OMC Employee FAQ Frequently Asked Questions This is NOT an Official OMC web site What's Next for OMC page

Over the last few days many of the same questions have appeared in the feedback from OMC employees and retirees. We are absolutely NOT qualified to offer an official opinion on any of these matters, but will try to provide a few thoughts that may help in some instances.

If anyone hears any official sources for answers to the questions below, please email them to us.

DISCLAIMER: Polson Enterprises, RBBI, Gary Polson, Mr. Wizard and all related entities accept NO responsibilities for damages resulting from use, non-use or mis-use of the information below.

My job was terminated or I am a retiree, What about my health benefits, life insurance, retirement, etc?

I would expect quite a bit of information of this nature to come forward from some group (maybe the local union or a credit union office) after all the dust settles. It may vary from plant to plant.

If you wish information now, suggest you gather all your employee manuals, health, life insurance, retirement plan, etc policies together and visit with a reputable accountant in an area (city) with a major OMC facility. Call ahead to make an appointment with someone familiar with the OMC retirement benefits. They should be able to find out if the retirement program is some form of guaranteed pension (insured) in some fashion and may have an understanding of the other programs or be able to refer you to someone who does. Note, you will probably be paying for their advice.

If you do not have an accountant, you might try a banker you trust. They may be able to assist you or refer you to someone who can. Union member may be able to obtain answers to some of these questions through their local union as it becomes available.

I need information about unemployment insurance, how to sign up, etc.

Information on how to sign up may have been provided in a notice or letter from your plant. If not, you can contact your nearest state employment office. The Illinois Dept of Employment Security web site provides information on this topic for its residents.

The Illinois Department of Employment Security, said laid-off workers in Waukegan may apply for jobless compensation at the department branch office on the College of Lake County campus at 800 Lancer Lane in Grayslake.

Assistance in filing for unemployment as well as help for those seeking jobs and retraining, is available at the Private Industry Council of Lake County at 415 Washington St., Waukegan IL 60085 phone phone 847-249-2200.

I need a job !

We are posting job openings and a few suggestions on our Job Openings for ex-OMC Employees page. If any is aware of more, please email them to us and we will post them.

Illinois Employment & Training Centers (IETC's) offer many services to resident job seekers. We are communicating with their Private Industry Council of Lake County office at 415 Washington St., Waukegan IL 60085 phone phone 847-249-2200.

Note below supplied to us by North Carolina Job Link

  North Carolina has a one-stop career center system known throughout the state as JobLink. These offices offer a coordinated approach to helping job seekers and include representatives from the local community college, Employment Security Commission, Workforce Investment Act, Department of Social Services and others. Each of the NC counties with an OMC plant also has a JobLink Career Center. This is the first place an OMC worker should visit! The range of services varies from center to center, but all basic job readiness and job search services should be available at all. The web site for NC's system provides more information including address and phone number for each center.

Several jobs may be re-created from what remains of OMC in a few weeks.

We also maintain an extensive list of drive manufacturer and boat builder web site links that may be of use to you if you wish to seek employment in a similar industry. If you are looking for a job in this industry, we suggest you move extremely fast as their are a lot of people with the same idea.

There are a zillion how to find a job books out there. Suggest you find one that meets your needs. You can browse them in most book shops.

Job Hunting for Dummies This is one of the most popular books used by job seekers. You can buy this 408 page book in most book stores or you can buy it online from Amazon Books for about $14 plus shipping charges. We make a small commission when you buy them from Amazon.

Very basic job search tips:

• Update your resume as soon as possible
• Identify those you may wish to list as references, contact them and make sure it is ok
• Network as much as possible with all your friends, acquaintances, professional organizations, church, etc. The more people that know you are looking for a job, the greater your possibilities in finding one.
• Create an office in your home (may just be a desk or table) to work at when searching for employment. When searching for jobs, work there, not out in the living room recliner watching the game. Keep all your materials at this desk. Get a few file folders and a spiral binder to keep your notes in.
• Make a list of things to do at the end of each day, so when you start the next day you have a list of things to do.
• Spend as much time each day looking for a job as you used to spend at work.
• Pursue multiple possibilities at the same time. Do not wait for one opportunity to go all the way through the system. Get several started at once. You waste a lot of time if your pursue the opportunities sequentially instead of all at once.
• Get someone to help you by checking up on you almost daily to see how you are doing, help you though the ups and downs and try to keep you focused on the next day.
• Develop some basic computer skills if you do not already have them. At least be able to use a word processor, surf the net and use the basic search engines. Training in this area is offered by many Vo-Tech schools.
• Visit the online job boards like Monster. You can find job openings as well as post your resume. But do NOT purely rely on searching the internet to find a job. It is one of many tools, not the only tool.
• Check the Sunday newspaper want ads in major newspapers in your area. Many can be viewed online. You can find links to most major U.S. newspapers at the bottom of the Anancy Web site.
• Prayer never hurts

Monster jobs board has a great resume writing page help in writing resumes.

Professionals and others who may have signed some sort of non-competitive employment agreement (cannot work for a direct competitor for "x" years) should get a copy of their agreement and make sure their are no problems with it, even though OMC declared bankruptcy.

Illinois Employment and Training Centers provide help with resumes, including computers, fax machines and copiers for your use in conducting a job search. They can also help you sharpen your interview skills.

I am looking at an out of state job. I wonder how much it costs to live there?

HomeStore.Com has a great cost of living comparison calculator plus lot of other relocation information.

We thought there was a law preventing plant closings without a 60 day notice.

We cover the WARN Act on the main page.

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