This section equips chambers and employers with curated tools, frameworks and actionable resources to support job quality improvement, employer engagement and inclusive workforce strategies. Whether you are launching a new initiative or scaling an existing effort, these toolkits provide practical guidance, templates and research to strengthen your impact.
CAEM COHORT RESOURCES
- Check back later to find resources shared specifically with our fellows.
EMPLOYER ENGAGEMENT TOOLKIT (FOR CHAMBERS)
- Using Labor Market Intelligence (LMI) - Use state and federal LMI tools to identify high-potential sectors and roles where job quality strategies can have the greatest impact. The following tools are examples that can be used to pinpoint in-demand roles, wage benchmarks and regional growth trends which can be compared with employer feedback to target engagement strategies.
- Partner Research - Leverage templates to research employer needs and align opportunities. These insights help chambers engage employers with strategies grounded in real-world barriers and motivators, supporting a strategic approach to partnership development.
- Messaging to Employers - Position economic mobility and job quality as business imperatives. These resources help chambers show how improving job quality supports talent retention, reduces turnover and improves business performance.
- Establishing Partnerships - Use customizable tools to formalize engagement. The following resources include sample MOUs, shared governance models and frameworks for co-investment.
- Spotlights - Explore examples of successful chamber-employer partnerships that are advancing job quality in diverse regions and sectors.
PRACTICE IMPLEMENTATION TOOLKIT (FOR EMPLOYERS)
- Define and Assess Job Quality - Use trusted job quality frameworks to evaluate current workplace conditions and identify opportunities to strengthen job quality. These tools provide a shared foundation for understanding wages, benefits, scheduling, advancement and worker voice.
- Practice Modules - Explore plug-and-play strategies that employers can adopt to improve job quality and strengthen workforce stability. The following modules offer practical guidance, policy examples and real-world case studies aligned with California's High Road approach.
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- Living Wages and Benefits - Business case, wage benchmarking and benefits design
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- Predictable Scheduling - California scheduling realities, local ordinances and policy templates
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- Leave and Caregiver Supports - Overview of Paid Family Leave, compliance updates and communications tools
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- Safety and Worker Voice - Steps for joint committees, training integration and workplace culture improvements
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- Alternative Workweek Schedules (AWS) - Guidance and sample forms for implementing 4x10 schedules legally in California
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- Sample PTO and Leave Policy Template - Adaptable template to support implementation of job quality practices
- Worker Advancement Pathways - Employers can support mobility through upskilling, apprenticeships and sector-based partnerships. Explore these models to help strengthen internal talent pipelines while improving long-term worker outcomes.
MESSAGING & COMMUNICATIONS TOOLKIT (FOR CHAMBERS)
- Talking Points & Messaging Tools - Help employers understand the business case for improving job quality and advancing economic mobility by clearly communicating how investing in workforce strategies supports retention, productivity and long-term growth.
- Audience-Specific One-Pagers - Adapt messaging by business size or segment to reflect the unique needs of small businesses, mid-sized firms, or large employers. These examples help chambers engage members with relevant data points, ROI framing and practical calls to action.
- Spotlights - See how chambers across the country are effectively framing job quality and workforce development strategies.
POLICY EDUCATION TOOLKIT (FOR CHAMBERS & EMPLOYERS)
- Quick Guides - Use plain-language policy resources to help employers and chamber advisors understand key California labor standards that shape job quality, workplace stability and compliance. These guides support chambers in providing timely, practical information that employers can apply directly.
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- Paid Family Leave (PFL) - California Paid Family Leave Brochure (EDD) and California Leave Law Updates
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- Alternative Workweek Schedules (AWS) - guides and sample forms
- Immigration - Employer access to flyers, policy briefs and actionable guidance for supporting immigrant workers.
- Skills-Based Hiring & Upskilling - Support employers in adopting equitable talent practices that prioritize skills, advancement and internal mobility. These tools help businesses identify competencies, expand access to opportunity and strengthen pathways for entry-level workers.
KEY REPORTS & EVIDENCE-BASED INSIGHTS
- UNITE-LA Immigration Talent Report: Highlights the critical role of immigrant workers and employers in building inclusive economic growth.
- UNITE-LA Business as Advocacy Champions: Demonstrates how business associations can influence education and workforce policy through effective advocacy.
- Brookings: Offers a regional call to action for investing in and scaling good jobs through local systems and partnerships.
- JFF's American Job Quality Study: Delivers national insights on what workers value most in their jobs across industries and roles.
