In a Forbes column, NIRS Executive Director Dan Doonan reports on his visit to Alaska where he is meeting with key stakeholders to share the findings from a recent report requested by the Alaska Department of Education on teacher recruitment and retention.
The report indicates that state’s decision to do away with pensions is not good for Alaskans. Some 58 percent of those working in the new 401(k)-style savings plan have less than five years of service, as do 42 percent of teachers in the new plan. In a state that already had workforce challenges, employee retention is worsening and the trend here in Alaska is diverging more and more from the workforce retention experiences of other states. Read the column.
Statement on Efforts in Alaska to Restore Pension Benefits to Address Grave Workforce Shortage
Alaska’s effort to restore a pension plan for public workers represents meaningful progress in addressing one of the state’s most pressing challenges: attracting and retaining a stable, experienced public workforce. While Governor Dunleavy has vetoed the legislation, the fact that the measure passed both the House and Senate demonstrates a growing recognition that retirement benefits are not just about retirement security — they also are an essential workforce management tool.
In a Forbes column, NIRS Executive Director Dan Doonan reports on his visit to Alaska where he is meeting with key stakeholders to share the findings from a recent 
