What is "Rapid Response?"
Rapid Response is an information sharing service for employees, as well as employers. It facilitates access to South Carolina's public workforce system and services designed to assist workers in finding new employment. Rapid Response is a collaborative effort involving several workforce partners, such as the:
This group of partners comprises the "Rapid Response Team". The Team stands ready to assist both employers and employees as they transition through a downsizing or closure event.
Rapid Response represents the immediate effort by federal, state, and local officials to help workers return to work as quickly as possible. Rapid Response activities begin by having an initial meeting with the company management staff. If the company is unionized, it is very important and beneficial that the employee representative also attend the initial meeting. Information such as the anticipated layoff schedule and employee demographic data, as well as reemployment services, unemployment benefits, and retraining programs are shared during this meeting.
Upon conclusion of this meeting, a schedule is agreed upon whereby the Rapid Response Team can share the same information with the affected workers on site before the first layoff is expected to occur. This meeting is referred to as the "Employee Group Orientation Session".