Lexington rallies again as rapid response event continues for Tyson employees
Nebraska agencies and local organizations continued their coordinated support Thursday as Lexington hosted the second day of Rapid Response events for workers affected by Tyson’s upcoming plant closure.
By News Channel NebraskaLEXINGTON, Neb. — Nebraska state agencies and local partners returned to the Dawson County Fairgrounds on Thursday for the second day of Rapid Response services, continuing efforts to assist Tyson Foods employees ahead of the plant’s Jan. 20 closure.
More than 400 people came through the doors on Wednesday, and officials expected an even larger turnout for day two.
Representatives from Labor, Health and Human Services, Economic Development, Agriculture and local nonprofits offered help with registering workers in the state system, unemployment insurance, job-search tools, training programs and other support.
Department of Labor Commissioner Katie Thurber said the scale of the response reflects how quickly the community mobilized.
Staff from across the state traveled to Lexington to assist, and additional organizations joined Thursday’s event alongside a community food distribution.
Thurber said early registration remains the top priority, because it determines how smoothly workers can access benefits once layoffs begin.
She said long-term planning is already underway, including job-training opportunities with Central Community College, outreach to regional employers, and potential transportation options for workers who may need to commute to new jobs in nearby cities.
The closure will eliminate more than 3,000 jobs between Tyson and Fortrex, the plant’s sanitation contractor, which also announced it will lay off 139 workers.
State officials say more job-fair details will be announced soon.