University of Wisconsin–Madison
Progressive Local Government
For the 21st Century

ProGov21 Policy Library

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Year
Fastfood Frontline: Covid-19 and Working Conditions in Los Angeles
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2023
Level City or Town
State(s) California
Source UCLA Labor Center
Policy Areas Civil Rights, Economic Justice, Health
Fast-food workers in Los Angeles County face high rates of injury, violence, harassment, wage theft, and retaliation from management. The COVID-19 pandemic made these jobs even riskier. Local governments should pass and enforce ordinances to protect workers, involve workers and community...
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2023-2024 State & Local Policy Agenda
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2023
Level City or Town, State
State(s) All States
Source EARN
Policy Areas Economic Justice
Workers face economic threats including eroding wages, unfair firings, union busting, and entrenched occupational segregation. As workers organize to fight back, they need local policymakers to implement new policies that raise labor standards and crack down on abuses. This report...
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Aspen Institute Quality Job Tools Library
Type Policy Brief or Report, Fact Sheet or Infographic
Year 2020
Level City or Town, County, Other Boards and Agencies
State(s) All States
Source The Aspen Institute
Policy Areas Economic Justice
The Aspen Institute's Economic Opportunities Program developed this Job Quality Tools Library to provide actionable tools – including checklists, instructions, and guidelines – to help leaders adopt practices to strengthen job quality in their own organizations, in the businesses...
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Using State and Local Governments’ Purchasing Power to Combat Wage Theft
Type Article
Year 2024
Level City or Town, County, State
State(s) All States
Source Courtlyn G. Roser-Jones
Policy Areas Democracy & Governance, Economic Justice, Finance & Procurement
Because the likelihood of being penalized is low, some employers commit wage-theft on a large scale. This report explores government contracting approaches for mitigating wage theft, including disclosure obligations, ineligibility sanctions for wage-theft offenders, and government...
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Career Pathways & Equity Policy Recommendations
Type Ordinance or Resolution
Year 2022
Level City or Town, County, State
State(s) All States
Source Welcoming America
Policy Areas Community Development, Democracy & Governance, Economic Justice, Finance & Procurement
Localities should pursue equity-focused workforce development strategies that expand career opportunities and mitigate discriminatory hiring practices. This policy toolkit offers strategies for expanding access to career pathways programs, implementing local procurement strategies...
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From Community Benefits to Collective Bargaining, and Back: Building Worker Power in Milwaukee
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2024
Level City or Town
State(s) All States, Wisconsin
Source High Road Strategy Center
Policy Areas Community Development, Economic Justice
Community Benefits Agreements (CBA) are negotiated between private developers, labor organizations, and community stakeholders to ensure large-scale developments create high-quality jobs during and after the construction phase. This report examines how the Milwaukee Area Service and...
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Wages & Benefits Roadmap
Type Roadmap
Year 2021
Level City or Town, County
State(s) All States
Source ProGov21
Policy Areas Economic Justice
Presently, the average American worker is unfairly compensated for their labor. In response to this challenge, ProGov21's updated Job Quality Roadmap provides information and resources that enable the creation of a healthy and productive workforce. It calls on local governments to...
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Employer Commute Options Toolkit
Type Roadmap
Year -
Level City or Town, County
State(s) Wisconsin
Source RoundTrip
Policy Areas Economic Justice, Transportation & Mobility
Single-occupancy vehicle use for short commutes contributes significantly to traffic congestion, and has a negative impact on the climate and public health outcomes. This toolkit helps employers identify transportation needs, and create or enhance commute options for workers. Aimed...
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Using State and Local Government Purchasing Power to Combat Wage Theft
Type Article
Year 2024
Level City or Town, County, State
State(s) All States
Source Washington and Lee Law Review
Policy Areas Democracy & Governance, Economic Justice, Finance & Procurement
Because the likelihood of being penalized is low, some employers commit wage-theft on a large scale. This report explores government contracting approaches for mitigating wage theft, including disclosure obligations, ineligibility sanctions for wage-theft offenders, and government...
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Local Government Employee Retention 2023: The Ultimate Guide
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2023
Level City or Town, County
State(s) All States
Source GovPilot
Policy Areas Democracy & Governance, Economic Justice
This guide outlines employee retention strategies and highlights best practices for preventing turnover in local government positions. It recommends utilizing federal infrastructure grant funding to provide retention incentives, fostering a supportive and inclusive workplace culture,...
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2022 Los Angeles Ordinance Establishing a Fair Work Week
Type Ordinance or Resolution
Year 2022
Level City or Town
State(s) California
Source City of Los Angeles
Policy Areas Economic Justice
This Los Angeles ordinance provides retail workers with a more predictable work schedule. It ensures that workers are notified of their work schedule 14 days in advance, mandates rest between shifts, and compensates workers when schedule changes occur. ...
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2021 Detroit Ordinance Establishing Industry Standards Boards
Type Ordinance or Resolution
Year 2021
Level City or Town
State(s) Michigan
Source City of Detroit
Policy Areas Civil Rights, Democracy & Governance, Economic Justice
This 2021 ordinance allows Detroit's city council to establish industry standards boards, which bring workers and employers together to set standards for wages, benefits, and working conditions. It outlines the process by which worker groups may petition for an industry standards...
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Dirty Threads, Dangerous Factories: Health and Safety in Los Angeles Fashion Industry
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2016
Level City or Town, County
State(s) California
Source UCLA Labor Center
Policy Areas Civil Rights, Economic Justice, Health
Workers in Los Angeles' fashion industry experience high rates of wage theft and frequent health and safety violations like excessive heat and obstructed emergency exists. The Garment Worker Center recommends ending the piece rate system, which leads to wage theft and unsafe conditions,...
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Building A Movement Together: Worker Centers and Labor Union Affiliations
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year -
Level Other Boards and Agencies
State(s) All States
Source UCLA Labor Center
Policy Areas Economic Justice
Worker centers often lack resources but are crucial to addressing labor issues like wage theft, workforce development, immigrant rights, and workplace safety. To tackle this, the AFL-CIO has encouraged affiliations between worker centers, unions, and state labor federations to enhance...
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A How-To Guide for Strengthening State and Local Prevailing Wage Laws: Raising Standards for Government-Funded Work
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2020
Level City or Town, County, State
State(s) All States
Source Center for American Progress
Policy Areas Economic Justice
Community Benefits Agreements (CBAs) create quality jobs and equitable economic development by aligning the practices of large-scale projects with local needs. CBAs set standards for hiring practices, initiatives for hiring underrepresented workers, wage standards, green building...
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Moving Apprenticeship into Manufcturing’s Future: Industrial Manufacturing Technician Program Report
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2017
Level Other Boards and Agencies, State
State(s) Wisconsin
Source COWS
Policy Areas Community Development
The modern manufacturing economy requires highly-skilled workers, however widespread disinvestment in traditional apprenticeship programs threatens job quality. The IMT Registered Apprenticeship (IMT) program offers comprehensive training programs with input from employers, employees,...
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The City`s Role in Private Sector Job Quality
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2023
Level City or Town
State(s) California, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Washington
Source Local Progress
Policy Areas Economic Justice
The prevalence of poor job quality in the private sector highlights the need for stronger protections and enforcement. Cities should enact local worker protection laws, establish labor enforcement agencies, and create industry standards boards to ensure fair wages, safe conditions,...
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What is the worker misclassification ABC test?
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2021
Level City or Town, County
State(s) All States
Source Economic Policy Institute
Policy Areas Democracy & Governance, Economic Justice
Worker misclassification results in the wrongful categorization of employees as independent contractors, depriving workers of benefits, equal protections, and fair compensation. Local governments can use the ABC test to determine if a worker is an employee or independent contractor...
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How to Recruit and Retain Top Talent in the Public Sector
Type Article
Year 2022
Level City or Town, County, State
State(s) All States
Source NeoGov
Policy Areas Democracy & Governance, Economic Justice, Finance & Procurement
Government employers must pursue innovative hiring strategies to outcompete private sector entities for talented candidates. This guide outlines best practices for recruiting and sourcing candidates, and recommends emphasizing career development opportunities, improving employer branding...
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Responsible Bidder Ordinances Promote Local Construction Standards
Type Act or Session Law
Year 2018
Level County
State(s) All States, Indiana
Source Midwest Policy Institute
Policy Areas Community Development, Finance & Procurement
Responsible Bidder Ordinances (RBOs) require that taxpayer-funded projects are awarded to contractors who meet set standards for performance, job quality, hiring , and regulatory compliance. This report presents a case study of nine Indiana counties that have enacted RBOs, highlighting...
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Living Wage Policy Toolkit
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year -
Level City or Town
State(s) All States
Source PolicyLink
Policy Areas Democracy & Governance, Economic Justice
To ensure that public spending creates high-quality family-supporting jobs, local governments should implement living wage ordinances that set wage standards for city employees, government contractors, and companies receiving public subsidies. This policy guide highlights the benefits...
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High Road WIOA: Building Higher Job Quality into Workforce Development
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2015
Level City or Town
State(s) All States
Source High Road Strategy Center
Policy Areas Community Development, Economic Justice, Finance & Procurement
Training investments in low-wage sectors are often undermined by unsafe job conditions, unpredictable hours, and wage theft. By directing resources from the federal Workforce Investment and Opportunity Act (WIOA) toward high road employers, localities can improve job quality and workforce...
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2022 Austin Ordinance 31 Establishing Wage Theft Prevention Standards
Type Ordinance or Resolution
Year 2022
Level City or Town
State(s) Texas
Source City of Austin
Policy Areas Democracy & Governance, Economic Justice
This ordinance combats wage theft by requiring the city to designate a wage theft coordinator, establishing a database of employers with a record of wage theft adjudication, and preventing offending employers from contracting with the city. It also outlines the wage theft coordinator's...
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Examples of Enacted Fairweek Laws
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2018
Level County
State(s) All States
Source Economic Policy Institute
Policy Areas Economic Justice
Low-wage workers are adversely affected by on-call scheduling practices that give as little as an hour's notice for mandatory shifts, destabilizing job security, family life, and earnings. To address these abuses, many localities have enacted "fair workweek" laws that provide greater...
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Public Task Forces Take on Employee Misclassification: Best Practices
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2020
Level City or Town, County, Other Boards and Agencies, State
State(s) All States
Source National Employment Law Project
Policy Areas Democracy & Governance, Economic Justice
Cities, states, and workers' organizations have established interagency task forces to take on companies that illegally misclassify workers. This report provides an overview of best practices for creating worker misclassification task forces and highlights successful case studies....
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Displaying 25 of 91 records.

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