The U.S. Interagency Council on Economic Mobility, a new federal interagency effort, includes the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), along with the Social Security Administration; the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Education, Labor, Housing and Urban Development, and Treasury; and the Council of Economic Advisors. The Council seeks to develop an effective structure for interagency collaboration and to use federal officials to promote careers and economic mobility for low-income Americans. The Council requests input from stakeholders (such as state and local government agencies, local program operators, and the people that they serve) through a request for information (RFI). The RFI includes questions such as: What priorities should the new Council have? What suggestions do you have on how to make federal workforce and work support programs work together more effectively? and What barriers do these programs encounter for them to work effectively? The deadline for comments is October 2, 2020.

A webinar about the Pathways to Work Evidence Clearinghouse will be held on Wednesday, August 12, 2020 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET. The Pathways Clearinghouse is a new resource funded by the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE) of the Administration for Children and Families. Designed to meet the needs of employment service providers and TANF administrators and support the use of evidence-based practices, the Pathways Clearinghouse provides trustworthy, accessible information about what works to help job seekers with low incomes find and sustain employment. During this discussion, a panel of experts from Mathematica and OPRE will:

• Identify why and how the Pathways Clearinghouse website is relevant and useful;
• Demonstrate website functionalities and features; and
• Navigate the site and walk through practical examples of how it can be used.

Contact PathwaysClearinghouse@mathematica-mpr.com with any questions or concerns.

Please note: Anyone needing assistance before the webinar should contact events@mathematica-mpr.com. Please email any requests for special accommodations by August 10, 2020.

This Institute for Research on Poverty at the University of Wisconsin at Madison webinar examined what can be known in real time about recent changes in poverty. Specific questions covered in the webinar included:

• How did the nature of the pre-Covid economy create risks for poverty? How do these risks vary across demographic groups and geographies?
• What likely has happened to poverty rates and what will happen over the next several months as a result of the Covid-19 economic fall-out?
• To what extent have initial federal policy responses buffered any effects on poverty? (And what factors may be limiting their anti-poverty potential?)
• What factors and data should researchers, advocates, and policymakers be tracking now and in the coming months?      

Speakers included researchers from the University of Washington, Urban Institute, Columbia University, American University, and the Minnesota Department of Human Services.

This report reviews the definition of a “good job” and reflects on the evidence for this definition as part of a broader contextual discussion of adequate wages, benefits, stable work schedules, occupational safety, positive work environment, and potentials for advancement and economic mobility. The report looks at how additional research and data can support a better understanding of job quality and worker mobility.

This dataset from the Annie E. Casey Foundation is the 31st edition that follows and ranks states on metrics related to child well-being. The data reflects trends prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Particular focus is on four larger categories of trend analysis: economic well-being, education, family and community, and health. Additionally, there are individual state profiles with relevant data that are presented as user-friendly fact sheets.

The National Association of Counties will host a webinar on August 6, 2020 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. ET to cover how county governments are using Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funds to deliver services to county employees impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This webinar covers how funds have been used to support sustainable employment and training of frontline county workers.

This blogpost highlights discussions with representatives of 13 schools, districts, and program intermediaries that provide work-based learning opportunities. Representatives discuss the impact the COVID-19 pandemic had on onsite opportunities, such as apprenticeships, internships, career mentoring, and job shadowing. Opportunities and adaptions for virtual workplace learning created as a result of the pandemic and the potential for long-term benefits to participants are also discussed.

The National Association of Workforce Development Professionals will conduct a webinar on July 21, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. ET to cover job development techniques, interviewing skills, and client preparation for returning citizens to enter employment. Presentations will address how to better serve reentry clients and develop partnerships with employers and how to prepare these individuals to qualify for job opportunities. There will also be discussion about employment readiness, work experience and skill gaps, and how to find resources for returning citizens. A registration fee is charged for participation in this webinar.

This fact sheet analyzes real-time data when examining the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on working families and draws from surveys with hourly service workers across the retail, food service, hospitality, house cleaning, delivery, and home health care industries. The fact sheet notes reductions in work hours and income, job loss, and overall family well-being due to COVID and stresses the importance of employers and government working to meet families’ needs.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly increased unemployment rates in low-income populations, SNAP agencies must rapidly scale up and adapt their employment and training support systems amidst economic, public health, and regulatory uncertainties. On July 9, 2020 from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET, the American Public Human Services Association will host a webinar with the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, American Enterprise Institute, and Center on Budget and Policy Priorities to discuss SNAP Employment and Training programs and the continued effects of unemployment on SNAP agency operations as well as their surrounding communities and local job sectors.