Budzinski Releases Statement on Georgia-Pacific Closure in Mt. Olive, Highlights Layoff Resources Now Available

SPRINGFIELD, IL — Today, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) released the following statement on the recent closure of Georgia-Pacific in Mt. Olive. Budzinski encourages those impacted to attend the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity (DCEO) workshops and job fair. 

“No worker wants to hear that their livelihood is about to change, and my heart goes out to the families affected by this closure. In moments like this, it’s essential that workers have immediate access to the support and resources they need to navigate what comes next,” said Budzinski. “That’s why my team and I have been working closely with DCEO and partners to ensure employees receive timely assistance and a clear path forward. We stand ready to help in any way we can, and I strongly encourage all those impacted to take advantage of these critical resources.”

In November, Georgia-Pacific announced that operations at the Mt. Olive plant will cease by December 31, 2025, impacting an estimated 134 employees. Illinois DCEO, West Central Development Council (LWIA 21), Illinois Department of Employment Security, and the Illinois Department of Insurance through “Get Covered Illinois” will facilitate layoff assistance workshops to inform the impacted workers of the robust network of resources at their disposal to successfully position themselves for their next career opportunities.

The layoff assistance workshops being held on-site at Georgia-Pacific LLC are taking place at the following dates and times:

• Tuesday, December 9th, 2025, at 2:00PM and 3:00PM
• Wednesday, December 10th, 2025, at 7:15AM

In addition, rapid response partners and the employer are conducting an on-site private, table-top job fair for the impacted workers on Thursday, December 11th, 2025, from 7:30AM-12PM. 

For more information for those directly impacted, please visit: https://layoffs.illinoisworknet.com/GeorgiaPacificLLC-MountOlive

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