Adult, Dislocated Worker, and Youth Activities

(C) In addition, describe the state policies and procedures to provide Rapid Responses in cases of natural disasters including coordination with FEMA and other entities.

For Disaster Planning, USDOL recommends that states use Rapid Response funds to plan for disaster response before a disaster strikes. In keeping with that recommendation, MD Labor has developed a plan and taken initial preparation and coordination steps to strive for strong disaster preparedness. In the event of a disaster, MD Labor will use Rapid Response funds to support the following activities:

• Devise prospective strategies to provide assistance to Local Areas experiencing disasters,
• Identify strategies for aversion of layoffs,
• Ensure mechanisms for regular exchange of information relating to potential dislocations are in place,
• Collect and analyze data and information for a number of purposes, and
• Hold disaster drills.

In the event of a natural disaster, mass layoff, or other emergency, MD Labor’s Secretary will work closely with the Governor and other cabinet-level staff to execute the appropriate actions in a timely manner through the Department’s position on the Maryland Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Board. The Secretary, in turn, will communicate with appropriate staff, including the Rapid Response team, to ensure the state fulfills its obligation to deliver the appropriate services and transitions workers to new employment as quickly as possible. The Director of the Department’s Office of General Services serves as the point person for the Maryland Emergency Management Agency (MEMA). The Director takes part in daily conference calls throughout the immediate aftermath of the emergency, and interfaces with FEMA, MEMA and other state agencies to coordinate the appropriate response. That information, in turn, is provided to senior staff of the Department.

In response to multiple historic flooding in Ellicott City, Maryland, Governor Hogan requested that all cabinet secretaries worked to find ways to provide services to those affected. In turn, the Secretary worked with all senior leaders to determine the services that could be offered by the Department. The DWDAL and the DUI worked closely together to ensure that affected businesses and employees had access to technology and dedicated staff to ensure that unemployment benefits were filed and that reemployment efforts occurred immediately. The DWDAL, in turn, worked closely with staff from the Local Area to ensure that job fairs and listings were widely distributed utilizing social media and agency listservs.

Rapid Response teams are expected to be flexible and responsive. Therefore, it is appropriate that that Rapid Response teams play a key role in disaster response in partnership with other internal and external government, nonprofit, and private agencies.

If necessary, Maryland will be able to access these funds for the following activities:

• Purchase and deployment of mobile units for service delivery in disaster areas;
• Support for organizing physical locations for disaster relief centers;
• Assist individuals with applying for UI (and Disaster Unemployment Assistance);
• Support sharing information on services available, including temporary jobs through National Dislocated Worker Grants;
• Hiring staff to support range of needs of impacted individuals, including counselors; and
• Job search assistance.

The DSU, in partnership with Business Services Team, will continue to work to ensure that Maryland businesses consider the importance of having an emergency plan within their own organization as a part of the Maryland Business Services Team’s outreach efforts. Staff will offer assistance in the development of their personal disaster plan, according to their projected needs.