Businesses in Northwest Arkansas have extended their hiring processes to the hundreds of hurricane evacuees now living in the area.
The American Red Cross and other organizations recently engaged chambers of commerce to identify businesses in need of immediate employees.
The Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce approached its members Tuesday regarding possible openings. "This may be a positive side (of their displacement)," chamber president Bill Ramsey said. "Maybe we can help some of these people find jobs and at the same time help our situation.
"Once an area gets to 2 percent unemployment, there’s not much left in the work pool. I know industries were struggling out there. "<>BR> Superior Industries managers began interviewing evacuees Sept. 1 for production positions at its two facilities in Fayetteville and one in Rogers. The wheel manufacturing plant announced its job openings to the victims staying at Mount Sequoyah Conference and Retreat Center and posted them online at www.ournewneighbors.com.
Larry Goodall, director of human resources with Superior, said three evacuees had been hired as of Wednesday to full-time positions, which pay up to $13.75 per hour and involve 401K opportunities, dental and life insurance, and supplier discounts on new automobiles.
The industry also would seek to start a ride share program to help future employees without transportation get to and from work.
Industries aren’t the only entities hiring evacuees.
Athletic World Advertising is among the other businesses hiring people for positions in sales, billing, customer service and production.
The advertising agency has even expedited its normal application procedures for evacuees.
"Anybody out there who’s an evacuee or has been displaced, we will give them an interview, "said Gregg Ogden, the agency’s president/chief executive officer." Typically, we will take applications and interview a small percentage of those, but any evacuee who comes by can fill out an application and get an interview on the spot. "
Ramsey was surprised by the number of non-industry employers announcing open positions.
He and the chamber staff formed a spreadsheet listing the more than 50 companies reporting available positions, including job descriptions and contact information.
The list will be shared with service organizations, but Ramsey is considering other opportunities to distribute the information to the area’s newest residents.
"I think we can anticipate some of these people will become permanent workers here, "he said." They’re in shelters now, but as they get jobs they can move out on their own, and some of them are probably going to stay. "
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