Discover how Michigan employers tackle workforce hardship with living wages, flexible schedules, and emergency savings to boost retention and engagement.
Continue readingGen X’s Secret Blueprint to Break Free from Full‑Time Work: Phased Retirement
Retirement today no longer means a sudden exit at age 65 with nothing on the calendar except golf. Many Gen Xers and younger Boomers view a hard stop as financially unwise and personally unfulfilling. Phased retirement offers an alternative path: a gradual reduction in work hours that combines continued earnings, ongoing benefits and meaningful engagement. This model provides a gentler transition for employees and helps employers retain critical skills.
Continue readingUnlocking Compliance and Security with E-Verify: Your Essential Guide
Finding Employment Opportunities With a Criminal Record
Opinions and biases are changing towards those with felony convictions re-entering the workforce. According to a study from the Charles Koch Institute, over 80% of managers and two-thirds of HR professionals felt that workers with criminal records bring just as much (or greater) value to an organization as workers without records.
Continue readingMichigan Reconnect: Free Tuition Program
Because our purpose here at WSI is to empower others to live their best lives, we’re excited to share a new education program available for Michigan residents!
The State of Michigan has recently announced a program allowing Michiganders, aged 25 years or older, the opportunity to receive a tuition-free associate degree from their in-district community college or complete a skills certificate. The program offers scholarships through more than 70 private training schools with 120 different programs that offer certificates in industries such as manufacturing, construction, information technology, healthcare, and business management.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Michigan Reconnect Program:
- You must be at least 25 years old to apply
- You have to have lived in Michigan for at least one year or more
- You need to have a high school diploma
- You cannot have already completed a college degree (associates or bachelor’s)
- The program is also available to those currently in community college, as it will pay the remaining balance of tuition and fees
In a recent press release, the Acting Director of Michigan’s Labor and Economic Opportunity Department, Susan Corbin, stated, “Reconnect offers a path for so many Michiganders hoping to begin – or complete – their education and career journey. This program, like so many others we’re focused on, will help expand opportunity for all Michiganders and make Michigan a better place to live, work, and play.”To submit your application and learn more about the Reconnect program, please visit Michigan.gov/Reconnect.




