U.S. Department of Labor Awards Additional $4M to Aid Clean-up, Recovery Effort in West Virginia After Severe Weather Damage in June 2016

State: West Virginia

Type of Award: National Dislocated Worker Grant supplemental

Additional Amount Awarded: $4 million

Total Funds Awarded: $7.5 million

Funding Awarded to: Workforce West Virginia

Number of Workers Served: Approximately 500

Use of Funds: On July 12, 2016, the U.S. Department of Labor approved a National Dislocated Worker Grant for $3.5 million to create about 250 disaster relief jobs to assist with clean-up and recovery efforts in response to damage in 18 West Virginia counties affected by severe June 2016 storms, flooding, landslides, and mudslides.

This supplemental award of $4 million will provide for the continuation of disaster relief employment as well as an increase in the number of participants from 250 to 500. This $4 million grant brings the total amount awarded for this project to $7.5 million.

The disaster relief employment will continue to assist with clean-up; demolition; and repair, renovation and reconstruction of destroyed public structures, facilities and lands in Braxton, Clay, Fayette, Gilmer, Greenbrier, Jackson, Kanawha, Lewis, Lincoln, Monroe, Nicholas, Pocahontas, Randolph, Roane, Summers, Upshur, Wayne, and Webster counties.

Background: Supported by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, Dislocated Worker Grants 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. The grants generally provide resources to states and local workforce investment boards to reemploy laid-off workers quickly by offering training to increase occupational skills.