The IRE Resource Center is a major research library containing more than 23,250 investigative stories — both print and broadcast. These stories are searchable online or by contacting the Resource Center directly (573-882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org) where a researcher can help you pinpoint what you need. Browse or search the tipsheet section of our library below. Stories are not available for download but can be easily ordered by contacting the Resource Center:
Search results for "job programs" ...
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Fraud on the Job
KING 5 dedicated nearly a year to dig into the complex world of the federal minority contracting program. The program is intended to remedy past and current discrimination against minority and women-owned contracting businesses who want a shot at working on federal highway projects. But instead of fostering equal opportunity, KING found staggering fraud and abuse in the taxpayer-funded program. The investigative series titled “Fraud on the Job" was born. The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is responsible for administering the program. WSDOT contracts with a small state agency, the Office of Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises (OMWBE) to certify which contractors qualify as "disadvantaged business enterprises" or DBEs. They also make sure that once in, the companies aren’t cheating or becoming too big to qualify. The state’s share of billions of federal highway funds comes with some strings attached, including a requirement that a certain percentage of money spent on transportation projects be reserved for minority-owned firms. The results of the “Fraud on the Job” series were swift and extraordinary. Two days after the first story aired, the governor ordered the Washington State Patrol to conduct a criminal fraud investigation. She also ordered a top-to- bottom review of OMWBE. Two weeks later, the governor asked the director of OMWBE to resign. Another top manager quit and another was fired. Two of the companies KING exposed as defrauding the government were removed from the DBE program by the state. State and federal legislation is now being drafted to stop the cheating. And now the FBI and the Inspector General of the U.S. Dept. of Transportation are investigating.
Tags: fraud; government; tax; taxpayer; fund
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Enterprise Zones
The articles probed a tax-credit program, which originally was created to help distressed areas in Colorado. The articles showed the program has expanded beyond its original intent.
Tags: tax credits; taxes; jobs
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Solyndra Syndrome
In 2011, the Washington Post reported the facts about the Obama administration's green-energy focus. The promise of tens of thousands of new jobs to curb a near historic enemployment rate was unfufilled- the Post discovered that only 3,500 jobs had been created through a $38 billion energy-financing program.
Tags: Obama; Administration; Green Energy; Solyndra
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Jobopoly
Despite investments of $1.2 billion over five years, corresponding to 55 percent of the total Tax Increment Funding program in Chicago, the downtown area has lost over 12,000 jobs during the past five years, predominantly hitting African-American communitites.
Tags: chicago; public spending; the loop; tax dollars;
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No Worker Left Behind
Michigan's No Worker Left Behind program faced funding cuts in 2010. A large proportion of the funds for the program were going to private trade schools, however, no state agency was licensing or inspecting these schools.
Tags: No Worker Left Behind; funding; job retraining; labor; unemployment
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Cash...for What?
The story looks into the "cash-for-work" jobs created after the Haiti earthquake. The reporter found that not only is there very little government oversight of these programs, but also that most of these organizations are not fulfilling their purpose of creating as many jobs as possible.
Tags: Haiti; cash-for-work; Haiti earthquake; recovery; Haitian
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Amazing Profits?
Many Americans are struggling to find and keep jobs in this economic recession, so when they have a chance to earn money; it is something they will jump on. An infomercial, which claims it is possible for ordinary people to make huge profits from buying tax foreclosed homes, has caught the attention of many desperate people. These people do not need real estate experience or a large amount of capital to beginning this program. But it is discovered this program is deceptive and has sold “15 thousand” DVDs and brochures a week, which explains the program.
Tags: scams; FOIA; John Beck; Free and Clear Real Estate System; customers; Family Products; telemarketer; television; taxes
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"Friends in Richmond"
In this investigative report, the Virginian-Pilot found several lawmakers who have gotten jobs at the same universities "whose budgets they oversee" resulting in lucrative salaries. Lawmaker Del. Phil Hamilton was hired at ODU after solidifying state funding for a teaching program at the school and was paid $40,000 a year.
Tags: Old Dominion University; Del. Phil Hamilton; Center for Teacher Quality and Educational Leadership; Dave Blackburn; Newport News
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Stimulus Coverage
This series demonstrates how the stimulus money is really being spent. Instead of using the money to “jump-start the economy” and create a number of jobs, New York used the money for a number of unnecessary projects. Some of these projects include making pamphlets describing pollution cleanup, promotional road signs, and in doubt research projects. The money needed to be used on projects such as pollution cleanup and road construction to help the community facilitate the economy.
Tags: budget; spending; federal; government; dollars; costs; states; programs
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Cashing in on Kids
Child-care programs were setup to encourage low income parents to get and keep their jobs. This program covered the cost of child care, but as it turns out "millions of taxpayer dollars" were misused by corrupt parents and daycare providers. Further, this series revealed a number of drug dealers can be tied to the daycare providers. Also, it revealed how regulators overlooked the problem, lawmakers and their weak laws, and workers trying to bring this to attention and their bosses shutting them down.
Tags: child care; corruption; scamming; cost; criminals; daycare; children; fraud