Saying ‘No’ to Layoff

Add comment December 15th, 2008

Things employers can do to cut costs in lieu of layoffs:

• Freeze hiring
• Reduce hours
• Delay raises or cut salaries
• Eliminate bonuses
• Redeploy workers in busy business segments
• Offer early-retirement packages
• Cut temporary staff
• Trim spending on training, travel and marketing

Source: WSJ research

GOODWILL INDUSTRIES STANDS READY TO SUPPORT INVESTMENT IN JOBS AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

Add comment December 15th, 2008

As President-Elect Obama readies his new economic team to stimulate the economy, Goodwill Industries of Northern Illinois and Wisconsin Stateline Area, Inc. remains committed to a broad-based effort to support the economy through job creation, workforce development and training for discouraged and dislocated workers. One of North America’s leading providers of employment and training services, Goodwill knows that it will take comprehensive workforce strategies to revive the U.S. economy.

“Goodwill Industries is in a unique position to quickly implement new strategies to provide training opportunities and create transitional employment until job losses and the unemployment rate show a sustained trend in a positive direction,” says Sam Schmitz, President of Goodwill Industries. “We can provide career assessments, training and support necessary to move their careers toward permanent work that will help stabilize their families’ financial situations.”

“When people are having a hard time finding work, Goodwill is there to help,” says Schmitz. “We do that by selling donations in Goodwill stores and using the revenues to fund job training programs and other support services so that all workers can become productive, taxpaying citizens.”
Goodwill is also supporting the reauthorization of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA). Although the WIA expired in 2003, Congress has continued to appropriate funding for most of its programs, albeit at steadily declining levels. As the nation works to stimulate the economy, it is more important than ever to invest in the American worker and reauthorize the WIA to ensure the public workforce system is responsive to the diverse needs of workers and employers.

Goodwill Industries stands ready to support the nation’s economy and continue its more than 106-year tradition of helping people who are having a hard time to find meaningful work.

Goodwill Industries of Northern Illinois and Wisconsin Stateline Area is a community-based not-for-profit organization that provides education, training and job placement for persons in need. Goodwill stores in northern Illinois (Rockford, Machesney Park, Freeport, Sterling) and Beloit, Wisconsin employ more than 170 people.

For more information, please contact Sam Schmitz at (815) 965-3795