NYCETC, NYATEP, United Way: End the federal shutdown to protect workers and services

 Joint statement from NYC Employment and Training Coalition NYC Employment and Training Coalition (NYCETC) New York Association for Training and Employment Professionals (NYATEP) (NYATEP) and United Way of New York State on the federal government shutdown: “A government shutdown doesn’t just freeze federal workers’ paychecks — it ripples across the entire workforce and nonprofit sector. Frontline organizations, already stretched thin, are forced to do more with less as demand for basic services spikes. Rising rents, food insecurity, and healthcare costs already squeeze families. Withdrawing federal funds from the system exacerbates the affordability crisis and leaves vulnerable New Yorkers with nowhere to turn. When contracts and grants stall, shelter staff, case managers, child welfare professionals, and other nonprofit workers face layoffs, program closures, or impossible choices between serving more people with fewer resources. New York’s nonprofit sector, which delivers critical services in every community across the state, cannot absorb these shocks on its own. An already stagnant labor market will face deeper strain amid a prolonged government shutdown and mounting economic uncertainty. We call upon Congress to act immediately to end this shutdown and pass a federal budget that protects workers and ensures that vital services are available to those who need them. The success of our economy and the well-being of our communities demands nothing less.”

Comprehensive support resources for federal workers impacted by the federal government shutdown are available from the Partnership for Federal Service. Collaborative Safety Solutions

For my fellow feds (current and former), the Partnership for Public Service has compiled some useful resources for these challenging times: https://lnkd.in/eG65Ha_N

Last week Callum Delhoy, AdviceUK’s Policy and Public Affairs Manager, and Willem van de Ven , AdviceUK’s Policy and Public Affairs Officer, attended the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool. While bouncing from morning briefings to lunchtime panels, catching speakers at the end of sessions, we were able to turn quick coffees with sector partners into productive introductions. We talked to ministers including Minister for Care Stephen Kinnock Kinnock, Employment Minister Diana Johnson, and Education Minister Georgia Gould, and focused our conversations on who our members are, the clients they serve, and where those members operate within ministers’ constituencies. We prioritised meetings with party staff and parliamentary teams working across work & pensions, justice, health and local government, while also checking in with funders and partners supporting the wider sector. But what did we take away? 👉 The appetite for reform within government is real, but the advice sector must make continue to make the case for change. 👉 Health, justice, welfare, communities and local government should all work in tandem to advocate for a more just and sustainable policy landscape. We left Labour conference more optimistic than when we arrived — but also keenly aware of how much more work lies ahead if this vision is to become reality. 📊 Read the full blog here: https://ow.ly/L5rf50XcWKl

🧭 Local Government at a Crossroads: £4.1bn Shortfall Threatens Frontline Services UNISON’s latest report lays bare the scale of the crisis facing councils across England, Scotland and Wales. Despite a change in government and promises of reform, a £4.1bn funding gap is forecast for 2026/27. The consequences are already being felt. After more than a decade of austerity, councils are being forced to: • Cut social care packages • Close care homes • Withdraw support for vulnerable children • Restructure services with little protection for jobs or pay Christina McAnea, UNISON General Secretary, puts it plainly: This isn’t just about numbers—it’s about people. Families waiting for care. Workers stretched to breaking point. Communities losing the services they rely on. UNISON is calling for: • 📆 Multi-year funding settlements to enable strategic planning • 🛑 Limits on outsourcing and proper funding for council reorganisation • 💼 Protection of jobs, wages and employment terms for frontline staff As someone working to elevate the voices of careworkers and drive systemic reform, I see this as a moment for bold leadership. We need sustainable funding, not short-term fixes. We need policy that values care as infrastructure, not as a cost to be trimmed. 📄 Read the full report: https://lnkd.in/eS4E5Ar5 #SocialCare #LocalGovernment #FundingCrisis #WorkforceProtection #PolicyReform #EquityInCare #KarePlus #StrategicLeadership #LinkedInCareCommunity

The King’s Fund has published a compelling new report—Fixing Social Care: The Six Key Problems and How to Tackle Them—which proposes a shift to a national assessment system for social care. This would mark a significant departure from the current model, where local authorities assess needs and allocate resources based on national criteria but within constrained local budgets. Senior Fellow Simon Bottery argues that a national system could reduce the risk of care rationing and help address the postcode lottery that continues to undermine equity and access. The report identifies six persistent challenges: access, quality, workforce pay, market fragility, disjointed care, and regional inequality. Among its recommendations: • Deliver the £500m Fair Pay Agreement to stabilise the workforce. • Reform NHS Continuing Healthcare to better integrate with social care. • Cap care costs and expand access to publicly funded support. • Shift the funding balance so the state shoulders the majority of care costs. International models show that national assessment systems can work—and now may be the moment to explore whether such a change could bring greater consistency, transparency, and fairness to England’s social care landscape. #socialcarereform #thekingsfund #nationalassessmentsystem #healthcareintegration #fairpay

Support Dedicated Public Servants: Relief Fund for Workers Affected by Government Shutdown As the U.S. federal government approaches a funding lapse, a shutdown threatens to furlough as many as 750,000 workers and force others to work without pay. Already, departments like Health and Human Services plan to furlough 41 % of their workforce, affecting public health, research, and regulatory operations At the same time, more than 11,000 FAA employees may be furloughed, even as controllers and security personnel would continue working without compensation. Donations will assist federal employees and contractors suddenly deprived of pay during a shutdown. https://lnkd.in/eeq355hp

Are Incentives Corporate Welfare ? Or are They Smart Community Strategy? There’s a common misconception that tax incentives for business are just “corporate giveaways.” In reality, they’re one of the few tools communities have to compete and grow responsibly. When cities like Granbury negotiate with major employers, we’re not giving money away, we’re investing in our future. These companies bring new jobs, infrastructure improvements, and millions in private investment that expand the local tax base and reduce the burden on individual taxpayers. Without incentives, those projects ,and the benefits they bring will simply go somewhere else. Modern incentive agreements are performance-based and accountable. Companies only receive benefits after they deliver on their commitments like capital investment, job creation, and wage standards. If they fall short, communities have clawback provisions to recover funds. The result? Long-term partnerships that grow opportunity, strengthen infrastructure, and ensure local citizens benefit most. Economic development isn’t about corporate welfare , it’s about building thriving communities through strategic negotiation, accountability, and shared prosperity. Do you agree?

Today, we join the growing Beyond the Cliff coalition in D.C. to release a bold new policy agenda to address the benefits cliff – a major barrier to upward mobility for millions of Americans. Developed with input from advocates, policy experts, employers, and working families impacted directly – including caregivers in the Tennessee Alliance for Economic Mobility’s Our ChanceTN pilot – these actionable reforms to SNAP, Medicaid, the Earned Income Tax Credit, childcare subsidies, and more can help prevent workers from being punished for their achievement and ambition. The benefits cliff forces many to turn down promotions, reduce hours, or leave jobs to avoid losing essential support. Our coalition urges federal policymakers to: ·     Strengthen economic opportunity ·     Improve public benefit programs ·     Create pathways to good careers Together, we can build a system that rewards work and supports families. Click the link in the comments to read our full agenda. #BeyondTheCliff #benefitscliff

OWC’s Rebecca K. and Jill Rizika of Towards Employment are in DC as part of #beyondthecliff. Benefit cliffs are workforce issues and we can address them. Learn more about cliffs in Ohio at https://lnkd.in/eWGrNgis.