Workforce

Southern governors raise pressure in fights with auto unions

Republican officials want to tell automakers that get big financial incentives for new factories that they have to use secret ballots during unionization efforts.

  • By Daniel C. Vock

‘We can’t exist without child care’: Rural towns use state funding to open local centers

State grants are infusing over $3.7 million into helping rural communities build collaborative, innovative solutions to address child care needs across South Dakota.

  • By Makenzie Huber, South Dakota Searchlight

States are required to background check child care workers. Many are falling short.

Dozens of states are out of compliance with at least one component of a federal law’s requirements, a congressional report found. But the problems are so complicated, it’s unclear if anyone has a solution.

  • By Chabeli Carrazana, The 19th

911 call centers cope with more calls, fewer workers

Staff shortages are forcing emergency call center workers to pick up more overtime, work longer hours, adding extra pressure to an already stressful job, a new survey found.

  • By Susan Miller

What cities can learn from Seattle’s racial and social justice law

COMMENTARY | Working to end institutional racism is part of every employee’s job and the functioning of municipal government.

  • By Serin Houston and Dan Trudeau, The Conversation

Majority of American teachers worry about shootings at their schools, survey shows

Most educators favor more mental health screening for students and oppose arming teachers, though their views are more divided when it comes to whether security officers should have weapons.

  • By Jennifer Gerson, The 19th

Government employees need hands-on, standardized AI training

Having a properly defined list of terms helps get everybody on the same page, as does baseline training for every employee.

  • By Chris Teale

Why so many election officials are leaving

Some states are seeing high rates of turnover among local election officials, according to new research. It’s a troublesome trend that may have a silver lining.

  • By Chris Teale

Is the deal with the NBA Milwaukee Bucks a model for city development projects?

The community benefits agreement that the Bucks owners signed for $250 million in state aid to build the Fiserv Forum included provisions allowing arena workers to freely unionize. It has turned their low-wage, insecure work into sustainable jobs, according to a new report.

  • By Erik Gunn, Wisconsin Examiner

It’s time for local policymakers to cement the Biden administration’s workforce gains

COMMENTARY | By adopting strong job quality standards for government spending, state and local policymakers can improve residents’ quality of life and support a strong, stable workforce for generations to come.

  • By Karla Walter

County supports its aging residents by focusing on family caregivers

To ensure its older adults receive quality care, Fairfax County, Virginia, steps up services for their families.

  • By Kaitlyn Levinson

Biden announces $6B in student debt relief for public service workers

An estimated 78,000 teachers, firefighters and public health workers are among the group of borrowers who will see their debts canceled under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.

  • By Nadra  Nittle, The 19th
Featured eBooks
The State of Trust in Government
Cybersecurity in State and Local Government
Building Data Literacy in the State and Local Workforce

What are microcredentials? And are they worth having?

COMMENTARY | Microcredentials give employees a way to verify their competencies while providing government and industry with another approach for finding skilled workers.

  • By Daniel Douglas, The Conversation

Working-class people rarely have a seat ‘at the legislative table’ in state capitols

The dearth of working-class legislators raises concerns that economic challenges such as wage stagnation and the rising cost of living will get short shrift in state capitols.

  • By Robbie Sequeira, Stateline

What’s the status of your EMS?

COMMENTARY | As rural communities struggle to keep Emergency Medical Services operating, how do we assess the condition of those services? Are we asking the right questions?

  • By Donna Kallner, The Daily Yonder

‘Brain gain’ in rural America and who is behind it

Young people leave their homes to explore and learn everywhere, not just in rural America. But rural spaces offer some unique advantages that inspire many to return and bolster their communities.

  • By Ilana Newman, The Daily Yonder

School districts offer affordable teacher housing as recruitment tool

With fewer people entering the education profession and leaving earlier, more districts may consider teacher housing to increase attractiveness as they compete for talent. 

  • By Antoinette Grajeda, Arkansas Advocate

How states can fight child labor

COMMENTARY | Children as young as 13 have been found working overnight shifts in slaughterhouses. States must adjust their existing labor laws to deter employers from taking advantage of this vulnerable population.

  • By Terri Gerstein

Can student debt relief attract workers to state and local government jobs?

More than 46% of state and local employees reported being “extremely or very worried” about paying back their student loans. A new report suggests addressing that concern could entice more people into the public sector.

  • By Kery Murakami

Meet the newest member of your team: the chief AI officer

Federal agencies must hire a CAIO by year’s end. State and local governments could soon follow their lead, but some observers doubt that another C-suite officer is the best way to go.

  • By Chris Teale

States get some help to recruit caregivers for an aging population

With a projected 9.3 million direct care jobs needing to be filled by 2031, states must find ways to fill that gap. That’s why a new program is helping states build a direct care workforce.

  • By Kaitlyn Levinson