After the Doors Close: Assisting Laid-Off Workers to Find Jobs

Introduction During the past four years, more than five million long-term workers (those with at least three years of tenure with their employer) have lost their jobs through no fault of their own. Behind these numbers are people of many different backgrounds, many of whom face financial hardship and emotional pain due to their layoff. They include highly skilled computer technicians and low-skilled food service workers. They are young and old, male and female, African-American and white. Many have worked for the same employer their entire careers, and others have held jobs with multiple employers. What can displaced workers do to find employment? The purpose of this article is to explore the steps that people typically take to find a job after being laid off. I examine how people search for jobs and what services and types of support are available to help job seekers find employment. I place considerable emphasis on publicly provided services, but recognize that the public employment service and training programs are but one means that workers use to connect with employers. I also consider what works and what doesn't work in helping workers find jobs and examine some current cutting-edge approaches. The perspective offered in this article is that of an organization that both pursues research on worker displacement and administers programs to help displaced workers find employment. In addition to conducting research on ways to improve the reemployment of displaced workers, the Upjohn Institute is the administrative entity for the Kalamazoo/St. Joseph Michigan Works Area. In this role, the institute administers all of the federal and state employment programs for the two-county area of over 300,000 people. Job loss Losing one's job is often a traumatic experience. For many, a job represents more than a livelihood; it is closely linked to their identity and sense of self-worth and it often constitutes an important element of their social network. This is particularly true for those who have lost a job that they had held for many years. A plant closure or mass layoff can leave workers without a paycheck and without the social network that is essential in reconnecting with the work force. Therefore, in considering the process of becoming reemployed and the services that are available to assist in this process, it is important to recognize and deal with the emotions that laid-off workers need to overcome in getting back on their feet. These emotions closely follow the typical grieving process one goes through after the death of a loved one. The immediate reaction to the news of a layoff, or impending layoff, is denial--"It can't happen to me. " Denial delays the job search process, and typically the longer one waits to start searching for another job, the harder it is to find one. To help initiate the process, local work force agencies are required to make contact with businesses within 48 hours following notification of a layoff/shutdown and to set up procedures to help workers cope with the news and begin to find new jobs. More proactive agencies respond as soon as they get word, many times through informal channels and periodic visits with employers, that a layoff may occur. Yet, it is not uncommon for the prospective displaced workers to ignore the news and fail to show up for orientation and services. Only as the business's doors are closing do many workers begin to understand that they are about to lose their jobs and they need to take steps to find reemployment. The second stage is grieving, which in many cases can lead to a protracted period of inaction or minimal search activity. One of the initial services offered to displaced workers is a workshop and at times individual counseling on understanding and coping with the grieving process, so that they can move on with their search effort and their lives. However, convincing dislocated workers to use these services can be difficult at times. …