Retain Talent

Access support services to help you retain talent, offering resources when facing layoffs, upskilling existing workers, or working to improve workplace safety.

Rapid Response

Our team provides expert guidance to businesses of all sizes facing workforce reductions. We act quickly to:

• Partner with company leaders to develop a transition plan.
• Provide information on available services.
• Coordinate and implement tailored reemployment support.

Once services are scheduled, we meet with employees to:

• Explain benefits and eligibility.
• Answer questions about job searches and unemployment insurance.
• Connect them with MassHire Career Centers.
• Assess retraining and upskilling needs.
• Outline service timelines and offer job-readiness workshops.

Union Workforce Support

Union employees receive additional assistance through the Massachusetts AFL-CIO Rapid Response Team, which collaborates with MassHire to provide job leads, training, counseling, and workforce transition support.

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WARN (Worker Adjustment and Retraining Act) Requirements

A WARN filing is required when:

• Worksite closing affects 50 or more employees; or
• Mass layoff affects at least 50 employees and one-third of the worksite's total workforce; or
• 500 or more employees at a single site of employment; or
• Anticipated separate employment losses within a 90-day period meet WARN criteria.

Please click here to learn more about the WARN process. 

As an employer, you must notify Rapid Response, local government officials, and employees at least 60 days before a mass layoff or plant closing.

Cutbacks and layoffs

Employers facing cutbacks, site closings, or layoffs have a variety of services to help mitigate and ease impacts to business owners and affected employees. No-cost services include:

• WorkShare Program – An alternative to laying off employees, allowing businesses to reduce employee hours while avoiding job loss.
• Disaster Assistance – Support for businesses impacted by large-scale emergencies, smaller incidents affecting a single business, and natural disasters like tornadoes and floods.
• Trade Adjustment Assistance – Aid for workers whose jobs are lost, or whose hours and wages are reduced, due to competition from imports.
• Support for Affected Employees – Through our network of MassHire Career Centers, we assist with unemployment insurance claims, resume development, job referrals, and training opportunities.

Upskill Existing Workers

Invest in your employees' skills and your future through the Workforce Training Fund Program (WTFP), which supports: 

• ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) training
• Project management 
• Leadership development
• Industry-specific training tailored to your needs

The WTFP Express Program gives you access to grant-funded training, so you can quickly adapt to emerging business needs.

The WTFP General Program provides funding for larger-scale, customized training solutions—helping you upskill or reskill your workforce to stay competitive.

Please click here to learn more about the Workforce Training Fund Program, administered by Commonwealth Corporation on behalf of the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development. 

Workplace Safety Consultation

Our workplace safety consultants provide no-cost support to help you create a safer workplace. Services include:

• Workplace walkthroughs to identify hazards.
• Customized solutions for safety and health concerns.
• Assistance with OSHA-required written programs.
• Guidance on building a strong safety and health program.
• A detailed report summarizing findings.
• Employee training and education.
• Air quality, noise, and ventilation testing.
• Guidance on OSHA standards and compliance.

The Consultation Program is a confidential service. Please click here for more information. 

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Workplace Safety Grants

Implementing workplace safety and health training benefits your workforce by:

• Preventing workplace injuries and illnesses
• Improving compliance with laws and regulations
• Reducing costs, including lower workers' compensation premiums
• Engaging employees for a safer, more productive workplace

Please click here to explore grants that help employers like you create a safer workplace through training, education, and proactive prevention—reducing the risk of injury and illness for your team.

Didn't find what you were looking for? Team Massachusetts is excited to connect you with the latest and most relevant resources available for employers. Please visit the Business Front Door for more resources.