Yesterday, Ford announced a $997 millon profit at a time when auto companies are suffering historic losses.  The Atlantic Wire charted five major reasons for their success. – Self Sufficiency (goodwill from not taking bail-out) – Cash for Clunkers – Solid Vehicles (wooing critics and customers) – Cutting Costs–But Not […]

By Bill Conerly, Conerly Consulting LLC, Businonmics The numbers for the third quarter look nice, or what passes for nice these days.  GDP rose smartly, pretty much confirming the general view that the recession is over (more on that below). The details surprised me a bit, even though the total […]

Male unemployment nearly three points higher than female during recession Updated 11/18/2009. By Oregon Small Business Association. During a recession, everybody is affected.  Corporations, manufacturers, schools, and non-profits are all cutting their losses. College graduates fear not being able to pay off expensive student loans because they can’t find a […]

The outlook for seasonal hiring in the fourth quarter of 2009 is projected to be similar to 2008, according to a new CareerBuilder survey. Eighteen percent of hiring managers plan to hire seasonal workers to meet business needs associated with the holidays and end-of-the-year wrap-ups, on par with 17 percent […]

Oregon NFIB, Beginning midnight on Oct. 31, the NFIB Young Entrepreneur Foundation will be accepting applications for the 2010 Young Entrepreneur Awards. High school seniors with a flair for entrepreneurship are encouraged to apply online for a chance to win a scholarship valued from $1,000-$10,000. The deadline for applying for […]

The House of Representatives Releases Its Health Care Reform Bill Barran Liebman LLP Oregon Law Firm, Today, the House of Representatives released its reconciled Health Care Reform bill providing employers with half the blueprint for what their group health plans will look like in the future. The House bill is […]

By Oregon Small Business Association, As the Bureau of Labor chart shows, Oregon and California Metro-area cities are suffering with higher than average unemployment rates. These two states are rare compared to other states which either are improving better than the national average or at least have a few city […]

Bloomberg reports, “Orders for U.S. durable goods rose in September for the fourth time in the past six months, a sign factories are helping ring in an economic recovery.The 1 percent increase in bookings for goods meant to last several years matched the median estimate of economists surveyed by Bloomberg […]

GINA Requires Employers to Post Notice, Review Policies Stoel Rives LLP, Attorneys at Law Dennis Westlind, Portland, The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) takes effect November 21, 2009.  Is your workplace ready?  Employers will soon be required to post a notice stating that they do not discriminate on the basis […]

From an NBC/Wall Street Journal Poll: – 81% say we are a part of a longer-term economic decline – 27% think the country is headed in the right direction – 65% say they feel less confident that life for their children’s generation – 60% doubt the Iraq war will come […]