Retraining of employed technical professionals as an alternative to termination is being used by a small but growing number of firms. Case studies of involuntary and voluntary retraining generated guidelines for cost-effective programs: management support, candidate screening, career counseling, and realistic job previews. (SK)

A study of 180 laid-off defense industry workers in Scotland showed that outplacement advice and support they received varied by gender, age, and skill level. Typically, the jobs in which they were reemployed were temporary, part time, and at lower skill levels. (SK)

Outsourcing can involve the forced transfer of employees to another organisation. During or after the transfer they may find their jobs have changed or go through a process of downsizing. They also often have to maintain a relationship with their previous employer as they continue to work on joint projects. In this paper we review relevant…

Corporate restructuring has resulted in involuntary job loss for a significant number of white collar workers. This study investigated gender differences in reaction to involuntary job loss and tested a model of career gorwth through job loss. Former clients, 456 males and 62 females, of a nationwide outplacement firm completed a questionnaire…

Educators anticipate bold new education reform initiatives from President Bill Clinton and his Education Secretary, Richard Riley. A priority project is college tuition loans, repayable through voluntary public service jobs. The President also supports increased funding for the Head Start Program and money for a national apprenticeship program for…

Although work continues to play a significant role in the lives of most men and an increasing number of women that role is changing. This study examined the intrinsic value of work. The 53 subjects for this study were drawn from a review of 160 files for clients who were referred to the Occupational Performance Analysis Unit at the University of…

The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN) was passed in 1987 to provide advance notice to workers whose jobs are to be eliminated because of plant closings and relocations. A study examined the extent to which advance notice eases the adjustment problems associated with permanent loss of jobs. Data from the Displaced Worker…

A study investigated how 22 Service Delivery Areas (SDAs) were implementing the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA). In 19 SDAs the same organization was the grant recipient and administrative entity. A number of arrangements existed between the Private Industry Councils (PICs) and the SDAs. The most common pattern was for the PIC to play an…

Between 1981 and 1986, the U.S. manufacturing sector lost 1.2 million jobs. There is little regional variation in rates of plant closure, nor is there any correlation between cross-regional rates of industry growth and regional rates of plant closures. However, regional variation in rates of employment gains due to start-ups can be large and is…

The "Where Do We Go from Here?" conferences provide information to meet the long-term needs of unemployed workers (career change and retraining) and the short-term needs of coping with the psychological problems of being out-of-work. The conference presentation includes 70 to 100 volunteer professionals, providing optimistic and motivational…

This monograph provides empirical evidence of the effects of advance notice. Chapter 1 summarizes theoretical arguments for and against plant closing legislation and the evidence of the extent to which advance notice currently is provided to displaced workers in the United States. Chapter 2 presents a summary of prior empirical research on the…

Thousands of workers have been dislocated from jobs in the textile and apparel industries as a result of recessions and structural changes in the economy. Because of the large concentrations of female workers in these industries, women have been particularly vulnerable to dislocation. This study examined job dislocation and factors that affect…

Discusses the use of the Virginia Vital Information for Education and Work program at J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College, with particular emphasis on career planning and placement services and outreach efforts. Highlights special displaced workers programs with industry. (DMM)

Describes Project Refocus, an outplacement service specially targeted toward blue-collar workers. Services include (1) testing and assessment, (2) counseling, and (3) job placement. (CH)

Consists of seven articles describing the newest developments in employee relations. Topics include (1) research at two centers studying employee relations, (2) comparisons between United States and United Kingdom systems, (3) unions, (4) displacement, and (5) forms of remuneration. (CH)