September 28, 2023

Departments of Labor, Justice award more than $63M in grants to provide workforce training, support for people returning from jail, prison

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor, in partnership with the Department of Justice, today announced the award of more than $63 million in funding to enhance the Bureau of Prisons’ existing rehabilitation and reentry efforts by partnering with workforce agencies in 11 additional states.

September 27, 2023

US Department of Labor awards $800K to Washington state for employment, training services in Clark, Cowlitz counties to combat state’s opioid crisis

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of $800,000 in funding to the Washington State Department of Employment Security to provide for disaster-relief employment and training services for people in southwest Washington communities affected significantly by the health and economic effects of widespread opioid use, addiction and overdose. 

September 26, 2023

Biden-Harris administration awards nearly $94M to train, prepare diverse workforce for good jobs created by ‘Investing in America’ agenda

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of nearly $94 million in grants to support 34 public-private partnerships to provide worker-centered sector strategy training programs in 25 states and the District of Columbia to meet workforce needs created by the Biden-Harris administration’s “Investing in America” agenda.

September 22, 2023

US Department of Labor announces $204M in grants to improve capacity, user experience, reliability of unemployment insurance systems

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of more than $204 million in grants to support strengthening and modernizing unemployment insurance systems in 18 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Funded by the American Rescue Plan Act, the grants will also help make these systems more reliable and accessible to users.

September 21, 2023

Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report

In the week ending September 16, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 201,000, a decrease of 20,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 1,000 from 220,000 to 221,000. The 4-week moving average was 217,000, a decrease of 7,750 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 250 from 224,500 to 224,750.

September 19, 2023

US Department of Labor awards $1M grant to Massachusetts to provide jobs, workforce training in Berkshire County communities affected by opioid crisis

WASHINGTON – With opioid abuse responsible for about four deaths each day in Massachusetts, the commonwealth cites the epidemic as its greatest public health threat. To help address the crisis, the U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of more than $1 million in funding for the Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development to address the impact of the opioid crisis on the local workforce in Berkshire County.

September 19, 2023

US Department of Labor awards more than $1.5M in grants to prevent, respond to workplace gender-based violence, harassment

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of more than $1.5 million in grants to support efforts by five community organizations to prevent and respond to gender-based violence and harassment against underserved and marginalized women workers.

September 18, 2023

US Department of Labor awards initial $6.6M to Florida to support disaster-related employment, other assistance in Hurricane Idalia’s wake

WASHINGTON – On Aug. 30, 2023, Hurricane Idalia made landfall as a Category 3 storm along the northeastern Gulf Coast, bringing high winds, storm surges and massive flooding to Florida and the region. To support disaster-relief jobs and employment and training services as the state recovers from the impacts, the U.S. Department of Labor today announced an initial award of more than $6.6 million to assist people in 33 counties.

September 18, 2023

US Department of Labor awards $992K to Washington state to support employment, training services to respond to opioid crisis

WASHINGTON – Amid a sharp national increase in opioid overdoses, Washington state has also experienced significant increases in opioid-related drug overdose deaths, as deaths nearly doubled from 827 in 2019 to 1,619 in 2021. To help address the crisis, the U.S.

September 14, 2023

Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report

In the week ending September 9, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 220,000, an increase of 3,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 1,000 from 216,000 to 217,000. The 4-week moving average was 224,500, a decrease of 5,000 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 250 from 229,250 to 229,500.

September 14, 2023

US Department of Labor awards $44M to support job training, services for workers in Appalachian, lower Mississippi Delta, Northern Border regions

ASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor announced today – in partnership with the Appalachian Regional Commission, Delta Regional Authority and Northern Border Regional Commission – more than $44 million in awards to provide career training and supportive services to help workers in these areas secure good jobs in stable, high-demand occupations. 

September 14, 2023

US Department of Labor announces $57.2M in grants to 12 states to help prepare unemployed, underemployed people for high-quality jobs in expanding industries

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of more than $57 million in grants to support projects in 12 states that support unemployed and underemployed people to access, return to, or advance in high-quality jobs in infrastructure, environment and climate, the care economy and other critical and growing industries. 

September 12, 2023

US Department of Labor announces proposed new rule to strengthen protections for temporary farm workers

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today proposed a new rule that would strengthen protections for farm workers in the H-2A program and help prevent abuses that undermine wages and standards for all agricultural workers.

September 7, 2023

Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report

In the week ending September 2, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 216,000, a decrease of 13,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 1,000 from 228,000 to 229,000. The 4-week moving average was 229,250, a decrease of 8,500 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 250 from 237,500 to 237,750.

August 31, 2023

Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report

In the week ending August 26, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 228,000, a decrease of 4,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 2,000 from 230,000 to 232,000. The 4-week moving average was 237,500, an increase of 250 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 500 from 236,750 to 237,250. 

August 28, 2023

US Department of Labor awards $10.5M in initial funding to support disaster-related jobs in Hawaii after severe wildfires on Maui

WASHINGTON – After severe wildfires swept across the Hawaiian island of Maui on Aug. 8, 2023, the state’s disaster declaration was approved, which cleared the way for federal aid to assist in recovery efforts. To support disaster-relief jobs, the U.S. Department of Labor today announced the initial award of $10.5 million to Hawaii.