STATEMENT FROM LABOR COMMISSIONER MICHAEL HARRINGTON REGARDING KOFFEE KUP BAKERY CLOSURE
On Monday April 26, 2021, the Vermont Department of Labor received formal notification from Koffee Kup Bakery (KKB), in the form of a Notice of Potential Layoff (also referred to as a WARN Notice), that the company was ceasing operations at its Burlington and Brattleboro facilities effective immediately. In an effort to immediately support the roughly 250 Vermonters who have lost their jobs, our Workforce Development and Unemployment Insurance divisions have begun the process of coordinating Rapid Response services. Additionally, a number of employers across the state have contacted the Department of Labor interested in hiring individuals who were impacted by this closure.
KKB employees who were impacted by the closure can contact the Department of Labor’s Workforce Development division directly at https://labor.vermont.gov/Jobs or by calling (802) 863-7676 for individuals in the Burlington area or (802) 254-4555 for individuals in the Brattleboro area.
Vermont’s Notice of Potential Layoff Act requires that employers notify the state 45-days prior to closure and municipalities and affected employees 30-days prior to closure. In specific instances, employers may qualify for an exemption to the prior notice clause. The Department of Labor’s legal team is currently reviewing the notices that were provided and have already been in contact with the KBB to determine whether the company complied with the provisions of the Act.
All Notices of Potential Layoffs are available on the Department of Labor website at: https://labor.vermont.gov/warn-act-and-notice-potential-layoffs-act.