With the rise of AI, workforce planning is critical. But many governments don’t do it.
That’s a problem when state and local government officials are seeing daily evidence that the nature of their workforce is quickly changing.
Microchip companies need federal grant money. They’re rolling out child care to get it.
To draw women into the semiconductor and construction industries, the CHIPS Act requires companies to provide child care. But will it boost the supply of care, or exacerbate an existing crisis?
Celebrating Public Service—and Public Servants
COMMENTARY | Government is asked to solve our toughest and most intractable problems. That’s why we need to celebrate the people who make a difference through government service.
A glimpse at the ‘human-machine partnership’
Lots has been said about the ways in which artificial intelligence may augment employees’ work. But first, local governments will need to successfully manage the learning curve.
The key to filling IT talent gaps? Invest in your current workforce.
COMMENTARY | Retaining IT talent requires more than just competitive pay and defined career paths.
Paid sick leave sticks after many pandemic protections vanish
Paid sick leave protects both the community's public health and the economic security of low-wage workers.
‘Invisible’ no more: States move to hire people with disabilities
Tapping potential employees with “non-apparent” conditions like autism, attention deficit disorder and chronic depression can bring qualified candidates to a public sector workforce in desperate need of talent.
90 years after 'Lunch Atop a Skyscraper,' are workers any safer?
COMMENTARY | Extreme heat and new technologies have created less obvious but equally potent new dangers in workplaces. State and local governments can address ongoing and new threats.
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.
‘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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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