142 ex-NEMF workers file unemployment claims

Carbon County provided an update about help that is available to New England Motor Freight employees who lost their jobs last month with the unexpected closure.

Commissioners’ Chairman Wayne Nothstein said that the company list the county received regarding the number of employees laid off at the Lehighton facility was 167, lower than initial figures. There may be a few additions later on, he said, as there are a few employees still at the facility.

NEMF, based in Elizabeth, New Jersey, filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Feb. 11, leaving many of its employees blindsided by the unexpected closure.

Garry Wentz, PA CareerLink Carbon County site administrator, said that a meeting that was held by the NEMF Rapid Response team that was organized immediately following the announcement, was well received.

Approximately 70 employees attended the meeting at the Orioles Community Center on Feb. 20.

In addition, since the closure, 142 employees have filed unemployment claims.

“Approximately two-thirds of those affected are Carbon County residents,” Wentz said.

The next step employees who filed claims must do is attend a mandatory re-employment workshop, which Wentz said would help them see what is available to them.

In a related employment matter, Nothstein spoke about the need for caseworkers.

In the Carbon County Children and Youth and Area Agency on Aging offices, Nothstein said there are about six open positions.

He said this is due to the lack of names on the civil service list for caseworkers for those departments.

Because of the openings, it creates a problem in the number of caseloads per caseworker ratio and makes things a little tougher.

Nothstein said anyone looking for a caseworker job in these career fields should look into how to get on the civil service list.