On 4/16, the state released the unemployment rate for March 2021. Massachusetts saw its seasonally adjusted rate decline 0.2 percentage points to 6.8 percent from the revised February rate of 7.0 percent, still higher than the U.S. rate of 6.0 percent.

The MA labor force participation rate, 66.4 percent, is up 0.4 percentage points from the prior year. The labor force increased by 4,500 from February. Click here to read the state press release. Local unemployment estimates were released on 4/20 and the local press release can be found here.

MassBenchmarks came out with its Q1 economic bulletin. They note that despite MA continuing to have a higher unemployment rate than the US, the rate has fallen faster in the state than the nation, due to faster job growth in the state during this time. The U-6 unemployment rate (a measure of underemployment in addition to unemployment) in March was 9.4 percent in MA and 10.7 percent in the US, lower than December 2020, but significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels. The number of marginally attached workers is similar to what was seen during the Great Recession (2008/2009), and may indicate workers who will be ready to return to work once they feel it is safe and/or schools and childcare reopen completely. Click here to read the full report.

Last week DUA released the most recent initial claims for the week ending 4/22/2021 including the number of PUA and PEUC claims filed to date. Click here for the state press release which includes charts of initial and continued claims by demographic characteristics and industry. Note: initial claims for the current and prior week are estimated due to a system processing error and corrected values will be provided when available.

After an incredibly successful 2020 YouthWorks Summer Jobs program, adapted to meet the work readiness needs of teens across the Commonwealth during an unprecedented pandemic, Commonwealth Corporation said farewell this month to two key leaders, Susan Lange, Vice President of Youth Pathways and Jennifer Applebaum, Director of YouthWorks. On behalf of MWA and the MA workforce development community, we wish them the best of luck in their next endeavors. Click here to view one of the inspiring youth testimonies from YouthWorks Randolph last summer.

The Biden Administration has released its high level budget proposal which includes a 6% increase to WIOA. Not a lot of details are available yet but click here for highlights included in President Biden's proposed budget for U.S. DOL.

Earlier this week, Chairman Neal (D-MA) and the House Ways and Means Committee unveiled a plan to reshape the American economy through universal paid family and medical leave, guaranteed access to child care, and permanently extending worker and family-related refundable tax credits from the Rescue Plan. See here for a one-pager on the bill and here for a section-by-section summary. As with most pieces of legislation this session, the Act's chances of passage on the Senate side are doubtful.

Earlier this month Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) along with Ron Wyden (D-OR) introduced the Long Term Unemployment Elimination Act. This legislation would create a subsidized job program specifically targeted at the long term unemployed that would be run primarily through local workforce development boards. There is also an emphasis on necessary support services and the accompanying training needed to support these workers. See here for a section-by-section summary and here for a fact sheet.

Earlier this month, Chairwoman Patty Murray (D-WA) and Ranking Member Richard Burr (R-NC), of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, requested input from stakeholders on policy ideas on workforce development. The Senators announced they intend to work together to develop bipartisan solutions to update and expand workforce training programs, support and expand the National Apprenticeship Act, and encourage innovation.

Click here to read the letter that was sent to the Committee by the United States Workforce Association (USWA) (of which MWA is a member).

MWA and MASSCAP are co-hosting a follow-up event to our November progam to convene Community Action and Workforce Development network representatives virtually. We're coming back together on Tuesday, May 11th at 1PM to deepen our discussion around the needs we're seeing in our communities and strategies to address income inequality through strengthened partnerships. Jenn James, Undersecretary of Labor and Workforce Development and Aviva Rothman-Shore, Deputy Director Program and Strategy for the Department of Housing and Community Development, will join us. If you are an MWA member and interested in participating, contact Raija Vaisanen for more information.

The California Workforce Association is inviting workforce professionals from around the country to join its annual spring conference this year virtually. Click here to learn more and to register. Click here for a brief promotional video.

MNN is hosting a free webinar on Tuesday, May 11th at 1PM that may be very relevant for the MA workforce development and training community.

The 90-minute webinar, COVID Now & Later – Navigating the COVID-Related Issues Today and Preparing for the Changed Workplace of Tomorrow, will be presented by Murphy, Hesse, Toomey and Lehane, LLP. Some of the topics to be discussed include the latest regulatory developments regarding unemployment insurance, COBRA, reasonable accommodation, vaccination issues, the changing workplace, and workplace safety concerns. There will be opportunity for questions during the course of the presentation. The webinar will be recorded and distributed afterward, as well. Click here to read more about the webinar and click here to register.

The Harvard Project on Workforce has worked over the past year on developing SkillBase, an online tool to help job seekers and those who work with them find the careers their current skills may easily transfer to, and the training necessary to upskill for other careers. In this blog post, they reflect on their process for developing the tool, including partnering with MassHire to test and offer feedback on how best to integrate the tool into current support for job seekers.

On behalf of the MassHire Merrimack Valley Workforce Board, the City of Lawrence is releasing a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a One-Stop Career Center Operator/Service Provider for the Lower Merrimack Valley region from July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022. Click here to view and download the solicitation. Applications close June 9th.