Administration Advances AI Workforce Policy
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Washington Update
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Administration and AI
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On Monday, November 24, U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Deputy Secretary Keith Sonderling outlined DOL’s plans to advance the Trump Administration’s AI Action Plan with a focus on workforce readiness. DOL will expand AI-related skills development, assess AI’s impact on the labor market, and begin testing new approaches for rapid worker retraining. In January, DOL also plans to launch an AI Workforce Hub to support ongoing data collection, research, and innovation pilots that inform workforce policy and program design.
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A second component of the AI Action Plan focuses on strengthening the talent pipeline for AI-related infrastructure jobs. This includes identifying priority roles, updating skills frameworks, and expanding training pathways through career and technical education, apprenticeships, and partnerships with industry. In his post, Sonderling emphasizes that the workforce system must remain agile as AI accelerates changes in skills and job requirements.
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On Monday, November 24, the Administration issued the Executive Order (EO) “Launching the Genesis Mission” along with an accompanying fact sheet. The EO aims to advance AI-driven innovation across federal scientific agencies and establishes opportunities for students and early-career workers to gain experience in STEM fields through fellowships, internships, and apprenticeships at national laboratories and partner institutions. It also encourages collaboration among government, education providers, and industry to strengthen the national talent pipeline in technology-driven sectors. These actions reflect the federal government’s efforts to coordinate AI policy and invest in workforce readiness, highlighting opportunities for employers, workforce professionals, and educational institutions.
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Click here to access the blog post.
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Click here to access the full EO.
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Click here to access the EO Fact Sheet.
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H-1B Visas
On Monday, November 25, U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell set new deadlines in the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s $100,000 H-1B visa levy. The federal government must submit its response by Monday, December 1 — a partial extension from the original November 28 deadline. The Justice Department had requested a seven-day extension to coordinate with federal agencies on complex legal issues, but Judge Howell only granted a shorter timeframe.
The case centers on the Chamber’s request for summary judgment against the visa levy. Judge Howell previously rejected the government’s attempt to delay proceedings due to the federal shutdown. The Chamber was granted two additional days — until Wednesday, December 10 — to file its reply.
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DOL Bureau of Labor Statistics
On Tuesday, November 25, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) announced it will release the State Employment and Unemployment data for September 2025 on Thursday, December 11, and Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment data for September 2025 will be released on December 17.
BLS will not issue State or Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment releases for October 2025. BLS announced that establishment survey data for October from the Current Employment Statistics State and Area program will be incorporated into the November 2025 release. Household survey data from the Current Population Survey were not collected in October due to a lapse in appropriations and will not be collected retroactively. As a result, the November data collection period will be extended, and additional processing time will be required.
Click here to access the revised news release dates.
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AI for America Act
On Tuesday, November 25, Congresswoman Jen Kiggans (VA) introduced the AI for America Act, which establishes a national strategy to strengthen U.S. leadership in artificial intelligence, modernize federal research infrastructure, and remove outdated regulatory barriers. The bill directs federal agencies to develop a coordinated national plan for AI research and builds on President Trump’s Executive Order 14179 by creating a statutory federal action plan for AI leadership. This plan includes measurable goals related to workforce development, research partnerships, innovation safeguards, and overall federal coordination.
Click here to access the press release and learn more about the bill.
USCM/WDC STAFF ANALYSIS
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Click here to read the entire December 1 weekly legislative update.
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Click here to access legislative updates from previous weeks.
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Click here to access the entire catalogue of WDC publications.
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Click here to access the WDC SharePoint site, a centralized hub where WDC workforce leaders can upload, access, and exchange materials that help advance local workforce and economic development efforts.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
WDC in the News
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For decades, one way that Boston mayors measured success was by the number of construction cranes in the sky. Michelle Wu has been trumpeting another metric: The number of residents with good-paying jobs. Click here to read the full article.
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Healthcare workforce shortages are critically impacting multiple healthcare professions and geographies, threatening access to care and straining existing providers. Pipeline challenges are being increasingly affected by changes to the immigration landscape, including H-1B visa restrictions and increased fees that limit international medical graduate (IMG) recruitment through Graduate Medical Education (GME) programs. Policymakers at the federal and state levels are pursuing varied strategies including expanded training capacity, scope of practice reforms, loan repayment programs and immigration pathway improvements. Click here to read the full article.
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Governments are faced with a big challenge, as they wrestle with a whole generation of older workers retiring, while trying to attract younger people to fill in those gaps in the face of strong competition from the private sector. Click here to read the full article.
New From DOL/ETA
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On Tuesday, November 25, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration (ETA) announced new guidance aimed at empowering state and local workforce development boards to innovate and optimize service delivery of these workforce systems. Click here to access the full press release.
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On Tuesday, November 25, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Employment and Training Administration (ETA) released the Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) “Maximizing Innovation in Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Programs.” Click here to access the full TEGL.
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In the week ending November 22, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 216,000, a decrease of 6,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 2,000 from 220,000 to 222,000. Click here to access the full report.
Fact of the Week --- ​
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According to a recent article, one in five Americans age 65 or older continues working past the traditional retirement age, and 52% of soon-to-be retirees plan to work in some capacity after leaving their primary careers. GOBankingRates analyzed U.S. Census data from 2018 and 2023 to identify the 50 cities with the highest labor force participation among adults age 65 to 74, factoring in population, participation rates, and median household income.
Click here to read the full article. ​​​​
