US Labor Department announces release of $15.6 million in unemployment insurance modernization incentive funds to Rhode Island

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today certified for release $15,640,385 in unemployment insurance modernization incentive funds to Rhode Island. The state qualified for the remaining two-thirds of its share of funds available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act by updating state unemployment insurance laws to include certain family-friendly provisions.

"Rhode Island is providing additional benefits to unemployed workers with families, and it is extending eligibility to those who leave jobs for compelling family reasons. These are important steps to help working families, and I am pleased to announce an additional $15.6 million to support the effort," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis."These workers need and deserve our assistance as they seek out new employment, or strive to get the training needed to enter promising new careers."

The Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training can use the funds to pay unemployment benefits or, if appropriated by the state legislature, to administer the state unemployment insurance program.

The Recovery Act made a total of $7 billion in unemployment insurance modernization incentive payments available to states that include certain eligibility provisions in their programs. Each state can qualify for a share of those funds by showing that its law includes those provisions. Rhode Island's approved application will be posted at the department's Employment and Training Administration website at http://www.doleta.gov/recovery. Other approved applications also can be found on this site.