Research Current Covid Travel restrictions before leave for your destination

 Daily, states are changing their travel restrictions for people entering their states to prevent the spread of Covid 19.  You need to understand what those restrictions are before you leave your current home state to relocate to a new one.  

These restrictions are getting tougher as the spread of Covid widens.  Here is but one example of how strict the regulations are getting.

BOSTON (AP) — Travelers to Massachusetts, including residents returning home after out-of-state trips, face $500-per-day fines if they refuse to comply with a new executive order requiring them to quarantine for 14 days to control the spread of the coronavirus, Gov. Charlie Baker announced Friday.

The order that takes effect Aug. 1 comes at the height of the summer tourist season and not long before tens of thousands of college students typically flock to the state for the start of fall classes.

There are exemptions for people coming from low-risk states, which currently include New York, New Jersey, Maine and Hawaii, and for people who can prove they have had a negative COVID-19 test no more than 72 hours prior to arriving in Massachusetts, the Republican governor said at a news conference.

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Many People Moving due to Covid 19

About a fifth of U.S. adults moved due to COVID-19 or know someone who did

Roughly one-in-five Americans either have relocated due to pandemic or know someone who has

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Planning To Move April 1? You Still Can Under Illinois’ Stay At Home Order

A good article in Planning To Move April 1? You Still Can Under Illinois’ Stay At Home Order

Moving and relocation services is considered a "critical trade."
Published on Mar 24, 2020 1:05PM CDT
Logan Square, Humboldt Park, Avondale Primary category in which blog post is published
Mina Bloom
@mina_bloom_

Logan Square, Humboldt Park & Avondale reporter mina@blockclubchi.org   


CHICAGO — Those planning to move April 1 with the help of movers shouldn’t have any problems doing so under Illinois’ stay at home order.

Moving and relocation services is considered a “critical trade,” along with janitorial work, painting and HVAC work and other services that “are necessary to maintaining the safety, sanitation, and essential operations of residences, essential activities, and essential businesses and operations,” according to Gov. JB Pritzker’s order.

The order calls for Illinois residents who don’t work at essential businesses to stay home through April 7 to stop the spread of the new coronavirus. Read the full order here.

RELATED: Here’s What’s Open And What’s Closed Under Stay At Home Order To Curb Coronavirus Outbreak

That date could be extended, though, officials have warned.

“I’m not going to tell you I know the end of April 7, that this is, in fact, the end date. We believe that that gives us time to see whether or not this social distancing and this stay at home is having the desired effect of bending the curve,” Prtizker said when announcing the order.

Anyone who leaves their home, including people who are moving and movers, is urged to practice social distancing.

Illinois had 1,285 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 12 deaths as of Tuesday afternoon.
Symptoms

Coronavirus can be deadly, but the vast majority of cases have been mild. Those most at risk from the virus are people who are elderly or who have underlying health conditions.

Symptoms of coronavirus can appear two to 14 days after a person has been exposed to the virus, according to the Centers for Disease Control. People with no symptoms may have the virus and spread it to others.

The virus spreads between people through coughing and sneezing, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.

The most common symptoms:

    Fever
    Cough
    Shortness of breath

People have also experienced body aches, nasal congestion, runny nose and sore throat, according to Harvard Medical School.

If you or someone else has difficulty breathing, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, become confused, cannot be roused or develop a bluish face or lips, get immediate medical attention, according to the CDC.
How To Protect Yourself

The CDC only recommends those are already sick wear facemasks because they help you avoid spreading the virus.

Here’s what you can actually do to prevent getting ill:

    The CDC and other officials have said people should wash their hands often, including before, during and after eating; after using the bathroom; and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing.
    The CDC has a guide here for how to properly wash your hands. Remember: Wash with soap and water, scrubbing your hands for at least 20 seconds.
    If you can’t wash your hands with soap and water, you can use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.
    Avoid touching your face, especially your eyes, nose and mouth, with unwashed hands.
    Clean and disinfect objects and surfaces you touch frequently, like cellphones and light switches. Here are tips from the CDC.
    Stay home when you’re sick and avoid close contact with people who are sick.
    If you have to sneeze or cough with a tissue, throw it out immediately after using it, according to the CDC.

What To Do If You Think You’re Sick

Even if you’re not showing symptoms, the Chicago Department of Public Health recommends people coming from high-risk countries (here’s a CDC list) self-quarantine for 14 days after returning home.

If you do have symptoms of coronavirus, contact your primary doctor or a health care facility before going in. Explain your symptoms and tell them if you’ve come into close contact with anyone with coronavirus or traveled to an area where COVID-19 is widespread (here’s a CDC list) within the last 14 days, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.

From there, the experts will work with your local health department to determine what to do and if you need to be tested for coronavirus, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.

And, of course, if you think you’re sick with coronavirus, don’t risk exposing other people to the virus. Anyone who feels unwell has been ordered to stay home or risk getting a $500 fine.

Those with questions and concerns about coronavirus can call the Illinois Department of Public Health at 800-889-3931.

Block Club Chicago’s coronavirus coverage is free for all readers. Block Club is an independent, 501(c)(3), journalist-run newsroom.

Subscribe to Block Club Chicago. Every dime we make funds reporting from Chicago’s neighborhoods.

Covid-19 Update 3/24/20

"Stay at home advice" is so important to everyone to beat the Coronavirus.  A number of states have enacted this advice, and have told all business' but "essential business'" to close until April.  Moving and Relocation support services have been deemed "essential business'" and therefore most companies in this industry remain open to assist our moving and relocating clients and customers. Consumers Relocation, our Van Line partners, and most of their local agents are open for the time being.  All of us are following all the CDC guidelines, and staffing in our offices only essential employees who can not work remotely.

At Consumers Relocation, we are supporting our employees, and have all discussed and agreed on what essential employees should continue to work in the office, and which employees should work remotely.  We have taken measures to keep as few employees in the office as possible to reinforce social distancing and have others working remotely.

We will keep you updated as things develop.

Update Covid-19 and CRS operations

These are unprecedented times and changes are coming quickly.  Consumers Relocation takes this Coronavirus outbreak very seriously, and yet we understand our customers needs to continue with their plans to move and relocate.  We remain open while taking serious steps to protect our customer's and our employee's health.  Our commitment to our customers continues and we are taking all the steps necessary to march on in that regard.

We have as many of our staff working remotely as possible at this time and  have increased the space between those who need to occupy the office on as limited a basis as possible.  We are taking all recommended steps within our office building, a dedicated building only to Consumers Relocation, to distance employees and keep our work space clean and virus free.  Our business operates entirely on the phone and electronically so visitors and customers do not come in physical contact with our employees.  

All of our Van Line partners have made arrangements as well to either work off site or follow strict CDC guidelines.  Their crews and drivers have specific instructions on how to carry out their jobs in customers' homes following strict guidelines to prevent the spread of the virus.  We are including, with every new initiated order to our partners, suggested guidelines for cleanliness, reducing the number of people in a customer's home to a minimum, non use of any facilities in the customer's home, and use of sanitizer frequently.  We also are encouraging video surveys rather than in home surveys of  household goods eliminating the need for a surveyor to enter the home to provide an estimate.  

We hope that all of our clients, customers, employees and van line partners stay safe during this uncertain time.   We will keep everyone updated on any changes through our web page and access to our blog from our web page.  

Thank you for your trust in us.   Our relationships with our clients, customers and van line partners are vitally important to us and your safety is paramount .

Les Velte

Consumers Relocation Services

Special instructions to Drivers, crews and salesmen of our van line partners

Special instructions during the  COVID-19 (Coronavirus) outbreak

During this difficult time, we are asking our van line partners on every referral we sent out and every booking notification to take these simple but special measures when serving our customers. 

Instructions to our Van Line Partners moving household goods necessitates some contact between drivers, customers and crews. This is unavoidable. Here are some suggestions: Providing staff, crews and drivers with plenty of hand sanitizer to be used regularly in between hand washing Minimizing the presence of crews in customers’ homes when individuals are not specifically working Whenever possible, minimizing the use of restrooms inside customers’ homes Using hand sanitizer in front of customers so they understand we are taking everyone’s health and safety seriously Encourage video surveys for estimates when practical.

Remote Work enables employees to move to more affordable locations

In a recent study by Redfin, working remotely provides employees an opportunity to move to locations they want to live in or to more affordable ones. 

March 2, 2020 - By Lily Katz

For 25% of Americans, telecommuting increases after a move.

With unemployment at the lowest level in decades and wages stagnant, the chance to telecommute is allowing U.S. workers to move to more affordable areas, while maintaining their salaries. Of those who do move to a new metro area, 1 in 4 work remotely more frequently after relocating, according to a new survey conducted by Redfin.
“The job market is very tight and employers want to hold on to people, so companies are much more willing now to allow workers to move,” said Redfin chief economist Daryl Fairweather. “Plus, technology has enabled employers to let staff work remotely in a cost-efficient and productive manner.”
Of all eligible survey respondents, more than half (51.1%) work remotely sometimes or always after their move, compared with just 44% who worked remotely before the move.

One way employers may be battling salary increases and supporting retention is by offering employees the ability to work remotely instead of higher wages, Fairweather said. For employees, the chance to work remotely allows them to move to a more affordable place while maintaining their salary.
Survey respondents listed varying reasons for packing up their lives. The most common primary justification was more affordable housing (25.7%). In second place came proximity to family/partners (21.2%), followed by retirement (17.9%).

While only a quarter of participants move for affordability, almost 60% said their ability to afford non-housing expenses and leisure activities improved after their relocation.
About 1 in 7 respondents said they wouldn’t have been able to move without the ability to work remotely. Of people who moved specifically for affordability reasons, a slightly higher share said they couldn’t have relocated without remote work, indicating that remote work has enabled workers to move to areas with more affordable homes.
The most common metros respondents migrated away from for affordability reasons were the Bay Area, Los Angeles, and Seattle, while the most popular metros people moved to for affordability were Phoenix, Sacramento, CA and Portland, OR.
In the fourth quarter of 2019, 26% of Redfin.com home searchers looked to move to another metro area, up from 25% during the same period of the prior year, according to a Redfin report from February. That tied the all-time high for the national share of home-searchers looking to relocate that was set in the third quarter of 2019. Phoenix, Sacramento and Las Vegas saw the highest net inflows.
Among the survey respondents, younger people saw a greater increase in remote work after relocating than older people. Of participants 38 and younger, 55.5% worked remotely sometimes or always after moving, up from 46.9% before moving. Of participants 39 and older, 49.2% worked remotely sometimes or always after moving, compared with 42.7% before moving.

Methodology

Redfin conducted a survey in December 2019 of 272 U.S. residents who indicated that they either moved to a new metro area within the past year or have plans to do so within the next year. All respondents were asked about why they moved, where they moved to and from and how remote work played into their relocation. About 75% of people surveyed resided in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Seattle or Boston.
For more information about the survey and its findings, contact press@redfin.com.

Assist Employees Moving Household Goods with Lump Sum Reimbursement Program (reprint)

Don’t let your relocating employees go it alone

In recent years many corporate transferees have been asked to take on a more active role in managing their own relocations. This trend developed with many new emerging companies that had not relocated people in the past and with larger more established companies whose relocation costs were steadily climbing; looking for ways to reduce this trend. At Consumers Relocation we see a tremendous number of people coming to us for assistance in their moves since their companies are asking them to manage many of the pieces of this process themselves.

Lump Sum Allowances Emerge
One of the largest trends has been the emergence of lump sum allowances for many of the typical relocation costs. Lump sum programs group a number of expense categories typical to relocation into on dollar allowance which the company will provide to the transferee. Househunting trips, temporary living expenses, miscellaneous expenses, final move expenses and shipment of household goods are the most typical expenses reimbursed under Lump sum programs. The most expensive of these categories is the actual shipment of household goods, and is probably the category where a transferee can save a considerable amount of money if done properly.

The attractiveness of lump sum programs to companies is the reduced administrative work in processing expense reports and audits. This reduced time allows human resource administrators more time to work with the relocating family in assisting them with school selection and other special needs. The HR administrator has more time to counsel transferees on current policy issues and to do other projects unrelated to relocation as well. Particularly for small and mid sized companies with understaffed HR departments, this program can provide that extra person that is needed.

Lump sum programs also provide more fiscal responsibility for relocation expenses on the part of the transferee. Transferees will take more time to spend their money wisely understanding that there is not an unlimited amount of dollars for their relocation. It allows them to spend more money on the activities that are the most important to them.

Lump sum programs reduce the costs of relocation in many cases; placing an absolute ceiling on relocation dollars. Lump sums will eliminate or drastically reduce the number of exceptions since the transferee has the latitude to spend dollars in activities that they formerly would have asked for as an exception.

Streamlined budgeting is a product of lump sum allowances. Programs eliminate the need for administrators to budget for each activity involved in the relocation process and make judgments on the overall program and apply factors to overall costs of relocation.

Many companies report improved employee satisfaction when lump sum programs are implemented. When companies disclose the details of the lump sum calculation, employees are less likely to challenge the costs of relocation. Generally the small percentage of employees that are not satisfied are thought to have been dissatisfied with the relocation process in general anyway.

Portions of Lump Sum Programs Need Active Management

Just as the corporate travel department arranging for airfares and hotels for the house hunting trip saves the transferee money and potential headaches, the shipment of their household goods can create pitfalls that are preventable through active management by experts. The transportation business in general, whether it be travel or shipping of household goods has its mysteries and obstacles that only knowledgeable experts can effectively navigate through. Pricing, timing, seasonality, delays, and a host of other variables are controllable and manageable by companies that specialize in these areas and the transferee should be offered their assistance in order to save money, time and improved satisfaction. Volume pricing may also be taken advantage in these areas as well; freeing up lump sum dollars to be spent in other categories.

When dealing with the shipment of household goods for interstate (state to state) moves, a variety of factors must be controlled because of the makeup of the business. In general the household goods industry can be considered regulated to a certain extent, however subject to market conditions in pricing, and also subject to local organizations for pricing and performance.

The household goods shipping industry is made up of large van lines that are essentially banking and dispatch organizations. Within each van line, are local agents that are for the most part independently owned and operated, and adhere to the guidelines of the overall van line for interstate shipments only. They operate under their own name and guidelines for local and intrastate (within the state) moves.

For interstate shipments, the local agent and their employees are responsible for the estimating of the cost of the move as well as the origin services such as packing, crating and other services that might be provided at origin. If a transferee is managing the move themselves, they must be careful in choosing this local agent and the van lines involved since the performance of local agents within the same van line may vary dramatically both in pricing accuracy and local services provided.

Most van lines have a variety of pricing plans available to their local agents. The type of pricing plan whether it be actual weight and services, guaranteed to not exceed, or fixed guarantee have applications in differing circumstances related to the move. The choice of plan must be done with much forethought in order to avoid a pricing plan that is counterproductive to the individual transferee’s move.

Van lines have several types of valuation coverage available to transferees and its important for them to understand these fully if they are managing their own move. Replacement valuation coverage may be purchased by an individual transferee with a variety of deductibles and can be expensive, but is necessary. Other valuation plans are available that look more attractive due to price, such a depreciated value plans, but will not adequately cover the damage of household goods in many cases. The industry standard, of sixty cents a pound, is offered at no charge to an individual transferee moving, but again is not adequate to cover significant damage. Move management companies like Consumers Relocation will offer the premium coverage, replacement valuation with no deductible, at no charge to either the transferee, or the client corporation.

Individual transferees managing their own move may become confused in the event of problems in the move or in the claims process if damage is experienced or if the shipment is delayed. Often times the person they dealt with at origin, the sales person, is not the person they will work with in the event of problems or claims. This confusion can cost the transferee many dollars in productivity and lost opportunity to recoup their loss. Experienced Move Managers are dealing with high volumes of moves with the van lines and have set up their own protocol of contacts to take care of the problems. Often times “gray area” problems can arise that an individual moving will not be able to sway in their direction. Move Managers, due to their volume of business, can equitably resolve ”gray area’” issues.

Companies that only work with a handful of transfers a year, may not be entirely familiar with the tariffs and pricing used in moving. These tariffs change periodically and some van lines file their own versions; complicating audits even further. Move Managers offer audit assistance with it be directly for your transferees or for the company. Mistakes can be made and sometimes the translation of promises made by the origin agent are not clearly communicated to the van line billing department. A Move Manager, involved in both the origin pricing and the final billing will quickly clear these kinds of issues up.

Companies offering lump sum reimbursements should encourage their transferees to obtain two to three estimates for their moves. Physical estimates are a must and phone estimates should be discouraged. Physical estimates create more accountability regarding pricing and the physical location of the home. When a mover actually sees what is being moved they can make a more accurate judgment as far as the weight of the shipment, packing services needed, crating needed, as well as the ability of the moving van to park close to the home; negating the need for the extra charge for a shuttle truck. An “apples to apples” comparison of the estimates can then be performed. A Move Manager can effectively order three estimates from reliable movers, and provide the comparisons, and resolving any unusual variances in weight, or services. The end result is the transferee can make an educated selection of mover with all the facts. Three estimates will also enable the transferee to have a better choice of load and delivery dates during busy time periods. One mover may not be able to accommodate the transferee’s dates, where one out of three will most likely be able accommodate the transferee.

Clearly, in certain relocation activities it is better for the transferee and the company to offer some managed benefits for relocation. Shipping household goods, real estate related activities and travel are the ones where the company and transferee benefit from working with reliable experts in these fields. Managing these activities will avoid the many dollar and service pitfalls a transferee may fall into.

Consumers Relocation Services manages household goods shipments for thousands of families each year. Volume discounts, special valuation coverage and personalized expert counseling one on one with each transferee is standard in the program. Consumers Relocation can save the company and transferee time and money on every move. Companies, large associations and real estate companies have been relying on Consumers Relocation since 1993 to deliver household goods move management services through out the United States and internationally as well.

Pet Relocation- Great helpful tips

Here is an interesting article on relocating pets.  Although this author is located in India, the same basics steps apply anywhere.  Read and enjoy.

 
Things to keep in mind while relocating pets
New Delhi, Feb 10 (IANSlife) Relocating with pets has always been a nitty-gritty moment for the masters, so just think how anxious it could make your pets. They easily get irritated when we make any changes in their habitat or their living environment. Such problems don''t come with a magical solution. Aakanksha Bhargava, CEO of PMR, underlines few tips that could make your beloved companion''s experience a bit calmer and enjoyable.
Closely research the pet import laws in the place that you''re relocating
First things first, get all the paperwork done before moving to the desired location. Basically paperwork is needed only when you are planning to cross state lines or planning for air travel, only then you have to keep your papers in order. In case if you are moving a few blocks away there is no need for paperwork.
Talk to your vet
Before shifting, you should talk with your veterinary doctor over the issue, and seek their guidance. You should visit the veterinarian to get all the important vaccinations, medications and records updated before leaving for the new place. It is also essential to find out if your pet needs to be tranquillised. If yes, then would it be safe for your pet or not.
Once you have reached your destination, find a vet who can visit your place at regular intervals. Just like humans they also need to be taken care of.
Work with a pet relocation service company
If you are worrying a bit about your pet relocation, you should immediately consult with a pet relocation agency. Their mentorship can help you in this difficult moment. They will offer you the state of the art services, which can resolve your issues up to some extent. Such agencies will provide you every support you have needed, the only thing you have to assure them, is you obey all of your destination''s pet import rules.
Start getting your pet early in their kennels as early as possible (customized kennels for the pet)
Relocating a pet by keeping him inside a kennel is one of the safest and secure methods. Pet kennels provide a lot of benefits to the pets irrespective of their mode of travel. That''s why it''s been suggested to acquaint your pet with the kennel before relocations. Higher the association of pet with the kennel, lower will be the trouble during relocation. A professional pet moving company not only help one with moving their pets along but also takes care of the basic yet crucial details such as tranquilising details which are a must and should be affixed to the container. One can find essential details, such as time at which tranquiliser was given, type of sedation, dosage and estimated durations for tranquilising.
Apart from this, proper feeding and watering requirements should be kept along with kennel. All the necessary feeding instructions should be affixed to the container along with the supplies at the outer top side of the container.
Why should we use a kennel?
• Reduces travel anxiety.
• Prevents injuries to the pets.
• Maintains the supply of food and water.
• Prevents any kind of littering inside the vehicle premises.
Get all your documents in order
Make sure that you have all the sets of required documents. The set of required documents will be of rabies vaccines and other vaccinations documents, a letter from your vet allowing the pet to travel, certificates satisfying the pet norms of the desired place is crucial. It is also essential to keep in mind that sufficient information and arrangements regarding quarantine and delivery are also mentioned. Also whether or not the pet is accompanied with an attendant and whether or not the "Live Animal" Label has been correctly identified and attached with the pet''s document & kennel.
Know where your pet will be on running day
Make sure you microchip all of your animals during your last vet visit if they aren''t already chipped. Have all ID tags, collars and leashes accessible on the move-out day to put on your pet on surveillance mode. Keep their food, toys and beds available so you can set them up easily once you get to the new house. Along with checking for anything in the house that you left behind, make sure you count heads before you leave, including kids and pets.
After moving day, don''t let pets roam around the neighbourhood until they are acclimated
Ease your pet into the new house by familiarizing it a little bit. Place their common items in the places they''re used to - bowls, litter boxes, scratching posts. For example, if their bowls were in the old place in the kitchen, keep the bowls in the kitchen in the new place. When their litter box is inside the toilet, put it in the new place in the kitchen. Also, don''t let your pet to roam in the surrounding until they get familiar to everyone.
(Puja Gupta can be contacted at puja.g@ians.in)
--IANS
pg/adr/

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Disclaimer :- This story has not been edited by Outlook staff and is auto-generated from news agency feeds. Source: IANS

Moving Facts Booklet Flip Version hot off the press

Here is a great resource that we have sent out to our customers for many years.  This booklet provides great information moving and the questions that come up during the move.  Please take a look at our new online version!


Moving Facts Booklet

New hire relocation benefits to attract workers and health care professionals

Reprint from Lincoln Journal Star

•  

Manufacturers increase perks to get new hires to move

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Manufacturers increase perks to get new hires to move

• AUSTEN HUFFORD Bangkok Post
• Jan 19, 2020

Rodney Wilson, an assembly specialist at Columbus Hydraulics Company, works inside the facility in March. The Columbus-based company is starting to offer relocation assistance to hourly employees to help fill jobs in a tight labor market.
Columbus Telegram file photo

Manufacturers, including some in Nebraska, are paying relocation costs and bonuses to move new hires across the country at a time of record-low unemployment and intense competition for skilled workers.

Half a million U.S. factory jobs are unfilled, the most in nearly two decades, and the unemployment rate is hovering at a 50-year low, the Labor Department said earlier this month. At the same time, Americans are moving around the country at the lowest rate in at least 70 years.

To entice workers to move, manufacturers are raising wages, offering signing bonuses and covering relocation costs, including for some hourly positions. They are betting that spending on higher wages and moving incentives will help them find workers to fill their backlogs of orders.

Rather than just extending these benefits as part of job offers, factories are also advertising them in postings to encourage farther-away candidates to apply. On ZipRecruiter Inc.'s job-listing site, 1.6% of manufacturing positions include a pledge to pay moving costs, up from 1% in 2017.

"We've had to get very aggressive with talent acquisition," said Michael Winn, chief executive of Columbus Hydraulics Co., which makes parts for Doosan Bobcat Inc. and The Toro Co. "We are having to draw people in from distant places."

The company since 2018 has made extra cash payments to new hires to move near its factory in Columbus, Nebraska. Charlie Shoup received $2,000 to move from Salt Lake City to near Columbus, where he runs the company's technology systems.

"It pretty much gave me enough cash to pay for gas out here, get myself established with a solid place to live in a not-backwater part of Omaha, and then I got a couple of shirts with collars on them," he said.

Shoup, who has a degree in computer engineering, said that at Columbus he makes more than double the $13 an hour he made in Utah at an electric bicycle shop.

Manufacturers say they are particularly eager to add moving reimbursements and payments for specialists such as welders, engineers and machine programmers. More manufacturing jobs require such skills as production becomes more automated.

At Caterpillar Inc.'s engine plant in Lafayette, Indiana, the company said electricians and machine maintenance staff are eligible for $5,000 in moving expenses if they lived at least 75 miles from the plant before being hired.

Lockheed Martin Corp. has moved skilled workers such as engineers to plants in Texas and California and highlights jobs that offer relocation benefits on its website. Raytheon Co. is offering up to $5,000 in moving benefits for a $17 hourly position as a machine operator at a factory in Arizona.

The relocation payments and other perks some manufacturers have added recently coincide with a run of difficulties for the industry overall. The U.S. factory sector contracted for the fifth consecutive month in December, according to the Institute for Supply Management. The industry shed 12,000 jobs in December from the month before, the Labor Department said.

That weakness stems in part from lower global trade and domestic energy production as well as Boeing Co.'s decision to first slow, then halt, production of its 737 MAX. Other manufacturers say business is strong and that a shortage of skilled workers is impeding higher production.

New Way Trucks is offering a $1,000 payment to workers who move near its plant in Scranton, Iowa, as it adds dozens of positions to close its backlog and decrease turnaround times.

Companies are also raising wages. Wage growth at U.S. manufacturers reached its highest level since 2016 in December, rising 3% that month from a year earlier. The inflation rate in November was 2.1%.

G.H. Tool & Mold, an auto-industry supplier owned by Tooling Tech Group LLC, increased its starting wage to around $18 an hour last year from $15 a few years ago. The company also has paid moving expenses for workers relocating near its factory in Washington, Missouri. Julie Scannell, the company's head of human resources, posts notices on a Facebook group called "Leaving Illinois" to draw workers from that depopulating state.

"We are in an era right now that is unlike anything I've seen in 25 years as far as trying to recruit people," Scannell said. "We are having to really track them down a little bit and schmooze them more than we used to."

Lockmaker Allegion PLC flew the families of some skilled machine operators to its factory in Colorado Springs, to entice them to move to the area after it purchased some specialized equipment. The company also has started grooming employees at an Illinois plant to perform sophisticated jobs such as programming computerized machines.

"The war on talent: It's there. It's real," said Brad Kendall, a human-resources executive at Allegion.

Other companies have added smaller sweeteners for new workers, according to current online job postings. John Zink, a Koch Industries Inc. manufacturing company in Tulsa, gives out free steel-toed boots; a Globus Medical Inc. plant in Audubon, Pennsylvania, provides workers with YMCA memberships; Whirlpool Corp. is paying workers at a factory in Findlay, Ohio, a $250 six-month retention bonus.

"Employers are getting creative," said Julia Pollak, ZipRecruiter's labor economist.