Work
A soldier’s death leaves his family rooted in the Kentucky town he chose
HOPKINSVILLE — More than 6,000 miles from home, U.S. Army helicopter pilot Shane Barnes texted with his wife, Samantha, about her weekend plans in Hopkinsville with their girls, Amelia, who is 5, and Katherine, who will be 2 in a few months. It was Friday, Nov. 10, the day before Veterans Day. Samantha told Shane […]
Millions more workers would receive overtime pay under proposed Biden administration rule
Salaried workers who have been ineligible for overtime pay would benefit from a proposed Biden administration regulation. The Department of Labor’s new rule would require employers compensate full-time workers in management, administrative, or other professional roles for any overtime worked if they make less than $55,068 annually. Currently, the salary threshold is $35,568. The change […]
Federal call center workers call attention to workplace inequities during march
Call center workers that help Americans navigate the ACA marketplace and Medicare used this year’s March on Washington to spotlight their demands for more paths to advancement, higher pay, and more breaks between calls. They’re looking to bring government attention to their cause after previous efforts to get the attention of officials with the Department […]
Pregnant workers have new protections. Here’s what to expect from your boss.
Almost two months after workplace accommodations for pregnant workers became law, the rules surrounding what employers can and cannot do have yet to be finalized — but that doesn’t mean the protections are not in place. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s proposed regulations are expected to offer more clarity once finalized, but workers can still […]
Employers, KCTCS team up to help Kentucky workers pursue education
Kentucky companies who offer tuition assistance to employees as well as flexibility at work can now earn the designation “Education First Employer” through a new statewide initiative announced this week. At least 45 companies have already signed up to be Education First Employers. The program also requires them to partner with colleges in the Kentucky […]
VP Kamala Harris unveils new wage rule for federal projects
Construction workers who work on federal projects are poised to receive better wages and worker protections under a Department of Labor rule touted by Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday. Speaking at a union hall in Philadelphia, Harris praised the Biden administration’s economic agenda and pointed out that the new rule would be the first […]
Advocates for coal miners say MSHA’s proposed silica dust rule needs teeth
The U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration is hosting a public comment hearing in Beckley on Thursday on a proposed rule that could strengthen silica exposure standards — one of the leading causes of black lung — for coal miners. The proposed rule would, for the first time, implement a separate exposure limit for silica […]
A ‘she-cession’ no more: After COVID dip, women’s employment hits all-time high
After fears of a “she-cession” during the pandemic, women have returned to the workforce at unprecedented rates. Much of the gain reflects a boom in jobs traditionally held by women, including nursing and teaching. Many good-paying jobs in fields such as construction and tech management are still dominated by men, a continuing challenge for states […]
States, cities turn to community organizations to battle wage theft
About five years ago, most of Minneapolis’ Subway, Little Caesars and McDonald’s franchise restaurants did not comply with city wage standards. Now workers at each of the locations that violated the law receive the required minimum wage and time off when they’re sick. This is all thanks to a co-enforcement program, where the city’s labor […]
Kentucky reverses loss of social workers in child and adult protective services
FRANKFORT – Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services Secretary Eric Friedlander is “cautiously optimistic” as caseload-carrying social workers in the Department for Community Based Services increased this year. In December, Kentucky had 965 workers in adult and child protective services work, which increased to 1,023 in March and 1,042 in May. This increase comes […]
Remote work biting into Covington’s payroll tax revenue
The city of Covington has attributed its recent budget shortfalls to rising work-from-home policies. Covington’s finance director Steve Webb disclosed during a presentation at a city commission meeting on May 23 that the city’s general fund’s expenditures had exceeded its revenue for the third quarter of the 2023 fiscal year, which ends on June 30. […]
GOP’s desired work requirements for federal aid would kick roughly 21M from anti-poverty programs
Congressional Republicans’ efforts to slash federal spending by tying work requirements to Medicaid and SNAP would have far-reaching consequences for people with mental health issues, chronic health problems, and some people with disabilities if enacted, policy experts on anti-poverty programs say. They say the work requirements as laid out by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s “Limit, […]