AWC Home Page / Data & Resources / HR Insights articles / HR Insights article
Published on Feb 08, 2023

Thanks to all who participated in our survey to improve HR Insights!

Contact: Matt Doumit

In December, we asked readers to fill out a survey with ideas to improve HR Insights going forward. Survey participants had the chance to enter to win a free registration to AWC’s Labor Relations Institute conference (a $400 value). We’re happy to announce Connie Roberts, HR Analyst at the City of Burien as our winner.

Thank you to all who participated, and we look forward to another year of HR Insights.

Survey respondents let us know that they want us to cover many things, but some of the top topics that respondents indicated were HR & LR best practices, staff training opportunities, and of course the changing policy environment. Readers’ top subject matter for content included employment policies, understanding leave laws, and recruitment & retention. Participants also gave us great ideas on other ways to improve our outreach and meet the needs of the hardworking HR staff at Washington’s cities and towns.

If you have any other ideas on how to improve HR Insights, or want to contribute content for a future edition of our newsletter, feel free to drop us a line at mattd@awcnet.org. 

We also hope to see you at AWC’s Labor Relations Institute in Yakima, May 3-5. We’re hard at work organizing a great program for you and we look forward to seeing you there. LRI registrations are expected to open March 8.

  • HR Insights

 

Recent articles

  • PFML job protections and concurrent PFML/FMLA leave may see changes in 2025

  • Tips for employee recognition during the holidays

  • Key takeaways from AWC’s childcare access listening session

  • Pension policy committee recommends permanent PERS 1 COLA to the Legislature

  • Paid Family and Medical Leave premiums set to go up in 2025

  • Minimum wage to increase to $16.66 per hour in 2025

  • Pension Funding Council and LEOFF 2 Board adopt new contribution rates for 2025

  • OSHA sets public hearing dates for Emergency Response Standard rulemaking

  • OFM is looking for data on Public Service Loan Forgiveness borrowers and employers

  • The top five things we learned at the 2024 LRI

  • How can cities retain their men and women in blue?

  • Paid sick leave bill passes the Legislature

  • WA Cares bill gets amended on its way out of the Senate

  • HR & labor relations legislative roundup

  • AWC Drug & Alcohol Consortium: Impacts of SB 5123 on drug testing

  • 2023 City Conditions Survey results for human resources

  • Workers’ Comp Advisory Committee hears updates on IME recordings, first responder PTSD, and ergonomic rules

  • Using DoD’s SkillBridge program to find and train your next hire

  • U.S. Department of Justice releases new report on recruitment and retention for the modern law enforcement agency

  • Proposed PFML rules implementing 2023 legislation nearing adoption

  • Self-insured cities have the chance to weigh in on new “good faith” rules

  • Washington minimum wage increases to $16.24 per hour in 2024

  • EMS and peer support highlighted at Tumwater Fire

  • The importance of employee handbooks and policy manuals

  • An update on this summer’s new outdoor heat and wildfire smoke rules

  • Around agency-land: Recent reports from agencies and committees

  • L&I looks to adopt permanent wildfire smoke rules for outdoor workers

  • New employer contribution rates adopted to reflect changes to unfunded liability surcharge

  • Five things we learned at the 2023 Labor Relations Institute

  • WA Cares Fund releases new employer toolkit ahead of July payroll tax

  • WA Supreme Court limits “public duty doctrine,” impacting city employee liability

  • Brace yourself, seasonal workers are coming…

  • L&I moving ahead with permanent ambient heat exposure rulemaking

  • Thanks to all who participated in our survey to improve HR Insights!

  • What job candidates want: hiring & benefits edition

  • Legislature looking to rework employer information sharing with employees, unions

  • PFML program gets attention early in legislative session

  • Pensions policy roundup: COLAs, credits, and flexible work, oh my!

  • L&I issues new guidance for preventing COVID-19 as emergency ends

  • Resources from across the AWC city-verse

  • L&I adopts new workers’ comp rates for 2023

  • PFML Premiums Task Force recommends proposal to fix program solvency issues

  • WA Cares Fund exemption deadline on December 31

  • Agency-land roundup: Tracking what agencies are up to

  • City Conditions Survey highlights some of the HR needs of Washington’s cities

  • L&I announces 2023 minimum wage increase

  • L&I proposes workers’ comp rate increases for 2023

  • Washington's COVID-19 state of emergency to end October 31

  • How student loan forgiveness may impact city employees

  • L&I Director speaks out about this summer’s heat and wildfire smoke rules

  • Local government workers can count more student loan payments towards Public Service Loan Forgiveness until October 31

  • HR Field Notes: A conversation with Amy Heller, President of the Washington Public Employment Labor Relations Association

  • U.S. Supreme Court overrules test for restrictions on religious expression in Washington high school case

  • Learn more about the benefits to cities of “unretiring”

  • 2022 Salary and Benefit Survey results are in

  • Rulemaking roundup: Other agency actions you should know about

  • Pension rates to remain steady for 2023

  • ICMA releases results of study on local government DEI efforts

  • L&I adopts temporary smoke and heat rules

  • Highlights from LRI 2022’s featured speaker, Rev. Dr. Bryant Marks

  • DEI roundtable highlights – City of Renton’s DEI in hiring program

  • Never too early – DRS helping public employees with retirement readiness

  • PERC releases 2021 annual report

  • Is it a legitimate workplace injury?

  • An update on workplace COVID-19 proclamations

  • Five things we learned at the 2022 Labor Relations Institute

  • Learning about multi-factor authentication

  • Risk management tips for city volunteer programs

  • AWC answers frequently asked questions on PFML and FMLA

  • AWC returns to Yakima for Labor Relations Institute Conference, May 4-6

  • HR & labor relations cutoff roundup: Your one-stop-bill-shop at the first committee cutoffs

  • WA Paid Family & Medical Leave program running short on cash

  • Pensions bills roundup: Post-committee cutoff edition

  • Three ways city HR professionals can use ARPA funds under the Final Rule

  • HR & labor relations cutoff roundup: Your one-stop-bill-shop at the first committee cutoffs

  • Pensions bills roundup: Post-committee cutoff edition

  • OSHA withdraws emergency vaccine-or-test rule, work on permanent rule continues

  • WA Cares long-term care program delay signed into law

  • Recruiting in the “Great Resignation”

  • Washington likely to move ahead with employer vaccine mandate, and other COVID-19 updates

  • Long-term care update: WA Cares Fund may be delayed in 2022

  • AWC releases new Equity Resource Guide to help cities promote equity

  • State Auditor releases guidance on pensions reporting as more pension plans become fully funded

  • New federal emergency heat exposure rules announced

  • Long-term care tax exemption applications are now live; legislative changes to WA Cares Fund expected

  • More on COVID-19 vaccines: Federal OSHA rules, mandates, and boosters. Oh my!

  • COVID-19 vaccine roundup: Washington developments for state workers, bargaining the mandates, and workplace safety

  • Guidance released for recently passed HR laws – HELSA and law enforcement arbitrations

  • L&I announces increase in 2022 state minimum wage

  • A third of cites in AWC’s vaccine mandate survey are considering their own mandate

  • L&I publishes clean energy labor standards certification

  • AWC Salary and Benefits Survey results now available to help local governments in planning and budgeting

  • HR Insights asks for your contribution to the city human resources conversation in HR Field Notes

  • Tips for cities navigating premium pay during the pandemic

  • How to qualify for long-term care program exemptions

  • Long-term care program: New rules and updates from state agencies

  • Long-term care update: new program website, rulemaking process continues

  • Hearing on proposed change to UI work requirements set for June 22

  • L&I releases tool for calculating budget impact of state overtime exempt rules

  • Updates to city paid holiday schedules may be needed after passage of Juneteenth holiday

  • New health emergency labor standards bill signed into law, includes L&I drafting guidance

  • Washington is preparing for a June 30 reopening from the COVID-19 pandemic. Is your city ready?

  • Top five takeaways from the 2021 Labor Relations Institute

  • Welcome to AWC’s new HR Insights newsletter

Website FAQs | Privacy policy | Terms of use | AWC Boards & Committees | AWC Portal
Copyright © 2018-2024 Association of Washington Cities