Welcome to our Consumer and Job Resources Center. Here you will find tips and information on a variety of topics impacting you as a consumer, as well as helpful job hunting resources. Please feel free to contact my office for assistance about any of this information.
Housing and Mortgage Resources
Job Resources and Training Information
Student Loan Resources
Consumer Financial Protection
Housing and Mortage Resources
Put More Money in Your Pocket Today!
Mortgage rates are at historic lows and potentially going lower. You may be eligible to refinance your home and get a lower mortgage rate -- but you may not know it. Day after day I receive calls from concerned homeowners who are trying to refinance their homes and keep up with their mortgages. We know the government can't fix the housing market on its own, but responsible homeowners shouldn't have to get behind on payments before they are eligible for relief, especially when there are tools at hand to help now.
Many mortgages are owned by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac even though you make your mortgage payments directly to a bank or mortgage servicer. This is important to know because if it is owned by Fannie or Freddie, you may be eligible to take advantage of programs such as the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP) or the Home Affordable Refinancing Program (HARP). To find out if your loan is owned by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac visit some of the links below. If your loan is not owned by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, there may be other programs available through the Mortgage Settlement recently agreed to by the five leading bank mortgage servicers. You can learn more at www.nationalmortgagesettlement.com.
Below are some links to information and programs to help you. Of course, you can always call my office and we will help you figure out the best options for you and your family.
Making Home Affordable is the one-stop shop for all issues related to HAMP, HARP and the national mortgage servicing settlement. - www.makinghomeaffordable.gov
To find out if your mortgage is owned by Fannie Mae - http://www.fanniemae.com/loanlookup
To find out if your mortgage is owned by Freddie Mac - https://ww3.freddiemac.com/corporate
You can also find out if Fannie or Freddie owns your mortgage from here as well - http://www.makinghomeaffordable.gov/tools/does-fannie-or-freddie-own-your-loan/Pages/default.aspx
Other helpful links include:
To get your FASFA application: http://www.fafsa.ed.gov
Job Resources
My office has held seven job fairs and workshops over the last three years. The good news is there are more employers who are hiring for jobs in our area participating in these events. I will keep hosting these regular events. Below are some more resources to help you if you or someone you know needs job assistance.
Recent Career Fair Participating Companies
On Tuesday, August 14, 2012, my office hosted our seventh Career Fair pairing job seekers with employers. Below is a list of employers who participated in our previous Career Fair.
- AT&T
- Ball Aerospace Technologies Corp.
- Scangaroo
- Cummins Rocky Mountain
- Denver Plumbers Union
- Dish Network
- Elevations Credit Union
- Enterprise Holdings
- General Dynamics
- Home Depot
- IBM
- Lockheed Martin
- Mind Bank
- RTD
- Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
- TDI
- Wells Fargo
- Xcel
Previous Career Fair Participating Companies
On Monday, September 19, 2011, my office hosted a Career Fair at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds Exhibit Hall with over twenty employers on hand who were hiring. If you were unable to attend the event or want more information about the previous career fair companies, and current participating companies see the list below:
- Ameristar Casino, Resort & Spa
- Arapahoe County
- Arapahoe House
- Best Buy
- Chase
- City of Aurora
- City of Lakewood
- Commerce City
- Dish Network
- Employer Support for the Guard & Reserve
- Jefferson County
- Lockheed Martin
- Merrick & Company
- RTD
- Select Staffing
- Target
- The Home Depot
- University of Colorado Denver
- U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
- Veterans Green Jobs
- Enterprise Holdings
- Kaiser Permanente
- Denver Green Jobs Initiative
- ADT Security Services
- Alpine Access
- ATBS Tax and Accounting Service
- Denver Water
- DeVry University
- Express Employment Professionals
- CoBank
- Comcast
- Isle Casino
- Granite Companies
- Aurora Public Schools
- Goodwill
- Jefferson County Workforce Center
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)
- Professional Perspectives
- Raytheon
- TransFirst
Non-Profit Employment Groups:
- Adams County Workforce & Business Center- A wide variety of free services to registered job seekers.
- Arapahoe/Douglas Works! Workforce Center - Resources for job seekers and employers.
- Jefferson County Workforce Center- Provides services for all job seekers, businesses and families.
Federal Job Resources:
- USA Jobs.gov – USAJOBS is the official jobsite for the US Federal Government. You can search USAJOBS to find thousands of available federal jobs, and use our search tools to narrow your results to find the job that is right for you.
- Career OneStop – You can search for jobs and explore different career options. You can also get tips to help improve your resume and interview skills.
- Veterans Administration (VA) – Official website for the VA – with a variety of position available nation-wide.
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) – Located in Golden, is the world’s premiere renewable energy laboratory and is expanding both it's facilities and staff levels.
Local Job Resources:
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University of Colorado Hospital – Located in Aurora, the new Anschutz Medical Campus is expanding both their research and patient care facilities.
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Find local help – The Department of Labor has offices all over the country that offer employment assistance programs. Find an office near you.
Resume Writing & Interview Tips.
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http://career-advice.monster.com/ – This website provides tips on everything from how to successfully write a cover letter to how to go about salary negotiations. There is also helpful advice about all aspects of job hunting.
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Read Focused Jobseeking – This free publication offers guidelines for taking control of your job search.
Fastest Growing Occupations |
Postsecondary Education / Training |
Biomedical Engineers |
Bachelor’s degree |
Network Systems and Data Communications Analysis |
Bachelor’s degree |
Home Health Aides |
Short-term on the-job-training |
Personal and Home Care Aides |
Short-term on the-job-training |
Financial Examiners |
Bachelor’s degree |
Medical Scientists, Excerpt Epidemiologists |
Doctoral degree |
Physician Assistants |
Master’s degree |
Skin Care Specialists |
Postsecondary vocational award |
Biochemists and Biophysicists |
Doctoral degree |
Athletic Trainers |
Bachelor’s degree |
Physical Therapist Aides |
Short-term on the-job-training |
Dental Hygienists |
Associate degree |
Veterinary Technologists and Technicians |
Associate degree |
Dental Assistants |
Moderate-term on the-job-training |
Computer Software Engineers, Applications |
Bachelor’s degree |
Medical Assistants |
Moderate-term on the-job-training |
Physical Therapist Assistants |
Associate degree |
Veterinarians |
First Professional Degree |
Self-Enrichment Education Teachers |
Work Experience in a related Occupation |
Compliance Officers (except Agriculture, Construction & Health and Human Services) |
Long-term on the-job-training |
Occupational Therapist Aides |
Short-term on the-job-training |
Environmental Engineers |
Bachelor’s degree |
Pharmacy Technicians |
Moderate-term on the-job-training |
Computer Software Engineers, Systems Software |
Bachelor’s degree |
Survey Researchers |
Bachelor’s degree |
Physical Therapists |
Master’s degree |
Personal Financial Advisors |
Bachelor’s degree |
Environmental Engineering Technicians |
Associate degree |
Occupational Therapist Assistants |
Associate degree |
Fitness Trainers and Aerobic Instructors |
Postsecondary Vocational Award |
Source: Employment Projections Program, U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics "Occupational Employment Projections to 2018," published in the November 2009 Monthly Labor Review
Student Loan Resources
Congress recently passed a bill extending the low student loan interest rates for federally subsidized student loans. However, many students and their parents still have questions about options to finance higher education. Below are some helpful resources.
An overall view of federal aid, how you can fund your education, and other important factors to consider when applying for federal aid:
http://studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/funding.jsp
To see the eligibility requirements for federal student loans including students with intellectual disabilities:
http://studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/aideligibility.jsp?tab=funding
For an idea of how much federal aid you are eligible for use the following FASFA tool:
https://fafsa.ed.gov/FAFSA/app/f4cForm?execution=e1s1
Consumer Financial Protection
File a Complaint if You've Been Mistreated
As part of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, Congress created the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). This entity serves as a “consumer watchdog” for Americans dealing with banks, mortgage companies and other non-bank financial institutions.
To better protect consumers from predatory practices by the financial services industry, the CFPB has created a website to submit a complaint online. Once a complaint has been submitted, the CFPB will verify the information with the company and work as a facilitator between you and the company to find a resolution to the dispute.
Prior to the CFPB, there were few options available for consumers to seek assistance with financial companies. If you believe you were treated unfairly by a financial institution and would like to file a complaint with the CFPB, visit www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint.
Millions of Americans are affected by outstanding student loan debt, large credit card balances, and underwater mortgages. While we should all strive to be responsible consumers, sometimes companies take advantage of unsuspecting and vulnerable individuals. You deserve a fair shot in repaying their debts and avoiding financial distress. I remain committed to supporting the CFPB and will continue to work with my colleagues in Congress to continue our economic recovery to benefit all Americans.
- http://www.usa.gov/citizen/topics/family/help-for-difficult-financial-times.shtml
- Underwater with Two Mortgages? Here are 5 Ways to Refinance
- Consumer's Guide to Mortgage Refinance
- FHA Refinance Options for Homeowners
- Here's how to know if you'd qualify for refinancing
- National Mortgage Settlement Information