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.
The city’s police department has put a focus on officer mental health and well-being. That’s a big cultural change because officers often feel they need to hide their struggles.
As 2024 came to a close, the White House and Congress approved big giveaways to two subsets of state and local government employees and pensioners. There could be political backlash, and for equity’s sake there might be a case for some corrective tax policies.
There's turnover in Washington with each new administration. Departing federal workers can bring valuable skills and experience to state and local governments.
The personnel cost has doubled over the last three years. Employees have been granted more sick leave but they seem to be using more due to in-person work requirements.
California’s Democratic governor will also expand job training and credential programs to help more residents without degrees find work in the public sector.
Mayor Cherelle Parker has ordered city workers to show up at the office five days a week, leading more companies to follow suit. But hybrid work remains a new normal in many places.
Texas state Rep. Armando Martinez has been arguing for years that a law school would help the Rio Grande Valley economy and reduce brain drain. Local colleges are finally working on a plan.
A bill would allow more public employees to shift out of 401(k)-style plans into more traditional pensions, which could help with recruitment. But critics say costs are a reason the state has moved away from such plans for decades.
The school board is considering a plan to use five of its properties to build 1,000 affordable housing units. It’s a strategy more California districts are pursuing.
Hoboken suffered a “massive” cybersecurity break. Personal information including payroll and health records of city workers – some dating back to 1987 – was stolen, along with information about residents who’d applied for rental assistance.
Black and Hispanic high schoolers in Texas who have to drive more than 30 minutes to a community college are more likely to forego college altogether, a new report finds.
Future in Context
An expert offers insights on how government agencies, frequent targets online, can safeguard critical infrastructure and future-proof their cybersecurity. Also under consideration: artificial intelligence’s dual role in security.
A judge has ruled unconstitutional the core of Act 10, the state’s famous 2011 law that ended collective bargaining for most public employees. Republican legislators vowed to appeal the decision.
There are an estimated 1 million people in Louisiana that have the skills and experience to qualify for higher wage jobs, but are being restricted due to not having a college degree. But the state is working to eliminate unnecessary degree requirements.
The new law will guarantee small business employees 40 hours of paid sick leave and 56 hours per year for people working at businesses with more than 20 employees. But business owners are concerned about the financial burden of the new rule.
Seasonal retail and health-care hires did not offset the loss of jobs in the professional services and construction sectors in October, resulting in a net loss of 1,000 jobs in Minnesota.
Latinos make up ever increasing shares of student bodies and the workforce but lag behind whites in science and technical education. One North Carolina county has a promising approach.
Other states, including Nevada, are deleting references to slavery in their constitutions and banning forced prison labor. California voters rejected that path when they turned down Prop. 6.
Dallas voters narrowly passed a new city charter that mandates the Texas city maintain a police force of at least 4,000 cops, an increase of about 900 positions. It’s unclear when the city will complete the “monumental task.”
Like some of its Midwestern and Northwestern neighbors, it put the program on a solid fiscal foundation. California and New York show the consequences of failing.
Roofers, carpenters, plumbers, electricians and laborers are organizing to demand better job conditions, including more contractor oversight, living wages, safety training, heat protections and hiring local to the neighborhoods.
Millions are falling behind on their retirement goals. There are proven policy solutions at the state level, and federal policymakers could build on those to help all workers save what they will need and reduce the burden on taxpayers.
Working from home has dramatically changed over the past 10 years, as technology developments and the pandemic have radically changed the workplace landscape. The number of remote workers is now nearly triple what it was in 2014.
Struggling midwestern cities may have a future in military manufacturing.
In the summer of 2022 the state reduced the filing fee for new LLCs to just $1, triggering a surge in fraud and registration delinquencies. Now the state must deal with the fallout, including the possibility that current business and job numbers are not reliable because of it.
Too many jobs that have nothing to do with driving require it. It’s an unnecessary employment barrier, and other states should follow the lead of two that have moved to prohibit it.
The Missouri County voted to boost the pay for some positions within the county’s highway department in an attempt to lure new workers. The county has more than 60 open positions.
Longshoremen are striking for better wages, but they also say they're fighting to protect jobs against automation. U.S. ports tend to be less automated than some large ports in other countries.
Warehouses and other facilities have been expanded since pandemic-era supply chain disruptions, leaving L.A. and Long Beach ready to increase volume if East Coast port workers strike this week.
Good jobs are a bedrock of resilient communities. State and local governments can spar over who sets standards, but there are ways to meet both state standards and local needs.
Innovative wage subsidy programs and other services can help workers without college degrees demonstrate their skills to the employers who need them.
