U.S. Department of Labor Awards $118 Million In Dislocated Worker Grants to Address the Coronavirus

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of additional funding for 15 Dislocated Worker Grants (DWGs) totaling $118,034,389 to help address the workforce-related impacts of the coronavirus public health emergency. This additional funding is being provided using the Dislocated Worker Grant National Reserve Funds.

“As we approach the end of the fiscal year, it is important to provide further funding under these grants to ensure the money is getting to those most in need,” said Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training John Pallasch. “As States and localities continue to reopen, these funds can be used for a variety of services to mitigate the effects of the coronavirus including hiring contact tracers and school cleaning services.”

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services declared the coronavirus a nationwide public health emergency on Jan. 31, 2020. The Federal Emergency Management Agency also issued coronavirus emergency declarations for states, outlying areas and Indian tribal governments on March 13, 2020. These federal declarations enable the Secretary of Labor to award Disaster Recovery DWGs to help address the workforce-related impacts of the public health emergency.

Disaster Recovery DWGs may provide eligible participants disaster-relief employment opportunities to address the effects of the coronavirus on their communities, as well as employment and training activities. Employment Recovery DWGs provide reemployment services to eligible individuals affected by mass layoffs, such as those resulting from the coronavirus pandemic.

For further information about the coronavirus, please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The mission of the Employment and Training Administration is to contribute to the more efficient functioning of the U.S. labor market by providing high-quality job training, employment, labor market information and income maintenance services primarily through state and local workforce development systems.

The mission of the Department of Labor is to foster, promote and develop the welfare of the wage earners, job seekers and retirees of the United States; improve working conditions; advance opportunities for profitable employment; and assure work-related benefits and rights.

A list of recipients for this DWG funding follows this release.

*Denotes an Employment Recovery DWG.