Department of Labor Announces Funding for 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.

This includes a grant of $1.4 million to New York. 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.