Recommended Actions

Workers’ boards are bodies established by governments that include worker representation and that typically aim to provide workers with a voice and formal role in setting higher minimum standards for jobs in particular industries. Workers' boards can be part of the workforce development board structure or report directly to local elected policymakers, such as county boards, city councils  or executive offices.

Harris County (TX) established the Essential Worker Board in 2021 to advise the county on programs and policies that support essential workers. All members must be “low-income essential workers,” with at least one worker representative from specific industries. In addition to advising the county on its overall approach to protecting essential workers’ rights and providing a public forum, the board is also tasked with providing feedback on the county’s purchasing and contracting policies; workforce development programs; tax abatement and incentive policies; community benefits agreements; distribution of federal COVID-19 relief and recovery funds; disaster preparedness and recovery programs; OSHA trainings; independent monitoring of local, state, and federal public health and labor laws and inclusive economic development planning.

In 2019, the Center for American Progress issued a how-to guide for state and local governments and advocates interested in developing workers’ boards or similar structures.

Ensure that frontline staff understand your agency’s framework, standards or definition and goals and that your agency has prioritized these measures for internal employees or contractors first (leading by example). Case managers, career agents/coaches, business services representatives, workshop coordinators and trainers and intake and assessment staff should know how their specific job functions and daily tasks will play an important role in advancing the strategy.

Include questions about wants, needs and preferences related to job quality in program intake and individualized assessments. These questions should focus on key job quality components from your framework and standards (e.g., earnings, schedules, safety and security, benefits). This information should also be incorporated into the development of the individualized employment plan (IEP) for Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act intensive services or other public employment programs (e.g., Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, SNAP employment and training).

Train direct service staff to apply the Living Wage Calculator in case manager/career coaching and job development practices. This tool estimates the wage needed to cover basic family expenses including housing, food, childcare, transportation and health care, as well as relevant taxes for 12 different family structures. Staff can use this tool to prioritize job postings for candidates, develop career plans, and help guide training investments.

Help participants identify what they and their families need: a living wage, stable schedule or time off, for example. Include the self-assessment in your agency's “job-ready checklist” next to things like resume, practice interview, work clothes and reliable transportation to and from work. This can create a greater sense of agency and enthusiasm in a job search. 

A greater focus on job quality, rather than just job readiness, can accelerate your agency’s shift from case management to effective career coaching or family-centered coaching. This issue brief from Mathematica provides examples of key elements and practices for effective case management in the workforce system.

Train business services and job placement staff to look for job quality standards in job descriptions. This will allow staff to better match job openings with jobseeker needs and preferences. For example, if the job does not have the stable predictable scheduling a jobseeker strongly prefers, it may not be a good match even if other job qualifications align.

Consider applying a “Certified Good Job” indicator to job postings in your labor exchange system or virtual job board that meet your agency's job quality standards (from your strategy). An indicator makes it easier for workers to identify opportunities with good job quality, and it can be used it as leverage with companies to increase their job quality. For example, you could work with a company that is having difficulty filling jobs to improve job quality and earn the “Certified Good Job” indicator to attract more applicants.

Develop a curriculum for American Job Center services that includes ways to connect to local labor unions, worker centers and other worker advocacy organizations (e.g., The Fair Work Week). Union representatives who have seats on workforce development boards may be good partners in this effort; their representatives can share information about programs, application timelines and entry requirements. You can partner with local unions to create information if it doesn't exist (see this example in San Diego, California).

Use data from jobseekers detailing their job quality priorities and preferences to inform your strategy and investments. This practice helps ensure that individuals with lived experience have a clear mechanism to inform your efforts, a key principle of equity within a job quality initiative.

Here are some potential metrics to track:

• Number of jobseekers/workers completing a living wage calculation for their specific situation

• Number of jobseekers/workers receiving job quality coaching/content

• Number of job orders that are “Certified Good Jobs” and/or percentage of employers with “Certified Good Jobs” and the percentage of their overall orders

• Placement rate on “Certified Good Jobs” vs. non-certified jobs

• Results of pre/post surveys from workers around their level of understanding of job quality components