US Labor Department awards $1M in incremental funding to help Ohio coal workers affected by layoffs

State: Ohio

Type of Award: National Dislocated Worker Grant

Initial Amount Approved: $2,000,000

Incremental Amount Awarded: $1,083,750

Funding Awarded to: Ohio Department of Job and Family Services

Number of Workers Served: Approximately 221

Use of Funds: On October 8, 2015, the U.S. Department of Labor approved a National Dislocated Worker Grant award for up to $2,000,000, with $916,250 released initially, to serve dislocated workers impacted by layoffs caused by the decline of the coal industry in Ohio.

With this incremental award, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services will receive $1,083,750 to continue this reemployment effort, bringing the total funds awarded to date for this project to its fully approved amount of $2,000,000.

Background: This funding is part of the Obama administration’s Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization (POWER) Initiative, a coordinated, multi-agency effort to invest federal economic and workforce development resources in communities and regions negatively impacted by changes in the coal economy.

Supported by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014, DWGs temporarily expand the service capacity of dislocated worker training and employment programs at the state and local levels by providing funding assistance in response to large, unexpected economic events which cause significant job losses. DWGs generally provide resources to states and local workforce investment boards to reemploy laid-off workers quickly by offering training to increase occupational skills.