Recent adjustments to the Workers’ Compensation Medical Fee Schedule, as recommended by the Medical Services Review Committee, will reduce workers’ compensation system costs by a projected 3.7 percent.
Governor Michael Dunleavy and Dr. Tamika Ledbetter, Commissioner of the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, announced a recurring two-year grant of $1.65 million from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development for new programs to prevent and treat youth homelessness across rural Alaska.
Alaska’s employment was up an estimated 0.6 percent in September, or 2,000 jobs, from September 2018. The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained at 6.2 percent while the comparable national rate dipped to 3.5 percent.
The employment increase in March was encouraging, as growth continued and was higher than January and February.
The North Slope and the Interior are carrying the brunt of Alaska’s construction projects. Overall, however, the state’s construction landscape continues to inch toward brighter pastures.