Employment & Workers Comp News

Florida Losing Jobs Fast

reformingworkerscomp — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 21:12:16 +0000

Just returned from seeing my attorney, am back in the saddle now. Jeff Kunerth, Sentinel Staff Writer for the newspaper entitled the ‘Sun Sentinel’, said in His Nov. 16, 2009 story that as Florida faces hard fiscal choices and a reduced population, jobs are dissapearing, sadly enouph. I know we have some similiar issues here on Oahu. For example, used cars transactions are down here on Oahu, unfortunately. All in all, The article quotes William Frey, a demographer with The Brookings Institution in Washington, as saying, “What this will do is make a lot of people think about what rapid growth means, both the downside and the upside.” For it’s part, the state has had to deal with lower revenue due to s smaller tax base. I also think more people are buying used cars as opposed to new cars, at least that is how it is on Oahu.
Sean Snaith is an economist at the University of Central Florida and is the school’s director for the Institute of Economic Competitiveness. Snaith believes that the recession made a declining trend worse, and the state should expect the trend to continue. Snaith said, “These gaudy rates of population growth we’ve seen of 4 or 5 percent in decades gone by are not coming back.” Should you need a competent Florida Tax attorney then let me suggest David Garvin. He is really one of the best tax and legal professionals in all of Florida and he is a criminal attorney as well for Miami, Fort Lauderdale, etc.
Jeff Kunerth also quotes Carl Haub. Haub is a demographer with the Population Reference Bureau in Washington, “The United States is growing by 3 million a year, and they are not going to North Dakota.” Switching gears for a second, if you find yourself needing a top quality Oahu used cars dealership then you may want to consider this Infinity one, they are possibly one of the more respected such used car dealerships on Oahu as a whole.
Demographers for the University of Florida believe that once the recessions fades, the state may see as many as 200,000 per year, down from the 300,000 it has enjoyed, but still enviable. If Florida grows by 2% per year, only, that will be double the national average. Airports and seaports can be a major center for international shipping and business. The state could also become a “green technology” leader.

The state must concentrate of diversifying its economy. In this spirit, Orlando is partnering with Burnham Institute and UCF to develop a center for biotech at the “Medical City” complex. generally speaking, the state has had to rethink the educational system, taxes, and a host of other crucial issues overall.

Jobless Rate In Detroit at 17 Percent

reformingworkerscomp — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 20:19:28 +0000

According to reports the jobless rate in metropolitan Detroit is at 17 percent which is 2 points higher than what the government reported. The rate rose to 17.1 percent last month and in May was a reported 14.9 percent. The area of Detroit-Livoinia metropolitan is stated to be the highest of 49 urban centers with 1 million inhabitants according to the Labor Department reports.
These figures are seen in other urban areas with Kokomo Indiana reporting a 22.8 percent jump in jobless rates over that of the same time in 2008. The unemployment rate now stands at 19.2 percent which is one fifth of the workforce that is employed in the auto sector. Eklkhart Indiana is also reporting that their unemployment rate has reached double digits. Some people there could use some debt help, debt consolidation or maybe some kind of non profit credit counseling I suppose what some of them really need though besides the debt help is actually free credit counseling.
Riverside, San Bernardino metro areas have the second highest rate of unemployment compared with other metro areas with an unemployment rate of 13.1 percent. Charlolette, Gastonia and Concord metro area in North Carolina showed an unemployment rate of 12.4 percent.

Online Home Office Employment Growing Steadily

reformingworkerscomp — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 19:13:13 +0000

I just returned from the Aloha state (big island) and I can attest that they have some prime real estate over there indeed. According to the Small Business Research Board while the economy is in turmoil, the growth of online employment is growing. The home based e-business worker is continuing to profit and there has been an increase of home based online workers of approximately 133 percent according to InternetWorldStats.com.
According to the statistics 85 percent of home Internet based businesses have not been affected by the declining economy. People that have been asked about their home business during the past 18 to 24 months have said that they have started their online business due to job insecurity which is also impacting the real estate market and the unsure economy as their reason for opening an Internet based home office. As an aside if you plan to set up such a home office and need furniture for it I recommend that you invest in some ergonomic office chairs as these can be very important. If you need big island real estate then visit this resource by all means. Sotheby’s has been doing real estate transactions on the big island of Hawaii for a very long time. An ergonomically correct office chair or chairs can really make a big difference in the long run in terms of comfort.
The International business broker IBFS has warned about Internet scams for people starting a home based business and this includes purchasing web domains, marketing, lead generation, SEO and other things for the Internet based business. The scams can include web business setup and even the amounts claimed to be paid for rendering certain services for online companies that charge to be a part of their home based employees.

Former Miss Hawaii International On Trial For Identity Theft

reformingworkerscomp — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 23:22:13 +0000

May was the month the largest identity theft case in Hawaii started, this included dozens of victims on Oahu, Honolulu and Manhattan Beach, Southern California.
According to the Chief of the Honolulu prosecutor’s office Christopher Van Marter this is the largest case of identity theft they have prosecuted, due to the number of credit card issuers and the 122 numbers of offenses. The former Miss Hawaii International Susan Shaw is scheduled to begin her trial for an alleged charge of identity theft on July 20th in Circuit Court. For her part, Shaw if convicted could be sentenced to life in prison according to Van Marter. Shaw has also been convicted of a 1993 theft at the Holiday Mart store. She needs counseling, in my humble opinion. Speaking of that, if you happen to need credit counseling then I recommend this resource. All in all, they can really help you with Debt Relief, credit counseling and also Debt consolidation services. Shaw was convicted of theft in the second degree in March of 1994. The sentence Shaw faced in that conviction was five years of probation, and $1,797.08 dollars in fines, she was released from probation on April 26, 1999.

Computer Furniture for Your Office Workers

reformingworkerscomp — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 20:26:21 +0000

I just got back from Oahu to check in with the real estate agent but wanted to get some good writing in you know. If you are looking for a basic office computer desk for a small office, consider the new Studio RTA A-Tower Computer Desk. This little computer desk is perfect for small areas. It is a tall unit and it has shelves that allow storage space. All in all it is good to have a some good custom furniture, designer lighting, leathercraft, Lorts from a good Furniture Source
such as in North Carolina. I like designer furniture myself. The Studio RTA A-Tower computer desk is great for keeping all pertinent office supplies and organized papers. It fits nicely into a corner so you won’t have any wasted space. By the way my Oahu Real estate agent must have a good furniture source and he some fantastic designer lighting and custom furniture pieces, I guess there is a lot of bread to be made in Oahu real estate overall.
The Studio RTA A-Tower computer desk is really strong and then manufactures have added steel tubes to make the frame stronger. The selling points to this desk are many. It comes with a cherry finish that looks fantastic and can transform the look of the office. This really is the perfect size for your computer desk in an office that wants to add class while still remaining on a budget. It takes up very little space and your other office furniture can place near it and still look nice. By the way if you are personally looking for some good office chairs then I suggest Sitbetter.com as they can really help you with a wide variety of different ergonomically sound office chairs. I recall the office of this one massage therapist had these as well as really nice white, square and large pillar candles, to go with a very nice assortment of designer lighting as well, which I highly recommend for certain offices.
When you purchase the Studio RTA A-Tower computer desk you will have put together before you can set up in your office. You can search for an online or find it at your local office supply store at reasonable prices.

Jewelry Store Employee Frightened Of Recession Steals $12 Million In Gold

reformingworkerscomp — Tue, 26 May 2009 19:40:33 +0000

According to reports a woman identified as Teresa Tambunting is suspected of stealing $12 million in gold and gems from her job at Queens jewelry store and then storing them in her basement. The Jacmel Jewelry store found $12 million in gold pieces and other jewelry were missing from the vault.These included 10k gold chain, 18K gold ring and the like.

The woman from Scardale told her family at Christmas dinner that she feared the recession. According to family members Tambunting’s fears stemmed from the Wall Street chaos and her husband Edgardo’s employment at Cantor Fitzgerald. Tambunting was afraid the recession would force her husband to change jobs.

Prosecutors state that during this time Tambunting, her three children and husband were living with raw gold and jewelry hidden in the basement of their home. They say the 50-year-old woman over a six-year time slipped small pieces of gold and jewelry in the lining of her purse. Tambunting was the vault manager from where the $12 million of gold and jewelry was missing since 1991. Apparently she was taking 10k gold chain, rose gold chain, bling bling jewelry and so forth.

She had started working at the store when it opened in 1977, after the audit according to Jacmel President Jack Rahmey Tambunting returned 80 pounds of the missing gold and jewelry in a suitcase.

Man Released From Prison After 15-Year False Conviction

reformingworkerscomp — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 22:23:10 +0000

After spending 15 years in prison Bruce Godschalk was released from a Montgomery County jail. Godschalk asked for the assistance of the Innocence Project at Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in New York to represent him in 1995.

The law schools attorneys and local Philadelphia lawyer David Rudovsky fought with the prosecutors’ office to have the DNA evidence released so they could submit it for DNA testing. The DNA testing proved that Godschalk was innocent of the rape charges he had been tried and sentenced to prison. Even a personal injury lawyer could figure that out. Godschalk was convicted in large part on a statement to Upper Merion Township Police Detectives, which he said had been coerced.

The Innocence Project a non profit organization felt Godshalks case showed the need for this type of service in Pennsylvania and have opened the Pennsylvania Innocence Project at Temple University. Where they plan to investigate statewide applications from inmates. As an aside if you need a Philadephia personal injury lawyer please take a look here.

The Innocence Project was started in 1992 by Barry Scheck and Peter Neufeld and according to Eric Ferrero there have been 234 inmates exonerated using DNA evidence across the country. This includes nine inmates that have been released from prison in Pennsylvania after DNA testing proved their innocence. It obviously pays to have a good personal lawyer.

Bankruptcy Filed by Hawaiian Telcom:Layoffs Possible

reformingworkerscomp — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 21:19:36 +0000

Here is some potentially bad employment news coming out of Hawaii: According to news reports, Hawaiian Telcom Communications filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Monday. Hawaiian Telcom Communications of Hawaii is backed by the investment company, Carlyle Group who bought the telecommunications company form Verizon in 2005. This is abad time for such news in Hawaii, with so many other businesses likewise struggling. For example I have noticed the local Nissan dealer seems to have less foot traffic whenever I drive by.

Despite news of Hawaiian Telcom filing for chapter 11 bankruptcy, Carlyle Partners III $4 billion buyout fund is up 230 percent. Carlyle had originally purchased Hawaiian Telcom to expand the network and offer new products and service bundle packages. However, approval delays by regulators caused the company to lose land-line phone customers faster than they anticipated. Time Warner Cable was also proved to be fierce competition for them. Reinvestments by Carlyle of up to $100 million and efforts by them to bring in experts to turnaround management issues also failed. By the way if you live in hawaii and are looking for a Nissan dealer then may I suggest my local Hawaii Nissan dealership. Now is a great time to buy a Nissan vehicle because they have some excellent deals and you will be helping the economy as well.

The Hawaiian Telcom Communications company and seven affiliates filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy in the United States Bankruptcy Court in Wilmington, Delaware. According to news reports, they listed $1.4 billion in assets along with $1.3 billion in debt.

According to a letter by President and Chief Executive Eric Yeaman sent to customers on Monday, it was stressed that the company was not going out of business and that service would not be interrupted.

Portola Emerges From Bankruptcy, may lose workers

reformingworkerscomp — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 20:19:05 +0000

A top Illinois manufacturer, Portola Packaging, has exited thae backside of Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The restructuring that took place greatly reduced the total outstanding indebtedness and interest expenses of Portola Packaging. According to state media reports, they were able to eliminate $180 million of their total debt. The US Bankruptcy Court has verified that the Portola Packaging Company’s restructuring plan and the firm converted all of there 8.25% senior notes into equity. All in all, they did not even require funds from Washington, which is a refreshing change.

The Portola Packaging firm which operates in Batavia in the state of Illinois, produces tamper evident closures, cosmetic packaging along with certain items plus various engineering services as well. The Delaware Bankruptcy Court ultimately ruled that the firm in question met its statutory requirements and pre-packaged chapter 11 plan of reorganization and would be emerging from chapter 11 in late October. If you need a washington state bankruptcy lawyers then might I suggest Jason Newcombe. He is a top washington state bankruptcy lawyers around and can assist you with a broad range of cases

Portola was eventually able to obtain exit financing from Wells Fargo Foothill, LLC and Regiment Capital Special Situations Fund IV LP for a $66 million senior secured credit facility.

Investment holders of the Portola existing senior unsecured notes received all of Portola’s common stock which was reorganized. According to their exiting plan, Wayzata was named to become the controlling shareholder when Portola emerged from chapter 11.

Real Estate Trends and golf industry Decline in Kauai causing Employment issues

reformingworkerscomp — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 00:08:30 +0000

There has been some rocky employment and real estate trends as far as Kauai is concerned.
For the a few years now, real estate on the garden island of Kauai (the northernmost island in the Hawaiian chain) has been somewhat uneven. Needless to say, this trend is similiar in many other regions of the United States where real estate and the economy overall is concerned.
Let’s face the facts, recessions are never fun.
In addition to all of this, Kauai is really a major golf hub, with lovely, picturesque resorts and houses stretching from Princeville in the northern section of the island to Poipu and Kalaheo on the south side.
The Makai and Prince courses are particularly stunning and are considered to be truly world class. Sadly, though, there is also trouble on kauai. Here as elsewhere, the Hawaii golf business in general and Kauai real estate in particular is in a type of cusp of time.
For instance, a recent research study has proven that this industry by itself is an employer for some twenty-thousand workers in the state. Many of these workers depend on golfers to go to their proshops and restaurants.
In my own humble and non-professional opinion, Kauai Real Estate as a whole should survive just fine in the long haul due to a relative influx of retired persons and a finite amount of land (and building permits, for that matter). But golf on Kauai and Hawaii is in a bit stickier situation as it faces rather stiff competition from other beautiful, lush and exotic localities around the world like Mexico, Australia and even the West indies. As an example, there has already been a noted and measurable downturn as
the Grand Slam Kauai (also known as the PGA of America) has not been replaced since its last tournament some two years ago (ouch). Despite all of this, Kauai real estate in general, with the possible exception of various specific commercial properties, will probably be alright over the long haul, it would seem to me.