Related articles:

No paychecks, but assistance promised for First Magnus workers Judge approves payments to remaining First Magnus employees THE LATEST: First Magnus revises assistance offerMortgage workers can't get to 401(k)sThe double life of First MagnusMagnus workers to get job helpFirst Magnus cuts 99% of its national workforceFirst Magnus: The story so far Nearly all First Magnus employees gone nationwide First Magnus: The story so far

Other articles by Christie Smythe:

Comic-book 'Oscar' goes to …SE AZ builders hit snag Secrets of Sahuarita's success Christie Smythe: Foreclosure-data Web sites becoming big businessVP leaving a successful Rancho SahuaritaNo massage without a license, state saysBuilder Sierra Pacific in Chapter 11Tucson homebuilder files for bankruptcy todayState puts limits on mall massages in Tucson areaInvestor sells local apartment complexes

General
Grocery/Market Mgr-Cafe/Restaurant Mgr Production and Manufacturing
Pioneer Landscaping
Crushing Crew Trades/Construction
Pioneer Landscaping
Yard Person/Loader Operator Driver/Transportation
RENZENBERGER
ROAD AND YARD VAN DRIVERS Mechanical
Pioneer Landscaping
Diesel Fleet Mechanic Trades/Construction
arizona portland cement
maintenance electrician Trades/Construction
Wentz and Patrick Construction
Carpenters & Helpers

The $2,000 gift checks promised to former Southern Arizona employees of First Magnus Financial Corp. should arrive in coming days, said company spokesman Gary Baraff.

Baraff said about half of a total of 565 checks had been mailed by about 4 p.m. Wednesday, and the rest were expected to be in the mail before 8 p.m.

The checks are being paid from the personal funds of company shareholders and executives to help Southern Arizona employees who lost their jobs when the company abruptly stopped doing business last week.

The mortgage lender filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Tuesday with an intent to liquidate itself rather than reorganize and continue operating, as in most Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases.

The company has yet to issue final paychecks to its more than 5,000 workers nationwide who lost their jobs. The payment of those wages will now have to be sorted out through bankruptcy proceedings, which could take months.

Only Southern Arizona employees will receive the gift checks, which will be paid in addition to their regular checks.

The number of checks mailed is lower than the company's initial estimates of jobs lost in the region, which ranged from about 650 to 700.

However, Baraff said the number of checks equals the exact number of employees terminated in Southern Arizona.

At least two job fairs will be held within the next week to help former First Magnus employees find new jobs.

● A job fair co-sponsored by Stewart Title and local industry associations will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday at the Sheraton Tucson Hotel, 5151 E. Grant Road. Organizer Wendy Whitehead said about 50 companies have signed on to participate, including mortgage lenders and brokers, insurance and health-care firms, an automotive dealership and temporary-staffing agencies.

● A job fair hosted by First Magnus for its own former employees will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday at The Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa, 3800 E. Sunrise Drive. So far, about 20 firms have agreed to come to the fair, said organizer Olivia Sethi. Those include financial institutions, the University of Arizona and the Oro Valley Police Department.

● Pima County's One-Stop Career Center has also set up a phone hot line for former First Magnus employees at 243-6677 for information about unemployment benefits and other job-related help.