On December 16th, the state released the unemployment rate for November 2022 and the revised rate for October 2022. Click here to read the December 16th state press release. Massachusetts' November rate declined 0.1 of a percentage point from October to 3.4 percent, 0.3 of a percentage point lower than the national rate for October. The MA labor force participation rate dropped by 0.2 of a percentage point, to  65.3 percent, down 0.3 of a percentage point from the prior year. The labor force decreased by 13,000 from October. Since the beginning of the pandemic (April 2020), Massachusetts has recovered 677,100 jobs. The largest over the year gains occurred in Leisure and Hospitality; Education and Health Services; and Professional, Scientific, and Business Services. Click here to read the state press release. Local unemployment estimates for November were released on 12/20. The most recent local press release can be found here.

Economic Analysis

This month, the Mass Taxpayers Foundation released a report highlighting demographic challenges impacting the Massachusetts labor market. To learn more about the report and read other economist reactions, click here for a CommonWealth Magazine article.

The Washington Center for Equitable Growth recently released The Recovery Reports: Impacts of COVID-19 Relief, highlighting how specific recovery programs and funding impacted small businesses, families, and local communities.

The Boston Fed also continues to follow the economic impacts of the pandemic with one of its latest research reports: Government Transfers and Consumer Spending Among Households with Children during COVID-19.

MassHire Central Region Workforce Board's Bruce Mendelsohn was interviewed about the national, regional, and local economy by Hank Stolz on Talk of the Commonwealth. Click here to listen.

Updates From D.C.

FY23 Funding

Earlier this week Congress released the text of the FY23 Omnibus spending bill overnight. Click here for an overview of the federal funding levels for the WIOA connected accounts. As expected, it includes marginal increases to the formula with more concentrated increases to Apprenticeships and CTE.

You can find the text to this bill here and a summary of the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies here. The government is funded through Friday. This funding package passed the Senate Thursday afternoon, and is now on its way to the House.

MWA is following the conversation among the workforce development and related communities about how racism and white supremacy influence the field and practice of workforce development. We will continue to use this newsletter to share relevant tools, articles, webinars and resources to support the workforce development community.

• 1/11 Webinar: Using the Trauma and Resilience Guides to Create Organizational Change, Corporation for a Skilled Workforce
• Trading Glass Ceilings for Glass Cliffs: A Race to Lead Report on Nonprofit Executives of Color, Building Movement Project
• Meeting the Need: Building the Capacity of Community-Based Organizations, Building Movement Project
• Building Blocks for Change: A Race Equity Assessment, Building Movement Project
• Procurement with Purpose: Improving Job Quality and Equity through Procurement Reform, Aspen Institute
• Ascend's New Family Futures Fund Focuses on Black and Native Student Parent Sucess, Ascend/Aspen Institute
• The American Opportunity Index: A Corporate Scorecard of Worker Advancement, Harvard Project on Workforce
• Video: Racism: A Public Health Crisis, The Emancipator

There are so many job postings and funding announcements, we moved our News from Around the Sector section to our website, where you can access the news, jobs, funding announcements and more anytime throughout the month. Go to: www.massworkforce.com/around-the-sector.

Here is a sample of the events, funding opportunities, jobs, and more posted on our website:

• Job Opportunity: The National Fund for Workforce Solutions is hiring a Chief Administrative Officer. Click here to learn more and apply.
• Job Opportunity: Jobs for the Future is hiring a Senior Manager to work with their Executive Team. Click here to learn more and apply.
• Funding Opportunity: The United Way Community Action Grants application is open. 16 one-year unrestricted grants of $15K each are available for local organizations or grassroots coalitions led by BIPOC or LGBTQIA+ teams that are currently implementing campaigns or initiatives to affect social change. Applications are due January 20th. Click here to learn more and apply.
• Funding Opportunity: Commonwealth Corporation has re-released its rolling Kenneth J Donnelly Workforce Success Grant (aka Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund) RFP with changes to eligibility requirements, max funding amount, and ability to include job quality consideration. Click here for more information.