WA aims to support federal workers after mass layoffs
Washington’s Employment Security Department is deploying its Rapid Response unit for the hundreds of laid-off federal workers in the state.
Donna Mack, who manages Rapid Response at ESD, said usually the unit would go agency by agency to offer resources to specific groups of workers.
But since it’s unclear where exactly workers are being laid off, the department is offering free webinars to all federal workers in the state who’ve been subject to job cuts.
In an interview with SPR News, she said the presentations will be some first steps toward getting affected workers back on their feet.
"For folks who've been out of the job market for quite a while, how you do a resume, how you interview, the kinds of questions you might expect in an interview might look really different than they did 10 years ago," Mack said.
The webinars will also cover topics like applying for federal unemployment insurance and skills training opportunities from area schools.
Furloughing state workers on the table to solve WA budget shortfall
As Washington lawmakers look for solutions to the state’s $12 billion budget deficit, they’re considering a forced furlough of state workers.
If state workers were furloughed one day a month for two years, it could save about 300-million dollars, according to a proposal from Gov. Bob Ferguson.
Andrew Stubblefield’s job with the Washington’s Department of Transportation includes fixing guardrails, potholes and maintaining the roads.
Stubblefield said the low pay compared to the private sector is affecting DOT recruitment and retention. And furloughs could make it worse.
"And at some point, it is absolutely unavoidable that these turn into safety issues and not just safety for myself and my crew, but safety for the people that use the roads too," Stubblefield said.
Democratic House Majority Leader Joe Fitzgibbon said lawmakers are considering all options.
" We're not taking it off the table, but we're not yet convinced that that is the most responsible way to balance the budget," he said.
He said a budget proposal from House and Senate Democrats is expected by the end of the month.
OSPI head says state discrimination law takes priority over Trump orders, parents' rights bill still needs work
Washington School Superintendent Chris Reykdal is urging school districts to follow state law when it comes to deciphering inconsistencies between federal and state gender identity policies.
During a press conference Thursday, Reykdal responded to several questions about the Mead school board’s letter to the federal government looking for guidance.
School Board President Michael Cannon told the Spokesman-Review the majority of the board wants to implement policies that are in line with President Trump’s views, but he said the district worries that would put it in conflict with state law and endanger Mead’s state funding.
Reykdal said state and federal discrimination laws are consistent, but what’s inconsistent are the president’s executive orders.
"Clearly the direction that some of our districts have indicated is they are intent on violating state law because they just happen to agree with the way they think the president sees the world," he told reporters. "That’s going to be a problem legally.”
Thursday, the Washington attorney general’s office announced it’s joining a lawsuit with 20 other states to try to stop the Trump administration from eliminating or breaking apart the U.S. Department of Education.
On the call, Reykdal also addressed a parents’ rights bill approved early Thursday morning by the state House of Representatives. He said it needs more refinement.
The measure makes changes to a similar bill approved last year by the legislature in response to an initiative filed by the group Let’s Go Washington.
Among other things, it limits information a school district can release to parents related to gender identity, especially in cases where a student’s safety at home is in question.
The version that went before the House this week was debated for about nine hours, then approved on a party-line vote.
It now goes to the Senate, which is already considering a different version.
"I like elements of both of them. I want to be clear where parents have a lot of rights because they’ve had a lot of rights for a long time in this state," Reykdal said. "Anything around the student’s official public record or school record, parents get access to that. I want them to get it clearly and quickly. But there are some protections that students need to have."
Let’s Go Washington opposes the bill. It has filed a ballot initiative that would repeal any changes to the law approved by the legislature last year.
ID public schools could hire chaplains under new bill
Idaho lawmakers are considering letting public school districts hire chaplains as early as next school year.
The legislation would allow districts to hire these religious figures as a paid employee or as a volunteer. Districts could also hire more than one chaplain at any time.
The bill does not require a chaplain to be affiliated with any particular religion.
“We all stand to benefit from more peacemakers, motivators and community builders. This is especially true in schools, which can be difficult, high pressure environments for teachers and students alike,” said the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Dale Hawkins (R-Fernwood).
If a district chooses to hire a chaplain, they must undergo a criminal background check similar to substitute teachers and other educational staff.
The proposal would leave any other policies, rules or procedures relating to school chaplains up to the school district, like whether they could counsel students.
“[The chaplain] would be accessible to teachers and whatever rules they want to confine that to. It’s completely up to [the school district],” Hawkins said.
Rep. Jack Nelsen (R-Jerome) was the lone no vote against introducing the bill in the House Education Committee Thursday.
“It’s one thing for the legislature to have a chaplain,” said Nelsen. “It’s quite another for an elementary school or a public school to have one religion or another.”
The bill still needs a public hearing before it could reach the House floor.
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Reporting by Owen Henderson, Lauren Paterson, Doug Nadvornick and James Dawson.