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Michigan Governor Jennifer M. Granholm has announced that over 2,100 units of affordable rental housing will be built or renovated for low to moderate-income Michigan families, the elderly, people with disabilities and those at risk of homelessness as a result of $20.6 million in federal Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) approved by the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA). The tax credits will also help bolster the state’s economy by creating approximately 3,200 jobs in construction and related trades.

“These tax credits will leverage $200 million in investment necessary to develop thriving and vibrant communities around the state, creating jobs and providing affordable housing,” said Granholm. “In this time of economic challenge, we must do all that we can to stimulate the economy and help citizens who are struggling.”

MSHDA Executive Director Keith Molin said a portion of the total award would provide units of rental housing for disabled Michigan residents as well as those individuals and families at risk of homelessness.

“About 45 percent of the units created through this allocation are going to be in distressed areas,” Molin said. “This accounts for over $9.5 million going into areas that are already suffering from severe economic strain and high poverty levels.”

Owners and investors in low-income housing may apply to receive a tax credit against their federal tax liability if the rental housing has at least 20 percent of its units for households with incomes at or below 50 percent of the area median, or 40 percent of its units reserved for households with incomes at or below 60 percent of the area median.

The amount of the credit is based on the percentage of certain costs to renovate or develop housing that will be income-and rent-restricted for a minimum of 30 years. Developers can sell the credit to raise equity for their projects, reducing the necessary mortgage financing for the developer and making rents lower for tenants.

OPENonline LLC, a leading provider of employment screening solutions, announces the availability of I-9 Manager. I-9 Manager provides electronic I-9 document management and integrates seamlessly with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) E-Verify system.

I-9 Manager helps human resource professionals and employers maintain compliance with continually changing state and federal regulations by completing and storing I-9 documentation online. The service ensures accurate information entry as well as instant verification of employment eligibility.

“Government crackdowns on illegal workers and frequent changes in legislation are making it increasingly difficult for companies to keep pace with immigration reform,” says Angela Bosworth, Executive Vice President of OPENonline. “I-9 Manager provides an easy solution, alleviating document management and E-Verify compliance concerns.”

I-9 Manager transforms a traditionally cumbersome paper-based process into an easily managed, secure electronic solution. It can be utilized as a stand-alone solution, or paired with OPENonline’s SelctHire screening services to create a comprehensive employment screening solution.

“We work hard to be a one-stop shop for our customers’ ever-changing needs, I-9 Manager is just one more way we streamline the background screening process,” says Rich Henderson, President of OPENonline.

Finding an available Chicago job has been more difficult lately. The city’s unemployment rate jumped again in October, rising 0.3 percent from 6.6 to 6.9 percent. Illinois as a whole also saw an increase last month, as the jobless rate went from 6.9 to 7.3 percent, according to the state Department of Employment Security. National unemployment is currently 6.5 percent.

In a recent press release Sara Lee Corp. announced that it will shutting down its kosher hot dog and meat processing plant in the city. The doors are expected to close on or before the end of next January. Sara Lee’s decision to no longer make these meat products is expected to cost 185 Chicago jobs. The brands that will be discontinued include Best’s Kosher, Sinai Kosher, Shofar and Wilno.On top of this, Sara Lee will be closing the doors to the Sinai Kosher outlet store that is located on the premises of its Chicago facility. The jobs effected by this were mostly included in the 185 positions to be cut in the area.

The company began considering the discontinuation of the operation back in July, but did not state which facility would be closed. Instead it simply announced it’s “decision to close a production facility in North America.”

“The decision was made after careful consideration of our strategic, long-term plan, which focuses on categories where we have a strategic competitive advantage,” said Sara Lee Corp.’s chief operating officer, CJ Fraleigh. “We value the contributions made by our employees and are working to help them prepare for the future by providing severance and outplacement assistance.”

After doing away with the Chicago jobs and closing the facility, Sara Lee plans on decommissioning all of the plant’s equipment. After this the company plans to put the property up for sale.

Medical administrators, data security specialists, college faculty, product managers and human resource generalists are new among Jobfox top 25 most recession-proof jobs. Unemployment rate for professionals with college degrees remains manageable at 3.1 percent.

The Jobfox Top 25 Most Recession-Proof U.S. Job Candidates October 2008 report, released this week, reveals many changes in employers’ hiring priorities. The rankings provide the first detailed look at the most recession-proof jobs following continued stock market plunges, the announcements of federal investment banking bailout plans and general consensus among companies and consumers that the economy is in a full-blown recession.

The rankings reflect the jobs - classified by specific professions - that are in greatest demand by employers and recruiters who use Jobfox to search for and find new or replacement workers. The Jobfox Top 25 recession-proof jobs rankings are based on employer job postings that were initiated - and remain open - over a 120-day period ending October 28, 2008.

Top job trends, based on the October Jobfox rankings:

• The Top 5 jobs: No. 1 Sales Representative/Business Development, No. 2 Account/Customer Support, No. 3 Accounting Staff, No. 4 Counseling/Social Work and No. 5 Software Design/Development.

• Five new professions made the Top 25: No. 18 Medical Administrative Services, No. 20 IT Security, No. 22 Higher Education (Faculty), No. 23 Product Management and No. 25 Human Resource Generalist.

• Jobs falling out of the Top 25: Database Administration, Advertising (Online and Offline), Testing/Quality Assurance, Business Analysis (Research) and Business Analysis (Software Implementation).

• Professions with the biggest moves up the Top 25: Technology Executive (up eight spots to No. 16) and Counseling/Social Work (up seven spots to No. 4).

• Biggest downward movers: Mechanical Engineering (down nine spots to No. 9) and Electrical Engineering (down four spots to No. 14).

“Skilled professionals remain in demand despite the economic downturn,” said Rob McGovern, CEO of Jobox, the fastest-growing career site on the Internet. “While the unemployment rate rose to 6.5 percent in October, the unemployment rate for professionals with college degrees remains manageable at 3.1 percent.”

The Jobfox Top 25 Most Recession-Proof U.S. Job Candidates October 2008 rankings were derived from a stratified random sample of more than 4,000 U.S. job openings from the Jobfox database during a 120-day period ending October 28, 2008. The report also includes information about current median salary ranges and desired median salary ranges as defined by a random sample of Jobfox candidates. Salary data was derived from more than 100,000 Jobfox candidate profiles that were matched to specific professions.

Despite being named one of the best cities for job growth by Forbes back in January, jobs in Atlanta have been declining. According to the Georgia Department of Labor, the metro area lost 17,200 jobs between August and September and has lost a total of 33,600 positions since the same time last year.

One of the industries that has been suffering throughout the nation for sometime now is real estate. Home and office purchases are down, which has effected several other employment sectors including the mortgage industry, construction and even some areas of retail.

Now, one warehouse developer in has announced that it will be doing away with jobs in Atlanta. According to the Atlanta Business Chronicle, ProLogis, which is the city’s biggest industrial real estate investment trust will be laying off employees and putting a halt on future projects. Altogether, the company intends to cut their administrative expenses by almost 25 percent by cutting the Atlanta jobs and other business spending.

“Obviously, the credit market and overall market conditions make it clear that we need to significantly reduce expenses,” said the company’s CFO William E. Sullivan to Chronicle reporters. “Difficult times require difficult choices, and we are currently implementing our expense reduction plan.”

ProLogis owns 121 industrial real estate projects in the Atlanta area, according to the Chronicle, and is the largest owner, manger and developer of these distribution facilities in the world. Total square footage in the city totals around 18 million square feet.

The company announced that it’s total revenue for the third quarter was $1.1 billion, which has dropped significantly from the same time last year. In 2007, ProLogis’ third quarter revenue was $3.46 billion.

As of now, the company has not announced the exact number of jobs in Atlanta that it will cut.

Good news for displaced job seekers in Louisiana, as the U.S. Department of Labor announced a $7.5 million grant to assist approximately 1,200 workers from 15 Louisiana companies affected by permanent closures and mass layoffs. This project also will aid another 300 workers impacted by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Of the 1,500 workers targeted for services, approximately 370 have been certified for Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA).

“This $7.5 million grant will provide re-employment services to 1,500 workers, including 300 Louisianans experiencing long-term displacement caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita,” said Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao.

The grant, awarded to the Louisiana Workforce Commission, will provide affected workers with access to the full array of dislocated worker services. In addition, the state of Louisiana will create specialized skills training programs with comprehensive individual development plans customized for each worker. TAA-eligible dislocated workers will have access to services not covered under the TAA program, including counseling, case management, job search, job placement and follow-up.

“This grant clearly reflects the commitment of President Bush and Secretary Chao to the rebuilding of New Orleans,” said retired Maj. Gen. Douglas V. O’Dell, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, who serves as federal coordinator for Gulf Coast Rebuilding. “Secretary Chao has long recognized the enormous value in providing opportunities for American workers to develop and update skills for the changing economy, and she has been a true friend to the Gulf Coast, providing over $400 million in federal support since Hurricane Katrina.”

Between Feb. 1 and Aug. 11, 2008, layoff notices were issued by 15 companies throughout Louisiana, including companies in the manufacturing, government contracting, forest products and aerospace industries.

This project includes the following 18 parishes: Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Claiborne, De Soto, Jefferson, Lincoln, Natchitoches, Orleans, Plaquemines, Red River, Sabine, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Tammany and Webster. Of the $7.5 million awarded today, $2,031,400 will be released initially. The remaining funds will be allocated as the state demonstrates a continued need for assistance.

Have you ever considered conducting your own background check? Users of FreeBackgroundChecksUSA.com have access to fast, simple, and accurate online background checks and up-to-date information that is provided completely free of charge.

No longer are people required to contact official authorities and undergo a lengthy process in order to conduct an effective background check on the people in their lives. FreeBackgroundChecksUSA.com now offers fast, easy, accurate, and legal background checks through their website.

Even better is the fact that these services are offered online and free-of-charge. The searches are performed in a simple, state-specific format that includes several kinds of investigation. These include the free people search, queries into the National Sex Offender Registry (per-state), comparisons of crimes statistics among the states, and a great deal more.

Background searching is conveniently broken down by state to assist in the ease and accuracy of the searching and its results. In order to perform a background check on a person, the site user need only enter basic identification information about that individual; information which is easily accessed in a local telephone directory, including the person’s first and last name, address, and city. Then, they need only select the type of background check they are interested in performing.

Furthermore, to keep users of the site completely up-to-date, the website includes an extensive library of industry articles that provide information regarding the various kinds of background searches, their uses, legalities, and other useful data. This assists users in making certain that they’re using the site’s tools to their fullest potential and that they are aware of all of the potential uses of background checks in general. To ensure that users are always up-to-date, the site offers the option to subscribe for a regular update service so that members can always stay on top of the latest changes and news.

Unlike many sites providing similar services, all FreeBackgroundChecksUSA.com are offered completely free of charge. Additional investigation services are also available for nominal fees on third-party sites which are linked on the site for the convenience of the site users, however, these are sites to which the no-charge FreeBackgroundChecksUSA.com has no affiliation, such as the United States government, the National Archives and Records Administration, FBI crime reports, and other useful resources.

There’s no arguing that conducting background checks on new hires is a good business practice. The problem is that many employers have trouble deciding whether they should hire an outside company to handle the investigation or if they should do it themselves.

Companies that decide to conduct their background checks on their own often chose to do so to save money. Since a lot of small businesses don’t have the budget to hire an outside organization to handle their investigations, this can make a lot of sense. Many criminal records are consider open to the public, but conducting background checks without the help of an outside company can have its down side.

Problems can arise when a business decides to handle these investigations themselves. Since they often don’t have experience conducting background checks, employers often miss certain information. There can also be legal ramifications if a dangerous individual slips by or a hiring decision is reached by using information that may be accessible but protected under laws governing background checks. Employers who decide to take this route should make sure to obtain written permission from applicants, look into FCRA laws and document everything found.

Hiring an outside company to handle background checks can eliminate the risk of accidentally breaking the law. Since professional firms are accustomed to handling these investigations, they can get all the relevant information quickly.

This can severely reduce the time it takes to make a hiring decision, which save a business money and helps them run more efficiently. Using an outside company to conduct background checks also frees up the employee that would be handling the investigation if the office decided to do it themselves.

The decision comes down to the company’s priorities. The choice to save money can cost valuable employee time and, in some drastic cases, legal fees but hiring a professional service is more expense.

For businesses that can not afford to outsource for their background checks, having their hiring manger look into applicants’ pasts certainly beats not having any information a potential employee. After all, it’s easy for an applicant to hide the skeletons in their closet long enough to complete an interview. The only to safeguard a workplace from a variety of problems is to conduct background checks on would-be employees.

Although much of the nation is struggling under the weight of the economic recession, Nevada has been suffering for much longer. Since it was once of the first states in America to begin having problems, finding jobs in Nevada may be even more difficult than getting work elsewhere.

During the month of September unemployment rose from 7.1 percent to 7.3 percent in Nevada, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Back in April, only 5.7 percent of residents were without jobs.

Data shows that nonfarm jobs in Nevada fell 0.5 points, making September the second consecutive month that the state lost this exact number of positions. Employment in the state has been decreasing for over 6 months.

Construction jobs in Nevada have seen the largest decrease in the last 12 months. According to the Bureau, work in this field fell by 10.5 percent during September. Data shows that employment in this sectors has been steadily dropping since at least April, but September’s decrease was the largest decline in the last 6 months.

Other areas of employment that have dropped the number of jobs in Nevada recently, according to the Bureau, include information, falling 2.5 percent, financial activities, dropping 3.3 percent, professional and business services, decreasing by 2.7 percent, and manufacturing, which dropped 0.6 percent.

The most new jobs in Nevada during the month of September were created in the government sector, where employment increased by 3.9 percent since the same time last year.

Education and health services also saw a decent increase in jobs in Nevada during the month of September. This area of employment rose by 3.6 percent, showing that this area of employment is relatively recession proof. The problem with healthcare jobs in Nevada is that hospitals can’t seem to hire enough individuals to fill available slots because local schools can’t train professionals quickly enough.

Other areas of employment that saw an increase during the month of September include trade, transportation and utilities, which rose 1.5 percent, and leisure and hospitality, increasing by 0.4 percent. The second of these may come as some shock, because the gaming industry and tourism have been suffering for sometime now.

According to a recent press release, recruiting software provider Kenexa recently acquired a new client. The Naval Medical Center of Portsmouth, Virginia (NMCP), a military run healthcare facility, has signed on for the company’s Government Solutions in order to make their hiring process more competitive.

Many areas throughout America are experiencing a shortage of qualified medical professionals, making it more difficult to find the right staff members. Hoping to make it easier to local the best candidates for jobs in a time efficient manner, NMCP picked Kenexa’s recruiting software. By doing so, NMCP became the first naval hospital to chose a civilian company for this purpose.

Kenexa’s recruiting software and applicant tracking system allows its users to turn their Web sites into interactive career centers. At the same time, their products help to reduce both the cost of hiring new employees and the amount of time it takes to locate the perfect candidate for the job. In addition to this, Kenexa’s recruiting software meshes seamlessly with the their assessment tests, making it even easier to make sure that an applicant is qualified for the position.

Being a government entity, NMCP has very different needs than civilian companies. Because of this, Kenexa and its IT services partner, Managed Business Solutions, will work with the hospital in order to refine its business practices to make the recruitment and hiring processes more efficient.

“The government civil service selection process can cause quite a backlog and it is often a lengthy undertaking to get new staff onboard. We needed to identify and process candidates more quickly,” said NMCP’s Lt. Cmdr. Brian Carman. “I was impressed with Kenexa’s proven track record in the government sector. They were also able to provide a detailed process map showing how we could reduce our time in filling positions.”

“We are exited to help NMCP effectively compete for qualified candidates,” said Kenexa’s CEO Rudy Karsan. “This will ensure that qualified medical staff will be on hand to provide quality care for our men and women in the military. We’re honored that NMCP chose Kenexa Government Solutions and we’re looking forward to a long, mutually beneficial relationship between our organizations.”