Plants closing; 1,200 to lose their jobs

UNDATED - Three manufacturing plants in northeast Georgia plan to close by the end
of the year - meaning more than 1,200 people will be losing their jobs.

The Rabun County plant is the Fruit of the Loom facility in Rabun Gap. Rabun Apparel officials plan to close the Fruit of the Loom plant in Rabun. Workers will be let go
beginning the end of this month and the plant is expected to be closed by
August.

Meanwhile, another 340 people will be out of work in Hartwell as Hartwell
Weaving and Hartwell Yarn shut their doors. Those layoffs are expected
to begin in May.

State Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond said the Georgia Department of Labor will provide assistance to the workers.

"The layoffs in Rabun and Hart Counties not only create a difficult situation for the workers and their families but also will have a tremendous economic impact on the northeast Georgia area," said Thurmond.

"I want the laid-off workers to know that they are not alone in dealing with the problem. We are prepared to assist them. Our staff will work with company officials, as the layoffs occur, to determine how we can best assist the effected employees. We will help the laid-off employees file claims for unemployment insurance and give them access to services designed to get them back to work as quickly as possible. We will also
assist workers who need additional skills to find appropriate training."

Labor department staff members will meet with company officials to discuss options for laid-off workers, including: on-site employee information sessions, unemployment compensation, job-search services, retraining options, resources of the labor department's career centers, on-site services, surveys of workers to determine needs, special workshops on career options, resume writing and interviewing skills, and filing a trade petition for expanded services.

The department conducts job search workshops, career counseling, and provides resource centers in each office. Some job seekers may also be eligible for occupational/skills training, on-the-job training, General Education Development (GED) preparation and testing, and supportive services such as child-care assistance, transportation assistance and meals while enrolled in full-time school training.