The United States Government shutdown has left many struggling to complete investigations required to run their businesses. The federally sponsored background check site, E-Verify, is not being actively managed and has left many businesses wondering what do. Many companies voluntarily use E-Verify when hiring employees but others are required. The FBI found that they were unable to receive information related to investigations they are completing because the systems are severely limited. Other prospective business owners have even been advised: "wait until the shutdown is over."

​  Businesses all around the U.S. are facing a new problem, the appalling shortage of new truckers.
  70 percent of all cargo moved in the U.S. is moved with trucks. With our economy growing and two day shipping becoming the norm, we need more truckers to compensate for the increased production.
  Instead, researchers are seeing a shortage of drivers within the industry. We are not hiring enough truckers.
  In a study by the American Trucking Associations (ATA), America had a shortage of about 20,000 drivers in 2013. By 2018 it rose to 51,000. Models predict that by 2020 the number will shoot up to 100,000.
   “It is at crisis level,” said Thomas Balzer, president and CEO of the Ohio Trucking Association. “Walking into the local retailer and having a shelf full of product is in jeopardy.”
  Suppliers are now having to pay higher costs to ship their products because of the shortage of trucks. Already retailers have tried to pass this cost off to consumers but reluctantly  rolled the idea back after Walmart refused to raise prices.
 “We're seeing [higher freight expenses]” said Deborah Thomas, chief financial officer for Hasbro. “A lot of it is really coming in the U.S. and it's a little bit throughout Europe as well. And it's really coming from the trucking industry and higher due to the new electronic logging device rules and driver shortages.”
   The U.S. Government has also decided to get involved by lowering the barrier of entry for new truckers. The DRIVE-Safe Act, a new piece of federal legislation, seeks to lower the minimum age of interstate drivers from 21 to 18. Members of the trucking industry complain that during these three years, workers who would consider trucking choose pursue other fields who do not have age restrictions.
  If you are dealing with overinflated tow bills and need your truck and trailer released expediently, call Morgan, Cohen & Bach at (520) 442-1303.

​   When considering how to maximize how much you are being paid, many people focus on some obvious changes. Work ethic, results, and experience are big factors but one most people don’t consider is location. 
    Most salaries are based on what else everyone around you is making. If you are in a small town, it will be harder to make the same amount of money as if you were in a major metropolitan area. 
    In a new study from howmuch.com, researchers show us which cities we should think about moving to if we want to make the most for our work.
    Major cities like San Francisco, Boston, and Seattle are high in the list of high wage payers. 
    For more info on everyday statistics you can visit www.howmuch.com

   How much does it cost to own a home? Well as every real estate agent has said “It's all about location location location.” A recent study from HowMuch.net, a cost information website, shows us how expensive homes are depending on which state you live in.
   Hawaii has the most expensive real estate with an expected yearly salary of $153,000 to afford the average house. On the other hand West Virginia has the cheapest real estate with an expected yearly salary of $38,000 to afford the average house.
   Homes on the east coast are surprisingly more affordable especially considering that there is much more land for development in the west. The most affordable housing being around the middle of the US leaning east.
     You can review more studies at...
https://howmuch.net/ 

​    We have talked before about the importance of effective employees to your companies success. Team happiness, cohesion, and determination directly affect your bottom line. So what should we be looking for when hiring to create a successful team.
     Forbes gives us six recommendations for narrowing down superb applicants to hire.

1. Finding people with commitment to their career
2. Finding people with great learning skills
3. Testing compatibility with other team members
4. Creating an effective interview process
5. Hiring interns
6. Reviewing their social media

   
   All of these tools help to understand the candidate on a broad scale rather than just past accomplishments. Instead of basing your decision on their resume you take their demeanor into account as well.
     Many people may look perfect on paper but do not work well with other team members in the office.
      If you want to read more in depth on these steps or learn how to be effective in when applying to new jobs you can do so at…

https://www.forbes.com/sites/steveolenski/2015/05/15/6-tips-for-hiring-the-right-employee/#12b0b6fa3894

​    Tech giant Amazon is looking at possible locations for its second headquarters which is referred to as HQ2.
     238 cities applied for the spot and Amazon has narrowed its search to just 20 cities. The finalists are…

1. Atlanta, GA             2. Austin, TX          3. Boston, MA           4. Chicago, IL

       5. Columbus, OH       6. Dallas, TX            7. Denver, CO           8. Indianapolis, IN
       9. Los Angeles, CA     10. Miami, FL          11. Montgomery County, MD
       12. Nashville, TN        13. Newark, NJ       14. New York, NY    15. Northern Virginia
       16. Philadelphia, PA    17. Pittsburg, PA    18. Raleigh, NC        19. Toronto, Ontario
       20. Washington D.C
     Amazon promises a $5 billion dollar investment and addition of 50,000 high-paying jobs to the home of HQ2 so each city is trying its best to court the company.
     Previous attempts include a Tucson group sending the company a 21 ft saguaro cactus to send a message that the company had “room to grow in Tucson.”
       Georgia offered Amazon a slice of land which would be a new town named Amazon, GA.
    Charlotte, NC even had a holiday celebrating the shipping company. Busses and billboard touted the #CLTisPrime slogan.
      Amazon has not yet released the final decision on HQ2’s location but says it will this year. Be sure to look out for more elaborate gifts and offers from the top 20 cities as the deadline comes closer.

   Three new bills are being sent to the Oval Office for signature. Two hope to combat human trafficking within the trucking world while the third seeks to help veterans move into the trucking world.
    The No Human Trafficking on Our Roads Act puts into effect a ban on operating commercial vehicles if you have been convicted of any felony involving human trafficking using a commercial vehicle. This would be a lifetime ban.
   The Combating Human Trafficking in Commercial Vehicles Act creates the position of “Human Trafficking Prevention Coordinator” within the US Department of Transportation. It would also increase efforts to educate about human trafficking reporting from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
   The final bill, Jobs for Our Heroes Act, would streamline the process of active or retired military personnel might obtain a commercial trucker license. The hope is to help military personnel who are trying to transition back into civilian life by giving the easier access to well paying jobs.
    Truckers Against Trafficking endorsed the creation of the Human Trafficking Prevention Coordinator but did not endorse the lifetime ban bill. They believe the bill is too specific and shouldn’t just single out one profession. ​
        You can read more below...

https://www.gobytrucknews.com/3-bills-trump-signature/123