Rapid Response: Layoffs and Closures

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​In our increasingly globalized and competitive economy, businesses are in a constant state of change – challenged with building and maintaining a skilled workforce to help them innovate, compete, grow and prosper. 

Rapid Response is a proactive, business-focused and flexible strategy designed to: 

• Help growing companies access the resources they need for continued success, including helping them meet existing and future talent needs. 
• Assist in responding to announcements of layoffs and plant closings by quickly coordinating services and providing immediate aid to companies and their affected workers – facilitating rapid re-employment and minimizing negative impacts. 

Rapid Response teams will work closely with your company and any employee representative(s) to quickly leverage public and private resources to minimize disruptions on your business, your workers, and your community. Rapid Response provides customized services (on-site or virtually), accommodates any work schedules, and assists company leadership and affected workers in transitioning from job losses. 

​If you are looking to access skilled workers, need help managing a layoff or plant closing, or just want to learn more about the solutions we provide, contact Kentucky’s Rapid Response team. 

​Benefits to Your Company 

Working ​​with Rapid Response during layoffs or plant closings benefits your business in many ways. But remember, to achieve the best possible outcome for both your business and employees, it’s important to act quickly. 

​Rapid Response can also provide information concerning any state or federal requirements or laws for notification, including the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act.​

​​Developing a relationship with your Rapid Response team can also benefit you during hiring phases, giving you access to skilled workers looking for employment in your area. 

​Benefits to Your Workers 

No employer wants to lay off workers. But inviting Local Workforce Development Area teams to meet with affected workers before a layoff occurs gives them access to services and programs that can help them rejoin the workforce. These ​include: 

• ​Career counseling and job search assistance 
• Resume preparation and interviewing skills workshops 
  
• Information on the local labor market ​
  
• Unemployment Insurance in​formation about education and training opportunities 

Local services may include the use of computers, telephones, and fax machines for job searches; financial planning and stress management ​workshops; financial support for training; income support for jobs lost ​due to foreign trade; and special services for Veterans​ and individuals with disabilities.

Additionally, Rapid Response on-site meetings will introduce your workers to other programs that can guide them through this transition, including the Kentucky Career Center, which offers services tailored to the workforce needs of local employers. 

Trade-Related Layoffs and Plant Closings 

The federal government provides additional resources to workers whose jobs are lost due to foreign trade or shifts in production out of the United States. The Rapid Response team works with your company to provide information on Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) and the benefits you can receive if your company is certified as trade-affected. Your company, the Local Workforce Development Area teams, or the workers themselves can file a trade petition with the U.S Department of Labor.  TAA and its benefits are provided at no cost and allow your workers access to a wider array of services. Ask your Rapid Response contact for more information on TAA and the petition process or email the KY Trade Team at Tradeprogram@ky.gov​. 

​Additional Rapid Response Services 

In addition to the benefits described above, the Rapid Response team can help provide you with important information and other services. Ask your Rapid Response team for information on: 

​Avoiding Layoffs​

In Kentucky, Layoff Aversion may offer incumbent worker training programs to help upgrade your workers' skills and many other services that may help prevent or minimize layoffs, or even help your company grow. 

The Kentucky Work Share Program​ helps businesses avoid layoffs during a financial downturn by temporarily using unemployment benefits to supplement pay for employees whose hours have been reduced from between 10% to 40%.​

Overview & Fact Sheets​​

• ​Kentucky​ Work Share Overview
  

• ​Kentucky​ Work Share Employer Fact Sheet​
  

• ​Kentucky​ Work Share Employer Fact Sheet
  

• Requirements u​nder certain conditions, the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act​ ​helps ensure advance notice in case of qualified plant closings and mass layoffs.  
• The U.S. Department of Labor ​​has compliance assistance materials to help workers and employers understand their rights and responsibilities under the provisions of WARN. 
  
• All businesses are encouraged to provide notice to the Kentucky Career Center as early as possible.  
  
• Contact the Kentucky Career Center for more information on notice requirements in your area.  E-mail workforce@ky.gov​.

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