Workforce & Talent

WA hospitals anticipate losing billions in revenue from Medicaid cuts

jgoldsteinstreet@washingtonstatestandard.com — Thu, 22 Oct 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Washington’s hospitals anticipate losing nearly $6 billion in revenue through 2033 due to steep Medicaid cuts in the coming months.

Tri-City unemployment hits three-year low

Thu, 22 Oct 2026 21:00:00 -0400

The percentage and number of workers claiming unemployment benefits in Benton and Franklin counties in September was at its lowest level in years, according to the state.

Study: Workers who fear AI replacement negatively impact workplaces

Wed, 14 Oct 2026 21:00:00 -0400

If you’ve been sharing big plans to adopt artificial intelligence and related tools at your business with your employees, you could be making them less productive.

Fall college enrollment defies national trends

ty@tcjournal.biz — Tue, 13 Oct 2026 11:00:00 -0400

At a time when colleges and universities across the country are facing declining enrollments, higher education institutions serving the Tri-Cities continue to buck that trend.

Richland company files for bankruptcy, citing canceled federal contracts

ty@tcjournal.biz — Tue, 13 Oct 2026 11:00:00 -0400

A Richland-based company that developed a way to convert waste to alternate energy sources such as hydrogen has filed for bankruptcy, indicating federal contracts canceled by the Trump administration cost it upward of $50 million in potential revenues.

Tri-City cardrooms face closure unless new owner steps up

ty@tcjournal.biz — Tue, 13 Oct 2026 11:00:00 -0400

It may be the final hand for two Tri-City cardrooms and that could put more than 200 people out of work.

Kadlec, partners invest in future healthcare workforce

ty@tcjournal.biz — Tue, 13 Oct 2026 11:00:00 -0400

The healthcare academy gives Tri-Cities high school students paid internships and a pathway to healthcare careers while helping build the region’s future workforce.

Fusion startup picks Tri-Cities for advanced nuclear plant

ty@tcjournal.biz — Tue, 13 Oct 2026 09:00:00 -0400

Landmark project would establish a world-class advanced manufacturing center, create hundreds of long-term jobs and position the Tri-Cities and state as a global hub for fusion technology.

Chamber begins national search for its next leader

Tue, 06 Oct 2026 21:00:00 -0400

The Tri-City Regional Chamber has launched a nationwide search for its next president and CEO.

Hiring slows in September with job growth of 29K

thenderson@stateline.org — Mon, 05 Oct 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Jobs across the United States rose by 29,000 in September, a disappointing result as recent growth was also revised down in the monthly jobs report released Oct. 2, the last one before midterm elections.

WA’s nation-high minimum wage rising to nearly $18 an hour in 2027

Thu, 01 Oct 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Washington state’s minimum wage will grow by 60 cents per hour in 2027, reflecting the continuing impact of inflation and other cost-of-living increases on workers.

RSD launches superintendent search

Mon, 21 Sep 2026 21:00:00 -0400

The search for Richland School District’s next top administrator has officially begun.

Amazon upping minimum pay, adding other worker benefits

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Online retailer Amazon, which is expected to hire hundreds of additional workers in the Tri-Cities in the coming years, is looking to make its positions more appealing to potential employees.

Crystal ball for job growth puts Tri-Cities on top in state

ty@tcjournal.biz — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 11:00:00 -0400

The latest projections of job growth for Washington state aren’t anything to write home about, but the Tri-Cities appear to be a relatively bright spot among a lackluster jobs forecast.

WA state workers stage walkout amid clash over pay demands

Thu, 10 Sep 2026 11:00:00 -0400

With contract negotiations nearing a critical deadline, hundreds of Washington state workers recently walked off the job for an hour to highlight demands for wage hikes in their next two-year deal.

Immigrant worker protections slated to begin Oct. 1

Mon, 07 Sep 2026 21:00:00 -0400

A new set of worker protections take effect Oct. 1, and state justice officials and business groups are advising business owners to learn what their new obligations are under the law.

Plant operations shift to Pasco amid layoffs

Mon, 24 Aug 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Twin City Foods plans to lay off more than 100 employees as it consolidates its Ellensburg and Pasco plants.

Striking workers will need to seek jobs to qualify for WA unemployment benefits

Mon, 24 Aug 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Workers involved in labor disputes must comply with the state’s rigorous job search requirements to receive benefits. This means actively seeking work and recording efforts to find another job.

Demand for Washington’s Job Skills Program hits record high

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Washington state is investing millions in grants to help workers level up through its Job Skills Program and demand for the funding in the most recent cycle was the highest in the program’s 40-year history.

Longtime CEO of Children’s Reading Foundation to step down

Mon, 17 Aug 2026 21:00:00 -0400

The Children’s Reading Foundation’s longtime CEO is stepping down and a national search is underway for a successor.

Conflict brews over ag worker housing project

Sun, 16 Aug 2026 23:00:00 -0400

A group of Mid-Columbia irrigators and the Washington Department of Ecology are sparring over a long-planned housing project for agricultural workers west of Paterson along the Columbia River.

Tyson putting Wallula beef facility up for sale

Sun, 16 Aug 2026 23:00:00 -0400

National meat processor Tyson Foods is downsizing its operations and its plant outside the Tri-Cities is on the block.

Hospitals report years of financial strain

ty@tcjournal.biz — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 11:00:00 -0400

Financial records show Trios and Lourdes hospitals in the Tri-Cities still struggling years after private equity firm LifePoint's acquisition.

Today’s children could prosper in tomorrow’s shortage of young workers

thenderson@stateline.org — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Washington’s ‘incredibly frustrated’ public employees call for walkout

Mon, 03 Aug 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Public employees represented by the Washington Federation of State Employees have announced plans for a statewide walkout on Aug. 31 in response to what they called subpar pay and program cuts.

Why WA’s certification process for home care aides is getting bogged down

jgoldsteinstreet@washingtonstatestandard.com — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 15:00:00 -0400

It’s been 15 years since Washington voters overwhelmingly approved a ballot initiative setting new standards for training and certifying home care aides. But while the changes included in Initiative 1163 have improved safety for people receiving care, the certification process for aides has been rife with bottlenecks, according to a new state audit. Most prospective aides don’t even finish the process.

WA postal workers unite for Day of Action to protect the USPS

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Postal workers in Washington state and across the country are joining together for a day of action July 28 to protect the U.S. Postal Service from what organizers call the threat of privatization.

WA education savings plan sees growth

Sun, 26 Jul 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Washington’s official investment education savings plan has seen strong growth in the last year, demonstrating an increased demand by families to save for their childrens’ education and career goals.

Study: Tens of millions of unhappy workers stay in jobs because of health insurance

Thu, 23 Jul 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Nearly one in four U.S. workers – about 23 million adults – are staying put in jobs they want to leave because of the fear of losing healthcare coverage, according to a recent study.

Report: Tri-Cities job market contracts over past year

Thu, 23 Jul 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Unemployment is markedly worse in the Tri-Cities compared to a year ago according to the latest figures released by the Washington Employment Security Department.