Located in:
- Program-specific Requirements for Adult, Dislocated Worker, and Youth Activities under Title I-B
The Unified or Combined State Plan must include the following with respect to activities carried out under subtitle B—
a. 2. D. Describe how the State provides early intervention (e.g., Rapid Response) to worker groups on whose behalf a Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) petition has been filed. (Section 134(a)(2)(A).) This description must include how the State disseminates benefit information to provide trade-affected workers in the groups identified in the TAA petitions with an accurate understanding of the provision of TAA benefits and services in such a way that they are transparent to the trade-affected dislocated worker applying for them (Trade Act Sec. 221(a)(2)(A) and Sec. 225; Governor-Secretary Agreement). Describe how the State will use funds that have been reserved for Rapid Response to provide services for every worker group that files a TAA petition.
Current Narrative:
Early Intervention to Worker Groups on Whose Behalf a Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) Petition Has Been Filed
DEO uses either a WARN, TAA Petition filing provided by the USDOL Office of Trade Adjustment Assistance (OTAA), newspaper articles or other reliable means of notification to initiate rapid response assistance to workers who have been notified of potential layoffs or have been laid off because of trade. Each LWDB has a business services unit that includes a rapid response coordinator responsible for making initial contact with a company official to obtain information about the layoff. If workers are still attached to the employer, the rapid response coordinator conducts rapid response informational meetings providing workers with information about the services offered at a career center and through partner programs.
If the TAA petition is filed and not approved during the rapid response meeting, the customer is provided a brief description of TAA program services. Workers are advised that once the petition is filed and approved, a scheduled TAA informational session will be made available and an official notice will be mailed to the trade-affected workers. It is the state’s practice not to conduct an actual TAA informational session unless the petition is certified.
If the worker group has not received rapid response assistance, although workers may have officially separated from the company or firm, it is encouraged that a rapid response meeting be conducted. If the petition is approved and rapid response has not been conducted, the state trade coordinator ensures a combined Rapid Response/TAA informational meeting is conducted for the affected workers.
LWDBs maintain a roster of customers who attended orientation meetings and record information in the state management information system, Employ Florida.
When mass layoffs occur, and state-level rapid response funding is needed, LWDBs may request funds to assist workers in need of career counseling, resume preparation, interviewing skills and other workforce services. The state-level rapid response funding may be used for layoff aversion.