| Work at Home: Where are the Legitimate Jobs?
You've seen the ads...work from home and earn major money. Are they true or just hype? The idea of working at home certainly sounds appealing: save gas, work at your own speed and wear whatever you want. But are these jobs real, and how do you find one? It would be nice if your commute consisted of stepping to the kitchen for a cup of coffee, then to your home office. Now, thanks to the internet, plenty of people do it daily. Scott Malcom, who works from home, says, "Best commute in town…very short. Takes me about 30 seconds. We get to choose our own hours so it allows me to have the flexibility to do things with my wife and my daughter." Malcolm works for Alpine Access: they provide customer service reps to some of America's biggest companies. So there are real "work at home jobs" out there: although finding one without being ripped off in the process could be a job in itself. And legitimate companies aren't hurting for hires.
Groups push paid family-leave legislation
TRENTON - Lauren Agoratus admits she and her husband were unique. They had neither credit-card debt nor car loans and their student loans were paid. But that changed in 1992 when their daughter Stephanie was born with a kidney disease that left her in the hospital, needing intensive care for months. Their first hospital bill was $28,000, and they ended up paying their mortgage on a credit card. Soon, they found themselves $20,000 in debt. "We almost lost our home," said Agoratus, of Hamilton in Mercer County. They took advantage of a federal law that let them each take up to 12 weeks of leave from work, but it was unpaid. Agoratus described that as a good first step that let them keep their jobs, but added, "It wasn't enough." "Paid family leave is essential," she said. Agoratus is among those hoping New Jersey will soon become the third state offering paid time off from work to care for a sick relative or new child.
City won't go on prowl for work permits
No one's going to be on patrol for renegade do-it-yourselfers when Columbus starts requiring building permits next year for minor home-improvement projects. But if an inspector's in your neighborhood and notices work going on, he or she is likely to stop and ask for the paperwork. And if none exists, you can add $450 or more to the cost of that new deck. City officials said yesterday that they have no way of knowing whether homeowners will heed the new law, which will require $75 building permits for backyard decks, window replacements, new roofs and siding jobs. More than 4,200 registered such work last year with the Building Services Division, a city requirement that carried no charge. "We're hopeful (they will get permits), especially as it relates to decks," said Development Department spokeswoman Cynthia Rickman.
Time Out Well Spent
A playbook for getting the most out of your break between jobs
Not all career changers move fluidly from job to job. Many seasoned professionals take a respite, perhaps to travel, write a book, or just contemplate what they really want to do next. .
Scientific-Atlanta adding 500 jobs in Gwinnett
Scientific Atlanta plans to add 500 jobs to its Lawrenceville headquarters campus as part of a planned expansion, according to documents filed with Gwinnett County planners. If the project goes ahead, it would mark a huge turnaround in the fortunes of Gwinnett County's telecommunications industry, which was decimated following the 2000 collapse in the technology sector, said Nick Masino, director of economic development for the Gwinnett County Chamber of Commerce. .
Poll: Worries underlie voter happiness
Julie Murray says life is good. Yet gasoline prices are crimping her grocery budget, she can't afford a larger house, and she says President Bush is not focused enough on people's problems at home. "My husband and I are happy," said Murray, 46, a homemaker from Montpelier, Miss. "We just wish we could buy more into the American dream." Like Murray, most in the U.S. say they are personally happy and feel in control of their lives and finances, according to an extensive Associated Press-Yahoo! News survey on the mood of voters. Beneath the surface, though, personal and political discontent is bubbling. .
A Thirst for Change
After leaving corporate jobs at 34, Kara and Theo Goldin launched a line of naturally flavored waters
The first time Kara Goldin left her job as a vice-president at AOL was in 1996, the boom years. Kara's boss quickly persuaded her to return. The second time she left, the decision stuck. It was early 2001, and Kara figured her best days at AOL were behind her: She and her team had built an online shopping business, and now she was expected to maintain it. Then there was the matter of the Time Warner (TWX ) merger. She wasn't eager to work for an even more bureaucratic company. "I love the idea of creating a need, of building something new," she says. .
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