Livable Wages/Working Families / Public News Service

The Wisconsin Policy Forum said the state's teacher turnover rate last year included both the highest levels on record of teachers moving between districts and the second-highest levels of those leaving the profession. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, December 4, 2023

Can collective-bargaining case help with WI teacher shortage?

A lawsuit challenging Wisconsin's collective near-total bargaining ban for most public workers is by some seen as a way to bolster the state's beleagu…

The Food Bank of Wyoming is asking for help from the public to meet rising food needs during the holiday season. (Food Bank of Wyoming)

Monday, December 4, 2023

Food banks, pantries address rising food insecurity during winter holidays

The number of people in Wyoming who don't know where their next meal will come from is on the rise, according to new U.S. Department of Agriculture …

According to data by SCORE, 75% of small business owners donate an average of 6% of their profits to charitable organizations each year. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, December 4, 2023

The importance of 'shopping local' for sustainable NC business growth

Small Business Saturday has come and gone and the North Carolina Sustainable Business Council urged people to keep "shopping local" this season…

Minnesota's new paid leave law, scheduled to take effect in 2026, will distribute benefits through a state-operated insurance pool funded by employers and employees. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, December 4, 2023

Despite cost debate, some MN businesses intrigued by paid-leave law

Minnesota is two years away from enacting its new paid leave law and while the debate over costs has resurfaced, some in the small business community …

All of the 26 eligible Tacoma Art Museum employees participated in and voted in favor of forming a union. (Gillian Fulford/WFSE)

Monday, December 4, 2023

Tacoma Art Museum union could be model for others

Workers at the Tacoma Art Museum are celebrating a unique union victory that could be a model for other museums. The 26 members of Tacoma Art …

The cost to attend public colleges in Massachusetts is increasing faster than it is in any other state, while the average graduate in Massachusetts carries more than $33,000 in debt. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, December 4, 2023

Student loan payment restart riddled with errors for MA borrowers

A new report from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau found the repayment process for federal student loans has been filled with errors…

An estimated 40% of recent college graduates in the U.S. are underemployed, according to Statista. (Adobe Stock)

Friday, December 1, 2023

Report: Mending the pathway from college to workforce

A new report from WGU Labs, a nonprofit affiliate of Western Governors University based in Millcreek, Utah, is shedding light on the importance of …

Prior to the start of this 2024 open enrollment period, about 1.5 million more people enrolled in marketplace coverage nationwide from March to Sept. 2023, compared to the same period in 2022.<br />(STOATPHOTO/Adobe Stock)

Arkansans still have time to sign up before ACA enrollment deadline

In Arkansas and across the nation, open enrollment for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act ends on December 15 at midnight. The …

AARP estimates family caregivers in South Dakota provide a total of 74 million hours of unpaid care per year. (Adobe Stock)

Caregiver support in SD likely to receive legislative focus next year

South Dakota's next legislative session is right around the corner, and lawmakers are expected to take a close look at recommendations for enhancing …

According to the group West Virginians for Affordable Healthcare, around 30% of West Virginia residents have medical debt in collections. (Adobe Stock)<br />

WV could lose hundreds of millions in Medicaid funding

Since West Virginia's Medicaid eligibility review began this spring, around 100,000 residents have been kicked off the rolls. Experts have said many …

Determining SNAP eligibility involves considering such factors as residency, age, relationship, citizenship, Social Security number assignment, employment, resources, income and relevant deductions. (Mikhailov Studio/Adobe Stock)

TN families hit 'income cliff' when trying to get SNAP benefits

With the next Farm Bill stalled in Congress and rising food insecurity in Tennessee, advocacy groups say there's a pressing need to address a hurdle …

The Economic Policy Institute found the number of child labor law violations increased from 1,012 in 2015 to 3,876 in 2022. (Adobe Stock)

Bill in Congress poses stronger penalties for child labor violations

A bill in Congress with a Connecticut House sponsor aims to reduce child labor in the United States. Called the "Children Harmed in Life-Threatening …

Of the 12% of Nebraskans reporting food insecurity at some time between 2020 and 2022, almost half of them reported experiencing

NE has until Jan. 1 to opt in to food assistance for 150,000 children

Roughly one in eight Nebraskans who have experienced hunger is a child. The state has a chance to help their families afford groceries, but must 'opt …

By some estimates, more than 15 million people covered through the ACA exchanges nationally, and 20 million insured by the Medicaid expansion would lose coverage if the Affordable Care Act was repealed. (Fizkes/Adobe Stock)

Health care advocates push back on Trump’s threats against ACA

Advocates for affordable health care are speaking out to remind people what is at stake if the Affordable Care Act is repealed in the wake of recent s…

The PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center in Eugene is closing this year. (Visitor7/Wikimedia Commons)

Home health, hospice nurses in OR call for union contract agreement

Nurses who care for patients in their homes in the Willamette Valley are pushing to get their union contract negotiations across the finish line…

Many of the companies lobbying for tax breaks have paid very little in taxes. Netflix, for example, has paid federal corporate income taxes equal to less than 1% of its reported profits over four years. (Adobe Stock)

Congress urged to consider business tax cuts, child tax credit

Lawmakers in Congress are facing mounting pressure from corporate lobbyists to pass business tax breaks before the end of the year but new analysis su…

The new rule was originally set to go into effect in December, but the NLRB extended the date into February to accommodate legal challenges. (Rafael Henrique/Adobe Stock)<br />

Advocates: New NLRB joint employer rule a win for workers

The National Labor Relations Board recently issued a rule change that may have wide-ranging impacts for workers and businesses. The update to the …

In a new national poll, 86% of respondents say they would purchase more

'Made in America' items try to land on more holiday gift lists

With Thanksgiving behind us, Minnesotans are shifting their attention to holiday shopping. Spurred by encouraging public polling, those who make …

As of 2018, 66% of California high school graduates had enrolled in a two-year or four-year college program. (Luckybusiness/Adobe Stock)

Report: Almost 3 in 4 future jobs will require some college

More than two million jobs will be created in California each year through 2031 - and 72% of them will require more than a high school diploma…

Colorado rate payers are still on the hook for $500 million after grid failures in Texas created a spike in natural gas prices in 2021. (Adobe Stock)

Coloradans brace for winter heating bills

After Coloradans cranked up the heat to welcome family members for Thanksgiving dinner, many are worried about the price they will pay when their …

Public schools and colleges are working together to build a pipeline of homegrown talent to help address the teacher shortage in Montana's K-12 classrooms. (Working Nation)

Creating a local pipeline for Montana teaching jobs

By Victoria Lim for WorkingNation.Broadcast version by Mark Moran for Big Sky Connection reporting for the WorkingNation-Public News Service Collabora…

According to the Kids Count data center, child care consumes between 8% and 13% of a typical South Dakota family's income. (Adobe Stock)

Child care 'solution-driven' grants take shape in SD

Child care access has become a major focal point in the U.S., and South Dakota is no exception. More than two dozen communities are using grant …

The majority of adults, some 83%, believe online retailers should be required to provide country-of-origin labeling, up from 79% in 2022. (Maksym Yemelyanov/Adobe Stock)

Black Friday, holiday shopping focuses on American-made products

While you're out to find Black Friday and holiday shopping deals today, many "Made in America" items may be on your preferred list. A new poll by …

Black Friday and holiday shopping made in America

While you're out to find Black Friday and holiday shopping deals today, many "Made in America" items may be on your preferred list. A new poll by …

Among registered voters surveyed, nearly 90% of Democrats and 75% of Republicans believe support for unpaid family caregivers is important. (Andrea Piacquadio/Pexels)

NE Area Agencies on Aging support caregivers

November is National Family Caregivers Month, and many of the 200,000 Nebraskans who help care for loved ones with a health issue or disability could …

Bay says it is important for multi-generational households and families to have discussions about financial planning. (Adobe Stock)

Students across AZ learn how to better financially plan, budget

As the year comes to an end, one event aims to help high schoolers in Arizona learn how to better manage their money. The "Bite of Reality" fairs …

Immigrants start more than 25% of all businesses in seven of the eight sectors that the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics expects to grow the fastest over the next decade. (Adriana/Adobe Stock)

Santa Fe's economic vitality depends on immigrants

From construction and hospitality to business creation and consumer spending, a new report shows the oversized contributions immigrants are making to …

States wanting to implement Summer EBT this coming summer need to have plans in place by early 2024. (Adobe Stock)

Special session could boost food security for kids in summer

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis has called a special legislative session after voters rejected plans to provide property tax relief. Polis says he also …

Seven in ten people in the United States will need long term care. (Tyler Olson/Adobe Stock)

'Sandwich generation' lauds WA's long-term care savings program

Washingtonians with kids and older parents in need of care are praising the peace of mind the state's new retirement savings program is providing them…

Around 400 million acres of American farmland are projected to change hands this year in what amounts to the country's largest-ever generational land shift. (Practical Farmers of Iowa)

Young Iowa farmers struggle for a leg up

Today is the deadline for small farmers seeking financial assistance to apply for grants from a farm advocacy organization designed to help them get t…

According to Gallup, three in four Americans side with the United Auto Workers in their negotiations with U.S. auto companies. (Adobe Stock)

Amid organizing buzz, union membership lags, but leaders still see hope

States such as Minnesota have seen a tidal wave of union organizing amid public support to improve pay and workplace conditions. However, labor …

Business leaders have reported workers with disabilities bring a strong sense of positivity and ownership of their work. (Adobe Stock)

Diversifying the workforce can change companies for the better

By Ramona Schindelheim for WorkingNation.Broadcast version by Eric Galatas for Wyoming News Service reporting for the WorkingNation-Public News Servic…

A new Keystone Research Center report highlightsd initiatives like

Report: Federal funding would ignite apprenticeships, create job pathways

Pennsylvania needs more economic opportunities and a new report from the Keystone Research Center showed federal investments in climate and infrastruc…

Midwives and other health staff are looking to unionize at 10 Legacy Health locations. (honcharr/Adobe Stock)

OR women's health clinic staff seek to unionize to improve conditions

Workers at Legacy's women's health clinics have announced their intention to unionize. About 60 nurse midwives and other health staff at clinics in …

Since the Inflation Reduction Act became law, there have been nearly 60 solar manufacturing announcements. Companies have also announced enough new battery manufacturing projects to support production of more than 10 million electric vehicles per year. (Adobe Stock)

Elected officials: Inflation Reduction Act investments will aid national security

In order to fight climate change, officials are pushing for investments through the Inflation Reduction Act. The group Elected Officials to Protect …

Panelists discuss the 33rd edition of Kentucky Youth Advocates County Data Book, which looks at how Kentucky kids are faring in terms of economic security, education, health, family and community. (Adobe Stock)

Report: KY faces workforce crisis in sectors that support children

New county-level data show Kentucky is facing a severe shortage of workers in sectors supporting children, including teachers, counselors, child care …

WGU Indiana stresses existing partnerships and creating new partnerships between higher education and employers will create a jobs pipeline of educated talent. (Adobe Stock)

New urgency to close skills gap between college and employment

Preparing students to find a job straight out of college is not always easy in Indiana. However, barriers graduates must jump to successfully …

Asian children are the only group to have continued seeing improved uninsured rates from 2019 pre-pandemic to the present: From 4.4% in 2019, down to 4.2% in 2021 and 3.8% in 2022. (Tom Wang/Adobe Stock)

PA sees drop in health insurance coverage for children as national rates rise

A new analysis of 2022 census data has uncovered a troubling trend: The uninsured rate for Pennsylvania children worsened during the final full year o…

Federal data suggest at least seven in 10 people have lost their Medicaid coverage for procedural reasons, such as missed deadlines, paperwork lost in the mail, or slow processing by state agencies. (zimmytws/Adobe Stock)

Medicaid’s 'unwinding' takes heavy toll on Texas children

More American children had health insurance during the pandemic than ever before. But now, as states are required to re-enroll those eligible for …

Aside from costing rural areas economic opportunities, a housing shortage is also creating population declines. A Rural Housing Coalition of New York report found rural counties saw 50,000 people leave in the last decade. (Adobe Stock)

NY housing organization seeks solutions to rural housing issues

Rural New York organizations are working to tackle issues with rural housing. Rural counties throughout the state are suffering from aging housing …

According to AARP, there are 6.5 million veteran and military caregivers across the U.S., providing the equivalent of $14 billion in unpaid care per year. (Adobe Stock)

AARP co-hosts webinar on caregiving for veterans

AARP is partnering with the Elizabeth Dole Foundation for a webinar today on the financial impacts of caregiving for veterans. New data show family …

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the average annual tuition and fees for a graduate program in the 2019-20 academic year cost $12,410 for public institutions and $28,430 for private institutions. (Adobe Stock)

AL college offers tuition-free graduate degrees to incoming freshmen

As college costs continue to skyrocket, many students find themselves unable to afford tuition. In response, some schools are taking proactive …

If there is a shortfall in WIC funding, program administrators said states would respond by putting some eligible people on waiting lists. (Jade Maas/Adobe Stock)

Advocates: WIC will have to ration benefits if budget not increased

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children is facing a funding shortfall in Ohio and nationwide, even without the …

Community-based organizations applied for grants from $5,000 to $20,000, to support and actively promote the Healthy School Meals for All program locally. (Adobe Stock)

Free Healthy School Meals for Public School Students Underway

After Colorado voters approved a measure to provide free meals to all public school students regardless of their ability to pay last year, 41 …

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healy say MassReconnect could ultimately help more than 1 million people further their education, and will be paid for by revenue from the new

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Community college faculty in MA demand contract funding

The union representing faculty and staff at Massachusetts's 15 community colleges are demanding a pay raise. They're asking the state legislature …

The current state budget allocated $35 million to the California Guaranteed Income Pilot Program for young people aging out of the foster care system. (Adobe Stock)

CA launches guaranteed income program for former foster youth

About 300 young adults leaving foster care in California will now receive a monthly check to help them make ends meet, part of the state's first …

While enrollment in SilverEnhanced Savings has hit the funding cap, undocumented Coloradans who are not eligible for other programs can still get health insurance through Omni-Salud. (Adobe Stock)

Strong demand among undocumented Coloradans for health coverage

Colorado's Omni-Salud program - which allows low-income undocumented Coloradans and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients to enroll in aff…

New York's Legislature passed bills to ensure people in both the Energy Affordability and HEAP programs can have their information used to see if who needs a low-income benefit. Another bill required service companies to get customers content before any material prices increase. (Adobe Stock)

National Grid proposes rate increase for downstate NY

National Grid is proposing rate hikes for three New York City boroughs and Long Island. In Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island, the utility company …

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