Business digest

REGION

City to receive grant for environmental assessment

YOUNGSTOWN — The city of Youngstown will receive a $296,000 state grant to conduct an environmental assessment of the former Wean United plant on South Phelps Street. The money is part of $797,000 in Clean Ohio Assistance Fund grants announced Monday by the Ohio Department of Development. Locally, the money will be used for soil borings, monitoring wells, an asbestos study and other work to determine what environmental hazards exist in the Wean building.

NATION

Economy taking a toll on workers’ well-being

NEW YORK — A survey of large companies shows the economy is prompting stressed-out workers to call in sick more and seek greater help from employee-assistance programs. Benefits consultant Watson Wyatt says 22 percent of companies responding to an e-mail survey have seen an increase in unplanned absences. Nearly half saw more use of employee-assistance programs, which typically offer counseling or stress-management help. Workers also are using their health benefits more.

Dubai World heavily invested in US hotels

LOS ANGELES — Dubai World borrowed billions of dollars to acquire some of the most high-profile commercial developments in the United States in recent years, and it could be forced to sell them at a loss if the Persian Gulf conglomerate can’t restructure its debts. Dubai World said last week it would seek a six-month delay in paying creditors on nearly $60 billion it owes. The desert emirate racked up the debt during its own real-estate bubble that popped with the global recession.

From Vindicator staff and wire reports