The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry announced that $2.6 million in Schools-to-Work program grants is available to support new partnerships between schools and employers to create employment paths for students.

Pennsylvanians joined the rest of the nation with the “work from home” trend during the COVID-19 pandemic. But who bore the brunt of the cost for this unwanted necessity?

Pennsylvania businesses mostly held back on making large changes to their benefit plans during the pandemic, according to a survey of 100 organizations by Harrisburg employee benefit and investment advisory firm Conrad Siegel.

According to the most recent Waterman Hurst survey of the gatekeepers℠, a virtual community of top leaders, 95% of leaders surveyed have implemented new WFH policies in 2020. The gatekeepers reflected on the WFH experience and responded with the following:

Pennsylvania saw a small over month uptick in unemployment in January.

A high priority industry, construction and its trades is essential for economic growth and flourishing communities, employing necessary skilled trades like plumbing, electric, masonry or carpentry. The sector offers steady work, sustainable wages, benefits and long-lasting career opportunities.

Whether it’s one too many virtual happy hours after work – meant to foster coworker camaraderie, or the day-after-day grind of back-to-back virtual meetings – it’s hard to find someone, anyone who hasn’t experienced “Zoom fatigue.”

The Manufacturers Resource Center of the Lehigh Valley has received $192,500 in funding to develop two programs to improve technical education to fuel the manufacturing industry’s innovation needs.

Less than one month into the Biden administration, actions taken by the president have indicated a much more progressive approach to governing than in the conservative Trump administration.

The first Virtual CEO Action Regional Summit held virtually featured Lehigh Valley business and university leaders and was moderated by retired PPL Corporation Board Chair and CEO William “Bill” Spence. Two panels during the event addressed the needs and challenges of implementing Diversity Equity and Inclusion practices at all levels of organization to their firms' creativity and growth

Companies I work with are finding it difficult, if not impossible, to fill roles at any level. Entry level talent is as difficult to recruit as PHDs. The best employees are receiving offers that are eye popping to leave their current positions and move to a new opportunity. Poaching is in full swing.

If there’s one thing President Joe Biden can do in his first 100 days to help the nation’s economy it’s this: get the COVID-19 pandemic under control. That’s the consensus of three panelists who participated in the “Business Impact: First 100 Days” webinar hosted by Central Penn Business Journal and Lehigh Valley Business.

In the midst of national and statewide economic uncertainty, heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic, business and community leaders across Pennsylvania continue to express a common, shared concern – a shortage of quality local talent to fill in-demand positions. 

Gig workers, freelancers and the self-employed in the state can now begin applying for claims for an extra $300 in weekly assistance.

Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate dipped to 6.7% in December, down 0.1 percentage points from November, and matching the national rate.