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Oklahoma News > Archived News |
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 Consumer
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Haitian Earthquake Relief Fraud Alert
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Haitian Earthquake Relief Fraud Alert
Washington, D.C. - The FBI today reminds Internet users who receive appeals to donate money in the afterma...
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By: FBI - 01/14/2010 |
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Insurance Commissioner Targets Companies
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National Home Protection Inc., fails to respond to an Emergency Cease and Desist Order issued against the company for attempting to solicit insurance ...
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By: Tulsa Business Journal - 07/10/2009 |
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Online Auction Fraud
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One in four complaints in 2008 to the Internet Crime Complaint Center involved online auction fraud.
Computers, sports memorabilia, rare coins, designer fashions, and even cars.
These are just a few of the items offered for sale every day on legitimate online auction sites. They're also just a small sample of the items used to lure unsuspecting victims into online auction fraud schemes.
Most of the one million-plus transactions that take place each day on these websites are legitimate; just a fraction actually result in some type of fraud.
See the full FBI warning at this page:http://www.fbi.gov/page2/june09/auctionfraud_063009.html
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By: FBI - 07/01/2009 |
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Tulsa City Ticket Amnesty- May 1 to May 22, 2009
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http://www.oklaw.org/link.cfm?2547
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By: Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma, Inc. - 05/01/2009 |
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Oklahoma Bankruptcy Filings up by Double-Digit Percentages
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by Marie PriceThe Journal RecordOKLAHOMA CITY - The sweep of the nation's financial crisis extends into the federal courts, which have seen a rise in bankruptcy filings, congressional budget officials have been told.
Even in Oklahoma, which has been less hard-hit than some states, bankruptcy filings are up by double-digit percentages.According to data from the federal courts, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, where most cases are filed, experienced 5,740 filings during the 12-month period ending last September, an increase of 18.6 percent over the prior year. An increase of 14.7 percent was reported for the Eastern and Northern Districts.Sixth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Julia Gibbons, who chairs the Budget Committee of the Judicial Conference of the United States, recently outlined a budget request for the federal judiciary totaling $7.03 billion, an 8.7-percent increase, for federal fiscal year 2010.Although 86 percent of the $562 million requested increase is for base adjustments for items such as salaries and benefits, rent hikes, technology and the like, Gibbons told members of a U.S. House budget subcommittee that $80 million is for program enhancements.That includes additional staff and costs for FY 2010 workload increases, primarily in bankruptcy, probation and pretrial services, six additional magistrate judges and staff, technology improvements and other needs such as an hourly rate increase for non-capital panel attorneys, Supreme Court security, education enhancements and the startup cost of a new federal defender organization.Federal court officials expect bankruptcy filings to increase significantly in 2009, telling lawmakers that the 2005 bankruptcy law added docketing, notice and hearing requirements that make addressing bankruptcy petitions more complex and time-consuming.In her testimony, Gibbons said court officials project a 27-percent increase in bankruptcy filings for 2009, with totals to exceed the 1-million mark again, as they did last year. She said the 2005 law initially reduced filings, but there have been large increases over the past two years.Gibbons said the state of the economy, particularly as it affects home foreclosures and credit availability, is a major factor in the number of personal bankruptcies, which constitute most cases. However, she said the economic downturn has also caused an upturn in business bankruptcies, some of which are complex Chapter 11 cases.
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By: The Journal Record - 03/25/2009 |
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Companies Still in the Dark on I.D. Theft Deadline
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TULSA - In less than 60 days, nearly every company in Oklahoma will find itself facing federal identity theft mandates that remain relatively unknown despite several high-profile cases and extensions."Anyone that invoices anything is now a creditor," said Herman J. Luette, owner of IDT Consultants of Tulsa, in paraphrasing Federal Trade Commission interpretations of the Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act. "That leaves very few companies out."Although securing personal information has plagued companies since the personal computer and Internet changed business practices, the immediate issue focuses on the May 1 compliance deadline for the "Red Flag" provisions of FACTA.That deadline extended the original Nov. 1 date the FTC set for companies to develop and deploy an identity theft prevention program. Luette said the question of just who was a creditor had confused many executives, who had thought the rules applied only to financial institutions or credit information users.Even with the deadline looming, Luette doubts 1 percent of Oklahoma companies now comply with the new regulations, which requires firms to name an information security officer, establish privacy and safeguarding rules, train workers on both the rules and systems, and ensure that all of their third-party vendors comply with the laws, among other risk-mitigating steps."It's kind of like having a shredder - everyone has one, but how much do they use it?" said Gavin W. Manes, president and chief executive of the Tulsa digital forensics company Avansic.Although he's done what he can to spread the word, signing up 1,100 clients in Oklahoma and four other states, Luette doubts 90 percent of executives even know the laws exist."Normally, when we secure a server, the financials and the human resource files are immediately what a company wants to protect," said Tim Jackson, owner of Tulsa's information technology consulting and service firm Jackson Technical. "Beyond that, we don't see a lot of controls being set up."Manes said such security concerns dovetail with other federal regulations, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act. While the cost of noncompliance can be staggering - TJMaxx now faces more than $118 million in penalties and damages in its still-developing credit-card records case - Manes said many firms don't realize the risk they face under increasingly complex liability rulings that hold companies guilty until proven innocent."Companies definitely have a problem with data retention and management to begin with, and e-mail is the number one problem," he said.But the rules also reflect security risks that have nothing to do with electronic systems, he said - some as innocent as executives simply leaving correspondence sitting in piles on a desk, easily accessible by others."Many companies are well-prepared for an outside threat," said Manes. "A good percentage is prepared for an outside threat. But what about an internal threat, from employees? If they're not, they're going to be out of business."The cost of meeting those regulations starts with potential fines and grows from there.Firms proven guilty of noncompliance under FACTA may face fines of up to $3,500 per incident, with no limit to class-action lawsuits and assumed liability for costs with each individual identity loss, which Luette said average just under $93,000 per person.HIPAA, which addresses health records, boosts that fee limit to $250,000, plus up to 10 years in jail."A lot of people don't even realize they keep medical information," he said - not realizing their workers' doctor's notes, insurance claims or workers' compensation reports may fall under HIPAA.Gramm-Leach-Bliley lifts fines to $1 million per incident, plus the jail terms, removal of officers and liability in both civil and criminal cases.Luette, a certified identity theft risk management specialist whose business has jumped 30 percent since the fall financial meltdown, said victims of identity theft face an average time of 607 hours to work through the resulting problems."Companies could be held liable to pay wages for that lost time," he said.In practical applications, the cost of compliance often depends on the individual company's infrastructure."It increases your administrative overhead significantly," said Jackson.It also may raise hardware and software costs as firms increase and protect stored data.Since the most common security breaches come from employees mistakenly clicking on bogus malware warnings from infected Web sites, Jackson said firms should employ internal protection systems and teach employees how those systems work, so that workers understand what to pay attention to.Firms also must educate workers on how to secure user names and passwords. That marks one service Luette's firm provides - a free one, if companies subscribe to legal and liability coverage offered through Kroll Inc. and Pre-Paid Legal Services.Such password fears point to what Manes sees as the biggest risk factor - human error."Even though you have a new law that says you have to protect information, we're constantly creating new ways to access that information," he said. "I don't think it's as simple as installing an alarm system and responding to it when it goes off. Real-time detection is highly unlikely."Luette agreed, noting that it can take 12 to 18 months for victims to realize their personal information has been stolen."I can not wait for this litigation to get filed," said Manes, whose firm often gets hired to investigate such crimes as identity theft. "We are working on a case right now that, in a weird sidebar notion, something like this could have prevented. In the end, a human overrode this detection system, so there's no way to know. But I would challenge an automated way to perform some of this stuff, because in the end a human's going to make some mistake and that mistake's going to cause liability."
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By: The Journal Record - 03/09/2009 |
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Oklahoma House Passes Vehicle 'Lemon Law' Bill
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by Tim TalleyLegislation that strengthens consumer protections for residents who buy defective cars and trucks was overwhelmingly approved by the Oklahoma House Tuesday, but one of the measure's strongest supporters said she fears the bill may get a bumpy ride in the Senate.
The so-called "lemon law" bill clarifies existing state law regarding how manufacturers respond to consumers who buy defective vehicles and puts the consumer on a more equal footing when negotiating with a manufacturer, said the measure's author, Rep. Rex Duncan, R-Sand Springs.
Among other things, the bill gives consumers the choice of a refund or replacement of a defective vehicle. Currently, the choice of reimbursement or replacement is at the discretion of the manufacturer.
It also places a standard in state law for a manufacturer's charge for mileage on a defective vehicle and prohibits a manufacturer from charging for mileage if the lemon is simply replaced.
"Oklahoma consumers deserve the level playing filed that this bill gives them," said Angie Gallant of Broken Arrow, a consumer who has advocated for greater consumer rights since she fought with General Motors (nyse: GM - news - people ) for 10 months in 2004 to get her defective Chevrolet Malibu replaced.
A spokesman for the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers in Washington, D.C., Wade Newton, said the group has been involved in developing the legislation and is concerned about matters that affect consumers and manufacturers.
"I guess you would say we are neutral," Newton said. "Consumer satisfaction is tremendously important to automakers. Automakers compete to keep consumers satisfied."
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By: The Associated Press - 02/25/2009 |
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Fine Print Tells the Evil Story
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By PHIL MULKINS World Staff WriterPublished: 2/4/2009 2:24 AMLast Modified: 2/4/2009 3:01 AM
Tax season is here, and attorneys general across the nation are warning consumers to beware the pitfalls of "refund anticipation loans," or RALs.
Refund Anticipation Loans: Each year 10 million Americans, eager to get their tax refunds, sign up for RALs that promise short-term loans backed by and repaid from a pending federal tax refund. RALs provide quick cash, but their interest rates can reach 100 percent or more. RALs diminished the refunds of 8.67 million American taxpayers in 2007, costing them $833 million in loan fees and $68 million in other fees.
The Center for Responsible Lending Web site ? tulsaworld.com/PredatoryLending ? says RALs are loans offered at annual interest rates of up to 700 percent. Also, they speed up the refund process by only a week, compared to what consumers can expect by filing online and having their refunds direct-deposited into their bank accounts. The center is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research and policy organization dedicated to protecting home ownership and family wealth by working to eliminate abusive financial practices such as predatory lending.
Earned Income Tax Credit: RALs prey on cash-strapped working families, especially those who qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit. In addition to the dollars lost because families don't know about the EITC or can't get the help they need to file a tax return, these families lose even more when they use RALs.
Research by the General AccountingOffice and IRS indicates that 15 percent to 25 percent of households that quality for the EITC do not claim this credit. Using the most conservative of these figures, more than 3.8 million households nationwide missed out on the EITC dollars they were entitled to. See if you qualify for the EITC at tulsaworld.com/EITCclueless.
RALs rile AG: Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson annually warns Oklahoma taxpayers about applying for RALs. He says consumers considering these loans should carefully review their options before signing up for such a loan, as it could leave them with empty pockets.
IRS e-file: The electronic filing system available to taxpayers makes RALs unnecessary and costly. Filing your taxes electronically through IRS e-file, as the Internal Revenue Service annually urges us to do, will have your refund to your bank account within a few of days of the refund being accepted by the IRS.
With RALs, there is always the risk your tax return will be rejected and you'll be stuck paying back the loan at high finance charges ? but without getting the refund the loan was based on.
Fine print: Edmondson encourages consumers who decide to get an RAL to carefully read the fine print before signing the loan documents.
They should contain a schedule of all charges and fees, a listing of all charges for electronic filing, the length of time by which the loan money will be received, who is responsible for repaying the loan and fees if the tax refund is less than expected, the annual percentage rate, loan fees and maturity date.
For fast tax returns, e-file or Free File
Free File: You may qualify to file your taxes electronically for free if you make $56,000 or less a year. Free File is a popular IRS program. See FreeFile at tulsaworld.com/FreeFile.
e-File: If not, you can still e-file your taxes for a small fee. Find out which software programs are e-file authorized. See "Individual e-file electronic tax filing program overview" at tulsaworld.com/e-File .
Step 1: Get all your tax information together. You'll save time and won't have to stop in the middle of preparing your current year tax return to find a missing document. You'll need Social Security numbers for yourself, your spouse and any dependents and Forms W-2 from all employers you and your spouse worked for in 2008.
Needed documents: You'll need Forms 1099 for Dividends, Retirement or other income or any Form 1099 with Income Tax Withholding. You'll need receipts for expenses for Itemized Deductions (Schedule A) and receipts and records for other income or expenses. Have your bank account numbers handy (to authorize direct-deposit for a fast refund or to pay electronically if your don't get a refund). You need your prior year's "adjusted gross income" amount or prior year PIN if using a "self PIN" as your signature.
Step 2: Choose the method of e-filing that works for you: using a tax professional who can e-file your return for you (see tulsaworld.com/ProfessionalE-Filer ), using your personal computer to file it or using FreeFile, if you qualify.
Step 3: E-file it! If using a tax preparer, be sure to take all your information with you, and don't forget to ask for IRS e-file. Use the IRS preparer locator service at tulsaworld.com/PreparerLocator to find the "authorized IRS e-file provider" nearest you. If using your personal computer to file your taxes online, just answer the simple questions in your tax preparation software and it will do the rest for you. For faster refunds, or to pay when YOU want to, have your bank account number handy.
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By: The Tulsa World - 02/06/2009 |
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Heartland Data Breach
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News Alert! Heartland Data Breach
Nearly two dozen new institutions have come forward and informed their customers that their credit or debit c...
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By: Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma, Inc. - 02/03/2009 |
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New Rules for Credit Cards
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By LAURIE WINSLOW World Staff WriterPublished: 12/19/2008 2:25 AMLast Modified: 12/19/2008 3:03 AM
Credit card users should get some relief now that federal regulators have voted to crack down on what some have called "unfair" practices by card issuers.
Among other things, the new regulations will limit credit card issuers from raising interest rates on existing balances unless the customer is 30 days or more late in paying the minimum.
The rules also require that consumers receive a reasonable amount of time to make their credit card payments and prohibits payment allocation methods that unfairly maximize interest charges.
On Thursday, the Office of Thrift Supervision, the Federal Reserve and the National Credit Union Administration approved the regulations, which take effect on July 1, 2010.
Consumer advocates laud the reform, while some banking groups caution that it could increase costs for cardholders.
"I think overall those changes should be helpful to the consumer, but it is still important that they read the print, even if it not as fine," said Charlotte Richert, family and consumer sciences educator for the Oklahoma State University Extension Service in Tulsa County.
The new rules also should lead to clearer credit terms with easier-to-understand credit card applications and monthly statements.
Margo Mitchell, president and CEO of Credit Counseling Centers of Oklahoma, likewise thinks the changes are "great."
"Credit cards have been regulated for years.... I think what drew the ire of so many people was when the universal default policywent into effect," Mitchell said.
The universal default allowed lenders to raise interest rates on customers who were past due on payments with other creditors or bills. It didn't matter if the person had never missed a payment with that particular credit card issuer.
"Their position was you were a greater risk, and that made consumers angry," Mitchell said.
"I would hear people say, 'Can they do that?' ... They would say. 'I've always paid that credit card on time, and now they've doubled my rate.' It had to do with another bill they were past due on," Mitchell explained.
Bill Hardekopf, CEO of LowCards.com and author of "The Credit Card Guidebook," notes that consumers have complained for years about many of the practices targeted by the reforms.
"It has always been extremely unfair that credit card companies were able to raise rates 'at any time for any reason' with only a 15-day notice. Or how they could apply the payment to the lowest interest rate while milking interest on the highest interest rate for as long as possible," said Hardekopf in an e-mail.
Potential downsides could exist behind the good intentions. In order to recoup costs, credit card companies might increase annual fees or adjust interest rates, say some.
"The new regulations will be expensive for the credit card companies to implement, and they will pass those costs off to all credit card holders. Someone is going to have to pay for this, and that's the downside," Mitchell said.
The American Bankers Association, for instance, has cautioned that the rules may increase costs for most card users and reduce credit availability, especially for consumers with lower credit scores or limited credit history.
The changes could cost the banking industry more than $10 billion a year in interest payments, according to a study by the law firm Morrison & Foerster.
While the Independent Community Bankers of America supports some of the changes outlined in the reform, it disagrees with others.
For example, the ICBA supports the credit card disclosure modifications because they will lead to "clearer, simpler, and more complete disclosures" that will help consumers better understand how their credit card accounts operate.
"We are deeply disappointed by the agencies' decision to prohibit banks' ability to re-price for risk.
Removing the ability to re-price as the borrower's risk profile increases will cause higher rates for all consumers and will make it more difficult for marginal borrowers to continue to have access to credit," said Karen Thomas, executive vice president of government relations for the ICBA, in a release.
For people who are trying to eliminate credit card debt altogether, none of these rules are a factor, Richert said. They can avoid loopholes by continuing to pay off debt.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Credit card reform benefits
You can save money in interest payments by paying off highest balances faster. Issuers currently apply any payment above the "minimum" to the balance with the lowest interest rate.
Regulations will require issuers to apply payment to the highest interest rate or proportionally to all balances.
More time to react and adjust to changes in terms. Currently the issuer can change the terms of your card with a 15-day notice. The regulations increase the notice to 45 days.
More time to make a payment. Regulations will require 21 days to pay your bill.
You will know when to expect a rate increase. Issuers may increase rates at the end of a specified period, provided the rate increase was disclosed at the opening of the account.
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By: The Tulsa World - 01/07/2009 |
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Special Veterans Court Started
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Military personnel returning from combat zones have their own court should they have to deal with alcohol and drug problems.But it is not a place where they will receive a slap on the hand for wrongdoing and a pat on the back for serving their country.
They must successfully complete the program or be faced with the criminal justice system.
Tulsa Mayor Kathy Taylor, representatives of the Tulsa County 14th Judicial District Court, Veterans Health Administration and Veterans Benefits Administration launched the Veteran's Court as a rehabilitative court for individuals charged with non-violent crimes and misdemeanors.
It is not intended for those facing "criminal felony" charges.
Returning veterans suffering from PTSD, depression and other combat related issues often do not get needed services to help them return to civilian life, Taylor said. Today 60 percent of Oklahoma's National Guard troops are on some form of active duty. They need a homecoming and a welcome in recognition for the service they have performed in the defense of their country. Some need a place to go to deal with the traumatic events they experienced.
Veteran's Court came together because of work by VA Medical Center Director Adam Walmus, Judge Sarah Day Smith, the Tulsa County Drug Court Team and the Mayor's office represented by Matt Stiner.
Men and women returning from serving their country do not need to be placed in the David L. Moss Correctional Center because they made a mistake ? or series of mistakes ? in their transition from the military, said Smith.
'With 158 veterans arrested in Tulsa County during October, there clearly is a need for this new therapeutic court,' Judge Smith said. 'The Veteran's Treatment Court offers a unique partnership between the Veteran's administration and other organizations to provide treatment, compassion and hope to the men and women who served our country and are struggling in the criminal justice system.'
The Tulsa County Public Defender's Office will assign two full-time attorneys to the division.
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By: Tulsa Business Journal - 12/11/2008 |
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Owe OK Taxes? Pay or make a deal before Nov 15, 2008
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If you owe the State of Oklahoma taxes, do not miss this chance. You must either pay the taxes owed or make arrangments to pay the taxes on ...
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By: Oklahoma Tax Commission - 10/01/2008 |
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Bailout may still leave investors unprotected
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A government rescue of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac could be costly for scores of investment, banking and insurance companies that hold billions of dollars in preferred shares in the mortgage finance giants. Speculation has been building on Wall Street that a government investment to rescue Fannie and Freddie would come in the form of a cash infusion through the acquisition of preferred shares in the companies. Preferred shares usually pay a fixed dividend and have priority over common stock when it comes to dividends and bankruptcy liquidation. While slightly riskier than bonds, which have the highest priority in times of trouble, companies often invest in preferred shares for certain tax advantages. Investors appear to believe existing common stockholders could be wiped out if there is a government bailout. Fannie and Freddie's shares have lost more than 90 percent of their value this year. But what happens to preferred stockholders is less certain. "That depends on how big Fannie and Freddie blow up," said Michael Shedlock, an investment adviser for SitkaPacific Capital Management. Investors think it could be big. Fannie and Freddie's existing preferred shares are trading like junk bonds: yielding around 18 percent instead around their 6 percent dividend levels. The higher yield is an inducement to investors to accept the higher level of risk that the companies won't be able to pay their dividends. "There's enormous investor concern," said Bert Ely, an Alexandria, Va. banking industry consultant. Congressional analysts estimate a government rescue of the mortgage giants could cost taxpayers $25 billion, with the exact amount based on how far the U.S. housing market falls and how severe their financial situation turns out to be in the long run. Another uncertainty is political: The final resolution of Fannie and Freddie's future is likely to be determined after the Bush administration leaves office in January. It remains unclear how much in taxpayer resources the next administration and Congress would be willing to commit. The entire financial industry is trying to figure out what will happen to Fannie and Freddie because their stocks and bonds are so widely held, said Tony Plath, an associate professor of finance at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. "There's not protection for shareholders of common or preferred shares," he said. The Bush administration last month unveiled a plan to provide unlimited government loans to the two mortgage giants and to purchase stock in the two companies if needed for a period covering the next 18 months. Investors believe that Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson is not interested in protecting common shareholders, only in Fannie and Freddie's ability to support the battered mortgage market. That means a government rescue might not occur until there is evidence the mortgage companies' are unable to sell short-term debt ? an indication they would no longer be able to operate normally.
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By: Tulsa World - 08/22/2008 |
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7/29 Statewide Primary Elections, Please VOTE!
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OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma Election Board has been quieter than in previous years just before a primary. State Election Board Secretary Michael Clin...
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By: Tulsa World - 07/28/2008 |
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Check the Status of your Federal Tax Refund Online
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The IRS has a way to check the status of your federal tax refund online.
Have a copy of your return handy because you'll need the following info...
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By: Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma, Inc.-DV & Law - 05/13/2008 |
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Check the Status of your Federal Tax Refund Online
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The IRS has a way to check the status of your federal tax refund online.
Have a copy of your return handy because you'll need the following info...
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By: Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma, Inc. - 05/13/2008 |
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LawHelp Nominated Best Law Website of 2008!
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LawHelp will have a chance to defend its 2007 Webby Award. LawHelp.org is the only repeat nominee for Best Law Website of 2008!
Other nominee...
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By: Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma, Inc.-DV & Law - 04/09/2008 |
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State Supreme Court Withdraws Controversial Records Rules
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By John GreinerCapitol Bureau
The Oklahoma Supreme Court today rescinded its controversial rules that would limit public access to court information ...
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By: Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma, Inc.-DV & Law - 03/26/2008 |
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OK Lottery Warns of Email Scam
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LOTTERY WARNS OKLAHOMANS OF POTENTIAL SCAM
The Oklahoma Lottery would like Oklahomans to be aware of a potential scam that seeks personal information from citizens.
Recently, a number of individuals have contacted Lottery headquarters in regards to an email that encourages them to contact the Oklahoma Lottery Commission to claim their cash prize. The phone numbers, email and contact name given in the message are not associated with the Oklahoma Lottery.
?The Oklahoma Lottery does not use email for winner notifications,? said Jim Scroggins, executive director of the Oklahoma Lottery. ?Please use caution when you receive such notifications, because there are numerous scams similar to this that are circulating.?
The Oklahoma Lottery Security is currently investigating the email and urges anyone who receives such an email to not respond to or provide any personal information to any address in the email.
If a chance to win or get money sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
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By: Oklahoma Lottery - 02/08/2008 |
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Free Help for Victims of identity theft and financial fraud in the Southwest
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Austin, Texas, December 27, 2007 Texas Legal Services Center has received one of four discretionary grants from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office for Victims of Crime to combat identity theft and financial fraud. The grant will fund the Victims Initiative for Counseling, Advocacy, and Restoration of the Southwest ? known to its clients as VICARS. ?For too long identity theft victims have been left on their own to resolve the destruction left by criminals. The recipients of these grants are blazing new trails in improving crime victims? access to rights, and we are pleased to support their efforts,? stated John W. Gillis, Director of the Office for Victims of Crime. The four grant recipients are Texas Legal Services Center, the Identity Theft Resource Center, the Maryland Crime Victims? Resource Center, and Atlanta Victim Assistance?s Stop Atlanta Fraud Empower program. Randall Chapman, Executive Director of Texas Legal Services Center, noted, ?Identity theft is escalating in the number of crimes committed, the dollars lost to victims and businesses, and the complexity of schemes used to steal identities. This grant will enable us to help victims restore their credit, preserve their identities, and recover financial losses.? The southwestern United States has been disproportionately affected: Texas, Colorado, and New Mexico, are among the top ten states in per capita identity theft victims according to data compiled by the Federal Trade Commission in 2006. ?VICARS provides a range of free services for victims of identity theft and financial fraud including assistance with reporting to proper authorities, reacquiring identity, and restoring credit,? states Bruce Bower, Deputy Director of Texas Legal Services Center. The program serves residents of Texas, Colorado, New Mexico, and Oklahoma and is easily accessed through a toll free telephone number. For more information about VICARS, call 1-888-343-4414.
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By: Texas Legal Services Center - 01/30/2008 |
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Consumers Legal Guide to Legal Help-Helping Yourself
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Sometimes people can't afford legal representation or just want to represent themselves. Handling a legal problem by yourself can be risky but sometimes people without legal training may be able to handle a simple legal problems on their own.
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By: American Bar Association - 07/13/2006 |
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 Disability
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Reaching Out, Lending Support
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Toni HopperThe Duncan Banner
DUNCAN ? Imagine being a parent of a child with a disability and not knowing where to turn just to ask basic questions. Two local women know that sometimes it can also feel like a lonely task.
Kim Clement and Paula Rich are hoping to help area parents of children with disabilities connect and network. The two women have formed "We're More Alike Than Different" a support group that has a focus on families with children with disabilities.
"We want to stress it's a very positive environment," Clement said.
The emphasis is on a child's ability more than a disability, said Clement, who is a busy mother with four children. Her third daughter, Beth, 6 1/2, is a child with plenty of abilities, and Down Syndrome.
Clement said that when her daughter was born, she and husband Brian, had plenty of support from family and friends, but really didn't know who to reach out to for just general support.
"I have a mentor, in Norman," she said. "It's been helpful, but it'd be better if we had more here."
With the newly-formed support group in Stephens County, Clement and Rich both hope to offer more resources to local families than what the Clements had six years ago.
Rich is an occupational therapist with Duncan Regional Hospital's Health Education Center and in her 13 years, she's seen many families needing this exact type of network system.
"While working with children and their need for therapy over the past 13 years, I recognized a need for a support group for these families," Rich said. "When Kim approached me about her own interest in a support group, I saw the opportunity and took immediate action."
It's interesting to note that the two women have known each other in a professional capacity for about four years. The moment Clement approached Rich was one of those "ah-ha, click" moments.
"With the help of DRH's marketing and education department, we held our first meeting two weeks later. We didn't want to waste any time. We were excited and couldn't wait to get it started.
"Our main goals are to provide each other with positive encouragement and support, to find solutions to day to day challenges, provide resources, contacts and Web sites to expand our knowledge base," Rich noted.
Since the group was formed, there have been two meetings. Clement said she's already noticed a positive difference.
Her oldest daughter, Makayla, 9, even attends the meetings and has really gotten involved.
When Beth was born, Clement said it made her family more aware of many things. "We don't see her as having a disability, we just see her as Beth."
Yet, there are challenges.
"These parents have a different set of challenges and our role is to find solutions and provide them with the tools," Rich said.
A meeting consists of a speaker and informal discussion and can last around two hours. The next meeting is set for Monday and features Dawn Price from the Stephens County Health Department. She will talk about Parent-Child Intervention Training. A flyer provided by Rich and Clement indicates the program will help parents improve discipline techniques.
In February, Sharon Davis, a licensed professional counselor who will talk about stress management techniques.
There is free child care available with a RSVP for those who know they will be attending the meeting. The daycare is provided by therapists who have experience in dealing with children with disabilities so that parents can enjoy the meetings without worry.
Rich said the meetings will help parents improve their advocacy skills to deal with home, school and community issues. It also will provide a mentoring program for parent-to-parent support based on the disability issue and and providing community outreach programs to increase public awareness.
Clement is Southwest Regional Coordinator for Oklahoma Family Network and said that she also is working to get the word out about the home support waiver available for medical supply expenses.
"But it's a four to five year waiting list," she said. That's the kind of information that the group can help provide. At this point, Rich said there are still many families that can benefit in attending the monthly meetings. Clement said only about a dozen families have taken advantage of the free support group and hopes the numbers quickly increase.
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By: The Duncan Banner - 01/05/2009 |
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Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma Announces Autism Benefits
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TULSA, Okla., Dec. 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma announced today the addition of an autism benefit to insured groups effective their next policy year. This change will not in any way affect the current medical coverage that has always been available to children with autism. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma is responding to market interests in the benefits and coverage of certain autism-related medically necessary services.
"We want to commend the Oklahoma Legislature for allowing the market to work," said Bev Binkowski, director, public affairs. "Rather than having a 'one-size-fits-all' mandate for all companies, we have been able to develop a benefit to meet the needs of our members."
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma will provide "a clinically reasonable benefit that doesn't unduly create a price impact on small employer groups and affect their ability to provide health care coverage to their employees," said Dr. Joe Nicholson, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma's chief medical officer and vice president of health care management. Benefit enhancements are expected to include evaluation and management procedures, speech, physical and occupational therapies. The health plan is targeting a January 2010 implementation date for this new benefit.
"Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma has been able to develop a benefit that won't dramatically increase premiums," Binkowski said. "This decreases the likelihood that the increased benefit will result in employers dropping coverage and adding to the state's uninsured population."
"This action will allow us to provide a benefit for proven therapeutic services while research continues to identify effective treatments or medical solutions for children with autism," Nicholson said.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma is a member of the Affordable Access to Health Care coalition. For more information, visit www.affordableaccesstohealthcare.org.
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By: PR Newswire - 12/31/2008 |
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Medicare Part D Deadline Nears
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12/19/08Source: Dan Bewley News Channel 6, Tulsa
Medicare Part D users have a month and a half or 46 days to review over their current health plans a...
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By: Tulsa News Channel 9 - 12/19/2008 |
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 Family
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Layman's Legal Series: Family Law Jan 21
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Laymen's Legal Series Presents: Family Law
The Tulsa County Bar Association, Tulsa Library Trust and the Tulsa City-County Library System are sponsoring a Laymen's Legal Services of informational public programs.
Thursday, January 21st at the Tulsa Central Library, Aaronson Auditorium, 4th & Denver, at noon, will be a discussion on Family Law. Bring a brown bag lunch for an information conversation.
February 18th - Immigration LawMay 20th - Rights in the Workplace
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By: Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma, Inc. - 01/07/2010 |
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New Law Changes First Time Domestic Abuse Offense from Misdemeanor to Felony
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By: The Oklahoma Gazette - 07/17/2009 |
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New Law Changes First Time Domestic Abuse Offense from Misdemeanor to Felony
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http://www.okgazette.com/p/12776/a/4295/Default.aspx?ReturnUrl=LwBEAGUAZgBhAHUAbAB0AC4AYQBzAHAAeAAslashAHAAPQAxADIANwAyADkA
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By: The Oklahoma Gazette - 07/17/2009 |
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New Law Could Help Victims of Domestic Violence
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by Marla CarterFor her protection, a woman we'll call Sara, does not want her identity known, but does want her story out."At first, he was the perfect gentleman, wanted to always be there, wanted to do anything for me," said Sara.But in a matter of weeks, Sara says her boyfriend turned violent, fast."He comes over and just punches me, as hard as he can, in my stomach," said Sara.Over time, Sara says the abuse escalated, as she searched for a way out."I got tired of the hits in the head. There was no point anymore. If you didn't want me around, tell me. Tell me. Don't hit me," said Sara.Even when victims leave, it can be hard to keep abusers away, but a new law could help that in Oklahoma, along with a dozen other states.A judge can now order offenders to wear a GPS bracelet."(If) the defendant came too close to the victim's home, an alarm would sound," said Donna Mathews, the Associate Director of Domestic Violence Intervention Services, Inc., also known as DVIS.Plus, the abuser's every move can be tracked, but even with the new law, DVIS still wants victims to be cautious."This would make them feel somewhat safer, but you don't want them to get a false sense of security either," said Mathews."If they want to find you, they're going to find you," said Mathews.We talked to the Tulsa County judge who handles a majority of the protection order cases. She hasn't ordered the device for an offender yet, but says she's glad she has the option to, especially at a time when more women are turning to shelters for help."There's violence all the time, and it may well be there is more stress in peoples' homes because of the economy," said Mathews.Whatever the reason for the increase, Sara says help is out there, and the bruises will heal."I've got to go on with my life, and I intend to," she said.You may call DVIS's 24-hour hotline at 918-7HELPME, or go to their website www.dvis.org.
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By: KJRH - 05/06/2009 |
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Oklahoma Legislature Would Allow Pregnant Mother to use Deadly Force to Protect Unborn
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Oklahoma City, Okla (CNA).- The Oklahoma Legislature is considering a bill that would define unborn children as persons to allow pregnant women to use deadly force to save the lives of their babies.
The bill, titled the "Use of Force For the Protection of the Unborn Act," was co-authored by State Rep. Mike Thompson and was sought by the group Americans United for Life.
"Unfortunately, we feel we need legislation like this," Thompson said to KOCO 5 News. "What we want to make sure is that a woman feels safe and secure defending herself and her unborn child against any attacker."
The bill reportedly stems from a Michigan case where a woman who was pregnant with quadruplets stabbed and killed her boyfriend after he hit her in a stomach. She suffered a miscarriage and was convicted of manslaughter.
Oklahoma law at present allows a person to use force to protect himself or another person from someone else. The new bill classifies an unborn child as "another" person, KOCO 5 News reports.
Josh Beasley, an official at the YWCA Oklahoma City, said statistics about abuse of pregnant women are startling.
"Domestic violence is the second-leading cause of death among (pregnant) women nationwide, so it's good they are taking the issue seriously and wanting to do something about it," he told KOCO 5 News.
The bill has passed the State House and Senate with no opposition and is back in the Senate for a final vote. It is expected to pass and go to the governor's desk to be signed into law.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church says that someone who defends his or her life is not guilty of murder if he or she is forced to deal a lethal blow to an aggressor. "Legitimate defense" also can be "a grave duty for one who is responsible for the lives of others."
However, the Catechism also warns that self-defense which uses more than necessary violence is "unlawful."
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By: The Catholic News Agency - 04/06/2009 |
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Report: Most States Lag with Dating-Violence Laws
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By DAVID CRARY
AP National Writer
NEW YORK (AP) ? Only Oklahoma and a handful of other states have
responded to teen dating violence with laws enabling the youthful
victims to obtain protection orders on equal terms with adults, an
advocacy group says in a new national survey.
The report on state laws by Break the Cycle, a teen-violence prevention
organization that has worked with the Justice Department, gave A grades
to only five states. Twelve states got D's and 11 failed.
Grades were based on various comparisons between the legal treatment of
adult victims of domestic violence and teen victims of dating violence.
Failure was automatic for states where protective orders are unavailable
for minors, or where dating relationships are not explicitly recognized
as valid for obtaining such orders.
"It is essential that dating violence and the needs of minor victims be
specifically addressed within state domestic violence statutes," said
Marjorie Gilberg, executive director of Break the Cycle. "Lawmakers have
a responsibility ... to propose legislation that will ensure the
protection of all victims of domestic violence ? regardless of their
age."
National surveys have estimated that one in three youths experiences
dating abuse at some point during their teens ? incidents ranging from a
slap on the cheek to homicide. Despite the high rate of abuse, Break the
Cycle and other advocacy groups say too many states do not treat dating
violence with appropriate seriousness.
"Some states feel that if have they good child abuse laws, minors are
protected," Gilberg said in a telephone interview. "There's definitely a
lack of awareness about the prevalence of abuse among teens in their
relationships."
Break the Cycle contends that all young people over 12 should have the
right to petition for protection on their own behalf and that domestic
violence protection orders should be available even against abusers who
are minors.
The new report gives states lower grades if their laws block minors from
seeking protective orders on their own, without parental involvement.
Sheryl Cates, CEO of the National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline, said
parental involvement is a challenging issue.
"If you're a parent, you want to know if your child is in danger, but on
other hand, teens want the anonymity, to not have to tell their
parents," she said. "It's very complicated, trying to find a balance
between a victim's rights and parents' right to know."
Kristina Korobov, an attorney with National Center for the Prosecution
of Violence Against Women, said it's sometimes crucial for teens to be
able to seek protective orders on their own. They may have strained
relations with their parents or come from a home where domestic violence
already is occurring.
Korobov, a former prosecutor in Indianapolis and Loudoun County, Va.,
said it's important in such instances for courts to provide an attorney
or other expert to guide the youth through the legal process.
The report commended New Hampshire as the only state where the law
specifically allows minors of any age to go to court by themselves to
request a protection order. It received an A along with California,
Illinois, Minnesota and Oklahoma.
Getting F's were Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kentucky, Missouri, North
Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah and Virginia.
Korobov said the law in Virginia, where she is based, makes it hard for
many teens to get protective orders because it generally limits them to
cases where the victim and the perpetrator have been married or lived
together ? circumstances which often don't apply to dating violence.
"A lot of people tend to see crimes being committed by juveniles as
'kids being kids,'" Korobov said. "They think, 'Oh, this person is
lovesick. It's not as serious as domestic violence.'"
Gilberg said some legislators are wary of the changes advocated by Break
the Cycle because they fear creating a "litigious group of minors" who
might misuse expanded access to the justice system. But she said
awareness-raising efforts were making headway in several states.
For example, in Ohio, which got a failing grade, Attorney General
Richard Cordray and some lawmakers have been promoting a bill this year
that would allow juvenile courts to issue protection orders for minors
in dating relationships.
The bill was inspired in part by the plight of Johanna Orozco, a
Cleveland teenager who was shot in the face by her 17-year-old
ex-boyfriend in 2007 and has had numerous operations. Orozco wanted to
get a protection order, but Ohio juvenile courts cannot issue them
against minors.
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By: The Edmond Sun - 03/24/2009 |
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Bill Will Assist Rape Victims
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Toni HopperThe Duncan Banner
A Senate bill waiting on House approval will bring Oklahoma into compliance with the federal Violence Against Women Act, if passed, and will allow victims of rape to deal with law enforcement on their own terms.As it is, if a rape victim seeks medical treatment, Oklahoma law requires law enforcement to be contacted and brought in while that victim is being treated.Women's Haven Executive Director Teresa Biffle serves on a state coalition against domestic violence and is glad to see such a law being pushed forward. "We feel like that more victims would come forth and feel like they would get medical treatment. There's enough shame to seek help when they come forward and it's very scary for them," she said. "Then having to deal with law enforcement, they are unsure and scared."Senate Bill 894 would allow victims to delay seeking recourse against their attacker until at a time when they are under less stress. "Then they could process it and decide if they want to prosecute on their own time," Biffle said. As a professional who deals daily with victims of assault, Biffle said she's seen many of those victims hold off in seeking treatment because of the required pressure that comes with dealing with law enforcement. "Over the years, in dealing with victims, there are those that do not want to prosecute immediately and there others that are ready when they walk through the door. There are lots of reasons why."Her agency is always called when a rape victim ends up at the emergency room. She praised the SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner) and area law enforcement. An exam can last two or three hours or even longer, Biffle said. An advocate from her agency stays with the victim through the entire procedure. She said that in 2008, Women's Haven responded to 10 rape cases. "Statistics show 1 in 3 women will be assaulted in their lifetime. If you go by that, you know women are not seeking treatment." She believes there's more unreported rapes because of the fear that a victim must embrace in dealing with law enforcement, even though the officers are considerate and just trying to do a job. Senate President Pro Tempore Glenn Coffee issued a press release praising the passage of SB 894."Victims traumatized by a sexual attack and the specter of legal action often delay or forego medical treatment for fear of dealing with the legal consequences," Coffee said."This timely victim rights reform will provide security to those victims of the most personal violence imaginable, so they can seek help immediately, and then pursue legal action at a time when they are under less pressure," Coffee said."We hope victims will feel like they can come forward ? that they can get help that they need."
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By: The Duncan Banner - 03/19/2009 |
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Mary Kay Inc. and Break the Cycle Partner with Oklahoma Coalition to End Teen Dating Violence
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Joint Lobbying Effort to Protect One in Three Teenagers Who Will Deal with Abuse in a Relationship
OKLAHOMA CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mary Kay Inc. and non-profit partner Break the Cycle are encouraging legislation supporting teen dating violence prevention education in Oklahoma schools. Also joining the effort are the Oklahoma Coalition to End Domestic Violence and local members of the Mary Kay independent sales force who will convene at the capitol building, meet with state legislators and discuss the importance of educating middle and high school students about healthy dating and relationships. Nationally, one in three teenagers will deal with physical, sexual, verbal or emotional abuse in a relationship and two-thirds of them will never report it to anyone (Teen Dating Abuse Survey, TRU 2005).
The organizations are lobbying Oklahoma lawmakers to introduce preemptive legislation to educate students about domestic violence and healthy relationships. Such legislation would also require schools to implement guidelines and discipline procedures for responding to incidents of teen dating violence on campus. Only Texas and Rhode Island currently have a statewide statute with such a requirement for schools.
"Mary Kay is hopeful that we can help end teen dating violence," said Mary Kay Inc. Vice President of Government Relations Anne Crews. "Mary Kay has an ongoing commitment to ending domestic violence and we're encouraging legislators nationwide to pass laws supporting teen dating violence education."
"Break the Cycle, one of the nation's leading organizations addressing teen dating violence, is launching this national effort to pass state legislation aimed at helping youth recognize that they have the right to safe and healthy relationships," said Break the Cycle Executive Director Marjorie Gilberg. "The education system is the best vehicle to implement teen dating violence prevention and intervention programs and the greatest way to help end teen dating violence before it starts."
As part of this effort, Mary Kay Inc. and Break the Cycle are encouraging individuals to demonstrate support for this effort by signing an online petition at www.enddatingviolence.com. The petition gathers electronic signatures supporting teen dating violence prevention and awareness programs in schools nationwide.
Mary Kay first partnered with Break the Cycle to sponsor Ending Violence, Break the Cycle's latest educational tool - an innovative, interactive DVD program developed from the organization's evidence-based curriculum. Already expected to revolutionize dating violence prevention education, the Ending Violence interactive DVD and accompanying resource package was developed to educate youth ages 12-18 about the dynamics of dating abuse, how to build healthy relationships, and their legal rights and responsibilities. The Ending Violence DVD, available to schools in Fall 2009, also allows for total flexibility so educators can focus on the most appropriate content for students.
About Mary Kay Inc.
Mary Kay Inc., one of the largest direct sellers of skin care and color cosmetics, achieved another year of record results in 2007 with $2.4 billion in wholesale sales. Mary Kay® products are sold in more than 35 markets worldwide, and the company's global independent sales force exceeds 1.8 million. To learn more about Mary Kay, log on to www.marykay.com or call 1 (800) MARY KAY (627.9529).
About Break the Cycle
Break the Cycle believes everyone has the right to safe and healthy relationships. As the leading voice for teens on the issue of dating violence, Break the Cycle advocates for policy and legislative changes that will better protect the rights and promote the health of teens nationwide. Engaging, educating and empowering youth through prevention and intervention programs, Break the Cycle helps young people identify and build healthy relationships. For more information, please visit www.breakthecycle.org or call 310.286.3383.
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By: Business Wire - 02/25/2009 |
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Culture of Violence: What Will It Take t Reduce Domestic Violence in Oklahoma?
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By JULIE DELCOUR Associate Editor
The flowers on Summer Rust's casket were purple, the same color as the domestic violence ribbons worn by so many of the 400 mourners attending the funeral in El Reno for the young mother and her four small children who were strangled Jan. 12., a day after Rust ended a relationship with Joshua Durcho.
Durcho, a bodybuilder and tattoo artist who lived with Rust, is charged in the slayings.
In the first two weeks of a bleak January, Oklahoma averaged one domestic violence-related slaying every 36 hours. If that pace continues, our state might even surpass its No. 4 national ranking for women killed per capita in domestic violence-related crimes.
With a deteriorating economy, a trigger for this type of violence, little hope exists that this year will be any different. On average 60 people from all demographics die annually from such crimes in Oklahoma. In 2007, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation received 23,400 reports of domestic violence.
Against this very dark backdrop, the Legislature is proposing more laws to protect the innocent and penalize perpetrators. Legislation by Senate Pro Tem Glenn Coffee, R-Oklahoma City, would more easily put guns in the hands of domestic abuse victims who've obtained an emergency protective order. Another bill would create a registry for felons convicted of domestic violence crimes. One lawmaker has even proposed making domestic abuse an automatic felony on a first offense.
A law recently went into effect allowing prosecutorsto file a felony charge against second-time offenders in domestic abuse cases. Prosecutors always could file felony charge in aggravated cases involving significant bodily harm. But the new law permits filing of felony charges before abuse reaches that level. The intent is to break the cycle of violence. Over the past 25 years, Oklahoma has produced dozens of laws related to domestic violence. But crime numbers keeping growing and so does the body count.
Meanwhile, victim shelters continually run full in both urban and rural areas. Services to assist victims with transportation, childcare, mental health and substance abuse counseling, and legal representation are in high demand. Victim advocates and shelter staff remain overworked and poorly paid, and too few in number.
On Sept. 17, the National Network to End Domestic Violence conducted its annual 24-hour national survey of domestic violence programs. On that single day in Oklahoma, 756 victims received services including 358 who found refuge in emergency shelters or transitional housing. Almost 400 others received individual counseling, legal advocacy or support groups. Hot lines took 488 calls, more than 20 per hour from the frantic and the frightened. What is most troubling about this one-day snapshot is that 73 people were turned away because "there was no room at the inn."
Stunned by all those killings in January, Attorney General Drew Edmondson made a public appeal for domestic abuse victims to seek help through his office's 24-hour Safeline, 1-800-522-SAFE.
Marcia Smith, executive director of the Oklahoma Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, also spoke out. The "annihilation of the family in El Reno is made so much more tragic by the reality that such incidents are becoming commonplace."
Smith, who tracks domestic violence and champions its victims, is right. Despite all our laws, violence has surged over the past two years. No one seems to know exactly how to stop the killings, injuries and displacements.
Under Coffee's proposal victims obtaining emergency protective orders also could apply for an emergency, 180-day concealed weapon permit. Applicants would be required to clear a criminal background. But the normal procedure of requiring applicants to pass a gun safety course before receiving the license would be waived in these cases. Instead, emergency permit holders could take the course at a later date.
Opponents of the bill argue that while it is well-intentioned it could end up endangering as many victims as it protects.
What isn't open to debate is the critical need for more services. Nearly 80 percent of domestic abuse programs have fewer than 20 paid staff; 37 percent have fewer than 10. Many shelters are run down and inadequate because of relentless and heavy demand. More help for those trying to escape harm is desperately needed.
The Legislature, which could have appropriated more state money toward programs in healthier economic times, failed to do so. And now, with a $600 million hole in expected revenues, few dollars exist for expanded funding. Local money and private donations, always a major source of support, also may run short in this recessionary time. Nevertheless, those sources could be the best hope.
Support for programs, shelters and advocacy is one of the few things standing in the way of more casualties. Without help, an already deadly situation will get deadlier; efforts to educate against a culture of violence will go by the wayside.
As Edmondson said back in January, "One person dying every day and a half at the hands of a domestic partner is shocking and unacceptable."
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By: The Tulsa World - 02/17/2009 |
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Change to State Law Brings New Tools to Fight Domestic Abuse
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Lawton, OK - A recent change to an Oklahoma law is giving prosecutors new tools to fight domestic abuse. District Attorneys' (DA) offices now can file a felony charge against a second time offender. DA's always have been able to file felonies if victims suffered great bodily harm, but they can now file felony charges before the level of violence reaches that point.
In Lawton alone, police worked more than 6,000 domestic abuse calls last year, and they say quite a few involved repeat offenders and victims. Often the cases only are filed as misdemeanors, but Oklahoma could begin seeing more felony charges brought. Each domestic violence case that comes to the Comanche County District Attorney's office is evaluated separately. "If there is great bodily harm, we can file it as a felony the first offense," said Prosecutor Fred Smith.
Smith says that the majority of cases a prosecuted based on the situation. For example, if someone has lashed out their partner and crossed the line physically or psychologically, prosecutors will work to determine the appropriate action to take. "We would try to recognize that, and handle that appropriately, so we would not ruin their lives by charging them with a felony," he said. "On the other hand, we do have the ability to discover whether or not this is a cycle of violence that has existed between these two parties."
With the change to the law, the cycle of abuse could end with felony charges brought on the second or subsequent offense. "A lot of times it's because we recognize it is a case where we do need to break this cycle, we do need to stop this perpetrator, or there's a potential for greater violence," he said. He says that's when victims are put in the hot seat - forced to say, 'enough is enough,' and send the abuser to prison. "The abuser himself learns how to abuse, and how far he can go," said Smith. "In the process, the victim is isolated from friends and family, and they sometimes are manipulated psychologically to feel like it's their fault."In Lawton last year, 240 people were arrested on domestic abuse offenses. Recently a man in Oklahoma was charged with killing his girlfriend and four children. State lawmakers say they hope changes to the law - including counseling for convicts - will prevent domestic violence from occurring in the future. One lawmaker even has proposed making domestic abuse an automatic felony on the first offense. Prosecutors say they hope to have more flexibility to determine charges on a case-by-case basis.
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By: KWSO News, Lawton - 02/09/2009 |
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House Passes Bill to Insure 10 Million Children
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PRESS RELEASE For Immediate Release, October 25, 2007
Contact:Joanna VanderWoude, Media Relations Associate219.644.8216, jvanderwoude@povertylaw.org House Passes Bill to Insure 10 Million ChildrenShriver Center Thanks New Supporters
Today the House of Representatives voted to pass the revised Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (CHIPRA). This is a veto-proof majority. The bill makes key changes to an earlier version of the bill that Congress passed with large majorities and the President recently vetoed. The revised legislation still results in the coverage of 10 million children and still invests $35 billion in CHIP reauthorization.
The Shriver Center thanks Representatives Biggert, Johnson and Shimkus for supporting the new legislation after having voted against the earlier bill and veto override. Representatives Hastert, Roskam, Weller and Manzullo were the only Illinois legislators to oppose the revised bill.
"This is tremendous news for uninsured children in working families everywhere," said John Bouman, president of the Sargent Shriver National Center On Poverty Law. "It is also good news for Illinois, which would receive substantial new federal support to help sustain its All Kids program, which is already insuring all children in Illinois."
The revisions to the bill include encouragement to states to prioritize enrollment of lower income children, limitations on the ability of states to insure higher income parents through this program, prevention of coverage of non-parenting adults, and clarifications of the citizenship requirements. The Senate is expected to pass the bill with a veto-proof majority, just as it passed the earlier bill.
"We urge the Senate to pass this bill, and President Bush to sign it promptly," said Bouman. "This is a deeply needed and highly popular step on the road to covering all children. When 100% of our nation's children have health care coverage, then children from every background and every part of America will have access to the care they need to ensure a healthy start in life."
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By: The Shriver Center - 02/05/2009 |
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Law Needs to Focus on Neediest Children
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Last week, the U.S. Senate passed legislation to reauthorize current law that provides health care to children from families with incomes up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level ($44,000 for a family of four in 2009). Unfortunately, the bill that passed the Senate has veered beyond the original intent of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). Originally signed into law in 1997, SCHIP enjoys tremendous success and I believe the program must be reauthorized, but we need to do so responsibly.
To do so, SCHIP should remain squarely focused on the children who need it the most. I believe Congress should look to Oklahoma's success as an example before passing final legislation.
Oklahoma has been able to expand the insurance rolls to cover more children in a manner that is reasonable and fiscally responsible by designing its SCHIP program as an expansion of its Medicaid program. Oklahoma, under SoonerCare, currently covers children up to age 18 who have an income eligibility of up to 185 percent of FPL. As a result, we have decreased the number of uninsured children in Oklahoma.
Further, in considering this bill we simply must ask what kind of health coverage we want to incentivize. Specifically, I am concerned with more than $56 billion of spending in the bill to expand coverage for families of four with incomes up to $66,000 with government-sponsored health care. One of the main concerns with this expansion is the crowd-out effect when public subsidies encourage people to give up their private insurance.
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office analysis of the new SCHIP legislation demonstrates that nearly half a million families would be able to drop existing private coverage as a result of the expansion of the SCHIP program. In fact, the bill includes a loophole for New Jersey to expand coverage up to 350 percent of FPL and New York to expand coverage up to 400 percent of FPL ($88,000 a year for family of four). Why not focus the legislation to target funds at children without insurance, not those who already have private health care?
I am also working on an alternative approach, called the Kids First Act. My bill has a more fiscally responsible approach that would reauthorize SCHIP, as it was originally written, to cover targeted low-income children up to 200 percent of FPL. Importantly, our bill also included language allowing states to provide SCHIP coverage for unborn children.
I have long been dedicated to quality health care and desire to see my fellow Oklahomans and all Americans receive the best possible health care with the most choices. Now more than ever, we must be cautious of small steps that lead to universal government-run health care rather than a consumer-driven health care market, which would provide Americans with a wide array of choices and the opportunity to make their own decisions about their health care. Providing reasonable health insurance for America's low-income children is something we must get right.
Inhofe, R-Tulsa, is Oklahoma's senior senator.
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By: The Daily Oklahoman - 02/02/2009 |
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Grandparents Often Come to the Rescue for Children
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For Claire Dowers, the connection is too obvious to ignore. In a state that incarcerates the most women per capita, it's not surprising Oklahoma has more grandparents raising grandchildren than nearly every other state.
About 44,000 Oklahoma grandparents have the primary responsibility for raising grandchildren who live with them, according to the most recent data. Thousands more children live with their grandparents either with or without their parents, said Dowers, head of the aging services division at the Department of Human Services. Within those figures, Dowers said she's seeing an increasing number of single grandfathers, younger grandparents and even great-grandparents taking on the task. Why isn't clear.
Children who come from difficult home situations are fortunate if they have caring family members like grandparents to pick up the slack. That can lead to some really sticky territory.
Some children end up with their grandparents after they've been through the foster care system. Such kinship placements come with financial assistance and some legal benefits. But many children end up with the grandparents informally and without legal paperwork, which can make it difficult to enroll children in school, obtain medical care and apply for financial help. Ad hoc arrangements also have a downside that Dowers believes policymakers will soon have the grapple with: grandparents' rights.
"We need to start empowering grandparents and enabling them to provide more stability for them to do what they know is the right thing," she said. That means legal authority to obtain needed services but also potential protection for the grandparents and grandchildren if absent parents re-enter the picture. Children are traumatized by a revolving door of caregivers, and grandparents who have taken primary responsibility for raising a child shouldn't automatically be powerless when a parent comes calling.
Oklahoma has made some progress on helping grandparents survive raising a second family. The state along with other agencies hosts an annual conference for "grandfamilies." Various agencies and the faith community also offer help and support groups.
Grandparents can apply for respite care, allowing them short-term help to care for the grandchildren. Dowers said some grandparents save up the vouchers to take a mini-vacation. Others just take a nap.
"More than 30 percent of grandparents that are in these situations have some type of disability themselves," Dowers said. "So not all these grandparents are the grandfather in the ball cap playing ball with his grandson. They have their own health and life issues going on."
Child welfare statistics make it seem unlikely the frequency of grandparents rearing grandchildren is going to change any time soon. Better the state keep looking at ways to ease this burden on grandparents so their grandchildren can enjoy the stability they need and deserve.
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By: NewsOK - 12/29/2008 |
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OK DHS Adds Non-Compliance Issues to Child Care Locator Online
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OK DHS Adds Non-Compliance Issues to Child Care Locator Online
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By: - 08/30/2007 |
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 Farm Worker
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Congress Should Act Now on AgJobs Bill
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BY MARY SANCHEZmsanchez@kcstar.com
In spring, whenever storm clouds gather heavy with hail capable of ripping fragile crops to shreds, my Kansas-born mother always offers the same reflection: 'I'm sure glad I'm not a farmer anymore, depending on the weather, which is so undependable.' In late summer, as the rains become scarce and harvests are endangered by horticultural thirst, there she is again: ``I'm sure glad I'm not a farmer anymore, depending on the weather, which is so undependable.'
I'll add my own refrain on behalf of the less than 2 percent of the U.S. workforce still involved in agriculture: 'I'm sure glad I'm not a farmer trying to hire immigrant agricultural help legally, depending on the whims of Congress, which is so undependable.' Some half a million U.S. farmers are in just that situation. They have more than 3 million agricultural jobs to fill every year, much of it seasonal labor. And many find few options other than hiring illegal immigrants.
That's why it's critical that Congress passes the Agricultural Job Opportunities, Benefits and Security Act -- aka AgJOBS -- which was introduced May 14. AgJOBS presents a sensible solution to our immigration problem -- or at least a partial one -- because it seeks to legalize a group of longstanding seasonal laborers, as long as they meet certain conditions, and also temporarily and legally match new immigrant workers to unmet labor needs. Win-win.
As it happens, an AgJOBS bill was introduced in the last session of Congress but got nowhere, thanks largely to the anti-immigrant furor created by activists who don't seem to have thought too deeply about why undocumented workers are here to begin with. These people seem to believe that U.S.-born workers are ready, willing and eager to fill the millions of seasonal agricultural jobs available every year.
Common sense, and maybe even their own family background, should tell people otherwise. The nation, like my family, is simply not structured as it used to be. We're not living on the farm anymore. Far more of us live in cities than in rural areas.
The Department of Labor tracks this kind of thing, so there is no reason to rely argument by family anecdote. Estimates are that at least 75 percent of agricultural workers are hired illegally, largely from Mexico and elsewhere in Latin America. And that percentage has increased dramatically in recent years, a consequence of increased illegal immigration and also population shifts of U.S.-born people relocating to cities.
The illegal status is the obvious problem. Humane labor conditions and fair wages for farm workers, whether U.S.-born and immigrant, are too easily shirked without federal oversight. Nor can we just continue to ignore our broken immigration policy. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement has signaled it will not continue the infamous raids it staged during the Bush administration, but why should that reassure farmers? The issue of legality needs to be resolved. Let's be clear, recession or no, Americans are not going to head in droves back to field labor. Nor should they be expected to. Seasonal means temporary. After the harvest, the work goes away.
And perhaps because so few of us are employed doing it, it's easy to forget how important agriculture is to our economy. For a nation obsessed with 'organic,' few of us know much any more about the tedious tending that many of our favorite vegetables and fruits require. Oh, sure, there are growing legions of dirt diggers among us. But Michelle Obama in rubber boots turning over some soil for a photo opportunity is not farming. Tilling a bit of the backyard for a row or two of produce is not going to feed the nation.
The vast majority of America has long ago shifted away from small farm work by virtue of education, technology and our family's efforts to rise above manual labor status. That's called progress.
The weather hasn't changed. It is still an unpredictable aspect of farming. Congress can't do anything about that. But it can give farmers the help they deserve to do the right thing and legally hire the help they need to bring in this year's harvest.
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By: The Miami Herald - 07/20/2009 |
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A Real Heat Shield for Farmworkers
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Government spreadsheets tell their stories:"Found dead under grapevine; had been missing for approximately 15 hours."
"Found dead in a melon field.""Died after driving all day on a tractor in 111 degrees F."Dozens of farmworkers have died from heatstroke in the last decade in California. No one knows exactly how many because sometimes their deaths are not recorded as heat-related or not recorded at all. Maria Isabel Vasquez Jimenez is one whose story we do know.
Summer hadn't officially begun when Vasquez collapsed May 14 while pruning grapevines near Stockton. She died from heat illness two days later. The 17-year-old's core body temperature had exceeded 108 degrees Fahrenheit after working 9 1/2 hours in 95-degree heat with only limited access to drinking water and no shade.Two years earlier, the state Division of Occupational Safety and Health had cited Vasquez's employer, Merced Farm Labor, for violations including not having adequate drinking water. But Cal/OSHA never followed up on the citation, and the employer never corrected the situation. Last week, the state fined the company a record $262,700 for violating workplace safety requirements in the Vasquez case. Workers' compensation statistics show that farmworkers suffer from heat illness in higher numbers than any other occupational group except firefighters. But unlike farmworkers, few firefighters die of heatstroke. Perhaps it's the greater access to drinking water and rest breaks that save the lives of firefighters. Perhaps it's better emergency preparedness and access to first aid. Or maybe it has to do with the value that society places on the lives of people who fight fires as opposed to the lives of those who harvest the nation's food.One thing is certain: Vasquez did not have to die.By law, California employers must provide farmworkers with adequate drinking water and training on heat illness. Employers must have a shade structure and allow workers to take an extra rest break of no less than five minutes in the shade if they feel ill or need relief from the heat. But Vasquez's death shows the woeful inadequacy of the heat-illness prevention regulation and its implementation. Studies prove that farmworkers would greatly benefit from having all rest- and meal-period breaks in the shade, yet few employers provide for that, and the regulations do not clearly require it.In addition, during very hot weather, more rest breaks should be mandatory. Under current regulations, the burden is on an ill farmworker to seek an additional rest break as provided by law. Risks to farmworker health and safety are not just heat-related. Every year, transportation and heavy-machinery accidents cost the lives of farmworkers. And then there are the pesticides. Some, such as sulfur, frequently cause skin, eye and respiratory irritation. Others, such as methyl bromide, chlorpyrifos and diazinon can cause chronic illness, including cancer.Just as with heat illness, the safety regulations covering these risks are weak. Rule-making bodies within Cal/OSHA and the Department of Pesticide Regulation are heavily influenced by growers and employers. As a result, health and safety rules such as the heat-illness regulation are watered-down versions of the original proposals and take years to put into place.Even after a regulation is in place, there is little oversight of what goes on in agricultural fields. Our agency, California Rural Legal Assistance Inc., found that Cal/OSHA inspected relatively few agricultural employers for violations of the heat-illness prevention regulation last year, although since Vasquez's death, reports show a marked increase in inspections. And, finally, when employers are cited and fined for violations, those fines are often reduced on appeal or in other negotiations. At other times, the fine is rendered meaningless because the employer never pays it.California must put money and effort into aggressive enforcement of strong regulations intended to protect farmworkers. Otherwise, the state sanctions the conditions that caused Vasquez's death. Consumers, too, must insist that the farmworkers who cultivate and harvest our food are not in danger of dying in the process. It's ironic that November's ballot will carry an initiative to ensure that chickens are humanely treated on California farms, while weak regulations fail to protect farmworkers from heat illness and other risks. The workers who provide us with our daily meals deserve better.Michael I. Marsh is the director of the Agricultural Worker Health Project of California Rural Legal Assistance Inc. Dorothy A. Johnson is the directing attorney of CRLA's Oceanside office.
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By: Los Angeles Times - 08/14/2008 |
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Poor English Can Cost Truck Drivers
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Federal law now requires anyone with a commercial driver license to speak English well enough to talk with police.
Castillo, 50, who was stopped on his way back to California, said he knows federal law requires him to be able to converse in English with an officer but he thought his language skills were good enough to avoid a ticket.
Still, Castillo said he plans to pay the maximum fine of $500 rather than return to Alabama to fight the ticket.
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By: The Ledger.com - 07/22/2008 |
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 Health
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When Health Care Reform Will Affect You
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CNN
President Obama signed sweeping health care reform into law Tuesday. The Senate must now pass a package of changes that will reconcile the differ...
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By: AC360.com - 03/26/2010 |
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Free Antibiotic Program at Reasor's
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Reasor's, a northeast OK grocery store chain has a FREE Antibiotic Program at all pharmacy locations. Bring in a prescription for a commonly pre...
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By: Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma, Inc.-DV & Law - 09/08/2008 |
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Online Plan Cuts Medicaid Sign Up Time
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A pilot online system has drastically cut the time it takes to get Oklahoma newborns enrolled in the state's Medicaid program, resulting in quicker access to medical care for infants and faster reimbursement for hospitals and physicians, hospital financial counselors say. "What this has done is cut the process time by more than half," said Karlene Gillespie, financial counselor coordinator for Hillcrest Medical Center. The Oklahoma Health Care Authority launched the pilot project in April to help speed claims processing for the state's hospitals and to provide the baby a separate Medicaid number under the mother's existing case. The authority administers Oklahoma's Medicaid program, which is called SoonerCare. Hillcrest Medical Center and St. Francis Hospital were the first Tulsa hospitals to use the system as part of the authority's pilot project. In Oklahoma City, Mercy Health Center, Integris Baptist Medical Center, OU Medical Center and Deaconess Hospital also were part of the pilot initiative. By late July, the authority opened the system to all hospitals, of which 49 have signed on. Before the pilot project, the process of getting newborns assigned their own SoonerCare identification number could take up to three weeks because it was all done through paperwork, Gillespie said.
"The majority of the time now, we have our newborns put on Medicaid before they're even discharged from the hospital," she said. Since April, 4,261 babies have been added to SoonerCare through the new system, said Richard Evans, the authority's automated eligibility data integrity manager. Not only have enrollment times been reduced drastically, but the system allows mothers to choose their infant's primary care physician right away. "It's a wonderful thing to get those newborns on quicker and to get them a medical home," Evans said. Each mom gets temporary identification for her baby immediately and a permanent identification card for the infant is mailed in three to five days, he said. "It has made the job for us much quicker. It takes maybe five minutes now," said Trish Jones, manager of St. Francis Hospital's financial counseling and admitting departments. "It's very user-friendly." Janet Scott, a data processing analyst and programming specialist at the authority, said it took a year to create the program. "It's so easy and flexible that even smaller hospitals can do it," she said. The authority is implementing the system in other hospitals as quickly as possible. Southcrest Hospital is using the system, and both Oklahoma State University Medical Center and St. John Medical Center have shown interest, Scott said. By October 2009, the authority hopes to expand the service to allow mothers who have given birth to apply for SoonerCare at the hospital and receive real-time eligibility determination and case creation, Evans said. The enhancement would allow the mother to apply for SoonerCare while in the hospital. If approved, delivery costs and medical care for the newborn would immediately be eligible under the plan, he said. Nearly 39 percent of the 4,021 babies born at St. Francis Hospital in fiscal 2008 were born to mothers on SoonerCare. Eighty-one percent of the 3,618 babies born at Hillcrest Medical Center that same period were born to SoonerCare mothers. Oklahoma's Medicaid program covers more than half of all births in the state, said authority spokewoman Jo Kilgore. "You can just imagine the impact this will have," she said.
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By: Tulsa World - 08/22/2008 |
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OK Caring Van Program - Free Immunizations
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Oklahoma Caring Van ProgramThe Oklahoma Caring Vans provide free immunizations to children so they can stay healthy. These mobile units are staffed by registered nurses. Since 1999, the Oklahoma Caring Vans have provided more than 100,000 immunizations to Oklahoma children.
Parents or guardians must bring a copy of their child's immunization records and be present to complete paperwork.
Contact the Caring Van Program Coordinator at (405) 316-7250 in Oklahoma City or (918) 551-3414 in Tulsa.
http://www.bcbsok.com/caringvan_schedule.html
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By: NewsOK.com - 07/03/2008 |
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 Housing
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Oklahoma Flooding Assistance Available in 7 Counties
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Flooding assistance for the July 6th - 12th Oklahoma floods is now available in the following 7 counties: Oklahoma, Canadian, Cleveland, Kingfis...
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By: - 08/09/2010 |
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Returning soldier says landlord is unfairly keeping deposit
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NORMAN, OK -- An Oklahoma soldier who recently returned from an overseas deployment is now in a battle against his landlord. The landlord, who is retired military, would only talk to us over the phone. He claims the tenant paid whatever he wanted on rent each month and now owes him money. The tenant says the landlord is unfairly keeping his deposit because he wouldn't pay the mortgage.After serving in the Army National Guard in Iraq, David Corbett and his new wife moved into a rental home in Moore last year."The house was filthy when we moved in," Corbett says, "but we cleaned it ourselves."Corbett says last summer he found a Notice Of Sheriff's Sale on his door which said the property would soon be sold because the landlord, Claude E. Miller, wasn't paying the mortgage."I was angry," Corbett says. "I said, well I want to know immediately what's going on."Miller told Corbett and NewsChannel 4 that he was working on a new loan with GMAC.But earlier this year, Corbett found a second Sheriff's Sale Notice on his door."The second one," Corbett says, "...it's time to get out. He assured me I'd get my deposit."However, Wednesday morning Corbett found a letter from Miller saying he was keeping the $500 deposit to pay for charges like "damage done in bedroom by pet."Corbett says he never owned a pet but Miller claims he saw a pet in a window.Corbett is also being charged for "rents not paid," but he says those were rental discounts he received for doing home repairs.Court records show several foreclosure lawsuits Miller has faced in recent years from different banks.Gary Briggs, an attorney at Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma, says Corbett's only remedy is to take Miller to small claims court.He says all rental agreements, such as repair projects, need to be documented by the tenant outside the lease."That is the best way to win," Briggs says, "is to have your paper trail properly prepared.""I told him (Miller) it's a deposit, not a donation," Corbett says, "and he took it as a donation."Briggs says written agreements and witness testimony will also help a tenant's case.Miller told NewsChannel 4 alimony payments have made it hard to pay the mortgage on all of his properties.However, he says he'd be happy to meet Corbett in small claims court.
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By: KFOR, Ed Doney - 04/23/2010 |
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HUD Expands Multi-Lingual Website to Help Families Who are Limited English Proficient to Gain Access to HUD Programs
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HUD EXPANDS MULTI-LINGUAL WEBSITE TO HELP FAMILES WHO ARE LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENT TO GAIN ACCESS TO HUD PROGRAMSNew website offers translation of HUD Vital Documents for FreeWASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today unveiled an enhanced website to promote equal access to housing programs by providing important HUD documents in 12 different languages. HUD's expanded Limited English Proficiency (LEP) website features factsheets, housing brochures and other forms in Amharic, Arabic, Armenian, Cambodian, Chinese, Farsi, French, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Tagalog, and Vietnamese, in addition to English.
"When buying or renting a home, obtaining important housing information should not depend on how well people speak English," said John Trasviña, HUD's Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. "This website greatly expands HUD's ability to offer all families access to our programs and services, regardless of the language they speak."
The HUD site offers brochures on fair housing, model lease agreements, information about HUD's Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8), and a Resident Rights and Responsibilities brochure in various languages. These documents are free to the public.
The LEP website is in response to Executive Order 13166, which requires all federal, local and state agencies that receive federal funding to ensure that people with limited language skills have meaningful access to government programs and services.
"The importance of homeownership and fair housing means HUD must be a leader in this area. HUD will continue our efforts to serve all persons by translating additional vital documents and posting them on the website," said Trasviña.
FHEO and its partners in the Fair Housing Assistance Program investigate approximately 10,500 housing discrimination complaints annually. People who believe they are the victims of housing discrimination should contact HUD at 1 (800) 669-9777 (voice), (800) 927-9275 (TTY). Additional information is available.
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HUD is the nation's housing agency committed to sustaining homeownership; creating affordable housing opportunities for low-income Americans; and supporting the homeless, elderly, people with disabilities and people living with AIDS. The Department also promotes economic and community development and enforces the nation's fair housing laws. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet at www.hud.gov and espanol.hud.gov.
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By: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development - 06/30/2009 |
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FEMA Rent Subsidy Program for Hurrine Katrina Victimes Get Extra Time
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Tuesday February 10, 2009, 10:04 PM
The Obama administration is giving a temporary reprieve to the estimated 31,000 families that are scheduled to lose their rental subsidies Feb. 28 under the federal Disaster Housing Assistance Program.
Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan said Tuesday that he has decided that there must be a transition period, the details of which are still being worked out, because the agency won't be able to process housing vouchers for all eligible families. As of last week, the Housing Authority of New Orleans had processed only a few hundred vouchers even though more than 4,000 had been allotted for renters terminated by DHAP.
Donovan also plans to extend eligibility for permanent vouchers to all DHAP renters whose incomes fall below HUD's usual Section 8 income limits. The Bush administration had decided to give vouchers only to the elderly, disabled or extremely low-income families.
"Thank you, Jesus!" said New Orleans Legal Assistance housing-law attorney Laura Tuggle, as she heard of Donovan's decision. Tuggle represents several dozen elderly and disabled DHAP renters, all of whom are eligible for vouchers but are struggling to complete the conversion process ahead of the deadline.
"The time was too tight to transition thousands and thousands of families, " she said. She said she hoped that housing authorities and tenants would work together to enroll all voucher-eligible families so that no one will be left without housing when the transition period ends. "We really need to use this time wisely to make sure we have a smooth landing, " she said.
Donovan said that HUD might need some additional financing from Congress to extend the program to all those who meet the income requirements, which he believes could qualify half the 31,000. If HUD uses its standard Section 8 income requirements, vouchers will be offered to working-poor households earning up to 50 percent of an area's median income. In the New Orleans area, a four-person household making up to $29,900 would now qualify, whereas under the Bush administration standard, a four-person household could earn only up to $17,950.
A little extra time
But all 31,000 families, including those that have been paying up to $600 a month in rent because their incomes didn't qualify for full federal rent subsidies, would get some additional time to work out alternative housing beyond the current Feb. 28 deadline. The extra time also helps moderate-income New Orleans homeowners such as Clarence White, who earns too much to qualify for a voucher but can't afford rent on top of his $1,200 monthly mortgage payment for his half-rebuilt Gentilly home, he said.
About 15,000 of the households served by the program live in the New Orleans area, where many eligible Section 8 families have long lived without even a chance at a voucher. At the time Hurricane Katrina hit, the Housing Authority of New Orleans had a Section 8 waiting list that was more than 10,000 names long. The housing authority last accepted new applicants for that list in July 2001.
Donovan said he is working with Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., and other members of Congress to gain additional financing for the program, and the response might determine how much additional time HUD will provide.
Landrieu said she had a positive meeting with Donovan on Tuesday and expected to have things resolved in the next few days.
"The Bush administration had made a decision to provide vouchers only to vulnerable families -- elderly, disabled and extremely low-income, " Donovan said. "There's a whole group of other families that are eligible for the permanent voucher program that they were not planning to cover. I made a decision to make vouchers available to every eligible family."
'It's fantastic'
He said he also quickly determined that HUD had not provided enough time to get vouchers to affected families soon enough for the end of the DHAP program.
"We've got to find some transition for those families that will allow them not to be put at risk because HUD hadn't moved quickly enough to put vouchers in their hands, " Donovan said.
Terrol Williams was evacuated from New Orleans after Katrina and, after a short stint at the Washington, D.C., Armory, has been living at an apartment complex near Capitol Hill ever since. There are about 15 New Orleanians living there, all of whom depend on DHAP to help pay their rent, according to Williams.
"This is great news for sure, " Williams said of Donovan's announcement.
Josh Bruno, president of Metrowide Apartments in New Orleans, said that he had 150 DHAP tenants in buildings he owned. Before Tuesday's reprieve, many had no way to pay March rent.
"We had a whole lot of people who didn't know where they were going to go, " he said. Some were homeowners who'd been fleeced by unscrupulous contractors and others had been working but were laid off because of the poor economy.
"The last thing we wanted to do was massive evictions, " Bruno said, applauding Donovan's decision. "It's fantastic and, really, what's needed."
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By: Bruce Alpert & Katy Recdahl, the Times-Picayune - 02/12/2009 |
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Fannie Mae to Halt Evictions in Foreclosures
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NEW YORK, Dec 15 (Reuters) - Fannie Mae said on Monday it will allow tenants to remain in their homes and avoid eviction even if the building's landlo...
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By: Reuters - 12/18/2008 |
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Fannie Mae to End Tenant Evictions in Foreclosures
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Story by Kelly Evans Wall Street Journal Fannie Mae is finalizing a national policy that will allow tenants to remain in their homes even if their landlord goes into foreclosure -- a landmark decision for tenants. The policy will be in effect Jan. 9, Fannie Mae said Sunday, and reflects growing pressure on the mortgage company from a legal-aid group that threatened to sue over recent evictions. The company said it will also ensure its current holiday moratorium on new evictions is being followed until the new policy takes effect. "We're delighted that Fannie Mae has agreed to change their policy," said Amy Marx, an attorney with New Haven Legal Assistance in Connecticut. "And we're hopeful others will follow suit." In late November Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac said they would suspend tenant evictions temporarily during the year-end holidays. New Haven Legal Assistance said that despite the pledge, Fannie Mae was proceeding with more than a dozen new eviction cases in Connecticut. The advocacy group said the evictions would violate legislation passed earlier this year to rescue the two mortgage-finance giants that required them "to permit bona fide tenants who are current on their rent to remain in their homes under the terms of their lease." In his letter Sunday to the New Haven group, Fannie Mae General Counsel Curtis Lu wrote: "As far as we know, this will be the first nationwide program of its kind." Copies of the letter were sent to Christopher Dodd (D., Conn.), chairman of the Senate Banking committee and Barney Frank (D., Mass.), House Financial Services Committee chairman. Freddie Mac hasn't announced a similar policy reversal, though a spokesperson said they are "currently evaluating additional actions." The decision by the government-backed mortgage giants represents just a slice of the market and excludes many properties purchased with riskier loans that are now falling into foreclosure. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, however, are uniquely structured to be able to address the issue, which effectively now has them acting as a type of landlord or property-management company to administer month-to-month leases to renters of their foreclosed properties. Ted Meyer, a spokesman for Deutsche Bank, one of the biggest trustees of mortgage-backed securities, said Deutsche Bank isn't in a position to be able to follow Fannie's lead on foreclosures. Deutsche Bank has no capacity to intervene, Mr. Meyer indicated, saying "the whole issue comes down to ownership" of the foreclosed properties. A given property "is held in trust by us but it is effectively owned by the hundreds or thousands of people that own a tiny sliver of mortgages in any one pool," Mr. Meyer said. It might fall to the local servicers of the mortgages to decide to halt evictions, he added, because they are responsible for steps such as hiring real-estate agents to put foreclosed properties on the market. It isn't clear how much power -- or will -- a servicing company has to effect a moratorium on tenant evictions. It's a frustrating situation, says David Rothstein, a researcher at nonprofit group Policy Matters Ohio who has looked at the effect of such evictions in his state. "When there's a renter in these properties they're less likely to be vandalized, they're better maintained, and it's better for the communities," he said. In a recent report Mr. Rothstein found foreclosure filings on renter-occupied units in Cuyahoga County, where Cleveland is located, were up 29% in 2007 from the previous year. The average cost of an eviction per family ran about $2,500 -- meaning a total $10 million loss of wealth, Mr. Rothstein said. The social and economic pain of eviction has made the subject a regional cause more than a national one. That in turn has made it difficult for groups to marshal the political muscle to enact state or federal legislation barring tenant evictions in foreclosures. A New York University study found at least 15,000 renter households in New York City were affected by foreclosure last year. Since then, the number likely has increased. In the Boston area, a group of Harvard University students has been going door to door notifying tenants of their rights in an eviction; many such tenants are unaware of their rights and accept "cash for keys" offers from lenders -- often $500 or $1,000 -- to leave. "We had seen the devastating impacts of Fannie Mae offering cash for keys to tenants and evicting most of the rest," Ms. Marx said. "We eagerly await the implementation of the new policies."
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By: Wall Street Journal - 12/15/2008 |
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Your Rights as a Residential Tenant in Green Country
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Thursday, November 13, 2008 9:00 pm by Kaci Christian, FOX23.com, Tulsa OK- The hot water heater leaks. Now, your carpet's soaking wet. The toilet ove...
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By: Fox23.com - 11/17/2008 |
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Knowledge is the Best Defense for Renters
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By Susan Albert E-E Business Editor
Many people choose to rent a place to live as an alternative to buying a home. While rental options are many and ...
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By: Business Examiner-Enterprise.com - 10/27/2008 |
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 Immigration
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HUD Expands Multi-Lingual Website to Help Families Who are Limited English Proficient to Gain Access to HUD Programs
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HUD EXPANDS MULTI-LINGUAL WEBSITE TO HELP FAMILES WHO ARE LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENT TO GAIN ACCESS TO HUD PROGRAMSNew website offers translation of HUD Vital Documents for FreeWASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today unveiled an enhanced website to promote equal access to housing programs by providing important HUD documents in 12 different languages. HUD's expanded Limited English Proficiency (LEP) website features factsheets, housing brochures and other forms in Amharic, Arabic, Armenian, Cambodian, Chinese, Farsi, French, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Tagalog, and Vietnamese, in addition to English.
"When buying or renting a home, obtaining important housing information should not depend on how well people speak English," said John Trasviña, HUD's Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. "This website greatly expands HUD's ability to offer all families access to our programs and services, regardless of the language they speak."
The HUD site offers brochures on fair housing, model lease agreements, information about HUD's Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8), and a Resident Rights and Responsibilities brochure in various languages. These documents are free to the public.
The LEP website is in response to Executive Order 13166, which requires all federal, local and state agencies that receive federal funding to ensure that people with limited language skills have meaningful access to government programs and services.
"The importance of homeownership and fair housing means HUD must be a leader in this area. HUD will continue our efforts to serve all persons by translating additional vital documents and posting them on the website," said Trasviña.
FHEO and its partners in the Fair Housing Assistance Program investigate approximately 10,500 housing discrimination complaints annually. People who believe they are the victims of housing discrimination should contact HUD at 1 (800) 669-9777 (voice), (800) 927-9275 (TTY). Additional information is available.
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HUD is the nation's housing agency committed to sustaining homeownership; creating affordable housing opportunities for low-income Americans; and supporting the homeless, elderly, people with disabilities and people living with AIDS. The Department also promotes economic and community development and enforces the nation's fair housing laws. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet at www.hud.gov and espanol.hud.gov.
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By: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development - 06/30/2009 |
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Oklahoma Attorney General's Office Asked to Investigate Immigration Scam Inquiry
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BY MICHAEL MCNUTTPublished: March 31, 2009
The state attorney general's office is being asked to investigate allegations that people posing as immigration specialists are scamming victims out of thousands of dollars.AdvertisementClick Here!
The Governor's Advisory Council on Latin American and Hispanic Affairs took the action Monday after receiving complaints that two women in Oklahoma City bilked $185,000 out of at least 10 people.
One woman poses as a federal immigration official who notifies people there are problems with their immigration status and refers them to another woman under the guise that she will file legal papers to take care of the matter, council Chairman Giovanni Perry said.
"It's all false," she said.
Council member Nancy Galvan said she was told someone had turned over a complaint to the attorney general's office. The council members voted to write an official request to the attorney general's office.
Contacted later, Charlie Price, a spokesman for the attorney general's office, said the office does not discuss matters that may be under investigation.
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By: The Oklahoman - 04/01/2009 |
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Judge Upholds Most of Oklahoma's ImmigrationLaw
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by Marie PriceThe Journal Record February 12, 2009
OKLAHOMA CITY - A Tulsa County district judge upheld Wednesday all but one section of Oklahoma's immigration law, portions of which are also the object of litigation in federal court now on appeal to the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.Oklahoma Assistant Attorney General Sandy Rinehart said District Judge Jefferson Sellers struck one section of the law.
"The judge found that all of the provisions were constitutional, except for one specific provision that had to do with granting resident tuition for higher education," Rinehart said.
The stricken provision made changes in a statute allowing children of illegal immigrants to be treated as residents for purposes of tuition for state colleges and universities.
Rinehart said Sellers held that the section violated a provision of the Oklahoma Constitution prohibiting multiple-subject legislation.
The Tulsa County case was filed as a taxpayer lawsuit by plaintiff Michael Thomas.
Its challenges were state constitutional claims, unlike the federal issues addressed by the lawsuit now before the 10th Circuit, Rinehart said.
The state-level lawsuit argued that the law violated several sections of the state constitution by improperly using public money to establish a bureau of immigration and being an impermissible local or special law, among other contentions.
Much of the immigration statute, known as House Bill 1804, is already law. However, several provisions relating to businesses, such as those that contract with public agencies, were put on hold under the federal lawsuit.
Rinehart said Oklahoma will be bound by the ultimate decision of the 10th Circuit in the federal case. She said briefs have been filed, but no date has been set for oral argument.
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By: The Journal Record - 02/12/2009 |
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Obama Administration Postpones Employment Regulation
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February 3, 2009
OKLAHOMA CITY - As requested by a national organization of immigration lawyers, the Obama administration has postponed for 60 days a new regulation changing the types of documents acceptable for employment eligibility verification.
Oklahoma City immigration attorney Doug Stump said Monday that the postponement until April 3 provides for a period of review and comment.Under the new I-9 regulation, which was scheduled to take effect this week, employers could no longer accept expired documents to verify employment authorization, among other changes."Now would be an opportunity for U.S. businesses to further educate the Obama administration about their concerns with the I-9 compliance program," Stump said.The written-comment period has been extended through March 4.|The text of the proposed regulation, USCIS-2008-0001, can be accessed at www.regulations.gov, where comments can also be made.Stump, secretary of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, said that in recent years the government put into play a three-pronged approach to ensure that U.S. employers assumed responsibility for immigration compliance: employment-eligibility compliance, the troubled E-Verify program and the Social Security mismatch letter program. Mismatch letters inform employers that some information reported for a particular worker does not match his or her records with the agency.E-Verify is a federal electronic program for employment verification, which Stump said had been scaled back to apply only to federal contractors. Its effect was postponed last week to May 21, by agreement of parties on both sides of a lawsuit challenging the program.A directive issued Friday by U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said E-Verify has encountered criticism for false negatives - people authorized to work who receive non-confirmation notices from the system - and false positives, unauthorized aliens who receive confirmation because they have borrowed or stolen the identify of an authorized worker.Stump said the Social Security Administration has 17.8 million errors in its database, 70 percent of them belonging to records of U.S.-born citizens.He said the agency has acknowledged that once the full program comes into play, more than 70,000 U.S.-citizen workers will either be terminated by law or their employers must bar them from employment as a result of database errors."It appears as though the Obama administration is at least going to give it another look before attempting to implement the program," Stump said.
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By: The Journal Record - 02/04/2009 |
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Immigration Lawyers Ask for Delay of Regulations
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by Marie PriceThe Journal Record January 30, 2009
OKLAHOMA CITY - A national immigration lawyer group asked the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Thursday to delay the effective date of new regulations regarding work-eligibility authorization forms.
Oklahoma City attorney Doug Stump, secretary of the 11,500-member American Immigration Lawyers Association, said potential problems with the new rule and form, scheduled to take effect next Tuesday, merit a delay.Stump said the organization believes implementation of the new regulations is inconsistent with an Obama administration memo directing a 60-day extension of regulations pending in the Federal Register at the end of the Bush administration."The Obama administration wants to go back and look at what type of impact each of these potential regulations may have on U.S. business and other sectors," Stump said. "We believe that U.S. employers, U.S. chambers of commerce and other entities have identified a large number of problems in this proposed interim final rule, as well as the new I-9 form."He said there are special classes of individuals in the U.S. that are authorized to work, some of whom fall into areas where the homeland security agency has not provided employers sufficient guidance on how to complete the new forms.Stump said some examples would be certain categories of temporary workers, select non-immigrant workers who receive an automatic grant of continued work authorization for 240 days pending an extension request, temporary protected-status aliens with automatic grants of renewed work authorization, and others."We think it would be inappropriate to implement the regulation at this time, if employers are going to have to turn around and follow a completely different set of rules if the Obama administration believes this rule to be ineffective," he said.Stump said some problems for employers would be amending both electronic and paper application systems, amending HR processes to announce the new forms, training HR staff on the new regulations and amending required notices, handouts, guidelines of acceptable documents for employment, and other issues."Just imagine the expense it will cost these employers, if 60 or 90 days from now, it's determined by the new administration that the rule is in fact flawed, and they have to perfect a more efficient rule," he said. "Millions of dollars would need to be spent by employers throughout the United States."Stump also said litigants on both sides of a federal lawsuit over the troubled E-Verify program for work eligibility status have agreed to postpone its application to May 21.He said the former administration wanted to employ the electronic program across the board, but ran into problems and scaled it back to federal contractors only."A series of lawsuits throughout the last year have been filed, trying to stay or prevent the implementation of this process, because there are numerous flaws in the E-Verify process," Stump said.The parties in one of those lawsuits agreed just this week to extend the effective date. They also asked the court to stay the legal proceedings to allow the new administration an opportunity to review the program."This delay provides that federal contractors and subcontractors won't be required to use E-Verify until May 21 of 2009," Stump said.The implementation date of the new electronic verification system has been rolled back repeatedly due to litigation-related issues, said Stump, adding that he would not be surprised to see it postponed again in the future.|"We want an effective system, but we want it to be a legitimate system," he said.
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By: The Journal Record - 01/30/2009 |
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Employers May Face New Immigration Rules
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by Marie PriceThe Journal Record January 22, 2009
OKLAHOMA CITY - Employers may soon have to deal with a new Employment Eligibility Verification form and changes in a federal rule listing documents deemed acceptable to accompany the forms, although those Bush administration changes are now under review.
Shortly after his inauguration, President Barack Obama put a hold on pending regulations, subject to some exceptions, but proposed changes affecting businesses and workers are in the pipeline.A memo outlining the regulation freeze was issued by White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel.
"It is important that President Obama's appointees and designees have the opportunity to review and approve any new or pending regulations," Emanuel told agency officials.He said officials should notify the federal budget director of any regulations they feel are critical, for possible consideration as exceptions to the hold.
Oklahoma City immigration attorney Doug Stump said Wednesday that the idea behind the new document regulations was largely to try to prevent fraud.
"Some of the documents that they were accepting, like expired passports and those types of documents with stamps in them, were causing the (U.S.) Citizenship and Immigration Service enforcement concerns, because of potential fraud," he said.
The form and regulation changes were scheduled to take effect Feb. 2.
Stump said backers of the changes thought they would make it easier for employers to comply with employment-verification requirements.
Stump said expansion of the federal E-Verify program was also in the works.
"They were wanting to really crack down on the number of individuals who were working in this country unlawfully," he said.
Stump said the idea was to tighten up requirements for the I-9 verification form and widen use of the electronic-verification system.
"That was going to set aside all these employers who have traditionally in the past relied upon an undocumented work force," he said. "It was going to preclude them from hiding behind certain loopholes in the law."
Stump said that both E-Verify and the system of Social Security "mis-match letters" have experienced problems.He said the proposed Social Security change relates to letters from the agency saying certain workers' names and Social Security numbers do not match.
Stump said the current system allows companies to give workers a reasonable time to obtain confirmation of their status from the Social Security Administration.
The proposed regulation limits the time an employer may allow, and requires termination of the worker.
"There are a fairly appreciable number of individuals who have been inappropriately identified in these mis-match letters," Stump said.
The government has acknowledged that some U.S. workers may be wrongfully terminated, he said.
He said the Bush administration wanted to push E-Verify to the point that basically all private- and public-sector employers would have to reply upon it.
"They've hit a lot of snags along the way," he said.Stump said the government put into place a requirement under which companies that contract with federal agencies would have to E-Verify their workers, as would their subcontractors.
"We now also understand that there might be a hold on that particular regulation, too," he said.
Oklahoma's own immigration law, which includes some employment-verification requirements, has been challenged in court.
Stump said most of the employment-related provisions have been stalled by a federal court, a decision now on appeal. Other sections relating to law enforcement and transportation of undocumented aliens and other concerns are in effect, he said.
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By: The Journal Record - 01/22/2009 |
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 Individual Rights
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Suspect voting problems at the polls today (2/5/2008)?
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The Election Protection Project of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law (LCCRUL), is hosting voter hotlines that anyone may call...
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By: Election Protection Project of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law (LCCRUL) - 01/24/2008 |
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 Life Planning
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Planning A Will Often Procrastinated
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By Susan AlbertE-E Business Editor
Still haven't gotten around to drafting that will?While no one wants to dwell on his mortality, planning a will can save a lot of frustration and expense for family members left behind."People procrastinate making a will because they fear the cost and they don't think they are going to die anytime soon," said Jerry Maddux, attorney with Selby, Connor, Maddux and Janer in Bartlesville.While planning a will may seem daunting, it doesn't have to be.Maddux said a simple will for a couple, with one will in each name, runs about $150 to $200."It's usually a flat fee, unless it gets complicated," he said.
Most married couples sign a separate will, so in the case of one's death, there is no dispute about whether it can be altered.Another option, particularly if there is a lot of ownership involved, is a revocable trust.According to Maddux, a trust is like setting up a little company. The person owns it and transfers the titles of all his property into the trust. When he dies, the trustee distributes ownership to designated persons without the assistance of probate."It's more of a hassle to set it up, but when you die there's no court proceedings," he said. "It's a lot easier and cheaper for your kids."Some people will also include a will, known as a pour over will, as a safety net in case they leave something out of the trust, said Maddux.He said leaving all one's property in joint ownership or with a beneficiary named may also prevent the estate going to probate."Probate is required to transfer property that is in one person's name only and a beneficiary is not established," said Maddux. "There is not as much probate today as in the past because of the revocable trusts and joint ownership."There are many reasons to set up a will or trust, and, according to the Oklahoma Bar Association's Web site, the most important being leaving property to the persons desired and not to those people chosen by state law. Also, when a person dies without a will, the state chooses a personal representative, which may not be of the deceased's choosing. And if children are involved, the state will appoint a guardian, also who may not be the deceased's choice.The best reason Maddux said is that a will is "a gift to the children."If there is no will, according to the OBA, the state will divide the property as follows: "Assuming your estate is not controlled by a prenuptial marriage contract, if you die leaving a surviving spouse and children, generally your spouse takes one-half of your estate and your children share equally the remaining one-half. Special rules apply if you have children from a prior marriage and you have property acquired during your last marriage as well as separate property."If cost is an issue, a person can hand write his own will without the help of an attorney or witnesses. Called a holographic will, it must be written, dated and signed in the person's own handwriting, with no typed portions. Make copies, but file the original will in the Probate Division of the local courthouse or store it in a safe and fireproof place.When the time comes to produce it, the judge will need the original. (For exact instructions on making a holographic will visit www.oklaw.org)Maddux said writing a will oneself is very tricky and typically doesn't cover everything that needs to be covered.He also suggested avoiding the "preprinted" legal forms that can be purchased in kits."They try to fit for every state," he said.In addition, the OBA Web site reports that a will or trust must be prepared with legal technicalities that require the professional "learning, skill and experience" of a practicing lawyer. A professionally written will or trust could spare the survivors the cost of litigating a poorly drawn will.
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By: Bartlesville Examinare-Enterprise - 08/04/2008 |
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 Public Benefits
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Class Action Settlement for SS/SSI Recipients
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Recently a federal judge granted final approval of a settlement agreement which will end the Social Security Administration's policy of denying o...
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By: Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma, Inc. - 12/14/2009 |
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High-Tech Tax Help for the 2009 Filing Season
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Washington, DC?A free website that permits low-income workers to apply for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is ready for the 2009 tax-filing season.
I-CAN! E-File is available to taxpayers at I-CAN E-file and, for the first time, as part of the Free File Alliance, a group of organizations that provide free tax-filing services and are listed on the Internal Revenue Service website, www.irs.gov.
The I-CAN! E-File was developed through funding provided by a Technology Initiative Grant from the Legal Services Corporation. The electronic filing system takes its name from the Interactive Community Assistance Network, a ground-breaking, touch-screen, self-help kiosk developed by the Legal Aid Society of Orange County to provide low-income individuals and families with access to legal forms and information. The Orange County legal aid program launched the E-File website in 2003 to help low-income workers create and electronically file their taxes and apply for the EITC.
For the 2008 tax-filing season, EITC provided $47 billion in refunds and offsets to tax liabilities. Of that total, I-CAN! E-File brought back more than $33 million in refunds and credits to low-income workers in 45 states, demonstrating how an innovative technology project can make an impact in serving low-income families.
The website permits taxpayers at a fifth-grade literacy level to log on, answer basic questions about their finances, determine if they qualify for the ETIC and then file their federal tax returns online or print out their tax forms and mail them to the IRS.
In addition, I-CAN! E-File can be used to file state tax returns in the following states: Alaska, California, Michigan, Montana, New York and Pennsylvania.
The EITC is a refundable federal income tax credit for low- to moderate-income working individuals and families approved by Congress in 1975 as a way to help offset the burden of Social Security taxes and to provide an incentive to work. When the EITC exceeds the amount of taxes owed, it results in a tax refund to those who claim and qualify for the credit. To qualify, taxpayers must meet certain requirements and file a tax return, even if they did not earn enough money to be obligated to file a return.
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By: Legal Services Corporation - 01/29/2009 |
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Special Veterans Court Started
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Military personnel returning from combat zones have their own court should they have to deal with alcohol and drug problems.But it is not a place wher...
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By: Tulsa Business Journal - 12/11/2008 |
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User Friendly Online Tool to Simplify Economic Stimulus Payment Process
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Easy to Understand Materials and Consumer Education at Heart of Ongoing Efforts
The AARP Foundation and the National Council on Aging (NCOA) launched...
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By: - 03/27/2008 |
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Tax Rebate Signed into Law
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Starting in May, the Treasury will begin sending economic stimulus payments to more than 130 million individuals. The stimulus payments will go out through the late spring and summer.
The vast majority of Americans who qualify for the payment will not have to do anything other than file their 2007 individual income tax return to receive their payment this year. The IRS will use information on the tax return to determine eligibility and calculate the amount of the stimulus payments.
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By: IRS - 02/15/2008 |
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Tax Tips Can Pay Off for Families
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To help people with tax planning, the Internal Revenue Service is publishing Summertime Tax Tips to provide useful and concise advice on topics that affect millions of taxpayers.
Many taxpayers don?t think about their taxes until the start of the filing season in January. That can be a mistake. Steps such as getting the proper receipts from charities, adjusting your withholding or pursuing a tax strategy to increase your deductions are most effective if they are done well before year?s end.
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By: Internal Revenue Service - 08/24/2007 |
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Online help with Federal taxes I-Can E-File!
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Get help with online I-CAN! E-File, in English or Spanish! You can generally use I-CAN! E-file unless you have a foreign address, own a business, are a church employee or clergy member, or sold real estate in 2007. If you are in the military or you are disabled you may be eligible for tax credits that are not included in I-CAN! E-file. You cannot use I-CAN! E-file to file your Oklahoma state return-- but you can file your Oklahoma state return FREE, too, by visiting the Oklahoma Tax Commission web site at this link.
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By: I-Can! E-File - 02/17/2007 |
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Free Online Tax Preparation from TurboTax
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Free Tax Preparation Online
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By: Intuit Tax Freedom Project - 02/17/2007 |
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 Seniors
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Putting Seniors Back to Work - and Footing the Bill
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Julie YatesStaff Reporter
Pryor Creek Recreation Center is hosting a participant in the ExperienceWorks program.
Bettie Armontrout, Pryor, started working at PCRC Monday. Armontrout is working to acquire more office skills so she can find a job after completing the program.
The training program works with rural counties. ExperienceWorks helps senior citizens gain new job skills so they can seek work outside the program. The program is solely for residents ages 55 and up with limited income.
Mary Meriwether, Employment and Training Coordinator for Northeast Oklahoma, handles 11 counties in northeast Oklahoma. Meriwether specified that ExperienceWorks is not a job placement program.
"It's a work site training program for seniors to get them job ready," said Meriwether.
The program is funded through the Oklahoma Department of Labor. Training lasts from six to nine months.
Meriwether said the program is geared to offer seniors training in new skills. She said most seniors need keyboard and computer
experience.
Participants are able to work at host sites as they train. The required work time is 21 hours a week.
"We give free labor to a place in exchange for a training site," said Meriwether.
ExperienceWorks pays the participant's labor and workman's compensation. The program requires a safety check on all host sites.
Host sites must be government agencies such as schools, fire departments or city and county offices. Certain charitable organizations also apply. The organization must have a governmental letter designating them as a true
charitable organization.
Organizations such as Community Action Resource & Development (C.A.R.D.), Salvation Army, American Red Cross and United Way can be host sites. Meriwether said supervisors with charitable organizations get value time for hosting participants. The organizations can record the time and use it for grant requests.
"Sometimes it's a win-win situation and the host site will hire the participant," said Meriwether. "We have had wonderful success stories."
Seniors in the program may possibly be sent to training at technology centers. Any further training is given in addition to the required 21 hours of work at a host site.
"Mayes County is very under served," said Meriwether. She said not many in the county meet the program requirements.
"We sit down and do an extensive interview and see what they would like to do," said Meriwether.
The application includes a background check. Seniors drawing unemployment are not eligible for the program.
"We try to keep congressmen and senators aware of the program," said Meriwether.
To apply for ExperienceWorks, potential participants can contact Meriwether at (918) 462-0867.
Armontrout is one of two participants in Mayes County. If all goes as planned, she will work 21-hour weeks at PCRC until May.
Armontrout said she worked at Mayes County Nutrition Center for two
years through the American Association of Retired Persons. She transferred
to PCRC under ExperienceWorks.
"It's a very good program," said Armontrout.
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By: Pryor Daily Times - 01/05/2009 |
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Social Security Recipients Get Boost
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OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - The more than 635,000 Social Security recipients in Oklahoma will receive the largest cost-of-living increase in 27 years beginning this month when a 5.8 percent hike goes into effect.
"I can always use more money. What woman can't?" asked Marion Doughty, 92, of Oklahoma City. "It's not enough to be wildly enthusiastic about, but every little bit helps."
Different recipients will receive different amounts, but the average increase will be about $63 a month, said Larry Jones, a spokesman for the Social Security Administration's Oklahoma City office.
Many Oklahomans wonder whether they will come out ahead once they pay for cost increases in other areas.
Janet S. Wood, 70, of Oklahoma City lives in rent-subsidized housing. Wood said when she received a Social Security cost-of-living increase last year, her rent also went up - gobbling up all but about $3 a month of the increase she had received.
Wood said she hopes the same thing doesn't happen this year when her monthly Social Security check goes from $839 to $888.
Wood also is concerned she could lose some of her Medicaid benefits because of the increase.
Bea Coleman, 85, said the Edmond independent living center where she lives recently raised its rates, so the Social Security benefit increase will be welcomed by her and other residents.
"I'm fortunate in that I have other sources of income," she said. "So far I'm not having any problems."
The largest Social Security cost-of-living adjustment on record was 14.3 percent in July 1980, when inflation was extremely high.
Jones said an 11.2 percent raise was approved in 1981.
Inflation since has moderated and Social Security cost-of-living increases, which are tied to the Consumer Price Index, have been much more modest, he said.
More than 55 million people in the United States draw payments each month from the Social Security and Supplemental Security Income programs, Jones said.
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Information from: The Oklahoman, http://www.newsok.com
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By: KJRH Tulsa - 01/05/2009 |
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Lending Hand to Legal Aid
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During the past year, my husband, Drew, and I have worked with attorneys from across the state to raise money for the statewide program that provides free civil legal aid to low-income and elderly Oklahomans. We have served as statewide co-chairs for the Campaign for Justice and raised more than $700,000.
This holiday season we celebrate the hundreds of law firms, individual attorneys, foundations, businesses and other generous Oklahomans statewide who have decided that legal aid is one of their top personal and professional responsibilities.
The caliber of attorneys working on the Campaign for Justice is impressive. They are prominent members of firms, well-known in the Oklahoma State Bar Association and willing to dedicate the time necessary to raise money to strengthen Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma. William G. Paul, who presided over the American Bar Association in 1999-2000, essentially founded this campaign, serving three years as statewide chair from 2003-05. Since then the annual campaigns have been chaired by retired federal Judge Thomas J. Brett in 2006, Burns Hargis and Mike Turpen in 2007 and this year by Drew and me.
Throughout the year, we met with dedicated groups of Oklahoma City and Tulsa attorneys who strategized about how to make Legal Aid stronger in all 77 counties. The Oklahoma City team, co-chaired by Laura McConnell-Corbyn and John Kenney, and the Tulsa Team, co-chaired by Doug Dodd and Jim Green, met with managing partners of law firms and private practitioners to educate them about the role of Legal Aid in Oklahoma.
The work of Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma is all civil, meaning these are not criminal cases. LASO is part of a network of legal aid programs in every state, which receives funding from the Legal Services Corporation in Washington, D.C. LSC receives its funding from Congress and so it has a list of restrictions for all of the programs it funds. These restrictions include strict prohibitions on class-action cases and cases representing incarcerated persons.
Legal Aid's clients are generally not served by the private bar because of their low income level. In order to qualify for Legal Aid, the basic income eligibility level is 125 percent of poverty, which is $12,762 a year for a single person and $25,812 a year for a family of four. For extremely compelling cases, the income eligibility level sometimes is raised to 200 percent of poverty. Legal Aid's casework deals with family issues such as child support and custody and guardianships; consumer scams; housing problems including wrongful evictions; and problems with Social Security and Medicaid.
Oklahoma's justice community includes the private bar, three law school clinics, a few church legal clinics and Legal Aid's 22 offices around the state. The critical service performed by Legal Aid helps clients keep their families healthy, safe and under one roof despite their low incomes.
I salute Oklahoma attorneys, foundations and businesses for their support of the Campaign for Justice and Justice for All for Oklahoma.
Edmondson is the wife of Attorney General Drew Edmondson.
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By: The Daily Oklahoman - 12/29/2008 |
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Medicare Part D Deadline Nears
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12/19/08Source: Dan Bewley News Channel 6, Tulsa
Medicare Part D users have a month and a half or 46 days to review over their current health plans a...
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By: Tulsa News Channel 6 - 12/19/2008 |
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Social Security Gets Raise
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By Larry G. Jones-SSA Public Affairs Specialist
For Oklahoma's 635,000 plus Social Security recipients, a significant cost-of-living raise has been approved for 2009. This 5.8 percent increase represents the largest raise since 1982 and will provide about $63 a month more for the average beneficiary next year. Over 55 million people in the United States draw payments each month from the Social Security and Supplemental Security Income programs. While raises similar to this one have been in effect for many years, they are not indigenous to the Social Security program. Ever since President Richard Nixon signed the 1972 Social Security amendments, with the exception of 1983, recipients have enjoyed annual adjustments beginning in July, 1975. Prior to that, raises were sporadic and took special acts of congress for approval. The largest cost of living adjustment (COLA) on record was recorded in July, 1980 with a whopping 14.3 percent raise, approved in highly inflationary times. An 11.2 percent raise followed in July, 1981. In the last several years, inflation has been limited and the raises have been much lower. Here's an example of the raises in the last ten years:
January, 1999 1.3%January, 2000 2.5%January, 2001 3.5%January, 2002 2.6%January, 2003 1.4%January, 2004 2.1%January, 2005 2.7%January, 2006 4.1%January, 2007 3.3%January, 2008 2.3%
As you can see, recent raises have been smaller but the period from the third quarter of 2007 to the corresponding period of 2008 has been particularly difficult on household budgets. These increases are based on figures derived from the Consumer Price Index. The 5.8 percent COLA will begin with benefits that 50 million Social Security beneficiaries receive in January, 2009. Increased payments to 7 million Supplemental Security Income beneficiaries will begin on December 31. In addition to this welcome raise, Medicare part B premiums will remain the same for 2009 at $96.40 per month. This means our beneficiaries will realize a $63 per month real dollar raise. There are some other significant figures associated with the 2009 Social Security changes:
The 2009 maximum taxable earnings are increasing modestly from $102,000 in 2008 to $106,800 in 2009;To earn a quarter of coverage under Social Security, it will take $1090 in earnings, compared to $1050 this year;The 2009 retirement earnings test exempt amount goes to $14,160 as opposed to $13,560 this year.
The bottom line is; the average 2009 Social Security retirement check will jump to $1,153, the highest average in the history of the program. The SSI will increase to $674 from $637.
To find out more about these new changes and all Social Security programs, logon to www.socialsecurity.gov.
Larry G. Jones is a public affairs specialist with Social Security in Oklahoma City. To schedule a presentation for your group, email Jones at: larry.jones@ssa.gov.
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By: New Channel 4 - 12/17/2008 |
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 Work
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New Oklahoma Minimum Wage Law
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A new minimum wage law requires a 10.7% raise to all states who follow Federal Minimum Wage laws. The rate increased from its previous rate ...
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By: Workplace Fairness.org - 07/27/2009 |
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Expired Documents Deemed Unacceptable, More Changes Coming
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by Marie PriceThe Journal RecordOKLAHOMA CITY - As of April 3, the kinds of documents acceptable to verify employment eligibility through the federal Form I-9 changed, immigration attorneys say. Key among the changes: Expired documents, such as U.S. passports, are no longer acceptable.
More changes are due next month, with federal contractors required to use the federal E-verify system for new and current workers.
"Mainly what they've done is just remove the ability to present expired documents," said Oklahoma City attorney Matt Stump. "They think they're too easily prone to tampering and fraud."
Stump said the requirement that documents be unexpired extends to so-called List B documents such as driver's licenses and photo ID cards issued by the government, schools and the military.
"I think they're really focusing in on the identity part, being able to prevent fraud in that sense," he said.
List A documents include passports and passport cards, permanent resident cards and similar documents that contain a photo.
"If you have somebody that's coming in for re-verification, and you've previously used the old I-9, you're going to need to use the new I-9," Stump said.
Attorney Amir Farzaneh, with the Hall Estill law firm, said the federal government previously narrowed the field of acceptable documents in late 2007, making old versions of alien registration forms and certain other documents unacceptable.
"You cannot use an expired document of any kind anymore," he said.
In addition to not accepting expired documents, Farzaneh said the government will now accept passports from Micronesia and the Marshall Islands, if a person also has a legal entry form.
Farzaneh said another revision that took effect April 3 deletes a former version of the federal work-authorization card from the acceptable list.
Beginning May 21, he said, federal contractors and subcontractors that meet certain criteria must participate in the online E-verify program. The mandate was postponed from an executive order issued by then-President Bush.
Farzaneh said the requirement covers contracts awarded after May.
"Not only do they have to participate in E-verify, but also they have to verify new and current employees," he said.
The change applies only to contractors with contracts of $100,000 or more and duration of 120 days or longer. It applies to subcontractors with subcontracts of more than $3,000.
Contractors must enroll in E-verify within 30 days of being awarded a contract and begin verifying current workers within 90 days from the date of enrollment. The E-verify requirement applies only to current full- and part-time employees working on a covered contract, as well as all new employees.
The E-verify mandate includes some exceptions, such as contracts that cover only commercially available off-the-shelf items and related services such as food.
E-verify cannot be used for pre-job screening, before an individual has accepted employment.
Farzaneh said there are some questions as to what constitutes a federal contractor - for example, hospitals that accept Medicaid.
"If the amount of services are over $100,000, which it would be eventually, and the duration will eventually be more than 120 days, are they federal contractors?" he asked. "The language of the regulation, from what (U.S. Immigration) says, sounds like they are."
Farzaneh said his suggestion to employers in that situation would be to participate in E-verify.
He said the same question arises with financial institutions that deal with U.S. bonds and FDIC insurance.
"It looks like, from the language, that the best bet is to participate," Farzaneh said. "It's really not clear at this point in time, whether they would be considered contractors. But I think it's better to participate."
E-verify uses the databases of the Social Security Administration and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. It is administered through the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
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By: The Journal Record - 04/14/2009 |
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Don't Get Bitten by COBRA Deadline
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By PHIL MULKINS World Staff WriterPublished: 4/8/2009 2:20 AMLast Modified: 4/8/2009 3:49 AM
Laid-off workers are getting a break on their health insurance through the federal government's economic stimulus package.
Since its inception in 1986, COBRA health insurance has given people the ability to have their employer's group health insurance continued after they lose their jobs. But the cost has been high ? 31 percent of the average monthly unemployment benefit and 83 percent of a family's benefit typically is required to pay the premium for coverage under COBRA, an abbreviation for the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, signed Feb. 17 by President Barack Obama, provides a subsidy reducing COBRA's cost 65 percent to the employee and other state group continuation coverage for laid-off workers.
COBRA requires employers with 20 or more employees to provide continued group health insurance coverage. Oklahoma law requires employers of any size to provide group continuation coverage, says an Oklahoma Insurance Department fact sheet at tulsaworld.com/OKcobra.
Workers who qualify for the benefit under the stimulusplan ? the COBRA Health Insurance Continuation Premium Subsidy ? are those who have "involuntarily lost their jobs" between Sept. 1, 2008, and Dec. 31, 2009. They must have been laid off, not quitting voluntarily or being "fired for cause."
These workers qualify for a 65 percent subsidy of COBRA continuation premiums for themselves and their families for up to nine months. Qualifying workers must pay 35 percent of the premium to their former employers.
A second chance for COBRA coverage also is included in the stimulus. Those qualifying workers who became unemployed Sept. 1, 2008, through Feb. 16, 2009, who did not elect COBRA when it was first offered or who did elect COBRA but are no longer enrolled (due to its expense) have been given a new election opportunity. Those eligible for the extended COBRA election period must receive a notice from their former employers informing them of this by April 18.
They have 60 days after receiving the notice to elect COBRA. This election period does not extend the period of COBRA continuation coverage beyond the original maximum, which is 18 months from their layoff date.
Coverage taken during this election period begins with the first period of coverage beginning on or after Feb. 17, 2009.
The stimulus law, including the subsidy, applies to federal COBRA and state group continuation coverage. However, Oklahoma does not have a comparable state continuation right, meaning there is no subsidy available for workers whose last employer had less than 20 employees. State Insurance Commissioner Kim Holland is working with the Legislature to establish a comparable state continuation right this legislative session, said Holland spokesman Marc D. Young.
Former employees typically qualify for up to 18 months of COBRA coverage, but the subsidy lasts only nine months, meaning eligible individuals who choose to pay for 18 months of COBRA coverage after March 1, 2009, would still have to pay for nine months of unsubsidized premiums.
See the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services fact sheet at tulsaworld.com/CMMScobra. Also see "IRS Information to Help Employers Claim COBRA Medical Coverage Credit on Payroll Tax Form" at tulsaworld.com/IRScobraEmpr.
Employers share costs of insuranceThe new CORBA subsidy provided by the economic stimulus law applies to group health plans that are subject to the federal COBRA continuation coverage requirements or to similar requirements under state law.
If you are an employer with such a plan and you receive a 35 percent payment from a qualifying worker, you are required to make the remaining 65 percent payment, says the Internal Revenue Service Q&A on the subject, found at tulsaworld.com/IRScobraQ&A.
Subsidy requirements apply even if the employer's group health plan is self-insured. The subsidy requirements apply to all plans subject to the COBRA requirements, including self-insured plans.
In such cases, the employer must provide the COBRA coverage if the assistance-eligible individual pays 35 percent of the required premium. The remaining 65 percent is treated as a payment of payroll taxes by the employer maintaining the plan.
COBRA coverage is based on the same coverage that the individual had at the time of the qualifying event. However, under the new COBRA subsidy provision, an employer may offer an assistance-eligible individual the option of choosing other coverage that is also offered to active employees and that does not have higher premiums than the coverage the individual had at the time of the qualifying event.
Employers are required to send forms to former employees so they can elect to continue their group coverage and receive the subsidy. Former employees have 60 days after receiving the forms to enroll.
Information about the COBRA subsidy is available through the U.S. Department of Labor at (866) 444-3272 or online at tulsaworld.com/USDOLcobra. The web site contains model notices and other guidance on these provisions. The Department of Health and Human Services (at tulsaworld.com/DHHScobra) also has information. These agencies share responsibility with the IRS for the COBRA requirements.
Employers with questions on administering the COBRA continuation premium subsidy to former employees should see the IRS roundup at tulsaworld.com/IRS204708. Employers should use the updated "Form 941, Employer's Quarterly Federal Tax Return," at tulsaworld.com/IRSF941 to report their COBRA premium assistance payments.
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By: Tulsa World - 04/08/2009 |
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Bill Proposes to Close Gap in Insurance Coverage
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by Janice Francis-SmithThe Journal Record
OKLAHOMA CITY - For the 600 people who worked for Delta Faucet in Chickasha in January 2006, news that the company would close the plant hit them hard. For a few, things could - and did - get even worse in the following months.Between the time their COBRA insurance coverage ran out and when they were able to obtain coverage from another insurer, they received a devastating health diagnosis. With their newfound pre-existing condition, it was even more difficult for them to find coverage.
"There was a case or two where they were diagnosed with cancer in between policies," said state Sen. Ron Justice, R-Chickasha, author of Senate Bill 553. "This would fill that gap."
State Rep. Leslie Osborn, R-Tuttle, carries the bill in the state House of Representatives.
The bill would allow a person who gets laid off from their job to transition from coverage with their former employer's policy under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (COBRA) to coverage under the state's high-risk pool without a time gap in between. As rising unemployment rates increase the number of uninsured as former employees lose access to group coverage rates, the bill would create a safety net for laid-off workers, Justice said. The Oklahoma High Risk Pool was created by the Legislature to provide health coverage to Oklahomans who are unable to obtain coverage because of a pre-existing condition, who have exhausted their other health care options, and who have been quoted insurance rates higher than the OHRP offers.
Employees terminated without COBRA coverage would be able to continue their group coverage policy for 63 days, provided the former employee continues paying the premiums.
A former employee could continue such coverage for four months if the group insurance is provided pursuant to a hospital contract, prepaid health plan or self-insured employer plan, if the coverage remains the same as before the termination, if premiums continue to be paid, and if the employee was not terminated for misconduct. That section of SB 553 will only remain effective until federal dollars designated for the purpose in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 run out.
The committee members voted unanimously to approve SB 553. The measure, which has already been approved by the Senate, will next be considered by the full membership of the state House of Representatives.
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By: The Journal Record - 03/26/2009 |
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Jobless Payments Might Set Record
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By RANDY KREHBIEL World Staff WriterPublished: 1/7/2009 2:22 AMLast Modified: 1/7/2009 2:33 AM
Jobless benefit payments to Oklahoma residents are likely to reach record levels this week, the director of the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission's unemployment insurance division said Tuesday.
"We are already at $7.6 million," said Jerry Pectol. "I expect this week we'll go over $8 million."
Pectol said he believes that will be the most Oklahoma has ever paid out in unemployment benefits.
"We had back-to-back recessions in the 1980s when the number of claims may have been higher, but we pay more now," Pectol said.
Both the maximum weekly benefit and number of weeks it can be claimed have recently increased.
For claims filed after Jan. 1, the maximum benefit increased from $392 to $409. In late 2008, Congress extended maximum eligibility from 26 to 39 weeks.
The increase in calls to the division has jammed phone lines and caused the hiring of additional employees and technology upgrades. For a while, case workers were moved to another building because even outgoing phone lines were clogged.
"Starting with November, every week has gotten bigger in terms of both claims filed and checks paid," Pectol said. "And it's not like they're small increases, either."
At the same time the volume of claims was increasing, the Employment Security Commission implemented a program shifting payments to automatic bank deposits and debit cards.
Snags in that transition caused late or missing payments for many unemployment recipients.
Pectol said those problems have been largely solved, but the call center continues to be swamped.
"We've added 13 people, and we'll probably have to add at least twice as many as that," he said, noting that waits of as long as two hours on hold are still common.
Although additional phone lines are being added, Pectol said he expects the situation to get worse before it gets better.
"I don't know how many people are trying to get through and give up because they get a busy signal," he said.
With more lines coming on line next week, Pectol said, those callers will go on hold.
"The week after next, I expect the wait times to go up," he said.
The Tulsa metro area unemployment rate rose from 4.2 percent in November to 4.6 percent in December, it was announced late Tuesday.
Although Oklahoma's unemployment insurance program is administered by the state, it is funded entirely by the federal government and by premiums paid by employers.
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By: Tulsa World - 01/07/2009 |
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More Oklahomans Looking for Work
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Source: Fox 23
Douglas Clark
As a roller-coaster year for Wall Street winds down, thousands of unemployed Oklahomans are gearing up for what could be a long and rough road finding a new job. As FOX 23's Douglas Clark reports, the dismal job market could finally be hitting Green Country. With the end of the holiday season fast approaching, retailers big and small will be laying off seasonal workers as they try to trim costs. But it won't just be the seasonal hires making up the bulk of the newly unemployed. A growing number have lost their permanent jobs. As the calendar winds down, Barbara Clyma with Workforce Oklahoma says so do the days of bucking national unemployment trends. "I think that finally, it's starting to hit Oklahoma," says Clyma. "And we don't know how bad it's going to hit yet. But it's starting, we're seeing the increase in the number of unemployed people coming in." In November, the state's unemployment rate jumped to 4.7%, still below the national rate of 6.7%. But Clyma says the gap could narrow as more people than ever line up for help finding a new job. "It's not been quite this busy in some time," she says. After 9 years with the same company and 50 years in the workforce? William McAlexander is now making job hunting his new full-time job. "Working on updating my resume," he says. And like many upgrading his skills as well. On the national front, the numbers could get worse before they get better. Some analysts are predicting the unemployment rate could jump to as high as 9% by the end of 2009.
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By: Fox 23 - 12/31/2008 |
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Manufacturing, Education Fields Need Applicants In Oklahoma
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Source: KOCO.com
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. -- As the national unemployment rate hits a 15-year high, many Oklahomans are wondering how to snag a job in the middle of a recession.
State officials said that Oklahoma's unemployment rate is up as well.
However, after doing some research, KOCO reporters found that there are jobs out there if people know where to look.
"Right now, currently, manufacturing is really strong," American StaffCorp representative Bryan Grove said.
According to Grove, manufacturing is one of the most recession-proof industries in Oklahoma.
W&W Steel CEO Rick Cooper echoes those statements, saying that his company has never seen a layoff.
"There should always be a need for manufacturing and certainly construction manufacturing," Cooper said.
Education is another top industry for the state. Schools need everything from teachers to cooks.
Grove said that there's been an increased need for general laborers as well. Companies need people such as construction workers, fork lift drivers or anyone who can manage in a hands-on work environment.
Health Care is another booming field. Hospitals and other organizations are looking for nurses and people to take care of the elderly.
Experts said that when applying for jobs, applicants should:
Make sure to network.
Use a staffing agency that can give specific openings.
Not be afraid to take a temporary job, it could turn into a permanent one.
Grove said that professional and retail jobs are hard to come by currently but that some positions could open up next year.
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By: KOCO 5, Oklahoma City - 12/22/2008 |
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Chinks Emerging in Oklahoma's Economic Armor
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As economic situation worsens, chinks beginning to emerge in Oklahoma's economic armorDecember 16, 2008: 11:00 AM ET
NEW YORK (Associated Press) - Helped by high prices for oil and agriculture commodities earlier this year, Oklahoma has remained well insulated from the national economic crisis, but experts say some chinks in the state's economic armor are beginning to emerge.
In the last month, more than a dozen companies have announced plans to layoff hundreds of workers in Oklahoma, including more than 100 employees at a Gatorade plant in Pryor, 80 workers at an Oklahoma City beverage can manufacturer and nearly 200 jobs at a Sand Springs steel mill.
Late last month, Google Inc. delayed the opening of a $600 million data center in Pryor that was expected to employ about 200 workers, and even the Oklahoma City Thunder last week fell out of the top 10 NBA teams in attendance for the first time this year.
"If you have a national company, when their national business is being hurt by a recession and they cut costs, they cut costs everywhere," State Treasurer Scott Meacham said. "That's just one way in which the national recession affects us here in Oklahoma."
But overall, Meacham said Oklahoma has weathered the national economic storm better than any other state and, he acknowledged, even better than he expected.
In a report issued last week on state revenue collections for November, Meacham reported better-than-expected collections to the state's general revenue fund from income taxes, sales taxes and the state's gross production taxes on oil and natural gas.
Sales tax collections were particularly surprising, totaling nearly $150 million for November, an 8.3 percent increase over collections in November 2007 and more than 4 percent above what was estimated.
"In the middle of a national recession of unprecedented proportions, our sales tax collections were up 14 percent over the prior November," he said. "That's pretty amazing."
Meacham said increased collections in both income and sales taxes can be partly attributed to the state's strong employment figures.
In October, the most recent month for which statistics are available, Oklahoma's unemployment rate was 4.1 percent, even lower than the rate of 4.2 percent in October 2007, according to the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission. That compares to the national rate of 6.1 percent for the month of October.
Of the states in the region, Oklahoma and New Mexico had the lowest unemployment rates in October at 4.1 percent, and all of the states except Oklahoma and Arkansas saw an increase in the unemployment rate from October 2007 to October 2008.
Gov. Brad Henry said Monday he expects a lean budget for the upcoming fiscal year, but that Oklahoma's economy remains in a growth pattern and has been fairly insulated so far from the national recession.
"I think we can expect things to get a little worse in Oklahoma before it gets better, but the good news is that Oklahoma is still out in front of everyone else," Henry said. "Relative to most other states around the country, we're doing fairly well."
And while national companies may be taking a closer look before deciding to expand or move operations to Oklahoma, there is still a lot of interest in the Sooner State, said Natalie Shirley, Oklahoma's secretary of commerce and tourism.
"We remain extremely busy, and deals continue to come in on
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By: CNN Money - 12/17/2008 |
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Explanation Sought for Delay in Unemployment Benefits
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OKLAHOMA CITY - Unemployment officials say an extension in benefits and a new debit-card program contributed to the frustration levels of Oklahomans awaiting benefits and getting busy signals or long waits when they called the agency.
On Dec. 1, the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission went to a paperless system. A private contractor, ACS, headquartered in Dallas, was hired to mail out debit cards in lieu of paper checks and take over direct-deposit functions. The cards were mailed from an ACS vendor in Georgia.
Meanwhile, Oklahoma Secretary of Commerce and Tourism Natalie Shirley told the OESC at its regularly monthly meeting on Tuesday that she was seeking senior-level debriefing on the situation from ACS officials.
"We need to step back and see how this happened and how to prevent it in the future," Shirley said.
Pictured above is Oklahoma Secretary of Commerce and Tourism Natalie Shirley
She also praised the OESC, saying staff had done a good job under a difficult set of circumstances.
The unemployed began calling lawmakers and other officials when their debit cards had not arrived as anticipated or their funds were not deposited on time.
John Scott, OESC chief of benefits, said that through Friday, 14,739 debit cards had been mailed, of which 7,022 had been activated as of 1 p.m. Tuesday.
He said it was not practical to mail out the cards earlier and activate them later because benefits are determined on a weekly basis.
Doing so would have resulted in numerous worthless cards being mailed, Scott said.
He said the same week the debit cards were mailed, the agency was fielding calls from those seeking to apply for a federally approved extension in benefits, which swamped the system. The agency and vendor have now added additional personnel, Scott said.
James Perryman of Tulsa on Tuesday morning still had not received his debit card. He gets about $244 a week in benefits after being laid off.
"If you are not strong in faith, you are losing your mind right now," Perryman said.
Meanwhile, Chuck Petersen of Bokoshe is questioning the fees associated with using the cards. He said his son only gets a little more than $100 a week in benefits.
Mike Evans, IT director for OESC, said the user is not charged for purchases. The user gets one free withdrawal from a Bank of Oklahoma automated teller machine for each deposit. After that, the user is charged $1.50 for each withdrawal after the free transaction. Cash-withdrawal transactions done at other banks cost $2 each time.
Other fees may apply.
The funds go to the vendor to pay for the debit-card program, Evans said. He said if the person were cashing a check, some entities would charge a fee as well.
He did not know how much money the company was expected to make.
Ken Ericson, an ACS spokesman, said the state could best comment regarding how much money the company would make.
"Cards should be received in three to six business days from when they were mailed," Ericson said in an e-mail. "Clients relying on direct deposit should receive their benefits as scheduled. We continue to work closely with the state to resolve any issues."
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By: - 12/11/2008 |
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