LINCOLN — About 1,600 people attended job fairs and other events held over the past two weeks in the Lexington area for workers impacted by the Tyson Foods plant closure, Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen announced Thursday.

The state and local efforts were designed to connect displaced workers with potential jobs and state workforce support services. Nearly 600 individuals registered with the state Department of Labor’s employment website.

Such outreach followed the announcement by Tyson Foods that it will close its longtime Lexington beef plant, eliminating 3,200 jobs. The plant is to close in mid-January. Tyson is the biggest employer in the town of about 11,000.

“We are helping people identify ways that they can make the most of this situation,” said Erick Carrillo, director of reemployment services with the Labor Department. He said the process is different for each worker.

Labor Commissioner Katie Thurber said she attended several of the events the department hosted. More than 150 employers took part in job fairs and other outreach focused on the Tyson workforce.

Employers are encouraged to post their jobs at NEworks.nebraska.gov. Participating employers, a summary of job openings and community resources are listed at opportunity.nebraska.gov/Lexington.

A hotline (308) 407-1517 also is now available 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, for Lexington workers seeking assistance through the Nebraska Departments of Labor and Health and Human Services.

“The hotline aims to streamline access for individuals with questions regarding programs that may benefit them most during this time,” Pillen said.

The Labor Department has scheduled other events at the Dawson County Fairgrounds for those losing Tyson jobs. NEworks sessions help people register for NEworks.nebraska.gov, the website where they can find employment and file for unemployment benefits when a job ends.

The Events:

Dec. 29: 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. (NEwork session)

Jan. 8: 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. (NEworks session); 1-5 p.m. (job fair)

Jan 9: 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. (NEworks session); 1-5 p.m. (job fair)

Jan. 15: 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. (NEworks session); 1-5 p.m. (job fair)

Jan. 16: 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. (NEworks session); 1-5 p.m. (job fair)

This story was published by Nebraska Examiner, an editorially independent newsroom providing a hard-hitting, daily flow of news. Read the original article: https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/new-hotline-more-job-fairs-as-tyson-...