Kentucky Employers Planning Layoffs Can Get Free Help for Affected Workers

No employer wants to plan a layoff. When one becomes necessary, the focus is usually on legal obligations, severance and communication. Many Kentucky employers do not realize that a public program exists to help affected workers find new jobs, and that its services cost the employer nothing.

What Rapid Response is

Rapid Response is a program funded under the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act and run by state workforce agencies. Its purpose is to respond quickly when layoffs or closures are announced, connecting affected workers with reemployment services before or immediately after they lose their jobs.

In Kentucky, Rapid Response services are coordinated through the state's workforce system and the Kentucky Career Center network, working with local workforce boards such as KentuckianaWorks in the Louisville area.

What services include

Rapid Response teams typically meet with the employer to plan services, then hold information sessions for affected employees, often on site and during work hours. Sessions cover unemployment insurance, health coverage options, job search assistance, resume help, training programs and other community resources.

Sessions can be arranged around shift schedules so every affected employee can attend. Materials are often available in more than one language, and teams can return for follow-up sessions as the layoff date approaches.

Teams can connect workers with employers that are hiring, organize job fairs and help workers enroll in training. For workers with skills in demand, those connections can lead to new jobs before the layoff takes effect.

Layoff aversion

Rapid Response is not only about helping workers after a decision is made. Many state programs also offer layoff aversion services, which aim to prevent or reduce layoffs. Depending on the situation, that can include connecting the employer with business assistance, training funds or other resources that might allow it to keep some workers.

Some states also run work-sharing programs, which let employers reduce hours across a workforce while employees receive partial unemployment benefits. Employers considering reductions should ask the state what options exist before finalizing plans.

Timing matters for layoff aversion. Once a decision is final and announced, options narrow. Employers that call their workforce board when trouble first appears have more choices than those that call after notices go out.

How it connects to the WARN Act

Under the federal WARN Act, covered employers planning certain plant closings or mass layoffs must give 60 days of advance notice to affected workers, the local chief elected official and the state dislocated worker unit. We explain those rules in our WARN Act guide. The notice to the state typically triggers Rapid Response outreach.

Employers do not need to wait for a WARN-covered event to request help. Smaller layoffs can also qualify for services.

Employers should coordinate communication carefully. Rapid Response staff can help plan how and when workers hear about services, but the employer remains responsible for its own legal notices and for accurate information about final pay, benefits and severance.

Why employers benefit

Helping departing workers find new jobs is good for them and good for the employer's reputation. Remaining employees watch how layoffs are handled. A respectful process with real support reduces anxiety and preserves trust among those who stay.

Reputation also matters for future hiring. Candidates and the community remember how an employer treated people during a layoff, and that memory shapes whether former employees return or recommend the company later, as discussed in our report on rehiring former employees.

Smooth transitions can reduce unemployment insurance costs as well, since workers who find jobs quickly draw fewer benefits.

Recent Kentucky context

Kentucky has seen workforce changes in several industries this year. Distilleries have reduced production as the bourbon market cooled, as covered in our bourbon industry report. UPS plans to cut up to 30,000 operational jobs nationwide in 2026, a story we follow in our report on UPS and Louisville.

Employers on the hiring side can benefit from Rapid Response too. Workforce boards often connect laid-off workers with local companies that need experienced employees, through job fairs and direct referrals.

How to start

Employers anticipating layoffs can contact the Kentucky Career Center or their local workforce board. In the Louisville area, KentuckianaWorks offers layoff support for employers. Reaching out early allows more time to plan sessions and connect workers with opportunities before their last day.

Layoffs are difficult under any circumstances. Using the help that already exists makes them less difficult for the people affected.