US Department of Labor announces $58 million in state grants to train dislocated workers

The U.S. Department of Labor today announced $58 million in funding to 30 states for expanded training of dislocated workers so they can acquire industry-recognized credentials that lead to new career opportunities. The grants to states will support on-the-job training, customized training, registered apprenticeships and other approaches that connect individuals with employers, with a focus on providing these services to those in long spells of unemployment.

"While economic conditions continue to improve across the country, millions of workers still face barriers in returning to work," said acting Secretary of Labor Seth D. Harris. "These federal funds will strengthen the capacity of the states' workforce investment systems to deliver critical work-based learning and training to thousands of unemployed Americans."

States were invited to apply for the one-time funding in May and were asked to prioritize training efforts on workers who have been unemployed for 27 weeks or longer and were also encouraged to provide services to workers who are likely to soon exhaust their unemployment insurance benefits. The funding is being provided through Dislocated Worker Training National Emergency Grants, in recognition of high number of long-term unemployed individuals and the continuing negative impacts of widespread, small layoffs across the country.

Dislocated workers often have lost their jobs through no fault of their own, such as when layoffs result from the permanent closure of an office or plant. Today's announcement reflects a commitment by the department's Employment and Training Administration to help dislocated workers become re-employed and to continue support for the nation's economic recovery.

National Emergency Grants are part of the secretary of labor's discretionary fund and are awarded based on a state's ability to meet specific guidelines. For more information about the grants, visit http://www.doleta.gov/layoff/.

The chart below lists the grant amounts by state:

State	Award
Alabama	$1,192,254
Alaska	$1,200,000
California	$1,784,413
Delaware	$1,439,897
Florida	$1,437,743
Hawaii	$1,769,095
Idaho	$675,882
Illinois	$3,577,056
Indiana	$2,343,780
Kansas	$768,133
Kentucky	$1,240,897
Massachusetts	$2,872,496
Michigan	$3,484,453
Minnesota	$1,075,633
Mississippi	$1,132,695
Missouri	$2,037,558
Montana	$1,402,065
Nevada	$1,870,000
New Jersey	$2,500,000
New York	$1,427,560
Ohio	$3,413,653
Oregon	$2,616,342
Pennsylvania	$3,606,703
Rhode Island	$1,058,814
South Carolina	$1,200,254
South Dakota	$418,000
Texas	$4,428,052
Virginia	$1,249,991
Washington	$2,702,646
Wisconsin	$2,073,935

Source: DOL

 

This information is intended to be educational and should not be considered legal advice on any specific matter.

 

 

 

 

U.S. Department of Labor awards $20 million to help adult inmates prepare to enter the workforce

The U.S. Department of Labor today awarded grants totaling $20 million to provide job training for inmates aged 18 and older participating in state or local work-release programs. The grants are part of the Training to Work-Adult Reentry initiative, which seeks to provide work skills, education, and supportive services to improve the long-term employment prospects of soon-to-be-released inmates.

"The grants announced today will help incarcerated adults build a bridge to their communities and improve their chances of success in life," said acting Secretary of Labor Seth D. Harris. "Through the Training to Work program, the participants have a better chance of attaining employment by acquiring industry-recognized credentials, and as a result are more likely to positively contribute to their communities." 
 
Sixteen grants were awarded to nonprofit organizations around the country. Grantees are expected to help participants obtain high school diplomas (or equivalent) and industry-recognized credentials. The grant programs will focus on in-demand occupations in which ex-offenders are eligible to work within the local communities. These grants require the inclusion of components such as workforce development activities, training leading to industry-recognized credentials, education, case management, mentoring, and follow-up services to help reduce recidivism and lead to long-term success.

Grants were awarded through a competitive process open to nonprofit organizations with Internal Revenue Code 501(c) (3) status and proven success in implementing the key components of the grants in communities with high poverty and crime rates. The grants will cover 39 months, which include six months of planning and 33 months of operation. The funds also must provide for a minimum of nine months of follow-up services for each participant.

Source: DOL

This information is intended to be educational and should not be considered legal advice on any specific matter.

US Department of Labor awards $15 million grant increment to continue storm recovery efforts in Ohio

The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $15,438,000 National Emergency Grant increment to create 1,191 temporary jobs for eligible workers to continue cleanup and recovery efforts following the widespread severe storms and winds that caused damage across Ohio between June 29 and July 2, 2012.

"Although it has been almost a year since Ohio was hit by devastating storms, cleanup efforts continue and the federal government continues to assist those efforts," said acting Secretary of Labor Seth D. Harris. "The grant announced today represents the Labor Department's commitment to help Ohioans rebuild their communities and their lives." 
 
Awarded to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, the funding will provide assistance for cleanup efforts in 19 counties: Athens; Belmont; Gallia; Guernsey; Hancock; Harrison; Hocking; Jackson; Lawrence; Licking; Logan; Meigs; Monroe; Morgan; Muskingum; Perry; Putnam; Vinton; and Washington. On Aug. 20, 2012, the Federal Emergency Management Agency declared 37 Ohio counties eligible for disaster assistance. More information on designated disaster areas in Ohio is available at http://www.fema.gov/disaster/4077.

On Sept. 14, 2012, the department awarded a grant for up to $21,438,000, with $6 million released initially to create 407 temporary jobs. The latest increment completes the grant award by bringing the total funding awarded for this project to $21,438,000.

Source: DOL

This information is intended to be educational and should not be considered legal advice on any specific matter.

US Department of Labor grant to assist Oregon workers affected by closure of Boise White Paper

A $175,318 National Emergency Grant was announced today by the U.S. Department of Labor to assist about 70 of the 110 workers affected by the closure of Boise White Paper LLC in St. Helens, Ore.

Awarded to the Oregon Department of Community College and Workforce Development, the grant will provide eligible workers with access to training and a broad range of support services, in conjunction with other services they may receive as a result of their eligibility for Trade Adjustment Assistance benefits.
Boise White Paper manufactured packaging products and paper. The company notified employees that its manufacturing operations would cease by March 31, and the facility would shut down because of a decline in the demand for the company's products.

National Emergency Grants are part of the secretary of labor's discretionary fund and are awarded based on a state's ability to meet specific guidelines. For more information, visit http://www.doleta.gov/NEG/.

Source: DOL

This information is intended to be educational and should not be considered legal advice on any specific matter.

Vermont and Utah Job Corps students combine skills to create awards honoring service of US Labor Department employees

Job Corps students and instructors from Vermont and Utah used recycling and sustainability in creating unique, handcrafted awards honoring the service and dedication of U.S. Department of Labor employees who are recipients of the 2013 Secretary of Labor's Honor Awards.

Annual Honor Awards represent the highest level of recognition used to acknowledge employees whose work and accomplishments achieved an outstanding level and demonstrated excellence in promoting the department's mission in goals set under the leadership of acting Secretary Seth D. Harris. This year's theme is "Then, Now, Next," symbolizing the 100 years that the U.S. Department of Labor has unwaveringly promoted the welfare of working Americans.

Job Corps centers competed to design this year's award. The winning design is an aluminum medallion hung from a metal "C" hook embedded into a wooden base with a matching centennial face plate affixed.

In a ceremony today, scores of Labor Department employees received awards in recognition of their exceptional efforts and outstanding displays of professionalism, teamwork and dedication. Issues ranged from preparing veterans to find good jobs and protecting the rights and wages of vulnerable workers to ensuring the security of retirement benefits and improving highway worker zone safety.

The department honored employees from numerous agencies, including the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Employee Benefits Security Administration, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Office of Disability Employment Policy, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy, the Office of the Chief Financial Officer, the Veterans' Employment and Training Service, the Wage and Hour Division, the Women's Bureau, the Office of the Solicitor, the Mine Safety and Health Administration, the Bureau of International Labor Affairs, the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs, the Employment and Training Administration, the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management, the Office of Inspector General, the Office of Labor-Management Standards and the Office of Public Affairs.

ETA's Job Corps is the nation's largest career technical training and education program for students ages 16 through 24. The program serves approximately 60,000 young people each year at 125 centers in 48 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

Northlands Job Corps, Vergennes, Vt.

Under the direction of welding instructor Jim Blanchard, a Navy veteran, students from four Career Technical Training Programs – welding, carpentry, urban forestry and auto collision – decided to use recycled products from the past, present and the future (Then, Now, Next) for their creation.

Northlands Urban Forestry students, led by arborist instructors Jeremy Riemersma and David Gross and carpentry instructor Todd Lossman, removed several sustainably harvested brown maple trees from the Rokeby Museum property in Ferrisburgh, Vt. Students and instructors worked with cutting the lumber into wooden bases, which were sanded and finished.

Then students under the direction of welding instructor Tony Bosnich cut recycled pipe and used a plasma cutter and a gas tungsten arc welding process to produce the hook from which a medallion would be hung. After the assembly of the pieces, auto body instructor Sidney Messick and his students prepared the surfaces and used a spray paint coating for the finished product.

Past: harvested wood and reclaimed pipe
Present: welding, cutting and painting utilizing materials available
Future: developing skills for future craftsmen

Northland Job Corps students Dylan Vose, Victoria Finley, Omar Hutchinson, Timothy Hamlin, Marquis Benjamin, Samantha Burgess, Muhamud Jeilani, Daniel Quick, Jason Hubbard and Sage Gratton participated.

Clearfield Job Corps, Clearfield, Utah

Machining instructor David Howell assigned his students to create the medallion and centennial face plate using Feature Cam software. Once the design was approved, the students made a draft of the medallion and centennial face plate on a HASS CNC mill using both bronze and aluminum materials. Then students, under the supervision of welding instructors Roger Holcomb and Glenn Stott, used an Adira metal sheer to rough cut the scores of medallions and face plates into manageable pieces that were shaped, milled and given a hole at the top for display hanging. Clearfield Job Corps students Justin Blenheim and Alexander Galindo participated.

Source: DOL

This information is intended to be educational and should not be considered legal advice on any specific matter.

Nearly $18 million in grants for state workforce agencies now available through US Labor Department’s Disability Employment Initiative

The U.S. Department of Labor will fund four to eight cooperative agreements totaling nearly $18 million to improve educational, training and employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities.
 
The grants represent the fourth round of funding through the Disability Employment Initiative, which is jointly funded and administered by two Labor Department agencies, the Employment and Training Administration and the Office of Disability Employment Policy. To date, the department has awarded grants totaling more than $63 million in 23 states.

"The Disability Employment Initiative is working to put job seekers with disabilities to work," said acting Secretary of Labor Seth D. Harris. "Through the American Job Center system, DEI programs in 23 states — and more to come with these additional grants — are providing people with disabilities a broad range of services."

The purpose of the cooperative agreements is to foster service delivery through the public workforce investment system for job seekers with disabilities. Funds will be awarded to state workforce agencies to collaborate with workforce investment boards in local areas. Awards will range from $1.5 to $6 million each to be spent over a three-year period. Programs will build upon the Labor Department's Disability Program Navigator Initiative and other model service delivery strategies such as Customized Employment and the Guideposts for Success.

The complete solicitation for grant applications is available at http://www.grants.gov/search/search.do?mode=VIEW&oppId=231216. Prospective applicants are encouraged to view the online tutorial "Grant Applications 101: A Plain English Guide to ETA Competitive Grants" available at http://www.workforce3one.org/page/grants_toolkit.

Source: DOL

This information is intended to be educational and should not be considered legal advice on any specific matter.

US Labor Department announces new online resources to help businesses recruit, train and retain a skilled work force

The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the launch of the Business Center, a suite of online resources for employers looking to recruit, train and retain a skilled work force through the department's CareerOneStop Web site.

The site includes tips about how to recruit qualified candidates through local American Job Centers and provides employment projections. Additionally, the site offers access to local training and educational institutions, a catalog of occupational certifications and a tool to help employers translate the military training and skills of returning service members into specific civilian occupations. The CareerOneStop Business Center is available online at http://www.careeronestop.org/business.

"These resources will help educate employers about our nation's work force development system and put the resources they need to find and hire qualified workers right at their fingertips," said Jane Oates, assistant secretary of labor for employment and training.

The new Business Center page builds on existing resources available through CareerOneStop, which also has information to help job seekers find education and training providers, conduct a job search and access local labor market information.
 
Employment and Training Administration staff will have a webinar on March 27 at 2 p.m. EDT to highlight the Business Center's tools. A webinar is a seminar conducted over the Internet. For more information and to participate in the webinar, visit https://www.workforce3one.org/view/5001307743087754858/info

Source: DOL

This information is intended to be educational and should not be considered legal advice on any specific matter.