US Department of Labor awards $3.5M to continue disaster-relief jobs, training for Floridians harmed by Hurricanes Helene, Milton

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today awarded incremental funding of $3.5 million to support disaster-relief jobs and continue employment training for Florida residents affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024. 

On Sept. 26, 2024, Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida as a Category 4 storm causing catastrophic damage. The department’s Employment and Training Administration responded by awarding a National Dislocated Worker Grant of up to $5 million, with an initial award of $1 million, to assist with cleanup and recovery activities in 31 Florida counties. 

The state faced further devastation after Hurricane Milton made landfall on Oct. 9, 2024, affecting Florida’s Gulf Coast counties along the Florida Peninsula and the Big Bend area. 

This Disaster Recovery National Dislocated Worker Grant allows the Florida Department of Commerce to provide people with temporary jobs focused on cleanup and recovery efforts in response to both hurricanes, as well as providing employment and training services for storm survivors. 

Supported by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014, National Dislocated Worker Grants provide a state or local board with funding for direct services and assistance in areas experiencing a major economic dislocation event that leads to workforce needs exceeding available resources.