Narrative: a. 2. D.

Rapid Response

Rapid response services focus on assistance to area employers, workers, and the community in managing reductions in force. To ensure that Texas is poised to meet the needs of local employers, rapid response services are funded through the Boards’ WIOA Adult, Dislocated Worker, and Youth formula programs. The funding stream allows for a prompt rebound from layoffs, as funds are readily and locally available. Texas has also reserved rapid response funds at the state level for Boards that demonstrate a need for additional assistance.

The rapid response system first pursues strategies to avert layoffs, while maintaining capacity to return workers to productive employment as quickly as possible—if the layoff is unavoidable. TWC and Boards use multiple employment and training resources to craft layoff aversion solutions. Past solutions have supported development of incumbent worker programs, which help address employer training needs and avert or mitigate a layoff. Training usually focuses on skills attainment activities.

The second objective of rapid response is reemployment on or before the affected worker’s last day of work. Upon notification of layoff, transition efforts are implemented to help dislocated workers engage in employment or training services that facilitate a quick return to work. Layoff notices, including those submitted in compliance with the WARN Act and Trade Act petitions, are received at the state level and forwarded to Boards by the next business day.

Boards and providers are also responsible for outreach to employers. Board or Workforce Solutions Office staff may use feasibility studies to assess the needs of and options for at-risk companies, as well as offer employment and training activities to address risk factors. Following the initial contact with the employer and worker representatives, an employee information orientation may be conducted on-site and on company time. The orientation typically offers an overview of available services and additional activities that may be conducted onsite. Additional activities include workshops or seminars on the psychology of job loss/stress management, debt/financial management and, specifically, negotiations for debt-payment arrangements, job search skills, and labor market information. The orientation may also provide information on UI and, if appropriate, the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program.

Workforce Solutions Office staff may establish an on-site career transition center when a layoff involves large numbers of employees from a single employer, and the center is acceptable to company management and labor representatives. Staff will consider such factors as convenience, distance from the employer to the closest Workforce Solutions Office, work schedules of the employees, and time off permitted by the employer to attend the activities.

Workforce areas are also encouraged to engage rapid response staff in the BSUs. Rapid response staff attached to the BSU has access to team resources helpful in matching worker skill sets with company hiring requirements. TWC and the Boards set the stage to assist businesses with future staffing needs by maintaining a positive relationship throughout the layoff process. To this end, the outreach effort highlights both the services available to at-risk employers and those services available once business improves and staff needs rebound.

Trade Adjustment Assistance

Individuals who have lost their jobs due to increased imports or shifts in productions to foreign markets may be eligible for federally funded TAA. Workforce Solutions Offices provide all workforce services, including TAA services, in an integrated environment using common data systems.

TAA is likewise integrated into early intervention services (i.e., rapid response) carried out under WIOA. When Workforce Solutions Office staff becomes aware of potential dislocations, consideration is always given to whether the dislocation has potential trade implications; if so, assistance is provided to the company, workers, or affected unions to promote TAA petition submission. Additionally, when a petition is independently submitted by one of these groups, the TAA state coordinator conveys the petition to the responsible Board partner to ensure that a rapid response effort is activated to assist the company and workforce with transition services.

In compliance with Title 20, CFR Part 618, the State of Texas houses merit staff in Workforce Solutions Offices across the state to offer TAA case management. Merit staff is positioned in locations where TAA certification and service provision activity indicates the greatest need. Where TAA merit staff is not present, WIOA or ES staff provides TAA case management to assist the customer in preparing for and obtaining suitable reemployment as quickly as possible.

Suitable employment is defined as work of an equal skill level or higher and paying at least 80 percent of the worker’s average weekly wage. Staff may initiate an assessment of the worker’s transferable skills, knowledge, and abilities and assist in researching both the labor markets within the commuting area and, if the worker is willing to relocate, other labor markets where relocation might be acceptable. Additionally, Texas Workforce Solutions will provide employment and job search assistance services designed to properly equip the TAA customer to conduct and conclude a successful job search campaign.

In the absence of suitable and available employment, Texas Workforce Solutions and the TAA customer may undertake additional assessment activity to determine if TAA training is appropriate. Using vocational exploration resources such as mySkills myFuture, CareerOneStop.org, and TWC labor market information, the TAA customer can identify specific occupational goals. Assessment instruments such as Accuplacer, Compass, Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE), Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), and other training provider-specific assessment tools allow the customer and Workforce Solutions office staff to determine the viability of proposed training. All training activity supported under TAA must meet the approval criteria set forth in 20 CFR §617.22(a).

During State Fiscal Year 2019 (FY’19), the Texas workforce system provided the following TAA services and outcomes:

• 2,293 workers were determined potentially TAA eligible and outreached for service provision;
• 349 workers applied for TAA services or benefits;
• 1,006 workers participated in TAA-supported training services; and
• 65 workers participated in vocational and remedial training programs, either integrated or conducted concurrently at the same school.

The following TAA performance results were attained in FY’19

• 870 workers (72.3 percent) entered employment;
• 92 percent of workers entering employment retained employment over the following three quarters;
• Workers securing employment regained 98 percent of pre-layoff wage levels, based on a six-month follow-up; and
• 149 workers participated in basic skills enhancement during TAA-supported training.