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.
While one stated purpose of worksite immigration raids is to remove illegal competition from the labor marketplace, the reality is far messier.
In January, Gov. Mike Braun issued an executive order calling for state workers to return to the office. The state is no longer allowing hybrid work arrangements, with everyone either at home or at the office full time.
One California re-entry program boasts a 92 percent success rate in helping former prisoners find jobs or continue schooling — and keep from reoffending.
A series of new laws expanded workforce programs through high schools, community colleges and apprenticeships.
A majority of departments rely on volunteer help but the number of people willing to devote time has dropped substantially over the past decade.
The Legislature is poised to put a constitutional amendment on next year’s ballot that would make thousands of state jobs “unclassified,” allowing at-will firing of employees.
Like other states, North Dakota urgently needs more teachers. It’s among the first to adopt a model other sectors have used for decades.
Work requirements through welfare have helped recipients find meaningful jobs. America has a vast workforce network at the ready to provide job placement services.
More than 5 million teenagers take care of older adults as part of their day, including nearly a third of high school students in at least one state. Their numbers may grow if Medicaid gets cuts.
The 1960s-era program put at-risk youth to work, but the Labor Department concluded its costs were too high and that privately-run facilities were rife with sexual abuse and other violence.
Minnesota is one of a dozen states establishing programs that use recent college graduates to provide support to students in schools.
Decatur, Ill., has been losing factory jobs for years. A training program at a local community college promises renewal and provides training for students from disenfranchised communities.
By working closely with industry, clean energy training programs are enjoying 100 percent placement rates.
Many rural districts have adopted shorter weeks, which has been a boon in recruiting teachers. But studies suggest students are missing out.
Overloaded with cases, public defenders often cannot give enough time to each client, and defendants may face long waits to get an attorney.
The transit agency, which serves 350,000 riders daily, reached an agreement with union leaders. The contract still needs formal approval.
By protecting union labor, it prevents transit agencies from making their workforces more efficient. Privatizing and automating operations would save a lot of money and allow for better service.
While primarily a military reserve force, the National Guard also responds to a wide variety of state-level missions — some familiar kinds of missions, some more unusual.
Corrections work shouldn’t be a stressed-out, dead-end job. There are promising ideas for turning it into a mission-driven profession.
With four-year institutions closing in rural areas, bachelor's degrees from community colleges can help close the gap.
Pre-employment transition services can be a powerful resource to prepare high school students with disabilities for future careers.
Engineers want salaries to mirror those in New York. The transit agency warns of potential federal funding cuts.
Workforce development programs should address dual challenges: Supporting the economic mobility of workers while simultaneously meeting the skills needs of in-demand industries.
Traditional pensions and 401(k)-style government plans have undergone major changes in portfolio structure since 2000, mostly for the better. But recent market gyrations remind us that there are always opportunities for improvement.
Programs in Colorado and Illinois home in on finding and supporting health-care practitioners willing to work — and hopefully remain — in underserved rural areas.
The change is most dramatic in Silicon Valley, which is seeing more highly educated immigrants arrive from India and China.
The construction industry is short by nearly a half-million workers. More states could emulate Wisconsin's growing apprentice program.
Congress and some red states are pushing for work requirements but most recipients already work. Medicaid and other state programs typically don’t offer job assistance or training.
Shortages are so bad in some counties that defendants have had to be released because they can’t be tried in a timely manner.
The city is 20 percent short of its full contingent of officers. That's causing problems for everything from 911 response to addressing cold cases.
The state is losing its youthful energy, with more than 4 million people leaving for other states since the start of the century.
