Helping Dislocated Workers

Unfortunately, some organizations may face difficult times and need to downsize or shutdown.  This is devastating for those who are impacted, not just for the employee but also their family.  Each community has their own resources to help those in need.  These resources vary significantly depending on the location and situation.

What can help is for organizations to provide a support system.  This shows a concern for those being laid off.  This support system starts with a labor-management transition committee.  These committees have proven to be very effective in helping employees make a transition to their next careers.

A worker transition committee is composed of representatives of the employees, management, and community resources. They can identify the distinct needs of those being laid off and the types of available resources that can benefit them and develop a support system for their co-workers and themselves. 

Worker transition committees do not find jobs for laid-off workers but provide skills and information so those being laid off can make informed choices for a smoother and faster transition. They usually focus on six areas that will help most laid off workers:

·       Communications

·       Education/Training

·       Emotional

·       Financial

·       Jobs

·       Transition Center

Within those six areas, laid-off workers and their families can make informed decisions about career change, job search, insurance, financial concerns, and training.

The committee develops plans to meet the needs of the workforce in these areas.

CALMC has trained and facilitated transition committees in a number of private and public sector organizations. In addition, we have worked with many of the local county agencies in Ohio that provide lay-off assistance. Our expertise can help make your transition smoother, ease tensions, and provide assistance to your workers and colleagues when they need it most.