US Department of Labor awards initial $6.6M in funding to support disaster-related jobs, other assistance to Kentucky after devastating storms

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the initial award of $6.6 million in funding to the Commonwealth of Kentucky to support cleanup and recovery activities after severe storms caused flooding and extensive damage in February 2023.

Administered by the department’s Employment and Training Administration, the National Dislocated Worker Grant of up to $20 million allows Kentucky to provide people with temporary jobs removing debris and delivering humanitarian assistance in Bell, Carter, Elliott, Harlan, Lawrence, Morgan and Powell counties. The funding will also provide employment and training services to eligible individuals in the affected communities.

Heavy rains and severe storms in February caused damage in some of the same areas affected by a devastating flood in 2022 and destroyed critical infrastructure in the affected communities. The Federal Emergency Management Agency issued a major disaster declaration on May 9, 2023, enabling Kentucky to request this funding.

Supported by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014, Dislocated Worker Grants expand the service capacity of dislocated worker programs at the state and local levels by providing funding assistance in response to large, unexpected economic events that lead to significant job losses.