Oregon Receives $1.18 Million DOL Grant
The grant is for its short-time compensation layoff prevention program.
The U.S. Department of Labor announced an award of $1,189,280 to the state of Oregon to enhance the state’s short-time compensation (STC) program, a layoff prevention program also known as "work sharing."
"Short-time compensation, and programs like it, gives employers the tools they need to keep skilled workers during a temporary dip in business and is good for local communities, the state, and the overall national economy," said U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez. "Oregon is leading by example by making this innovative program available to more employers. I encourage all states to take advantage of the federal resources available to start or expand their own programs."
Oregon will use $396,426 of the federal funds awarded for enhancements to the state's STC program and will use the remaining $792,854 for promotional activities and to increase employer enrollment into the program.
The funding was made available through the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012, which gives the secretary of Labor the authority to award grants to states to implement or enhance an STC program, raise awareness at the state level, and enroll employers in an STC program.