Read more about the article MD Launches New Rural Program to Support Recovery Workforce
Health and Human Services / Labor / News You Can Use
MD Launches New Rural Program to Support Recovery Workforce

Rural communities across Maryland face unique challenges in the fight against substance use, often with fewer resources and limited access to care. A new state initiative aims to close that gap by investing in the peer recovery workforce and expanding support where it’s needed most. In a recent press release, Governor Wes Moore has announced the launch of Rural Advancement for Maryland Peers (RAMP), a $1.6 million grant initiative to strengthen substance use recovery support…

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September 3, 2025
Read more about the article Pew Report: Rising Poverty and Longer Work Lives Among Older Adults
County News / Health and Human Services / Labor
Pew Report: Rising Poverty and Longer Work Lives Among Older Adults

As the population ages, an increasing number of older residents are working well past retirement age, often out of financial necessity rather than choice. A recent analysis from The Pew Charitable Trusts shows that the number of US households ages 65 and older grew by nearly 33 percent from 2013 to 2023, compared with just 6 percent growth in the overall population. This dramatic increase has implications for local governments, particularly as more older residents…

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August 27, 2025
Read more about the article New Faces, New Forces: Leveraging Untapped Talent at #MACoCon
Human Resources / Labor / Summer Conference
New Faces, New Forces: Leveraging Untapped Talent at #MACoCon

In today’s economic environment, county governments are pivotal in driving local economic growth and workforce development. In particular, finding the right candidate for a specific role takes an even more dynamic strategy to reach untapped talent. Successfully navigating the complexities of intentionally leveraging certain areas of the workforce can foster a resilient local economy and increase stability and independence for residents. The below 2025 MACo Summer Conference session hosts an expert panel to share best…

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August 4, 2025
Read more about the article Up in Smoke? Balancing Public Safety and Employee Rights in the Cannabis Era 
Cannabis / Employee Benefits and Relations / Human Resources / Labor / Summer Conference
Up in Smoke? Balancing Public Safety and Employee Rights in the Cannabis Era 

As legal cannabis use becomes more common, local governments are caught navigating evolving workplace rights and public safety responsibilities. With no clear test for impairment and increasing legislative pressure, counties must find a path forward that protects both their workforce and their communities. Since Maryland voters approved adult-use cannabis legalization in 2022 and retail sales launched in 2023, the implications for employers, especially public sector employers, have rapidly evolved. While cannabis use is now legal…

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August 4, 2025
Read more about the article Missouri Repeals Paid Sick Leave Law
County News / Employee Benefits and Relations / Health and Human Services / Human Resources / Labor
Missouri Repeals Paid Sick Leave Law

In a reversal of a voter-approved measure, Missouri Governor signed legislation repealing the state’s earned paid sick leave law. The new law, effective August 28, 2025, rolls back provisions approved under Proposition A in 2024. As covered in a Littler article, Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe recently signed legislation undoing two voter-approved labor policies: a statewide paid sick leave mandate and automatic inflation-based minimum wage increases. Local governments were exempt from the original paid sick leave…

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July 23, 2025
Read more about the article MD Unemployment Insurance Fund Faces Challenges
County News / Employee Benefits and Relations / Human Resources / Labor
MD Unemployment Insurance Fund Faces Challenges

Maryland’s unemployment insurance trust fund is currently stable. However, the system could fall below federal solvency standards within the next two years. As reported in a Maryland Matters article, Maryland Labor Secretary Portia Wu warned lawmakers that the state’s $2 billion unemployment insurance trust fund is under increasing pressure at a recent Joint Committee on Unemployment Oversight hearing. While it currently meets federal solvency standards, that could change if unemployment rises or large-scale layoffs occur.…

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July 16, 2025
Read more about the article Navigating Cannabis, Safety, and Compliance in the Workplace
County News / Employee Benefits and Relations / Human Resources / Labor / Summer Conference
Navigating Cannabis, Safety, and Compliance in the Workplace

As cannabis laws evolve, employers are facing new challenges in balancing safety, federal obligations, and employee rights. Minnesota’s latest law raises the stakes by requiring greater legal justification before taking employment action. According to a Forbes article, Minnesota passed a bill that recently went into effect, strengthening protections for registered medical cannabis patients in the workplace. Employers must now give these employees 14 days’ written notice before taking any adverse action based on a positive…

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July 7, 2025
Read more about the article Feds Invests in Skilled Workforce With $84M in Apprenticeship Grants
Economic Development / Labor
Feds Invests in Skilled Workforce With $84M in Apprenticeship Grants

The importance of apprenticeships continues to grow across the country. New federal funding is providing states with more tools to meet workforce needs in both traditional trades and emerging industries. The US Department of Labor announced in a press release nearly $84 million in grants to all 50 states and territories to expand and improve Registered Apprenticeship programs. This funding includes both the base formula and competitive grants, supporting a federal goal of reaching 1…

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July 2, 2025
Read more about the article Federal Funding for Senior Workforce Training and Wages in Jeopardy
Health and Human Services / Labor / Summer Conference
Federal Funding for Senior Workforce Training and Wages in Jeopardy

Federal budget cuts could have an impact on State and local programs that fund workforce training and wages for unemployed, low-income seniors in Maryland.  A federal program that funds workforce training and wages for older, resource-scare residents might be shutting down due to federal budget cuts. According to reports in a number of other states, the US Department of Labor has put state and local funding recipients on notice that funding for the programs would…

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July 1, 2025
Read more about the article CalHeatScore: California’s New Tool for Beating the Heat
Employee Benefits and Relations / Health and Human Services / Human Resources / Information Technology / Labor
CalHeatScore: California’s New Tool for Beating the Heat

Extreme heat is more than a summer nuisance. California’s new tool helps residents identify potential dangers early and take action to stay safe. In a recent Government Technology article, California introduced CalHeatScore, a new tool that forecasts and ranks the risk of heat-related illness on a daily basis. Using a 0-to-4 scale, the system helps residents understand when conditions are most hazardous, with a score of 4 indicating a severe risk. The platform also provides…

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June 12, 2025
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