ATTACHMENT I

 

EXPECTED RAPID RESPONSE “BASELINE” ACTIVITIES

 

1.  Timely Contact and Planning

 

a.  Rapid Response is delivered in consultation with Local Workforce Investment Board and One-Stop service providers.

 

b.  On-site contact with the employer

State Rapid Response Dislocated Worker Unit staff initiate on-site contact with airport passenger and baggage screening contractors for each airport based on the information provided by the Department of Labor in a preliminary briefing conference call by the Assistant Secretary with state contacts.

 

Early contact may be initiated by the State Rapid Response staff based on the generally held public knowledge that airport personnel will be subject to potential termination as a result of the Department of Transportation assumption of the responsibility for airport security screening.  Receipt of a WARN notice by the State Dislocated Worker Unit is not required in order for initial contact with the contract employer to occur.

 

          c.  Planning for delivery of Rapid Response services to affected workers

The contact shall be for the purpose of making arrangements for provision of rapid response services to the affected workers.  The layoff date will vary for each airport (see list faxed by Assistant Secretary DeRocco).  Any information regarding the present screening workforce that can be made available by the contractor during this initial planning period will enhance the planning process.  It is especially important to determine if there are affected workers with limited English proficiency for whom translation services will be needed, including translated forms.

 

d.  Involvement of union in planning

Where a union represents the workers, union officials shall be contacted soon after the initial employer contact or in a joint meeting.  Unions may have input and suggestions regarding the design and implementation of services to serve their members.

 

2.      Orientation

A Rapid Response orientation meeting with affected workers should be conducted within 5 working days of the initial employer contact.  In some instances, contract employers may be reluctant to cooperate with Rapid Response staff.  In an effort to address this potential lack of access to the affected workers, the Department is working with the Transportation Security Administration to ensure that present security


 

 

contractors are informed of the importance of cooperation with all federal and state efforts to ensure that individuals who are not selected for federal jobs will have had prior access to information regarding employment and training services available to them. 

 

In most instances, considerably more than one orientation meeting will be necessary to assure that affected employees from all shifts are able to attend.  If it cannot be determined which workers will be selected by the Department of Transportation as new Federal employees, all employees shall be provided the opportunity to attend an orientation meeting.  The meeting shall be held at a convenient site at the airport or a nearby facility such as a hotel (Rapid Response funds may be used for rental of facilities if none are immediately available.  Some State Rapid Response staff have been successful in asking the employer to assume the costs of such facility rental as well as to pay workers for their attendance at the Rapid Response orientation meeting).

 

The orientation meeting shall cover such issues as unemployment benefits; job placement services; a discussion of the types of workshop opportunities for assistance in seeking new employment that may be available such as labor market information, resume preparation, interviewing skills, job search techniques, and networking; individual skills and abilities assessments; career counseling and training opportunities.  In most cases, the Rapid Response staff will conduct a brief survey of the workers to determine more precisely their characteristics and their need for employment and training services.  Appropriate accommodations must be made for individuals with limited English proficiency including translation or other assistance for workers in completing worker surveys.

 

3.     Service Planning

An analysis of the worker survey will form the basis for developing the most appropriate service design for the affected workers.  In general, the survey identifies such areas as educational level, previous training and employment skills, and supportive services such as stress management, financial counseling, as well as transportation and child care to enable participation in training.

 

4.     Early Intervention Services

Prior to their termination date, workers will be offered the opportunity to participate in early intervention services (before or after their shift) designed to either prepare them for seeking new employment, or to assist them in assessing their skills and identifying appropriate training opportunities.

 

5.      Services After Layoff

Depending on the state and local dislocated worker service design, workers who have not found employment should be able to continue to access appropriate employment


 

 

and training services after their termination.  These services may be provided at the local One-Stop Career Center or through a Worker Transition Center established at a convenient site at the airport until the dislocated workers have found employment or enrolled in training opportunities.

 

6.     Rich Array of Services

It is expected that these dislocated workers will be provided access to appropriate levels of service in a very expeditious and timely manner in accordance with the President’s commitment to accomplish the transition in a way that is considerate of the economic impact on the workers who are not rehired.

 

The assessment of each individual and the customization of services according to each individual’s unique needs continue to be a guiding WIA principle.  A blanket policy that establishes a required period of job search for individuals with relatively limited skills prior to accessing training opportunities.