US Department of Labor awards over $550K to help workers affected by layoffs at northern Massachusetts tool manufacturer

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today awarded $551,195 to Massachusetts to support employment and training services for workers affected by layoffs at The L.S. Starrett Co.

On June 30, 2025, The L.S. Starrett Co. – one of the region’s largest employers – laid off 78 manufacturing workers. Based in Athol, the precision measuring tool manufacturer’s downsizing significantly disrupted the northern Massachusetts rural labor market.

Administered by the department’s Employment and Training Administration, this National Dislocated Worker Grant allows the Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development to provide retraining and skills development services for dislocated workers seeking assistance in Franklin and Worcester counties.

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.