Friday, November 14, 2008

Exiting Chrysler workers to get help

Program aims to find new jobs

BY TIM HIGGINS • FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER • November 14, 2008

Chrysler LLC with the State of Michigan and Oakland County on Thursday announced a plan to offer job-placement assistance to employees leaving the Auburn Hills automaker as part of the 25% white-collar reduction announced last month.

The program is to offer a range of services tailored to Chrysler employees who take voluntary separation offers or who get laid off.

"These are very challenging times in our country and industry, and the economic fallout has been even greater in Michigan," said Nancy Rae, Chrysler executive vice president of human resources and communications. "We are pleased that the state and county will offer outplacement and reemployment services to those employees leaving Chrysler."

The help is to be provided through nine Michigan Works! Career centers in Oakland County, with the Troy location providing overall leadership, Chrysler said.

Help is to include career counseling, workshops on résumé writing and entrepreneurial counseling.

"We want to help these displaced workers find new employment as quickly as possible. We want them working, and we want them working here. It's human capital that brings value to Oakland County. We all have a stake in this company and these people," Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson said in a statement.