Requires employers of 100 or more employees who are planning a reduction in operations at a workplace to give written notice meeting specified requirements to: (1) all their employees at the affected workplace; (2) the labor organization representing those employees for collective bargaining; (3) the elected officials of the community in which the affected workplace is located; and (4) the Secretary of Labor.
Directs the Secretary, when a reduction in operations will result from a complete workplace closure or relocation, after receipt of such notice and with the assistance of State agencies, to: (1) coordinate all State government services for the alleviation of the economic distress suffered by displaced workers; and (2) study the feasibility of establishing a community-owned, employee-owned, or jointly owned business to continue operations at the workplace.
Requires the employer in such circumstances, after giving such notice, and subject to certain requirements to make a good faith offer of sale at fair market value of the workplace, equipment, and inventory to the community in which the workplace is located, or to an organization of the workplace employees which singly or in combination attempts to form a community-owned, employee-owned, or jointly owned business at the workplace to be closed or relocated.
Subjects such sales to continued compliance with any bona fide collective bargaining agreement covering the workplace concerned, or good faith bargaining with employee representatives if an agreement expires within a specified time period.
Requires the employer, when a reduction in operations takes effect, to provide a choice of the following benefits to each affected employee: (1) permanent preference rights in hiring and employment at other workplaces of the employer and, when the employee accepts employment at another workplace, vacation, health, welfare, and pension benefits earned while previously employed by the employer; (2) severance pay benefits equal to one week's wages for each completed year of service up to the date of termination, with a bonus of one week of pay for each five years of service, and with a specified minimum benefit for all affected employees; or (3) when the employee accepts a transfer to a workplace 40 miles or more from the employee's residence, payment for the movement of normal household goods, reimbursement for the reasonable one-way transportation costs, and reimbursement for reasonable legal fees and other fees and closing costs associated with purchase or rental of a new residence up to a maximum of $500.
Requires employers, in all cases of a reduction in operation, to continue for a specified period of time the employer's share of premiums and contributions for any employee health and insurance benefit plans.
Requires the terms of a lawful collective bargaining agreement to prevail over any provision of this Act with which they conflict.
Directs the Secretary to provide specified technical assistance upon request of employees or communities adversely affected by reductions in operations.
Provides for enforcement, civil penalties, and civil actions against employers who violate this Act.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Economic and Educational Opportunities.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Employer-Employee Relations.
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