U.S. Department of Labor announces more than $100 million in Recovery Act funds to help Ohios unemployed workers

Total includes nearly $16 million in Trade Adjustment Assistance and grant increase of $1.7 million for laid off auto workers plus UI modernization funds announced yesterday

CLEVELAND – While in Ohio, Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today announced nearly $18 million in funds that will assist this state's workers affected by recent layoffs. Of that amount, $16 million represents newly authorized Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) funds to assist workers who have lost their jobs as a result of foreign trade. The remaining $1,657,746 is an increase modification to an existing grant to assist approximately 700 additional workers affected by layoffs at the Chrysler Twinsburg Stamping Plant.

"The increase in Trade Adjustment Assistance funds will provide vital assistance to more Ohio workers who have lost their jobs as a result of foreign trade," said Secretary Solis. "The grant increase will allow affected workers of the Chrysler Twinsburg Stamping Plant to have access to the same employment-related services that other affected automotive workers in Ohio are receiving."

All affected workers at the Chrysler Twinsburg Stamping Plant have been certified by the Labor Department as eligible for TAA. This grant modification will provide these workers with access to "wrap-around" services that are not available through the TAA program. These services will include assessment, counseling, case management, job search, job placement and follow-up.

On March 27, 2009, the state of Ohio was awarded $8,342,254, with $5,074,749 released initially, to serve approximately 2,428 workers dislocated from the General Motors (GM) Truck Assembly plant located in Moraine, the Chrysler North Assembly plant located in Toledo, the GM Lordstown plant located in Warren and 12 other supplier companies located throughout Ohio. Today's modification will increase the total award for this project to $10,000,000 and will be operated by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

Resources for this modification to the grant are from the secretary of labor's discretionary fund under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. National Emergency Grants are awarded based on a state's ability to meet specific guidelines. For more information, visit http://www.doleta.gov/NEG/.

Today's announcements follow another yesterday that the U.S. Department of Labor has certified Ohio to receive $88,169,529 in unemployment insurance modernization funding.