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Notification Act (WARN)
Planning the Rapid Response Meeting
- Worker Transition Committee
- Employee Information Meeting
- Labor-Management Committee
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Worker Transition Committee
 Composition of a Worker Transition Committee (WTC):
It is recommended that a Worker Transition Committee consist
of three to five representatives, each from the workers and
the company. Representatives from state agencies and service
organizations should be involved with the committee, but
serve only as ex-officio members.
Structure of the WTC Committee: The
structure for the committee is to be determined by the
selected members, with the election of co-chairs (one from
labor and one from management) or the selection of a neutral
person to chair the meetings and direct the agenda. Duties
of the chair person(s) include:
1. Presiding over committee meetings, including establishing
committee structure;
2. Representing the WTC at various community functions;
3. Ensuring required reports/minutes of meetings and
financial reports of the committee are completed and
accurate;
4. Ensuring that committee agenda includes only items that
enhance the reemployment of the impacted workforce, and
initiatives are coordinated with appropriate state and local
entities; and
5. Preparing a detailed final report of the committee’s
activities.
Duties of the WTC Committee may include, but are not
limited to:
1. Coordinating and participating in an information workshop
for workers and their families;
2. Assisting with the completion of a worker survey and
participating in the design of a service strategy based upon
the survey’s results;
3. Maintaining and updating a comprehensive list of all
laid-off workers that indicates each person’s status;
4. Enhancing job placement activities by utilizing the
company’s business and worker networks;
5. Providing workers with a listing of employment and
training services and community resources;
6. Conducting a job fair;
7. Opening an Outplacement Center; and
8. Providing news releases and employee letters that
describe current status of workers and service options.
The activities of the committee should be coordinated
closely with local and state initiatives assisting the
impacted employer and employees.
Funding of the WTC Committee: Ordinarily,
the company and local contributions fund the cost of the WTC
Committee. At the discretion of the State Dislocated Worker
Unit, if funds are available, the State may provide
financial assistance to help with the establishment and
operation of a WTC. The amount of the state financial
assistance must be matched, at a minimum, on a dollar for
dollar basis. To receive such funds, the WTC must develop an
initial plan of activities, including a budget, and submit
it to the State Dislocated Worker Unit. Any state funds made
available to the WTC may only be used to cover the initial
start-up and operating costs of the committee for a maximum
of the first six months.
Allowable costs are limited to:
1. The wages, excluding overtime, of the representatives of
the company and the workers for the time actually engaged in
the business of the committee as certified by the
chairperson(s);
2. Necessary disbursements for travel, office supplies,
clerical support, preparing and printing reports and other
similar expenses as approved by the committee;
3. The wages of the chairperson(s) of the committee if that
individual is not serving as a volunteer;
4. Costs such as consulting or research fees, salaries and
services expenses incurred for the benefit of the workers at
the plant on behalf of and approved by the committee;
5. Other administrative costs determined appropriate by the
committee and approved by the chair(s) for the benefit of
the impacted workers and family members.
Employee Information
Meeting
Officials of the affected businesses are encouraged to allow
onsite services, and when they do, the companies often
experience an immediate reduction in absenteeism, an
increase in productivity and improvement in employee morale,
reports IWD.
The purpose of the Employee Information Meeting(s) is to:
1. Provide information regarding the services and activities
available through Iowa Workforce Development Center and its
partners;
2. Describe resources available to assist workers in coping
with the dislocation;
3. Obtain information from the impacted workers with the
intent of developing an appropriate plan of action to assist
workers through the transition process;
4. Promote and describe the process to form a Worker
Transition Committee;
5. Identify the need for, and arrange for, any subsequent
meetings.At the Employee Information Meeting
1. State Dislocated Worker Unit staff assists with
scheduling Employee Information Meeting(s).
2. All appropriate and relevant service-providing agencies
are invited to participate in the meetings and briefly
explain their services.
3. State Dislocated Worker Unit staff and local WIA staff
formulate an appropriate worker survey.
4. The local WIA
provider is the lead agency for these meetings, although in
certain instances the State Dislocated Worker Unit staff
will facilitate these meetings. These meetings are scheduled
at the workers’ convenience. There are often several
meetings held at various hours of the day and at least 1.5
hours should be allocated for each meeting. Worker surveys
are distributed and a method of collection is determined.
5. Worker surveys are analyzed.
Labor –Management
Committee
When a state’s Dislocated Worker Unit learns of an upcoming
closing or mass layoff, and the company’s workforce includes
organized labor, the state’s Rapid Response Coordinator will
contact the affected union(s), as well as the employer, to
offer assistance. The LMC,
made up of workers and management, will then take charge of
coordinating the services that are available to workers who
are about to lose their jobs.
An LMC has an equal number of labor and management
representatives and usually a neutral chairperson. The
Committee can:
1. Develop strategies to meet the needs of laid-off workers.
2. Consider layoff aversion strategies, if still feasible.
3. Furnish early-intervention services, such as informing
workers about their option for reemployment assistance.
4. Provide additional services such as peer support, job
fairs, job search workshops and job clubs.
5. Identify organizations and businesses to provide
outplacement services and training.
6. Help workers to network with each other on potential job
openings as well as to share their success stories and boost
morale.
(Source: Working America Institute –
www.workingamerica.org)
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