5. a. There is established, in the Department of Labor and Workforce Development, a response team. The purpose of the response team is to provide appropriate information, referral and counseling, as rapidly as possible, to workers who are, or may be, subject to plant closings or mass layoffs, and the management of establishments where those workers are or were employed.

b. In the case of each transfer or termination of the operations in an establishment which results in the termination of 50 or more employees, the response team shall:

(1) Offer to meet with the representatives of the management of the establishment to discuss available public programs which may make it possible to delay or prevent the transfer or termination of operations, including economic development incentive and workforce development programs, shared work unemployment compensation benefit programs, and coordinated utilization of any of those programs which are applicable;

(2) Meet on site with workers and provide information, referral and counseling regarding:

(a) Available public programs which may make it possible to delay or prevent the transfer or termination of operations, including economic development incentive and workforce development programs, shared work unemployment compensation benefit programs, and coordinated utilization of any of those programs which are applicable;

(b) Public programs or benefits which may be available to assist the employees, including, but not limited to, unemployment compensation benefits, job training or retraining programs, and job search assistance; and

(c) Employee rights based on this act or any other law which applies to the employees with respect to wages, severance pay, benefits, pensions or other terms of employment as they relate to the termination of employment; and

(3) Seek to facilitate cooperation between representatives of the management and employees at the establishment to most effectively utilize available public programs which may make it possible to delay or prevent the transfer or termination of operations or to assist employees if it is not possible to prevent the termination.

L.2007, c.212, s.5; amended 2011, c.154, s.10.