Rapid Response is a federally-funded program within the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) that helps to address the effects of mass employees layoffs and company closures. The purpose of this program is to promote economic recovery and vitality by developing ongoing, comprehensive approaches to identifying, planning for or responding to layoffs and dislocations, and preventing or minimizing their impacts on workers, businesses and communities. The program provides workers who lost jobs, through no fault of their own, due to plant closures and/or company downsizing.

In Alabama, the State Rapid Response Unit goes on site to companies that have issued Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Notices for the layoff of 50 or more employees or otherwise notified the State Rapid Response Unit of impending employee layoffs.  The Unit meets with affected workers to provide them with valuable information regarding Unemployment Insurance, training/services available through local One-Stop Career Centers, and additional services available from other workforce partner agencies to help them through a very difficult time.

Some of the services include but are not limited to:

    • Information and support filing for unemployment insurance claims.
    • Information about TAA program and support for filing petitions for TAA Certifications
    • Information on the impacts of layoff on health coverage or other benefits
    • Information and referral to career services,
    • Reemployment focused workshops and services
    • Information on available training programs

The Rapid Response Unit serves as the State Dislocated Worker Unit for Alabama. Notices of plant closings and layoffs (WARN) should be sent to:

Alabama Department of Commerce
Rapid Response Unit
PO Box 304103
Montgomery, AL  36130-4103

The U.S. Department of Labor provides a guide to WARN information on their website: https://www.doleta.gov/layoff/warn.cfm

Note:

The Department of Commerce’s Workforce Development Division has no administrative or enforcement authority under the Warn Act, and therefore does not provide legal advice or interpretations relative to specific provisions of the act as they may apply to a specific dislocation events (i.e. Facility Closing/Layoff). Questions relative to employer/employee relationships (including oral or written employment contracts or agreements), and/or interpretation of provisions of the WARN Act as they may apply to circumstances relating to specific layoff actions should be addressed by legal professionals.

The Alabama WARN list, which identifies dislocation events (business and industry closures and layoffs) reported to the Alabama Department of Commerce Rapid Response Unit under requirements of the WARN Act, may be accessed here.

If you have you been laid off or about to be laid off, click the link below for additional information.

Rapid Response Handout