Workforce
No, America’s battery plant boom isn’t going bust – construction is on track for the biggest factories, with over 23,000 jobs planned
The future of these job-generating gigafactories, many of them in Republican states, could be at risk if the next president tries to wipe out the programs that made them possible.
State legislators question effectiveness of federal student loans and policies
A bipartisan task force said spending more on loans for higher education doesn’t help much with affordability. The task force called on the feds to rethink how they work with states.
1 million+ patients lose coverage as insurers, hospitals drop Medicare Advantage
For retired state employees in 13 states, Medicare Advantage plans are the only option.
Biden administration forgives $4.5B in student debt for public service workers
The president said that more than 1 million public servants to date have had their federal student debt canceled.
This state is shrinking the public-private pay gap for state workers
Nationally, public employees earn nearly 15% less than their private sector peers—including benefits.
Want your community to be climate resilient? Put someone in charge.
COMMENTARY | As billions of federal climate dollars flood state and local coffers, governments need people in place who have the authority to coordinate, fund and carry out a plan to build resilience.
These counties are recruiting teenagers to shore up a corrections guard shortage
Two counties in Texas house training programs in local high schools as officials pitch corrections jobs as gateways to criminal justice careers.
An experiment to help newly arrived migrants and asylum-seekers find work isn’t cheap—but doing nothing might cost more
COMMENTARY | A Denver pilot program aims to increase the odds that migrants will secure employment as soon as they’re allowed to work.
Threats to election workers as November nears detailed at congressional hearing
Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said lies and misinformation about election results make election workers afraid to go about their daily activities "because we don’t know what might be lurking in the buses.”
Emergency responders struggle with burnout, budgets as disasters mount
Climate change has rewritten the script for disasters.
Humans of Public Service inspires a new generation of government employees
About 850,000 state and local jobs went unfilled last year, as public agencies struggle to find workers. This nonprofit is using social media to entice them.
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Voters will decide minimum wage ballot measures in several states
Measures focused on workers who earn tips and on paid leave have drawn more opposition.
How California crafts a public-sector skills-based employment ecosystem
COMMENTARY | An enterprise statewide employment network should make public sector recruitment better and more efficient.
Heat deaths highlight stark differences in state policies protecting workers
Some states like California, Oregon and Washington have passed strict protections for workers in high temperatures. But Idaho, which produces over $10.8 billion worth of agricultural products each year, hasn’t.
Most workers make about the same as before the pandemic—except in these states
Montana, New Hampshire and Florida had the highest wage growth since 2019, an analysis found.
How cities are rethinking who responds to 911 calls
Big cities have largely embraced so-called alternative response teams that send trained health care professionals in the place of law enforcement to handle low-risk situations. Now, the approach is moving to smaller jurisdictions.
The public sector is (finally) filling more vacancies, report finds
State and local governments have found success with a number of hiring strategies, easing long standing workforce shortages that started with the pandemic.
Looking for tech talent? Broaden your search, experts say
As governments struggle to close the IT skills gap, one state’s cybersecurity program stands out for who it is encouraging to participate.
Stigma is hindering treatment of opioid addictions. States can change that.
The health care workforce is key to treating patients' opioid use disorders, but experts say stigma toward drug use and treatment among medical professionals remains a barrier to treatment access and positive outcomes.
Gen Z thinks government should solve societal issues. Is it ready to hire them?
The workforce’s youngest generation has a desire to address major problems. This creates a unique opportunity for state and local governments.
Small towns are paying remote workers to move in
With remote work apparently here to stay, rural communities are trying to attract new residents with everything from cash to potlucks, and farm-fresh eggs.
