One Nevada group believes the state needs to prioritize integrated employment opportunities for people living with disabilities.

The Nevada Statewide Independent Living Council believes the state has supported localized efforts in a siloed approach to workforce development within the disability community. They say it simply isn't working.

College of Southern Nevada history professor Sondra Cosgrove, who works with the group, said integrated employment is all about taking jobs and making them a better fit for people looking to work.

She said the COVID-19 pandemic forced many industries to rethink work arrangements - some opting for remote work, which she sees as a potential on-ramp for individuals with disabilities.

"Let's not let this moment pass us by," said Cosgrove. "We now know we can do jobs differently. We know now we can get way more people involved in the work force, because we had to switch on a dime so that everybody could do their job and we adapted."

Cosgrove said Nevada should keep those adaptions and implement new ones. She added that while work models ushered in by the pandemic are great, there are also more traditional jobs that can be better matched to individuals' skill sets.

Cosgrove said the disability community she works with wants self-sufficiency and independence.

Cosgrove added that she fears Nevada employers will want to default back to the way things were before the pandemic. She said many with disabilities are forced to live on welfare programs such as Medicaid and food stamps due to lack of opportunity.

She said part of the solution to help mitigate workforce shortages and rising poverty levels is to implement an Employment First approach that encourages collaboration from state agencies and organizations, ultimately granting this community a chance to work.

"We are integrating a population of people," said Cosgrove, "who just needs a little bit of help and a little bit of grace extended to them to be able to sit into those jobs available in our workforce, but not in a way that makes them stand out like they are different."

The group is working on drafting an executive order to be sent to Gov. Joe Lombardo and hope to have that ready by January 23.

According to the Nevada Statewide Independent Living Council, 40 states have already either adopted Employment First legislation or implemented an Executive Order. They are hoping to be added to that list.

Supporters of a new state-sponsored retirement savings program in Maine are celebrating a significant milestone.

More than six months after the launch of the Maine Retirement Investment Trust, or MERIT, enrolled employees have saved more than $1 million.

Alf Anderson, associate director for advocacy and outreach at AARP Maine, said the program was created to help the roughly 200,000 private sector workers without access to a retirement plan at their job.

"You know, one of the most important things for people as they plan for retirement," said Anderson, "is having that financial security to be able to do the things they want to do when they do get to that point in their lives. And so, that milestone was really exciting for us to see."

Anderson said businesses with at least five employees can register with MERIT to help set up savings for workers, who would otherwise seek out an independent financial planner.

More than 1,500 employers have already signed on.

Surveys show more than half of Americans are concerned they won't be able to achieve financial security in retirement.

At least 25 states introduced legislation last year to establish new, state-backed retirement plans.

Anderson said the successful rollout in Maine reveals the urgency people feel about planning for the future due to the high costs of food and housing.

"Do I cut back on my medications?" said Anderson. "Do I not eat a certain number of meals today? Like, it's really frightening to see some of the decisions people have to make."

Anderson said the pandemic didn't help - with even more Mainers facing depleted savings accounts and having only Social Security to fall back on when they reach retirement age.

State officials say MERIT could help Mainers for generations to come, and help reduce reliance on public assistance programs.

Members of the Service Employees' International Union start this week in the Portland area with new contracts for their work.

SEIU Local 49 members work as security officers and janitorial staff for some of the biggest employers in the Pacific Northwest.

The Portland team bargained for about a month and gained wage increases, additional paid leave, and health and safety improvements.

Renato Quintero, an SEIU member and a janitor at Intel, said they had to work hard to make these changes, but he thinks the effort was worthwhile.

"Those things are really useful for our work and for our family," said Quintero, "being able to have more money, and also time to enjoy our family life."

The new contracts will affect nearly two thousand workers in the Portland metro area. The union expects the wage increases to add $9 million to the local economy.

In addition to pay, union leaders say the new contracts come with a sense of recognition. They note people in these professions worked through the pandemic, and their jobs were considered essential.

Michael Lindsey, a union member and security officer with GardaWorld Security Services, said he sees these contracts as a step into the future.

"This is a new era for unions, especially coming out of the pandemic," said Lindsey, "and I'm excited to see what the next few years hold for us."

Lindsey predicted the new contracts will allow employees to focus on their jobs more. He said he also expects a decrease in staff turnover, which will result in an increase in staff experience.

Today is National Postal Workers Day, a celebration of the job they do to deliver the mail.

Postal workers provide a vital service, especially during big election years like 2024 and in states like Oregon where elections are conducted completely by mail.

Daniel Cortez, Oregon legislative and political director for the American Postal Workers Union, noted the critical role his colleagues play.

"Whether it be America's election mail or letters from grandparents, care packages to our service members overseas, vital prescriptions for our seniors and veterans," Cortez outlined. "It's important to remember that all of that happens because of the dedication of the postal workers day in and day out."

The United States Postal Service was established by Benjamin Franklin on July 26, 1775.

The Postal Service is currently experiencing a shake-up. Trump-appointed Postmaster General Louis DeJoy is implementing his 10-year Delivering For America plan to modernize the Postal Service's network. It is meant job eliminations and sorting center cuts Cortez argued have hurt mail delivery. For instance, he pointed out sorting in Oregon has been consolidated to one center in Portland.

"It's imperative that the American people know that this slowdown is manufactured by the Postal Service," Cortez contended. "Everything from failure to properly staff offices to just deliberately slowing down how fast mail moves."

DeJoy has remained in office under President Joe Biden because only the Postal Board of Governors can oust him. Biden has delayed nominations for the board, delaying any potential change in leadership at the Postal Service.