Workforce Assistance

The 2009 Recovery Act funds a variety of programs designed to preserve and create jobs, promote the nation's economic recovery, and assist those most affected by the recession. It provides the U.S. Department of Labor and the public workforce investment system with unprecedented funding for a number of employment programs and training efforts to help Americans acquire new skills and get back to work.

For Oklahoma businesses, this presents a variety of opportunities and services. This section provides brief descriptions and contact information for the following:

• Rapid Response services for businesses facing lay-offs;
• Lay-off aversion tips and resources, including how to implement partial unemployment programs;
• Information about receiving subsidies for establishing internships and summer youth employment programs as well as for hiring individuals who have already retired.

However, this is not a complete list of opportunities or services provided through the 2009 Recovery Act. Please check back from time to time to see what's new. Other good sources include: www.ok.gov/recovery, www.recovery.gov, www.grants.gov, and www.fedbizopps.gov. To set up an RSS feed for Grants.gov, click here.

Rapid Response
The Rapid Response program provides a variety of services to employers and their employees when it becomes necessary to downsize. Because of a $1.5 million appropriation from the 2009 Recovery Act, these services are now more widely available.

Oklahoma’s Rapid Response team works with companies to set up outplacement services for dislocated workers; handle media relations and manage the internal rumor mill; meet governmental reporting requirements; understand their rights and responsibilities under employment laws and regulations; and plan for and avoid future layoffs.

The Rapid Response team ensures that affected employees are aware of Unemployment Insurance, childcare assistance, health insurance, and available assistance at their local Workforce Oklahoma Centers. Job fairs may also be provided.

Rapid Response is triggered automatically when a company issues a WARN notice of a mass layoff or plant closing. Employers or employees can also request Rapid Response services in cases where the layoff isn’t large enough to require a WARN notice.

For more information, visit the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission Rapid Response page and this U.S. Department of Labor page outlining Rapid Response Services and benefits.

Contacts:
Lynda Baird Lynda.Baird@oesc.state.ok.us
Vikki Dearing Vikki_Dearing@OKcommerce.gov

Avoiding Lay-offs: Tips and Resources
While lay-offs are often part of weathering a lackluster economy and aren’t necessarily permanent, companies may be able to ward off staff reductions through partial unemployment programs offered through the 2009 Recovery Act, process improvement, new product development, or market expansion.

Partial Unemployment
By using subsidized programs now offered through the 2009 Recovery Act, your company may be able to reduce payroll without laying off employees. Funds are available to help your company establish partial unemployment programs, where employees work part time and receive part-time pay and also claim part of their unemployment benefits.

By filing for Partial Unemployment benefits to supplement employee income, your company can keep valuable trained employees through the downturn thus avoiding the high cost of replacing them and training new employees when business picks up again.

How To File a Partial Unemployment Claim: Immediately following the first week an employee works less than full time, you and your employee need to complete the Partial Benefits (OES-526-P) form, which you can get from your local Workforce Oklahoma Center. (Find your local Workforce Oklahoma Center.)

The form must be completed and filed with your local Workforce Oklahoma Center within 14 days of the date you give the form to your employee.

After establishing a new claim, reopening an existing partial unemployment claim after a break in the claim series, or by request, your company will receive four Continued Claim for Partial Benefits cards (OES-527-P). These cards should be used for the next four weeks claimed.

Eligibility Requirements for Partial Unemployment and Other Details

Instead of Lay-Offs, Go Lean
Based initially on the Toyota Production System, "lean thinking" represents quality initiatives designed to maximize value and minimize waste. All types and sizes of organizations (hospitals, banks, manufacturers, and grocery chains, for example) can go lean.

Through its statewide network of manufacturing extension agents (MEAs) and application engineers, the Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance provides a variety of no-cost/low-cost services for small- and medium-sized manufacturing businesses, including a Lean implementation program.

The Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance NIST-Certified Lean Program, offered in conjunction with private service providers across the state, covers Strategic Planning & Evaluation, Lean 101 Introduction, Value Stream Mapping, 5S System, Setup Reduction, Cellular Flow, Total Production Maintenance, Pull/Kanban System, Kaizen Implementation Projects, Reviews and Continuous Improvement. Find your local MEA and application engineer.

Other good sources for help implementing Lean processes and avoiding lay-offs include the following:

• Francis Tuttle Technology Center Lean Enterprise 101, Wednesday, April 15, 2009: Register by Wednesday, April 8.
• The University of Central Oklahoma (UCO) offers a series of courses and certification in Transactional Lean for Administration. Offered through UCO's Center for Strategic Improvement , the courses are open to the public and can be taken one course at a time or in a series for certification. Designed around administrative services processes, the series covers the methodology and tools of Lean and how it can be applied to the office setting.
• OKcommerce.gov Workforce Strategy & Best Practices page.
• Lean Enterprise Institute supports Lean conversions through its website, workbooks, on-site training, and public workshops and conferences.

New Product Development & Market Expansion
If you’ve been in business for awhile, your product may be nearing maturity and saturation in the United States market. To improve sales and possibly prevent downsizing, it may be worth exploring the viability and usefulness of your products and services to customers in other countries.

The Oklahoma Department of Commerce provides a variety of free services to help Oklahoma companies explore new markets for maturing products or new products and services. Trade Intelligence & Exporting Step-by-Step
 
Oklahoma manufacturers can also work with their local MEAs or application engineers to develop new products with potential in the United States and around the world.

And, the New Product Development Center (NPDC) at Oklahoma State University focuses on helping Oklahoma's established manufacturers develop new products or improve existing ones; evaluate their existing business models and develop strategic plans for the future; and develop new materials to market their products and services.

Contact:
OSU-NPDC
111 Engineering North
Stillwater, OK 74078
405-744-2932
npdc@okstate.edu

Internships, Summer Youth and Adult Employment Programs
The 2009 Recovery Act provides funds—administered through the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission (OESC)—to help companies set up internship and summer youth employment programs as well as programs designed to fill vacancies with people who have already retired. The Summer Youth programs are for ages 16 to 24.

Your local Workforce Oklahoma Center and Workforce Investment Board are now looking for companies interested in establishing these programs.