Workforce Resources in Response to COVID-19

COVID-19 is having a negative impact on workers and businesses throughout our region and its effects will surely be felt for some time. Clackamas Workforce Partnership is closely monitoring resources that are likely to be available to us due to our status as the Workforce Development Board and we will pursue those opportunities when they are made available. It is essential that low-income and other underserved communities have priority access to available resources.

We are working to influence the thinking around a number of policy changes to lessen the burden on area workers and will engage our partners to get an assessment of needs and ideas for strategies to address them. We support the letter that was sent to Governor Brown, Senate President Courtney and House Speaker Kotek advocating for specific relief for workers in our region impacted by COVID-19. We are also advocating for federal increases in WIOA Title I to support wage subsidies, stipends, re-employment and other transitional supports.

State of Oregon Workforce System Rapid Response

• State Workforce System - Rapid Response

Rapid Response Information for Local Businesses in Clackamas County

Link to Oregon Employment Department List of COVID-19 Resources and Links

• COVID-19 OED Resources & Links

Links to Related COVID-19 Information in Clackamas County

• Clackamas County Closure Information
• Clackamas County Resources for Specific Groups
• Hope, Equity & Racial Justice - Hope Forward

Links to Related COVID-19 Information for our Region

• Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon: A guide for people who are laid off and in need of food supports
• Greater Portland Inc - Resources for Greater Portland Businesses
• Workers Compensation Eligibility Guidelines
• SNAP Assistance Application
• Unemployment Insurance
• Federal Definition of Essential Workers

Business Closures and Layoff Aversion

Business owners should inform their employees in writing that they will be closing and all employees are laid off until further notice. it is very important for business to also file a WARN Notice . Both of these actions help track closures and provide workers with documentation to claim Unemployment Insurance. WARN Notices help trigger additional state and federal funding for our region that can be utilized in flexible ways to help people during this crisis. For assistance, please contact Amy Oakley at [email protected] or Bryan Fuentez at [email protected]

Additional Resources

As we continue to deploy information quickly during this National COVID-19 Emergency, we want to recommend that you use websites as your primary form of information. Websites are live platforms where the latest information on responses will be posted. Since the information will be updated first, using these sites eliminates the version control issues of guidance documents or emails that may become old in a matter of hours. Using the websites keeps us all, literally, on the same page during such a fluid situation.

Please use the following websites as your guide:

• Oregon Employment Department
• Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission
• Department of Labor
• Oregon Health Authority
• Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
• The Families First Coronavirus Response Act Employee Rights
• USDA Rural Development in support of rural residents, businesses & communities

If you don't find the answers to your questions at the above websites, here are two email accounts that are being monitored to assist with your questions.

• Oregon Employment Department (things like Work Share, Unemployment Insurance information or questions): [email protected]
• HECC-Office of Workforce Investments (things like WARN/Layoff or Closure notifications or questions): [email protected]

Please note these email boxes are being actively staffed and folks are responding as quickly as possible, but please be patient as you can imagine the level of volume and work being experienced.