The Unemployment Insurance System Is Set to Get a Tech Makeover — but It Needs Much More, the Biden Administration Says - Sept. 10 The challenges of the pandemic shed light on an antiquated unemployment system that couldn’t handle the overwhelming number of claims and was also plagued by some fraudulent claims, making it difficult for millions of Americans to get assistance. Why it matters: New software being developed by the U.S. Digital Service, an arm of the White House that tackles tech challenges, is a start. But advocates say that Congress needs to address the larger systemic issues of unemployment insurance through legislation, pointing out how the system has not kept up with a changing labor market and isn't equipped to help the different types of workers in today's economy, gig workers, contractors, part-time workers and more. - ProPublica 

To mandate or not to mandate? Small business owners grapple with employee vaccinations - Sept. 12 After President Joe Biden mandated vaccines for larger businesses, small businesses around the country are now weighing whether to follow suit, taking into account how it could lead to the loss of employees and limit new hires. Why it matters: The pandemic has put a lot of burden on small business owners to enforce health care guidelines that keep their customers safe while also trying to retain employees who have the upper hand in a tight labor market.  - The Nevada Independent 

Justice Dept. to unveil new rules on federal monitors overseeing local police reforms Sept. 13.-  Attorney General Merrick Garland announced new rules for federal monitors, who are appointed to oversee compliance with police reforms required by legal agreements. These rules would set limits on how long consent decrees and civil settlement agreements last, address police budgets and require more training. Why it matters:  The rules come after a four-month DOJ review exploring ways to bolster public confidence in the federal government’s efforts to curb abusive policing practices. Monitors typically cost taxpayers millions of dollars a year and have been criticised for serving on oversight committees for more than one city at a time, and have also drawn criticism from law enforcement that their oversight keeps the city under consent degrees for never-ending periods of time. The new rules would set term limits and implement period reviews of the settlements monitors are overseeing. - Washington Post  

U.S. election workers get little help from law enforcement as terror threats mount - Sept. 6.  U.S. election workers have been facing an unprecedented harassment and threats of violence and intimidation following the 2020 election, but they’re finding little protection or recourse from law enforcement. Why it matters: This Reuters investigation found that 102 death threats to around 40 workers resulted in just four arrests and no convictions, showing how vulnerable election workers continue to be as the country gets ready for another election cycle. - Reuters 

Biden Ended Contracts with Private Prisons. So One May Turn To House Immigrants - Sept. 13.  Ahead of a December expiration for federal contracts with private prisons,  facilities like Leavenworth Detention Center in Kansas are looking into operating as immigration detention centers instead, since the executive orders do not cover those facilities. Why it matters: Ending federal contracts with private prisons was a long-fought battle for criminal justice reform advocates. But now, undocumented immigrants could face the harsh conditions of the prison industiral complex, a system that’s often infringed upon the rights of vulnerable communities; low income people and people of color. - NPR