Citizens Gas Providing Comprehensive Transition Benefits to Displaced Indianapolis Coke Employees

INDIANAPOLIS – Citizens Gas & Coke Utility will provide comprehensive transition benefits to the 235 employees of Indianapolis Coke who will be displaced when the 98-year-old manufacturing facility closes later this year.

“We are hopeful that the package of transition benefits we are developing for Indianapolis Coke employees will make their transition to new careers as smooth as possible,” said Carey Lykins, President & CEO of Citizens Gas.

Last month, the utility announced that Indianapolis Coke will close later this year due to foreign competition and a declining market for coke produced in the United States. Coke is a substance made from coal that is used as a fuel by steel mills and foundries.

The utility announced last week that full-time members of IBEW Local 1400 will receive six weeks retention pay and six-months paid health care. IBEW employees also will be eligible for attendance bonuses of two weeks base pay if they miss no more than two days until the plant shutdown and an additional $500 for perfect attendance. Temporary union employees will receive two weeks of retention pay. Non-union employees will receive 12 weeks retention pay and six months paid health care.

Citizens Gas also will place 25 employees in a contract labor pool eligible to work in other areas of the utility for 24 months. The five most senior employees in this labor pool will be eligible to work in other areas of the utility for up to 36 months.

In addition, Citizens Gas is working closely with the Indiana Department of Workforce Development to maximize employee benefits available under state and federal programs. The utility will soon file a petition for trade adjustment assistance with the U.S. Department of Labor. If approved, the assistance would include the following:

• Training - Workers may receive up to 104 weeks of approved training in occupational skills, basic or remedial education, or training in literacy or English as a second language.
• Income support - Trade readjustment allowances (TRA) are weekly cash payments available for 52 weeks after a worker's unemployment compensation (UC) benefit is exhausted and during the period in which a worker is participating in an approved full-time training program. Income support is a combination of UC and TRA benefits for a maximum of 78 weeks (26 weeks for UC and 52 weeks for TRA).
• Job search allowance - A job search allowance may be payable to cover expenses incurred in seeking employment outside the employee's normal commuting area.
• Relocation allowances - Reimbursement is provided for relocation for approved expenses if workers are successful in obtaining employment outside their normal commuting area.

The utility also is working with a private contractor to provide various outplacement services including resume and job search assistance.

On June 18-19, the utility will hold a career fair. Several local companies and national coke and steel producers have expressed interest in attending the career fair.

Special meetings are being conducted with employees to answer questions about their pension and 401K benefits. Each employee received a pension estimate recently from the utility. The utility has already offered 41 eligible employees an early retirement incentive package.

Citizens Gas is partnering with WorkOne, the state's job placement clearinghouse, on providing employees unemployment benefits, retraining benefits and additional outplacement resources.

Finally, Citizens Gas will be working with Community Health Promotion Services, the provider of its Employee Assistance Program, to provide resources to employees as they face the emotional challenges of their career transition.

About Citizens Gas
Citizens Gas & Coke Utility is a Public Charitable Trust providing efficient and reliable energy services to more than 266,000 customers in and around Marion County. The Public Charitable Trust means the utility is managed only for the benefit of customers and the community.

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