Strategies For Retention 

We can connect your business with opportunities to retain staff and avert layoffs through specialized training opportunities at no cost to you. Businessdriven training allows employers to up-skill current workers who would otherwise be laid off. Groups of three or more at-risk workers can be trained in a skillset of your choice, leading to retention of the employees beyond the potential layoff period.  

Learn more about business-driven trainings here

When layoffs are inevitable, we provide affected workers with information on transitional resources, accessing unemployment benefits, training and reemployment assistance by partnering with businesses and industry organizations to reach impacted workers.  

For Businesses Who Have to Lay Off Workers 

If you are a business owner or HR representative for an employer considering work stoppages, layoffs or furloughs, we encourage you to email business@workforce.org or call (619) 404-HIRE (4473). We will get back to you within two business days to discuss information and services that may assist impacted employees, including Unemployment Insurance information, tax assistance, Work Sharing program to avoid layoffs, financial planning, remote career services and more.

Watch the below video to learn more about what we can do for your employees.


WARNs

A Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) is a layoff notice from an employer. These notices provide protection to employees, their families and their communities by requiring 60 days’ notice of layoffs or plant closings, giving employees time to look for other work, file for unemployment or take care of other items that could be affected by their employment status. 

In California, employers must file a WARN if they are a “covered establishment” with 75 or more employees (part-time or full-time). Employees must have been employed for at least 6 months of the 12-month period preceding the WARN date. Any plant closure or layoff that affects 50 or more workers within a 30-day period must be reported, regardless of the company’s size.  

Failure to file a WARN may result in fines and worker compensation. Visit the Employment Development Department (EDD) WARN website for more detailed information about WARNs and an FAQ page for answers to common questions. 

Employers should review both the Federal WARN law and the California WARN law for a full understanding of notification requirements. 

How to submit a WARN


Signaled by the receipt of a WARN, the San Diego Workforce Partnership offers Layoff Transition services to employers who are experiencing mass layoffs or closures in San Diego County. Layoff Transition presentations give employers an opportunity to provide affected employees with vital resources that help them get reemployed as soon as possible and ease this difficult transition.

Presentations are provided at no cost and cover the following topics:

  • Assistance programs
  • Free career center services
  • How to apply for unemployment insurance
  • Information on Covered California

The Layoff transition team will coordinate everything. All we need from you is a space to present (virtual is ok) and for you to let your employees know when and where.

We all appreciated the great information presented. Employees learned a lot of important information that will help them successfully transition to a new position. What a great resource and encouragement that has been provided to us. Everyone here really appreciates the detailed information, the personalized help with resumes, and the amount of time they devoted to us.

–Marie Dirks, Revlon

Our team consists of:

  • The Workforce Partnership’s Layoff Transition coordinator
  • Representatives from Unemployment Insurance and Workforce Services with the State of California’s Employment Development Department (EDD)
  • A representative from the San Diego Career Centers
  • A certified Covered California agent

What do you get out of it?

Providing resources to help with the layoff transition has multiple benefits, including:

  • Higher worker morale and lower absenteeism during layoff event due to reduced stress
  • Lower unemployment insurance costs as workers are re-employed more quickly when services begin prior to layoff
  • Decreased likelihood of sabotage or work disruptions
  • Better public relations for your organization. We can work with the media to highlight services an employer is providing to its workers during a layoff period, if desired.

If you have any questions or would like to schedule a Layoff Transition presentation, please contact the business engagement team at business@workforce.org or call (619) 404-HIRE (4473).

Learn more about WARNS