What to do in the event of layoffs

Information courtesy Northwest Oregon Works

• Employees who are laid off temporarily or permanently should file for unemployment insurance (UI) benefits immediately.  If the layoff is short term, 4 weeks or less, the employee does not have to search for employment while they are receiving benefits.
• If a business closure is temporary, employees are encouraged to apply for UI.  If the business does not reopen, they will be provided a formal Rapid Response event.  Rapid Response events will not be held for temporary business closures, per state guidance.
• All Rapid Response activities that do go forward will be conducted on a virtual platform.  Videos have been created to help employers and employees know what their options are.
• Layoff Aversion funds will be coming down from the State.  They will be allocated via a formula methodology, which means that our 5-county region will receive a portion of what is available.  They will come down in the form of a contract with Northwest Oregon Works and the HECC, so that we do not have to request funds in a piece-meal fashion, but can have access and flexibility when deploying the funds to the community.
• Layoff Aversion funds cannot be used as wage-replacement.  That is why applying for UI is imperative.

More information, for Employers & Employees, can be found in this document (March 12, 2020) from the Oregon Employment Department