In our increasingly globalized and highly competitive economy, businesses are hardly ever stable. Companies are constantly growing or shrinking, or are facing barriers that keep them from growing. One of the biggest challenges companies must face is having a workforce that is skilled enough to allow them to innovate and compete, and ultimately grow and prosper, in this economy.

Capital Area Workforce Development Board offers many resources that can assist your company, regardless of where your company is in the business cycle. One such resource is called Rapid Response. Rapid Response is a pro-active, business-focused, and flexible strategy designed for two major purposes. First, to help growing companies access an available pool of skilled workers from other companies that are downsizing or who have been trained in the skills your company needs to be competitive. Second, to respond to layoffs and plant closings by quickly coordinating services and providing immediate aid to companies and their affected workers.

What is "Rapid Response"?
"Rapid response" is the initial meeting with employers to share information on available transition services for workers that have lost their jobs as a result of a layoff or facility closure. Rapid response activities are authorized and funded under the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA). The responsibility for rapid response rests with the North Carolina Department of Commerce, Division of Workforce Development, which establishes the rapid response team.

The rapid response team is responsible for providing early intervention assistance for any worker being dislocated by mass layoffs or closures within the state, regardless of the reason for the dislocation. The assistance is a collaborative effort involving representatives of many organizations including local Workforce Development Boards, the Employment Security Commission/JobLink, Community Colleges, economic development and social services.

When is Rapid Response Contact Made?
The Department of Commerce's Rapid Response Team initiates contact with an employer as soon as it receives a notice of any substantial layoff or plant closure as required by the Worker Adjustment Retraining Notification (WARN) Act, or when the State becomes aware of such events through other sources.

Rapid response services are provided to workers regardless of the reason for dislocation, e.g., Trade, NAFTA-TAA; downsizing/restructuring; Federal action impacting defense, timber or fishing industries, natural disaster, plant relocation, bankruptcy, etc.

Rapid Response Activities Include

• Establishing contact with the employer within a short period of time (preferably 48 hours or less) after notice/information received, to provide information on and facilitate access to all available public programs and services.

• Core services to dislocated workers including job search and placement assistance, career counseling, labor market information and assessment of skills and needs. Intensive services are available to those dislocated workers unable to find jobs through core services alone. Intensive and training services may include development of individual employment plans, occupational skills training, on-the-job training, skill upgrading, entrepreneurial training and job readiness training. The WIA also authorized the provision of supportive services (e.g. transportation) and the provision of temporary income support to enable participants to remain in training.

• Developing a plan to access funds and services for worker assistance (as eligibility permits), including TAA and NAFTA-TAA entitlements (if workers are Trade-certified), Pell grants and WIA funds to initiate /supplement or to provide necessary services for eligible dislocated workers.

Benefit to Employers
Providing Rapid Response services to your workers during layoffs or plant closings will result in multiple benefits to you as an employer. The more quickly the Rapid Response strategy is implemented, the better off your company and workers will be.  Providing Rapid Response to your workers will help assure:

• Higher productivity and worker morale and lower absenteeism during layoff event due to reduced stress.

• Lower unemployment insurance costs as workers are re-employed more quickly when services are begun prior to layoff

• Decreased likelihood of sabotage or work disruptions

• Media and rumor management. Rapid Response teams understand the often confidential nature of layoffs, and will work with the company to ensure confidentiality at all times

• Better public relations for an employer. Rapid Response teams can also work with the media to highlight services an employer is providing to its workers during a layoff period, which will improve a company's public image

Rapid Response teams can also provide information to companies with regard to any state or federal requirements or laws for notification, including the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act.

Benefits to Your Workers
The decision to lay off employees is one no employer wants to make. However, as layoffs do occur, inviting Rapid Response teams to meet with affected workers prior to the layoff will allow your employees to access services and programs that will help them through this difficult time. Rapid Response teams can provide your employees with information and services, including:

• Career counseling and job search assistance

• Resume preparation and interviewing skills workshops

• Information on the local labor market

• Unemployment insurance

• Information about Education and training opportunities

• Information on Health benefits and pensions

• And much more!

Capital Area WDB services available include use of computers, telephones, and fax machines for job searches; financial planning and stress management workshops; financial support for training; income support if jobs were lost due to foreign trade; and special services for veterans and adults with disabilities.

Additionally, Rapid Response on-site meetings will introduce your workers to representatives of many other programs that can help them through this transition. Perhaps the most important of these partners is the Capital Area JobLink Career Center system, designed to bring together many separate partners to seamlessly provide an array of services, from resume preparation to job search to placement to supportive services, to anyone who wishes to have access to these services.

Meeting Government Reporting Requirements
Under certain conditions, the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act requires employers to give their workers 60 days notice before a plant closing or mass layoff. All employers are encouraged to provide notice to the North Carolina Division of  Workforce Development  as quickly as possible. If you are an employer facing the prospect of a layoff, contact: Steve Gold, 800-562-6333 or local 919-329-5237, or write NC Dept. of Commerce, Division of Workforce Development, Attn: Rapid Response, 4316 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-4316 immediately to find out more information on notice requirements.

Rights and Responsibilities under Employment Laws and Regulations
Elaws Advisors help you understand your rights and responsibilities under the employment laws and regulations, such as the WARN Act, administered by the Department of Labor (DOL). Each Advisor imitates the interaction you might have with an employment law expert. The Advisors ask questions and provide answers based on your responses.

Rapid Response Contact Information

Steve Gold, 800-562-6333 or local 919-329-5237
NC Department of Commerce
Division of Workforce Development
Attn:  Rapid Response
4316 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-4316

Capital Area Workforce Development Board
Rapid Response Contact Information:
Alfreda Barnett, (919) 856-2716
300 S. Salisbury Street, Suite 400
Raleigh, NC 27601