Workforce
Think. Make. Happen.
Join the WEDC Campaign & take advantage of the resources

"In Wisconsin, you’re free to think bigger, encouraged to make your mark, and poised for great things to happen. Our culture and traditions fuel discovery and create opportunities for personal and professional fulfillment. Join us in strengthening and sharing what it means to live and work in Wisconsin." Learn more and access the resources here .
The City of River Falls Recruitment Video
February, The Municipality , pg. 12

"The City of River Falls recently created a staff recruitment video that invites potential job candidates to consider a position where they can make a positive contribution to their community and work in a high-energy environment that values good work. They highlight the benefits of working for the City and feature the City’s entertainment scene, downtown and educational facilities. Perks mentioned include competitive pay, training, health care and paid time off."
Specialized DWD Resources
February, The Municipality , pg. 16

The Wis. Department of Workforce Development (DWD) provides employment services to employers, including state, county and municipal governments.

Access DWD's Officer of Veteran Employment Services contacts here.

Access DWD's Division of Vocational Rehabilitation contacts here.

Hiring Veterans - Mission Wisconsin Talent Pipeline (a WEDC Program)
"Signing up to become a member of the Mission Wisconsin Talent Pipeline means your company will be included in our list of companies that are actively seeking to hire transitioning veterans. Along with submitting the form, we ask that partner companies also register with the Job Center of Wisconsin and familiarize themselves with the practices that constitute a veteran-ready workplace." Learn more on the WI Economic Development Corporation website here .
Diversity Dashboard The League was out in front in talking about women in local government leadership positions. The comprehensive National Diversity Dashboard that the Engaging Local Government Leaders (ELGL) are engaged in takes it many steps farther! Details on the ELGL website here .

Calling women in government! Women in the private and public sector working in government are welcome to add their profile to our gallery. You will be asked to choose one or two questions from a choice of five and send your answers in an email to the League along with a picture. We will add you to the gallery and feature you in our social media including on the  League's LinkedIn page . Learn more here .
Wisconsin Fair Employment Act: New Amendments Address Arrest and Conviction Discrimination in Licensing
February, The Municipality , pg. 23

Thanks to David A. Richie, Associate and Daniel P. Gustafson, Shareholder, Weld Riley, S.C. for sharing their expertise on employment law. Access their article on our website as a PDF here .

2017 WISCONSIN ACT 278 is here. WI Dept. of Workforce Development resources on Wisconsin's Fair Employment Law are here.
Municipal Employees
February, The Municipality, pg. 25

Read an excerpt of the Chapter on Municipal Employees from the League's Handbook for Municipal Employees written by Luis Arroyo, Partner, Michael Best & Friedrich LLP. You can find the PDF of his article on our website here.
Child Care: An Essential Workforce Support
February, The Municipality , pg. 17

Ruth Schmidt, Wisconsin Early Childhood Association presents on "Wisconsin Strong." You can watch on Facebook here. Learn more and register for the 2019 Wisconsin Strong conference on April 9, 2019 here.

Learn more about the Wisconsin Early Education Shared Services Network (WEESSN) work of streamlining regulation compliance, business practices, purchasing, and program logistics here.

Evergrow Learning Center (Northwest WI Workforce Investment Board) "Economic development today is as much or more about talent attraction and retention, place-making, and community engagement as it is about business recruitment. Currently, the City of Ashland is facing challenges in attracting talent because of its remote location and limited access to urban amenities. Child care is often cited as a primary concern for incoming professionals as well as the current workforce. A survey conducted by Ashland Area Development Corporation and University of Wisconsin–Extension gathered responses from residents of Ashland County to assess the need for child care services." Their website is here.

Wisconsin Partners is doing work in several areas of Wisconsin on childcare and also tackling other challenges. Learn more here.

UW-Extension: The benefits of good child care extend to the labor force by Amy Greil via Kenosha News here .
Attracting Great Employees
February, The Municipality , pg. 9 and pg. 12

The League's "jobs page" is one of the most visited pages on our website. Member municipalities can post jobs, RFPs and for sale/wanted items at no cost. Details and links are on our website here .

Need tips on writing an ad? Tips on writing a classified ad and classified ad trends  (PDF) -  The Municipality , February, 2019 

"What Talent Really Wants - Hint: It's Not Ping-Pong" Read the article starting on page 9 of the February The Municipality magazine and access newance's customizable workshop offerings and tools here .

Yes! Workforce Investment Board Resources are Available to Municipalities
Read the article starting on page 12 of the February The Municipality magazine and locate your Workforce Development Board on their map here.

"Want to Attract Talented Workers? Find a Better Way to Tell Your City's Story - If your community really has a lot to offer, you need to think beyond the press release" via Governing here . Comment on this article on the League's LinkedIn page - links directly to this post - here .

Here's an example: "Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, Milwaukee is an urban hub bursting with energy. Milwaukee provides a casual sophistication – big city appeal without the big-city hassles. We are accessible and affordable, and our residents are welcoming. Milwaukee brings together its unsurpassed old world charm with a breathtaking art museum, top-flight arts and cultural attractions, professional sports, lakefront festivals, recreational opportunities and great restaurants." (The City of Milwaukee is hiring a Commissioner for the Division of Neighborhood Services. See the full ad here .)

"Local Governments at Career Fairs" via Engaging Local Government Leaders here .

Attract, Develop & Retain Local Government Talent via Engaging Local Government Leaders here .
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Heads Up! Human Resources 101#WIMuniExpertise Webinar!

May TBD (Check back here .)
Lisa Bergersen, Human Resources Director, City of Pewaukee  

This 1½ hour long webinar will provide a very high-level overview of Human Resources basics, compliance and best practices. This webinar is aimed at municipalities without an in-house HR department. Topics include:

▪ Overview of State and Federal Employment Laws ▪ Equal Employment Opportunity ▪ Recruiting, Interviewing & Hiring ▪ Documentation, Discipline & Discharge ▪ Best Practices

A detailed outline will be provided along with the webinar. Information on how to sign in will be provided on the League's website here .
Workforce - Additional Resources

Housing Resources from the April 2017 The Municipality magazine are here .

Think Federal Workers Have It Bad? It's Worse for State and Local Employees.
The government shutdown exposed the financial insecurity and stress of many public servants via Governing here.

Maryville tries to establish succession plans to weather aging workforce via The Daily Times, Maryville, TN here.

GO Transit connects lower-income riders with school, work via Oshkosh Northwestern here .
In the News - "Dollars and Sense: Is it time for a new municipal financing framework in Wisconsin?"  See the Wisconsin Policy Forum report and the League's response here .

Help us tell the story of the impact of levy limits on your community!  We’ve created an online form with just a few questions and room for comment - that makes it easier to tell your story. Note that we will contact you to make sure we are telling the story in a way that makes sense to you. Find the form here.
Join Us!
The League's Local Government 101 Workshop
Municipal officials and staff with years of experience attending Local Government 101 may find themselves sitting next to elected officials and staff who are brand new to government. In this popular one-day workshop you’ll learn about city and village powers including municipal home rule, hear about how to recognize and avoid conflicts of interest, go home with a quick tutorial on municipal budgeting as well as how to run a meeting and finish with an overview on managing public works projects. In addition, you’ll have that age-old question answered: “What is a walking quorum anyway?”

T he League is offering six of these one-day Workshops this year:

May 10 - Pewaukee: Ingleside Hotel
May 17 - Eau Claire: Lismore Hotel
May 31 - Madison: Holiday Inn at the American Center
June 21 - Appleton: Red Lion Paper Valley
June 28 - Ashland: Best Western Chequamegon Hotel
September 13 - Waupaca: Par 4 Resort. 

Details and registration here !
League Building Inspectors Institute
Register here.

April 24-26, 2019
Osthoff Resort
Elkhart Lake

Details & Registration here.
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#WIMuniExpertise Webinar
Affirmative Action
March 14 – 1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
City of Madison Department of Civil Rights

Archived #WIMuniExpertise Webinars include:
Service Animals and the Law & Protected Classes

Access the archived #WIMuniExpertise webinars and sign-in information on upcoming webinars here .
The League's Lobby Day #LocalGovMatters podcast was released yesterday morning. Listen to it here .
The #LocalGovMatters Podcast is a partnership between the League, the Wheeler Report, Inc. and the Wisconsin Counties Association. You can listen on your PC or smartphone. Find all the latest episodes here