Discussions centered on circumstances faced by laid-off workers in Portsmouth, Ohio, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Upper Cumberland, Tennessee, and Gary, West Virginia. These diverse Appalachian communities are prototypes of the extent of local distress imposed by the impersonal workings of the market and the absence of precedents for dealing with…

This guide summarizes key principles drawn from successful programs for helping unemployed workers find new jobs and presents a systematic approach to help states plan and manage their worker readjustment efforts. The guide contains two major sections. The first section is an overview and summary that includes background on the dislocation…