Counties use high school students as poll workers to shore up staff

Aging poll workers leaves some Indiana communities short-staffed during election time. A statewide program helps fill those workforce gaps by recruiting high school students to help with administrative tasks during elections.

How one innovation hub plans to diversify the tech industry

Colorado’s quantum innovation hub consortium will ensure minorities and workers in rural and low-income areas get a fair share of the millions of jobs they believe the hub will create.

Workers are dying from extreme heat. Why aren’t there laws to protect them?

In the absence of federal protections, some states have attempted to pass their own regulations after experiencing worker fatalities during record-breaking heat waves.

AI bots are helping 911 dispatchers with their workload

Artificial intelligence is quietly revolutionizing non-emergency calls in 911 dispatch centers.

Rising Stars nominations extended to October 28

Nominations for the 2023 Rising Stars program are being extended. Please help us spotlight innovators across federal, state and local and governments, as well as up-and-coming talent at contracting firms.

Not all states will go off the child care cliff

The end of federal child care subsidies will impact states differently depending on how they used the money and if they plan to spend their own.

If jobs won’t bring people downtown to work, what will?

The economies of six big cities took a hit as workers went remote or moved to areas with lower costs of living. But by focusing on downtown housing and leaning into already strong local industries, municipal leaders may be able to reverse the trend.