A new national initiative is accepting grant proposals from state and local governments to establish or improve employee financial wellness programs. Up to 26 grants will be offered for a one-year, non-renewable initiative. The grant funding amount is based on jurisdiction workforce size, with up to $100,000 available for state and local governments with 2,500 or more employees.
A webinar is scheduled for Thursday, May 28, 2020 to review the grant proposal process and respond to questions.

New research from finds a steady increase in telework among state and local government employees (27 percent), the highest share since 2016 (22 percent). This practice is more common in state agencies (64 percent) than local jurisdictions (19 percent). The increase may relate to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic that overlapped with this research. This telework trend, and others, may change dramatically given the ongoing pandemic, social distancing guidelines, and unprecedented pressures on state and local government budgets. Based…

A webinar discussing A Focus on Public Sector Financial Wellness Programs: Employee Needs and Preferences detailed the results of a national survey of 507 state and local government employees assessing their needs and preferences regarding employer-based financial literacy and education programs. Authored by Rivka Liss-Levinson, Ph.D., director of research with the Center for State and Local Government Excellence (SLGE), the survey was conducted with Greenwald & Associates. Click here to download the presentation slides or click on the embedded image…

As the nation faces increased strains on its public health workforce from the COVID-19 outbreak, this new primer describes the current public health workforce size, expectations for growth, employee demographics, job tenure, and the skill sets most in demand. This description is offered against the broader backdrop of the overall state and local government sector. How Does the Public Health Workforce Compare with the Broader Public Sector?, was prepared by SLGE with the support of the de Beaumont Foundation.  Click…

As many state and local governments face inadequate funding levels for retiree health care obligations, a new report and webinar offer policymakers with a guide to individual Medicare marketplaces. These marketplaces are one option for public employers and retirement systems to consider as they look to contain health care costs and create a better value for retirees. The new report, Use of Individual Medicare Marketplaces for Public Sector Retiree Health Care:  A Guide For Elected Officials, was prepared by Rivka…

State and local governments face greater competition for talent even as the demand for specialized health and human services (HHS) jobs grows, according to a new report from the Center for State and Local Government Excellence (SLGE) and Kronos.  The research includes examples of successful retention strategies and innovation, and it highlights the key drivers behind long-term HHS employment trends:  the aging of the U.S population and cost constraints on government spending. These findings are contained in a new report, Innovations…