Plant Closings and Layoffs: Help! What Do I Do First? 

It is important to remember that major plant closings and layoffs have affected many communities. While this does not make your community's situation easier, it may help you to learn how other communities have proactively addressed immediate needs and developed long term-recovery strategies. 

If you hear about a business in your community experiencing difficulties or if an official announcement has been made, get organized immediately and tap into resources that are available to your community.

Check to see if a company has filed an official closing or layoff notice.

• Certain businesses in Wisconsin are required to provide a 60-day business closing and mass layoff notice to the state. All notices are posted on the Department of Workforce Development website.

Identify at-risk companies and try to meet with company leadership.

• Are any businesses in your community experiencing difficulties? Does your local economic development organization or do other local officials regularly meet with businesses in your community? Often there are warning signs prior to an announcement of a plant closing or layoff. If you identify an at-risk business, try to meet with company leadership as soon as possible. A meeting can be initiated through your local development organization or by contacting your Commerce Area Development Manager for assistance.

• If the at-risk business is a small to medium-sized manufacturer, assistance may be available through the Wisconsin Manufacturing Extension Partnership (WMEP) or the Northwest Manufacturing Outreach Center (NWMOC). Both organizations help manufacturers work toward improving productivity, profitability and competitiveness.

Develop an organized approach for your community.

• If an announcement has been made or is imminent, it is important to get organized and manage the situation. The U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration has developed a number of informative resources for local leaders and workforce professionals like a peer expert directory and conducting a community audit.

Learn from other communities.

• A number of communities in Wisconsin have faced difficult plant closing and layoff situations and have put together effective strategies to mitigate the impacts of major dislocations. Two success stories to consider are Platteville, located in southwestern Wisconsin, and Eau Claire, located in northwestern Wisconsin. A followup dislocated worker study was completed in 2007 on workers impacted by the Platteville Advanced Transformer closing. Click here to access the report.

• Experiences of communities in other states may also provide valuable insights. "Rural Community Response to Closure and Downsizing of a Major Employer," describes how five rural communities in Minnesota and North Dakota recently coped with plant closings or major dislocations (Back to Layoff Menu).