PREVENT / PROTECT LIVELIHOODS
A 30-day worker transition plan
Automation changes some tasks, roles and bargaining relationships. Protect income and worker voice without assuming any one outcome is inevitable.
Stabilize immediate needs
Record notices, final pay information, benefit options, union or employee representative contacts and any official deadlines. Seek local aid for food, housing and utilities when needed. Avoid panic purchases and predatory retraining offers.
Inventory transferable capabilities
Write down what you actually do: equipment, relationships, care work, process knowledge, languages, repair, problem-solving and safety tasks. Test an AI tool on a low-risk sample only; do not upload proprietary, personal or sensitive workplace data.
Find a viable path
Compare training quality, time, fees, placement claims, credential recognition, accessibility and local employer demand. Seek free public workforce help and talk with peers or representatives about consultation, fair transition and human review.
Build leverage and alternatives
Complete one demonstrable project or credential step. Apply for relevant roles or services. Explore worker-owned business feasibility, community repair and shared education. Document concerns about consequential automated management lawfully.
Questions every employer should answer
- What tasks and decisions will automation change, and on what evidence?
- Who is accountable for errors and worker safety?
- Can workers inspect and challenge high-impact automated decisions?
- Will training, redeployment and assistance be offered?
- Are workers and their representatives involved before rollout?
Employment and collective-bargaining rules depend on jurisdiction and workplace. Seek a qualified representative or attorney when appropriate.