TOLEDO, Ohio — The Board of Lucas County Commissioners is pledging to support the more than 1,300 employees who will be laid off from the Toledo Assembly Complex and Mobis North America manufacturing plants as early as Jan. 5 of next year.
Both Stellantis and Mobis announced the layoffs at their plants last week — 1,139 workers and 210 workers, respectively.
"The fact of the matter is that this is really a sad time too for so many," said Commissioner Lisa Sobecki. "We are ready in Lucas County, we're ready at workforce development, they're all ready. It's an all hands on deck even from the commissioners all the way down."
The county and its Department of Workforce Development are working with the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, Stellantis and United Auto Workers Local 12 to assist the workers.
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Sobecki said these workforce development plans include helping affected employees search and apply for jobs and navigating them in the right direction.
"Things like resume writing," Sobecki said. "Think about if you've been a Jeep worker for 35, 30 years, you probably haven't written a resume. Or just interviewing skills if you're looking at going for other employment."
She said although the county is primarily focusing on building job portfolios, workforce development will also be on standby should workers need more assistance.
"You don't know what you're going to need until you need it," she said. "It may not be that first week or two that you're being laid off. It could come in weeks three, four, five and six or even further down the road."
Sobecki added that ODJFS is helping align people with unemployment so they can receive benefits.
ODJFS spokesperson Bill Teets in a statement to WTOL 11 also said the department is on standby for additional help in case there is an influx of unemployment claims.
Teets explained that the department currently has a dedicated line for those being impacted by the layoffs that will run through the end of the week: 1-877-447-4237.
Stellantis declined an interview on Tuesday and provided the following statement:
"Stellantis appreciates the commitment of the State of Ohio’s Office of Workplace Development to supporting our impacted employees during this difficult time. We hope that their full roster of services will make this transition a bit easier."
The automaker in a statement last week also said there is a plan to provide affected employees with one year of supplemental unemployment benefits and healthcare coverage for two years, along with other benefits.