DOL Announces $6.6 Million Grant to Assist Michigan Auto Workers
The U.S. Department of Labor recently announced a $6.6 million grant, with an initial release of $2,475,000, to the state of Michigan to provide assistance to workers affected by statewide closures and layoffs in the automotive industry. This release follows another recent DOL grant of more than $16 million in Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) funds to help Michigan workers who have been affected by trade.
"This $6.6 million grant is to assist Michigan auto workers affected by industry downsizing by providing re-employment services that will help them find new jobs," said Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao.
Awarded to the Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Growth, the grant will provide workers with re-employment assistance that includes training, assessment, counseling, and case management. Affected workers who have been certified as eligible for TAA also may receive up to two years of income support, a health coverage tax credit, and help with job search and relocation expenses.
Additionally, Michigan auto workers may qualify for a $1.5 million Career Advancement Account demonstration project that the state is currently operating. Three Michigan regions also have won and are running multi-year, multi-million dollar Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED) projects. These DOL investments span the state from western and mid-Michigan to the greater Detroit area, and are seeking to return the state to prominence as a 21st century hub of global innovation.
National Emergency Grants are part of the secretary of labor's discretionary fund and are awarded based on a state's ability to meet specific guidelines. For more information, visit www.doleta.gov/NEG.