Shared-Work Program business testimonials
Washington businesses are turning in record numbers to the Shared-Work Program to avoid layoffs. Read how the program has helped these Washington businesses weather the current recession.
Shared Work eases layoffs for EZ Loader
When business began to drop dramatically in 2008, EZ Loader Boat Trailers Inc. in Spokane thought employee layoffs were inevitable.Then Bill Baker, the company’s human resource director, heard about a little-known program called Shared Work. He learned that the program was helping businesses avoid layoffs and decided to see if it were true.
“That turned out to be a smart move. It’s worked great for our company,” said Baker.
EZ Loader Boat Trailers enrolled in the program in 2008. Almost 80 percent of its employees were signed up to work reduced hours and receive shared-work benefits.
"We were looking at having to make some substantial cuts, but Shared Work helped us avoid that,” said Baker. “Our employees love it, and the reduction in pay is much less than if they were on regular unemployment.”
Baker also likes the program because of its flexibility. For example, a shared-work employee might have his or her hours cut by 50 percent one week, work full-time the next week and work 75 percent the following week.
We need that kind of flexibility in this economy, and Employment Security makes it very simple to do in terms of the documentation,” Baker said.
To learn how the Shared-Work Program can help your business, call 800-752-2500 or visit the Shared-Work Program online.
When layoffs just aren’t an option
When the recession started taking a toll on The Gear Works manufacturing firm in Seattle, the company avoided laying off 15 full-time workers by turning to the Employment Security Department’s Shared-Work Program for help.“Many of our employees have been with us for over a decade,” said Sterling Ramberg, co-company owner. “We’ve invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in their training and couldn’t afford to loose them. Shared Work helped us avoid that.”
The Gear Works enrolled in the Shared-Work Program in March 2009. At peak in mid-2009, about two-thirds of its employees were working reduced hours and receiving shared-work benefits.
“The program has really made a difference,” added Ramberg. “We were able to cut our payroll costs and still hang on to our skilled workers. Now that things are improving we’re slowly bringing more employees back to full-time.”
To learn how the Shared-Work Program can help your business, call 800-752-2500 or visit the Shared-Work Program online.
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