(a) Rapid response activities are described in §§ 665.310 through 665.330. They encompass the activities necessary to plan and deliver services to enable dislocated workers to transition to new employment as quickly as possible, following either a permanent closure or mass layoff, or a natural or other disaster resulting in a mass job dislocation.

(b) The State is responsible for providing rapid response activities. Rapid response is a required activity carried out in local areas by the State, or an entity designated by the State, in conjunction with the Local Board and chief elected officials. The State must establish methods by which to provide additional assistance to local areas that experience disasters, mass layoffs, plant closings, or other dislocation events when such events substantially increase the number of unemployed individuals.

(c) States must establish a rapid response dislocated worker unit to carry out Statewide rapid response activities. (WIA secs. 101(38), 112(b)(17)(A)(ii) and 134(a)(2)(A).)

Rapid response activities must include:

(a) Immediate and on-site contact with the employer, representatives of the affected workers, and the local community, which may include an assessment of the:

(1) Layoff plans and schedule of the employer;

(2) Potential for averting the layoff(s) in consultation with State or local economic development agencies, including private sector economic development entities;

(3) Background and probable assistance needs of the affected workers;

(4) Reemployment prospects for workers in the local community; and

(5) Available resources to meet the short and long-term assistance needs of the affected workers.

(b) The provision of information and access to unemployment compensation benefits, comprehensive One-Stop system services, and employment and training activities, including information on the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program and the NAFTA-TAA program (19 U.S.C. 2271 et seq.);

(c) The provision of guidance and/or financial assistance in establishing a labor-management committee voluntarily agreed to by labor and management, or a workforce transition committee comprised of representatives of the employer, the affected workers and the local community. The committee may devise and oversee an implementation strategy that responds to the reemployment needs of the workers. The assistance to this committee may include:

(1) The provision of training and technical assistance to members of the committee;

(2) Funding the operating costs of a committee to enable it to provide advice and assistance in carrying out rapid response activities and in the design and delivery of WIA-authorized services to affected workers. Typically, such support will last no longer than six months; and

(3) Providing a list of potential candidates to serve as a neutral chairperson of the committee.

(d) The provision of emergency assistance adapted to the particular closing, layoff or disaster.

(e) The provision of assistance to the local board and chief elected official(s) to develop a coordinated response to the dislocation event and, as needed, obtain access to State economic development assistance. Such coordinated response may include the development of an application for National Emergency Grant under 20 CFR part 671. (WIA secs. 101(38) and 134(a)(2)(A).)

Yes, a State or designated entity may provide rapid response activities in addition to the activities required to be provided under § 665.310. In order to provide effective rapid response upon notification of a permanent closure or mass layoff, or a natural or other disaster resulting in a mass job dislocation, the State or designated entity may:

(a) In conjunction, with other appropriate Federal, State and Local agencies and officials, employer associations, technical councils or other industry business councils, and labor organizations:

(1) Develop prospective strategies for addressing dislocation events, that ensure rapid access to the broad range of allowable assistance;

(2) Identify strategies for the aversion of layoffs; and

(3) Develop and maintain mechanisms for the regular exchange of information relating to potential dislocations, available adjustment assistance, and the effectiveness of rapid response strategies.

(b) In collaboration with the appropriate State agency(ies), collect and analyze information related to economic dislocations, including potential closings and layoffs, and all available resources in the State for dislocated workers in order to provide an adequate basis for effective program management, review and evaluation of rapid response and layoff aversion efforts in the State.

(c) Participate in capacity building activities, including providing information about innovative and successful strategies for serving dislocated workers, with local areas serving smaller layoffs.

(d) Assist in devising and overseeing strategies for:

(1) Layoff aversion, such as prefeasibility studies of avoiding a plant closure through an option for a company or group, including the workers, to purchase the plant or company and continue it in operation;

(2) Incumbent worker training, including employer loan programs for employee skill upgrading; and

(3) Linkages with economic development activities at the Federal, State and local levels, including Federal Department of Commerce programs and available State and local business retention and recruitment activities.

The Governor must ensure that rapid response activities under WIA are made available to workers who, under the NAFTA Implementation Act (Public Law 103-182), are members of a group of workers (including those in any agricultural firm or subdivision of an agricultural firm) for which the Governor has made a preliminary finding that:

(a) A significant number or proportion of the workers in such firm or an appropriate subdivision of the firm have become totally or partially separated, or are threatened to become totally or partially separated; and

(b) Either:

(1) The sales or production, or both, of such firm or subdivision have decreased absolutely; and

(2) Imports from Mexico or Canada of articles like or directly competitive with those produced by such firm or subdivision have increased; or

(c) There has been a shift in production by such workers' firm or subdivision to Mexico or Canada of articles which are produced by the firm or subdivision.

Up to 25 percent of dislocated worker funds may be reserved for rapid response activities. Once the State has reserved adequate funds for rapid response activities, such as those described in §§ 665.310 and 665.320, the remainder of the funds may be used by the State to provide funds to local areas, that experience increased numbers of unemployed individuals due to natural disasters, plant closings, mass layoffs or other events, for provision of direct services to participants (such as intensive, training, and other services) if there are not adequate local funds available to assist the dislocated workers.