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OPA News Release: [01/07/2002]
Labor Grants $3 Million To Workers As
Plant Closes In Mass.
National Emergency Grant Will Supplement
Re-employment Programs
WASHINGTON— U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao announced
a National Emergency Grant of almost $3 million that will aid over 800 workers
laid off as the Lucent Technologies, Inc., plant in North Andover, Mass.
closes.
"The Lucent Technologies plant closure leaves hundreds of Massachusetts
workers without work and lacking to proper skills to find new employment,”
Chao said. “The administration and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts are
working together to get workers the skills training and job placement they need
to get back to work.”
Lucent Technologies cited financial considerations as the reason for the
plant closure. Lucent has been in the process of a major national downsizing
and has had rapid response activities for laid off workers in place since April
5, 2001.
The grant project will be operated by the city of Lawrence Department of
Training and Development, the fiscal agent for the Lower Merrimack Valley
Workforce Investment Board and the local WIA administrative entity. The money
will supplement existing re-employment programs in the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts, including: career counseling and planning, job search, skills
development, GED and English as a Second Language.
National Emergency Grants are part of the secretary’s discretionary
fund. A grant is awarded after a state submits a request and the grant
guidelines have been met. National Emergency Grants constitute a major part of
President Bush’s Back-to-Work package. If passed by the Senate, the
president’s package will assist economy recovery by providing increased
assistance to dislocated workers, including assistance with continuing private
health insurance coverage.
For more information on the Department of Labor’s unemployment and
re-employment programs please go to www.dol.gov.
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