Administers Alaska's workers' compensation, unemployment insurance, workforce training grants, and occupational safety programs. Publishes economic data and apprenticeship opportunities.
Juneau, AK, USA
Video Clips
Browse all clips
Speaker A
“Employment offers significant social and emotional benefits for justice involved individuals such as improved self esteem, financial independence and a reduced likelihood of engaging in criminal behavior. The WOTC helps open doors to these benefits by incentivizing employers to give people with criminal backgrounds an opportunity to work.”Alaska Labor & Workforce: Employment After Incarceration · May 15, 2026
Speaker A
“There are currently 13 job centers in Alaska, one in Anchorage, Midtown, Mat Su, Dillingham, Fairbanks, Homer, Juneau, Ketchikan, Kodiak, Nome, Kenai, Sitka, Valdez and Bethel.”Alaska Labor & Workforce: Employment After Incarceration · May 15, 2026
Speaker A
“There's also certifications to add to your resume such as typing 10 key data entry and the National Career Readiness Certificate. Utilizing study and testing in the workkeys curriculum.”Alaska Labor & Workforce: Employment After Incarceration · May 15, 2026
Speaker A
“Career Support and Training Services do you need funding to get a job, keep a job or make more money? State and federal grants are available. Workforce Innovation Opportunity act is our federal funding and the State Training and Employment Program is our state funding.”Alaska Labor & Workforce: Employment After Incarceration · May 15, 2026
Speaker A
“We know that finding and maintaining meaningful employment can make all the difference in reducing the chances of returning to prison or not and as a part of our community, we want you to be successful for yourself and your family.”Alaska Labor & Workforce: Employment After Incarceration · May 15, 2026
Speaker A
“My name is Savannah and I work at the Mat Su Job center and today I'm going to be talking with you about Employment after incarceration.”Alaska Labor & Workforce: Employment After Incarceration · May 15, 2026
Alaska proposes new limits on what insurers pay to treat injured workers
Alaska is proposing binding limits on what insurers pay providers for treating injured workers, with public comment open through Oct. 9.
by Walter AlaskaNews11h ago1 min readAI
Alaska Fishermen's Fund appeals council to decide denied injury claims Oct. 14
The Alaska Commercial Fishermen's Fund appeals council meets Oct. 14 to decide denied medical claims from commercial fishermen injured on the job.
by Walter AlaskaNews11h ago2 min readAI
A new state program is lifting Alaska's worst-in-the-nation aid filing rate
Seniors in Alaska's Career Guides program filed federal financial aid applications at 60.1 percent, far above the statewide rate, rootEd Alliance reported.
by Walter AlaskaNews11h ago2 min readAI
Alaska moves to cap what workers' comp pays for creams and patches
A draft 2027 workers' compensation fee schedule proposed Wednesday would cap reimbursement for topical creams at $30 per 30-day supply, patches at $70 and compounds at $240, and bar automatic refills. Today's schedule has no such cap. Comment closes Oct. 9.
by Walter AlaskaNews1d ago2 min readAI
Missing an unemployment filing could cost Alaska employers five times as much
The Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development warned in its third-quarter 2026 employer newsletter that accounts missing quarterly unemployment insurance reports or payments can be assigned a 5.40% penalty rate, up to $2,927 per employee. Third-quarter filings are due Oct. 31.
by Walter AlaskaNews2d ago1 min readAI
Alaska would change who can question the medical report in a workers' comp fight
The Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development and the Alaska Workers' Compensation Board have proposed changes to the board's procedural rules under 8 AAC 45, including a ban on block billing in attorney fee applications. Written comment closes Oct. 9.
by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min readAI
Alaska rent increases were the smallest in five years, but Mat-Su and Kenai set records
The Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development's spring rental survey found rents up across the state in 2026, with a median increase smaller than in the past few years. The findings appear in the September issue of Alaska Economic Trends.
by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago1 min readAI
An Anchorage restaurant is accused of employing 24 minors without permits
A June 15 notice of violation from the Alcohol & Marijuana Control Office found that 24 employees aged 13 to 17 worked at Little Italy Restaurante in Anchorage between January 2024 and March 2026 without approved state work permits, a minimum of 1,279 violations. The restaurant says it now employs no one under 18.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 1w ago2 min readAI
Hecla is hiring for six jobs at the Greens Creek mine near Juneau
Hecla Mining Company listed six openings, from mining engineer to experienced miner, on the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development's weekly Juneau hot jobs list for Aug. 20-27. The state lists no wages.
by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago1 min readAI
In Anchorage, SNAP recipients now face work requirements
Alaska's federal SNAP waiver runs through Oct. 31, 2026 and lifts the three-month time limit for able-bodied adults without dependents everywhere but Anchorage. General work requirements still apply statewide, and Anchorage recipients need another exemption to avoid the limit.
by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min readAI
New Alaska Medicaid work rules start in January 2027 — with broad exemptions
Some Alaska Medicaid recipients ages 19 to 64 must log 80 hours a month of work, school, training, or volunteering starting in January 2027. State guidance lists broad exemptions, including Alaska Native and American Indian enrollees, and tells recipients to update their contact information now.
by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min readAI
Storm-displaced western Alaska workers can still get job help
Workers displaced by the October 2025 storms in western Alaska can still get resume help, interview coaching and career exploration at the state's job centers, though the disaster unemployment aid deadline has passed.
by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago1 min readAI
Kusilvak unemployment hit 16.1% in May, six times Denali Borough's rate
Federal figures show the Kusilvak Census Area recorded a 16.1% unemployment rate in May, the highest in Alaska and more than six times Denali Borough's 2.5%, while the statewide rate sat at 4.6%.
by Alaska News2w ago2 min readAI
Alaska lost 2,100 jobs in July, almost all of them government
Alaska counted 2,100 fewer jobs in July than in July 2025, a 0.6% decline. Federal and state government payrolls fell by 2,300 combined, while seafood processing shed 1,000 jobs amid weak salmon runs.
by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min readAI
Juneau job seekers can meet several employers in one stop this week
The Alaska labor department is holding a multi-employer recruiting event for Juneau job seekers Thursday, plus a Tlingit and Haida job fair Sept. 8 and ongoing resume help at SERRC.
by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago1 min readAI
Browsing AlaskaJobs as a guest can cost you UI benefits
Alaska warns unemployment claimants that browsing AlaskaJobs as a guest doesn't count as registering — and missing the seven-day deadline can cost them benefits for those weeks.
by Walter AlaskaNews4w ago1 min readAI
Starplex recruits Alaska State Fair seasonal staff Aug. 18 in Wasilla
Starplex Corp. will hire certified flaggers at $25 an hour, parking staff at $16 and event staff at $15 for the Alaska State Fair, meeting applicants at the Mat-Su Job Center in Wasilla on Tuesday, Aug. 18.
by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min readAI
Alaska lacks the skilled workers for the LNG project, a report says
A workforce analysis from the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development projects about 6,600 workers at peak Alaska LNG construction, and roughly 8,600 statewide when concurrent projects are counted. It warns demand will exceed the state's current training output.
by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min readAI
Pollock fleet holds an Anchorage job fair days before a bycatch-shaped election
The Bering Sea pollock industry holds an Anchorage job fair Oct. 29, days before an election shaped by its salmon bycatch — now subject to the first mandatory Western Alaska chum cap.
by Bill AlaskaNews1mo ago3 min readAI
Bartlett hospital recruiting four directors at once among 29 openings
Bartlett Regional Hospital has open postings for director of nursing, pharmacy director, director of accounting, and director of home health and hospice, part of 29 hospital listings on the state labor department's Juneau job list for July 30 through August 6.
by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min readAI
No heat closes Dillingham's job center counter early
The state's Bristol Bay Job Center at 527 Seward Street in Dillingham released staff at noon Tuesday, Aug. 4, because the building has no heat, cutting walk-in access to employment services for the rest of the day.
by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min readAI
Eielson Air Force Base hiring fair set for Thursday
The Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development is promoting a hiring fair at Eielson Air Force Base on Thursday, Aug. 6, the same day a federal laborer posting at the base with 12 vacancies closes.
by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min readAI
Alaska is losing federal jobs faster than almost any state
Alaska shed 4.5% of its federal jobs in 2025, the third-largest share of any state, with cuts accelerating. An economist puts the two-year decline at 15.8%.
by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min readAI
Green card seekers in Alaska face a wider benefits review starting Sept. 18
Alaskans whose green card applications are subject to the public charge test will face a broader, case-by-case review of benefit use starting Sept. 18, when a DHS rule rescinding the 2022 regulation takes effect. A revised Form I-485 will be required.
by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min readAI
Wasilla hiring event features employer with no listed openings
A Tessera recruiting session runs noon to 3 p.m. July 29 at the Mat-Su Job Center in Wasilla. The nonprofit's careers page lists no current openings.
by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min readAI
Mike Rowe helps mark a $250,000 gift to Seward's trade school
TV host Mike Rowe joined a Homer event marking a $250,000 Wells Fargo gift to AVTEC, Seward's vocational-technical school, for student scholarships and faculty.
by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min readAI
Alaska's trade school in Seward can't turn out graduates fast enough
The Alaska Vocational Technical Center in Seward made USA TODAY's list of America's top vocational schools for a second year, with most students employed before they graduate.
by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min readAI
Federal and state cuts erase Alaska private-sector job gains in June
Alaska lost a net 900 jobs in June 2026 compared to a year earlier, as 1,300 federal cuts and 600 state-government losses outpaced 1,000 private-sector gains led by oil and gas. The state unemployment rate stood at 4.4 percent, just above the national 4.2 percent.
by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min readAI
Tessera hiring event comes to Mat-Su Job Center July 29
Tessera, an employer focused on hiring people with disabilities and veterans, will meet directly with Mat-Su job seekers at the Wasilla job center on July 29 from noon to 3 p.m. Walk-in resume help is available before the event.
by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min readAI
Alaska raises unemployment benefits, updates travel insurance law
Governor Dunleavy allowed HB 302 to become law without his signature, raising Alaska's maximum weekly unemployment benefit from $370 to $470 and replacing travel insurance statutes unchanged since 2013.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 2mo ago2 min readAI
Job and training help for western Alaska's storm-displaced residents
Alaska has compiled employment and training resources for western Alaska residents displaced by the October 2025 storms and Typhoon Halong remnants, part of a broader recovery effort.
by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min readAI
Alaska's minimum wage hits $14 — the raise voters ordered
Alaska's minimum wage rose to $14 on July 1 under 2024's Ballot Measure 1, which also guaranteed paid sick leave statewide. The wage hits $15 in 2027.
by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min readAI
Mat-Su correctional-officer recruiting sessions run weekly
The Alaska Department of Corrections holds weekly Friday recruiting sessions in Wasilla for correctional officers. The recurring event signals ongoing staffing needs in the Mat-Su region.
by Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago1 min readAI
Alaska Corrections holds weekly recruiting sessions in Wasilla
The Department of Corrections runs weekly Friday recruiting sessions at the Mat-Su Job Center. The recurring event reflects ongoing staffing needs for correctional officers in the region.
by Alaska News3mo ago1 min readAI
Bartlett Regional Hospital posts 39 job openings in one week
Bartlett Regional Hospital posted 39 job openings in one week, spanning clinical, administrative, and support roles. The volume accounts for roughly half of all Juneau-area openings listed by the state labor department.
by Alaska News3mo ago1 min readAI
Alaska job centers promote tax credits for hiring ex-felons
Alaska's 13 job centers offer federal tax credits and fidelity bonding to employers who hire justice-involved workers. The Work Opportunity Tax Credit covers up to 40 percent of first-year wages.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 3mo ago1 min readAI
Federal job applications now require two-page resumes
A federal hiring rule that took effect in September caps resumes at two pages for all USAJOBS applications. The change aims to streamline hiring but forces applicants to cut comprehensive career histories.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 3mo ago2 min readAI
Alaskans' debt falls to lowest level in a decade
The Alaska Department of Labor's June Trends magazine reports Alaskans' debt has reached its lowest point in ten years, a concrete economic indicator with direct implications for household finances and consumer spending power statewide.
by Alaska News3mo ago2 min readAI
Labor department hosts Fairbanks skills event Wednesday
The Alaska Department of Labor & Workforce Development is hosting a skills and employment event on June 3rd, just weeks after creating emergency employment resources for western Alaska communities devastated by Typhoon Halong remnants and severe flooding—suggesting the event may target displaced workers.
by Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago1 min readAI
Alaska minimum wage rises to $14 in July, $15 in 2027
A voter-approved minimum wage increase takes effect in one month, directly impacting workers and small business owners statewide. The scheduled increases represent significant cost changes for Alaska's labor-intensive industries including fishing, hospitality, and retail.
by Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago1 min readAI