EAST CHICAGO | Raising the minimum wage was the focus of a town hall meeting held last night at the main branch of the East Chicago Public Library.

The meeting was organized by Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Healthcare Illinois & Indiana and featured speakers from the fields of labor, faith, academics and the NAACP.

The crowd of about 15 people was encouraged to continue efforts to support an increase of the current minimum wage of $7.25 an hour and to hold elected representatives accountable if they do not work to do so.

“For too long, working families and working people in Indiana have suffered because of low minimum wage, and the goal is to get our legislators to pay attention to the cry from working people that the wage needs to be raised so that families can survive,” said James Muhammad, communications director for SEIU Healthcare Illinois & Indiana.

Dennis McCafferty spoke on behalf of the Northwest Indiana Federation of Labor.

Prior to the meeting, he said he would like to see the minimum wage raised to at least $13 an hour.

He said doing so would provide people with disposable income they would reinvest into the economy.

Mark Lopez, chief of staff for U.S Rep. Peter Visclosky, spoke to the crowd and told how legislation in the previous Congress that would have raised the minimum wage to $10.10 over a period of two years, and then an amount based on inflation in following years, had 197 co-sponsors in the House but was not brought up for a vote on the floor.

He said similar legislation in the Senate had 33 co-sponsors but also did not come up for a vote.

Lopez said Visclosky will support any future legislation introduced along those lines.

“Nobody’s asking for a handout,” Lopez said. “People are asking for a living wage.”

Merrillville resident Clustus Harris worked for a local steel mill but is now retired.

He attended the meeting and said he thinks $15 an hour would not be too much to ask for based on the current cost of living.

“Unless you make a good wage, everybody in your family is gonna have to work,” Harris said.

Find the full article at: http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/east-chicago/minimum-wage-debate-focus-of-town-hall-meeting/article_c2b339ec-97f7-58d9-82b0-1d7586f040ae.html

A bill adopted by the Indiana House of Representatives would have direct benefits for the region by extending the life of urban enterprise zones that help with job creation and reversing blight statewide, according to its backers.

The bill, authored by state Rep. Tom Dermody, R-LaPorte, would allow urban enterprise zones to be extended another five years. It passed the House 94-0 and is next up before the Senate Commerce and Technology Committee. State Sen. Jim Arnold, D-LaPorte, is a co-sponsor.

In LaPorte and Hammond, large areas of those cities are in urban enterprise zones, which are due to expire under current state law in 2016.

Without an urban enterprise zone, some of the incentives used to entice investment by manufacturers, small businesses and homeowners would be gone, making the challenges of urban renewal even more difficult, according to economic development officials.

”We would lose a major tool we have in our tool box for encouraging companies to invest in our community and for redeveloping our downtown and the urban enterprise zone area,” said Bert Cook, executive director of the Greater LaPorte Economic Development Corp.

In Hammond, the city touts its urban enterprise zone that formed in 1984 as helping to create $500 million of private investment and 4,000 new jobs within its boundaries that primarily span the downtown and industrial areas.

Sue Anderson, program director for the Hammond Development Corp., said more recent successes include Munster Steel Co. relocating to Hammond, facade improvements to downtown buildings and a program that puts college interns to work in small businesses within the zone.

Other positive developments include two separate business incubators that help small businesses take root and grow.

In both communities, the urban enterprise zone extends a 100 percent property tax credit for 10 years on new investment and, in exchange, 35 percent of the tax savings is paid by the company and reinvested within the zone, according to Anderson and Cook.

In LaPorte, some of those dollars are used to pay the property taxes of any new retail business or restaurant that opens in the downtown for the first six months, Cook said.

Anderson said urban enterprise zones are a way to direct tax money that would otherwise go into the city’s general fund to specific areas like downtowns and industrial areas that have the biggest need for help with redevelopment.

”Those areas are the areas that move the other areas forward. It’s all tied in together,” Anderson said.

Find the full article at: http://www.nwitimes.com/business/local/city-officials-pin-hopes-on-urban-enterprise-zone-extension/article_58d08c2d-05d0-5238-a78c-6d3c842021c8.html

Indiana has a reputation for manufacturing, warehousing and farming, but a study found it actually has a high number of jobs in high-tech fields.

The state ranked fourth nationally for its amount of employment in advanced industries that include automotive and aerospace manufacturing, energy, computer system design, telecommunications and software development, according to the Brookings Institution. The Washington, D.C.-based think tank says industries that employ a lot of workers in research and development and science, technology, engineering and math — or STEM — will be critical to future prosperity in the 21st century, both nationally and regionally.

The study found 344,400 Indiana residents — 11.4 percent — work in advanced industries such as life sciences. Only seven states in the country have more than 10 percent of workers in advanced fields.

“Our research makes clear that Indiana is no longer just a manufacturing province; the state’s metropolitan economies are increasingly diversified, with material, digital and genomic specializations all at once,” said Senior Fellow Mark Muro, the lead researcher.

Roughly 65 percent of new jobs created since the Great Recession are in industries that invest in research and development. The average worker in such industries earns an average of $90,000 a year, more than twice as much as average workers in other sectors, according to the Brookings Institution.

Find the full article at: http://www.nwitimes.com/business/local/more-than-one-out-of-every-hoosiers-work-in-high/article_5f800267-0eca-59f3-991a-e9842917136b.html

In today’s complex employment and economic environment, a direct hire does not always meet a client’s needs. Offering a broad spectrum of staffing services that meets ALL your clients’ needs is vital to retain clients over time and continue acquiring new business.

Fortunately, simply adding contract staffing to your business model – by taking on the responsibilities and liability yourself or outsourcing to a contract staffing back-office service – can help you do that with six commonly recognized types of contract placements:

1.    Traditional contract staffing. From a recruiting perspective, this is much like a direct hire situation: the recruiter gets the contract job order, locates the candidate, and negotiates the rates. The difference is that the contractor becomes the W-2 employee of the recruitment firm or a back-office rather than that of the client company, but the client still gains the valuable skill and expertise of the contractor.  This is extremely common when a client has a large project or a critical deadline.  The client only pays for the actual hours worked by the contractor; they are not responsible for unemployment, worker’s compensation, benefits, COBRA, or any of the other cost and liability aspects of having employees.

2.    Temp-to-direct hire conversion. The recruiter finds the candidate as with traditional contract staffing; however, here the intention is to convert the candidate to a direct hire after 6-12 months if they meet the necessary goals and expectations during the contract period.  Basically, this gives the client the opportunity to work hand-in-hand with the candidate before making the long-term commitment of hiring them directly.  This is also referred to as “try-before-you-buy.”

3.    Payrolling for non-recruited candidates. In this scenario, the client has a short-term need (3-12 months) for which they have already located their own candidate. They simply want to outsource the employer responsibility for unemployment, worker’s compensation, benefits, COBRA, and all of the other cost and liability aspects of having employees.

4.    Retiree re-staffing. Companies retain or gain the skills and experience of a retired worker by bringing them on as a contract worker.  By utilizing a staffing firm/back-office service, the client refrains from impacting pension plans because the legal employment of the worker is outsourced to a third party. Additionally, the retiree enjoys flexibility, supplemental income, and the opportunity to remain active in the workforce.

5.    1099 independent contractor to W-2 employee conversions. Government agencies are cracking down on companies that misclassify W-2 employees as 1099 independent contractors (ICs), and the consequences include lengthy audits, hefty fines and potential back wages. Clients can avoid the risk of misclassification by converting ICs to W-2 employees and outsourcing the employment liability.

6.    Internships/co-ops. Outsourcing intern employment helps clients avoid the cost and administrative issues associated with short periods of employment. This is a viable alternative to unpaid internships which, like 1099 independent contractors, have come under fire and can only be legal if they meet a strict set of criteria.

Please contact Staff Source if we can assist you with your staffing need: 219-989-9675 Office  or e-mail:CWallace@staffsourceusa.com

INDIANAPOLIS | A multi-language website has launched to provide a resource to international businesses considering investment or job creation in Indiana.

Indiana Secretary of Commerce Victor Smith says InvestIndiana.com is meant to be a conversation starter that illustrates the state’s commitment to helping international businesses meet their goals.

The website targets private-sector leaders in countries already experiencing business success in Indiana. It highlights locations across the state where international companies have established their U.S. operations, and also includes information about Indiana’s business climate, workforce, successful businesses and industries.

The website, which went live last month, complements the state’s international business development operations led by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation.

The website is available in English, Italian, German, French, Chinese and Japanese.

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Online: — www.InvestIndiana.com

Find the full article at: http://www.nwitimes.com/business/local/indiana-launches-website-to-entice-international-companies/article_e436bd9b-d9bc-577f-b2f5-b5a7494d6c8a.html

LAFAYETTE, IN – January 29, 2015 – GE Aviation, a global leader in jet engine and aircraft system production, today announced plans for additional investment at the site of its new engine assembly facility in Lafayette, Indiana.

The additional $15M investment in machinery and equipment will allow for maintenance, repair and overhaul capability for the new LEAP engine of CFM International, a 50/50 joint company of GE and Snecma (Safran) of France. GE plans to hire an additional 30 people, bringing the total commitment to 230 employees by 2020. Hiring will begin next month.

The new jobs and investment will position Lafayette to play a pivotal role across the entire life cycle of the engine—beginning with capability for final assembly of new make engines, and extending to maintenance, repair and overhaul of the engines once in service.

“This decision is a testament to our commitment to Lafayette and the state of Indiana. Within a short time, this community has proven to be an invaluable partner and I know we’ll continue to be successful as we take on this additional work at the Lafayette site” said Eric Matteson, GE’s project leader.

Construction on the new 300,000-square-foot facility in Lafayette has begun and the facility will be operational by January of 2016.

CFM has logged total orders and commitments with airlines for more than 8,000 LEAP jet engines, thus setting the stage for long-term production volume at the Lafayette plant. The LEAP engine will power new Airbus A320neo, Boeing 737 MAX, and COMAC (China) C919 aircraft for airlines worldwide.

Reaction from state and local leaders:

Governor Mike Pence
“The aerospace industry is excelling in Indiana, with Hoosiers propelling the future of aerospace innovation today,” said Governor Mike Pence. “GE Aviation’s confidence in Indiana is now growing even stronger, bringing more jobs and investment to the state than initially planned. That confidence is also sparking other aerospace manufacturers and suppliers across the state to realize their full potential here in the Hoosier State, home to Indiana’s strong workforce and a business climate that rises to the top among competition around the world.”

Mayor Tony Roswarski
“GE Aviation’s decision to choose Lafayette as a location for their maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility is a tremendous opportunity and milestone. Their commitment to add these well-paying jobs in addition to the one’s already underway with the LEAP engine assembly plant is evidence of the strength of our local workforce and our quality of life initiatives. We sincerely appreciate GE Aviation for their confidence in Lafayette and their recognition of the spirit of cooperation among us and our community partners” said Mayor of Lafayette, Tony Roswarski.

Senator Dan Coats
“GE Aviation continues to demonstrate a strong commitment to Lafayette and the state of Indiana,” said Coats. “This announcement of additional jobs and investment is exciting and a testament to the vibrant partnership forged by local leaders and GE Aviation. It also reflects the reputation and talent of Indiana’s workforce. I celebrate this outstanding news.”

Senator Joe Donnelly

U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly said, “I welcome GE Aviation’s announcement of additional investment in its jet engine assembly facility in Lafayette, adding more jobs, machinery, and equipment. Some of the best and most technologically-advanced products are made by Indiana’s homegrown talent, including in the Greater Lafayette area. GE Aviation is making another valuable investment in Hoosier workers and innovation.”

Congressman Todd Rokita
“Hoosiers are grateful that GE Aviation selected Lafayette almost one year ago as the site of its advanced manufacturing facility to assemble CFM International’s new LEAP engine. Today’s exciting news of the expansion of those plans to include maintenance, repair and overhaul capabilities, increasing its $100 million investment in Indiana by an additional $15 million even before the Lafayette facility is operational, demonstrates the depth of GE Aviation’s commitment to our community. I am looking forward to our continued partnership and to the addition of what will be well over 200 new jobs for our Hoosier families,” said U.S. Congressman Todd Rokita.

GE Aviation has the largest and fastest-growing installed base of jet engines in commercial aviation and a global services network to support them. GE Aviation employs approximately 40,000 people and operates more than 80 facilities around the world. An operating unit of GE, GE Aviation is a world-leading provider of jet engines, components and integrated systems for commercial and military aircraft. GE Aviation has a global service network to support these offerings. For more information, visit us at www.geaviation.com

Find the full article at: http://www.insideindianabusiness.com/newsitem.asp?ID=69086

The biggest private employment increase in 17 years was driven by gains among above-average paying jobs, dispelling the popular notion that the U.S. is turning into a nation of fast-food workers.

Industries that pay employees more than the average for all workers accounted for 66 percent of total jobs created in 2014, based on data compiled by Bloomberg from Labor Department records. Business services — staffing agencies, accountants, consultants and computer-system designers — and goods producers, including construction firms and manufacturers, were among those hiring the most.

The pickup indicates the high-flying jobs that were hit hardest during the worst recession in the post-World War II era are making a comeback as the economic expansion gathers momentum. An unexpected slump in wage growth last month had raised some concern that increases in employment were skewed toward lower-paying occupations.

“The reality is really quite different,” said Eric Green, head of rates and economic research at TD Securities USA LLC in New York. “The destruction of these high-paying jobs was much more pronounced in the downturn, but the acceleration off the bottom has been much more pronounced also.”

Employers excluding government agencies paid workers $24.57 per hour on average in December compared with $24.62 the previous month, according to figures from the Labor Department. That depressed the advance over the past year to 1.7 percent, the smallest since late 2012, from 1.9 percent in November.

Biggest Share

Business services, which pay $29.27 an hour on average, accounted for almost 26 percent of the 2.86 million increase in non-government jobs, the most since 1997, according to figures from the Labor Department. Goods producers, paying $25.81, accounted for 18 percent of the new jobs, and education and health-care firms, where workers earn $24.89, contributed 17 percent.

High-paying jobs now make up the same share of total employment as in 2007, before the recession began, according to Green’s calculations.

The idea that low-paying jobs make up the bulk of recent job gains “has a certain amount of appeal because it may explain why earnings are so weak,” Green said. “But the mix is still quite positive.”

Find the full article at: http://www.businessweek.com/news/2015-01-13/jobs-machine-in-u-dot-s-dot-created-more-than-burger-flippers-last-year