1.  Initiation of project.  When 100 or more employees of a single employer are laid off, the department shall initiate a peer support project to assist the affected employees. The department may initiate a project when 50 or more employees are laid off if the bureau determines that a peer support project is warranted, after considering the particular needs of the affected workforce and the affected communities.  

2.  Employment and role of peer support workers.  For each project, the department shall employ one or more peer support workers who must be displaced nonmanagerial employees from the affected workforce. The department shall attempt in all cases to hire one peer support worker for each 50 affected employees and to hire at least 2 peer support workers for each project. A peer support worker shall serve as a worker advocate and an information source connecting the affected workers and the State's workforce development programs. The peer support worker shall use the resources of local employment assistance programs as well as state programs. The department shall collaborate with employee representatives in hiring and overseeing peer support workers. The department shall ensure that peer support workers have an opportunity to receive training and to work as a team even if they are geographically dispersed.  

3.  Duration of project.  The department shall determine the duration of each project, taking into consideration the size, scope and nature of the layoff and the period of time over which the layoffs occur.