Does Artificial Intelligence Have a Place in Hiring?
Employee Benefits and Relations / Human Resources / Information Technology / NACo and Federal Issues / Summer Conference
Does Artificial Intelligence Have a Place in Hiring?

Experts express caution over the growing use of automated technology and artificial intelligence for job and candidate screening and hiring processes. MACo tackled the issue at the 2022 Summer Conference. Experts at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Department of Labor's (DOL) Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFFCCP) are warning about the potential for automated technology, like artificial intelligence (AI), used in the workplace for hiring and human resource functions to accelerate discrimination.…

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September 20, 2022
How the Pandemic Shaped Paid Leave Laws Around the Country
Business Affairs / Coronavirus / Employee Benefits and Relations / Human Resources / Intergovernmental Relations
How the Pandemic Shaped Paid Leave Laws Around the Country

Paid sick leave has been at the forefront of Maryland policy debates for over a decade, with the state passing a paid leave mandate during the 2022 legislative session. While some states already had such policies in place, others were inspired to provide such leave during the COVID-19 pandemic. Here, we look at how paid leave has been incorporated around the country. The Pew Charitable Trusts' Stateline initiative recently reported on how the COVID-19 pandemic inspired more states…

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September 19, 2022
Jobs are Up, But Unemployment is Up…So What’s Up?
Economic Development / Employee Benefits and Relations / Human Resources / Labor / NACo and Federal Issues
Jobs are Up, But Unemployment is Up…So What’s Up?

In August, Maryland added 5,500 jobs, yet the unemployment rate jumped to 4.3%. New preliminary data released on September 16 by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows that last month Maryland added 5,500 jobs, while the unemployment rate climbed to 4.3%. The BLS jobless report states: In August, 16 states had over-the-month unemployment rate increases, the largest of which were in Connecticut, Maryland, and New York (+0.4 percentage point each).…

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September 19, 2022
State Closes with $2B Surplus, School Construction to Get Boost
Board of Public Works / Economic Development / Labor / Pensions & Public Funds / School Construction and Capital Budgets / State Budget and Fiscal Issues
State Closes with $2B Surplus, School Construction to Get Boost

Maryland again closed the Fiscal Year with a revenue surplus -- this time of $2 billion -- which will in-part boost State funding of school construction and capital projects. At the September 14 meeting of the Board of Public Works (BPW), Comptroller Peter Franchot announced that Maryland has closed its books on Fiscal Year 2022 with a revenue surplus of $2 billion in its General Fund, marking the second year in a row that the State’s…

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September 15, 2022
Stiegman, Bennett Elected to Leadership Roles w/MACo OPEB Trust
Employee Benefits and Relations / Finance and Procurement
Stiegman, Bennett Elected to Leadership Roles w/MACo OPEB Trust

The MACo OPEB Investment Trust has elected a new Chair and Vice Chair to its Board of Trustees, to continue its mission of offering a cost-effective option for local governments investing current assets toward their long term retiree health care costs. At its recent fall quarterly meeting, Patricia Stiegman was elected to serve as Chair of the Board of Trustees. The Board meets regularly with investment advisors, auditors, and actuaries to help guide the Trust…

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September 15, 2022
Here’s How Experts Suggest Schools Strengthen Career and Technical Programs
Education / Higher Education / Human Resources / Labor / News You Can Use
Here’s How Experts Suggest Schools Strengthen Career and Technical Programs

Career and Technical Education is important for workforce and economic development. Here, we explore best practices to strengthen CTE programs. County government -- as a funder and supporter of public education -- is uniquely situated to help prepare Maryland's learners for the modern workforce. Of growing importance are nontraditional educational and career pathways, like career and technical education (CTE). In fact, a survey published in May 2022 by ECMC Group, a nonprofit corporation focused on higher education financial assistance,…

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September 14, 2022
Prince George’s Leadership Institute Preps Youth for County Service
County News / Education / Employee Benefits and Relations / Human Resources / News You Can Use
Prince George’s Leadership Institute Preps Youth for County Service

The Alsobrooks Youth Leadership Institute prepares a diverse group of youth from diverse  ethnic, economic, and social backgrounds who are serious about the lives of youth in Prince George's County and who are interested in County government.  The Alsobrooks Youth Leadership Institute (AYLI) is a Prince George's County youth interested in impacting the lives of youth in the County via serving local government. The AYLI website describes the program as the following: The Alsobrooks Youth Leadership Institute (AYLI) is…

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September 8, 2022
Maryland Marks 12,000 Registered Apprentices, Signifying Growing Importance to Economy
Economic Development / Education / Employee Benefits and Relations / Human Resources
Maryland Marks 12,000 Registered Apprentices, Signifying Growing Importance to Economy

Maryland has officially reached more than 12,000 registered apprentices currently "earning and learning" in the Maryland Apprenticeship and Training Program, marking the highest number of active apprentices ever in state history. There are currently over 12,000 apprentices registered across Maryland’s 182 active apprenticeship programs that partner with 3,879 employers around the state. Apprenticeships are full-time jobs that include on-the-job training and classroom instruction, allowing apprentices to "earn while they learn." The Maryland Apprenticeship and Training Program…

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September 7, 2022
Oxfam Ranks Maryland 14th Best State for Workers
Business Affairs / County News / Employee Benefits and Relations / Human Resources / NACo and Federal Issues / News You Can Use
Oxfam Ranks Maryland 14th Best State for Workers

A new Oxfam America report ranks Maryland as the 14th best state for workers, up two spots from last year. Here's what it means. Oxfam America, the American branch of a global nonprofit focused on poverty eradication, recently ranked the best and worst states to work in the country. The 2022 report based its rankings on three policy areas: wages, worker protections, and rights to organize and analyzed working conditions in all 50 states, as well…

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September 6, 2022
Help for Teacher Vacancies: National Public, Private Partnerships Launched
County News / Education / Human Resources / Labor / NACo and Federal Issues
Help for Teacher Vacancies: National Public, Private Partnerships Launched

Private sector leaders in Human Resources and talent recruitment are partnering with the federal government to help local school districts fill teacher and school staff vacancies. Teachers are leaving the profession at a concerning rate around the country, and hiring new education staff remains a major challenge. Combined with the ongoing challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, local education agencies (LEAs) are facing a perfect storm scenario around the country. Congress and the federal government have even taken…

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August 31, 2022
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