The following grant announcements and rule changes are taken directly from the June 26, 2014 Department of Labor Newsletter.
$155 Million in Grants Announced for Job-Driven Training Programs
Matching job seekers with employers who are hiring is critical to an economy that provides opportunities for all. On June 26, the department awarded nearly $155 million in grants to 32 states, Puerto Rico and the Cherokee tribal nation through the Job-Driven National Emergency Grant competition. Secretary Perez and Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker announced the grants, which will help workers who lost their jobs through no fault of their own. The grants will help states provide opportunities for on-the-job training, Registered Apprenticeships or other occupational training that results in an industry-recognized credential. Funding also will provide dislocated workers with career coaching and career counseling, as well as assistance with job placement in high-demand industries. "We know that job-driven training programs work, and that they're often the best way to provide real ladders of opportunity. Today's awards will help states establish or expand programs that can change peoples' lives," said Perez.
• Read the News Release
• Read the Blog Post
$36 Million to Train Homeless Veterans Is 'Our Moral Duty'
Grants totaling more than $36 million have been awarded to 156 organizations nationwide to provide more than 12,000 veterans with training to help them succeed in civilian careers. "These job training programs will provide the skills that veterans require to find and keep a job and secure housing," said Secretary Perez. "The progress made in recent years to reduce veterans' homelessness is encouraging, but it remains our moral duty to do all we can to honor our veterans with the dignity of a good job and opportunities to build a solid middle-class life for their families." The grants include approximately $9 million for 37 new grantees to provide job-driven training, in which they will actively engage with employer partners to identify the skills needed for in-demand jobs and careers. They also will provide job placement, career counseling, life skills and money management mentoring, as well as help in finding housing.
Proposal to Extend FMLA Leave Benefits to All Families
As part of President Obama's directive to Cabinet agencies to ensure that the Supreme Court's decision in U.S. v. Windsor is fully implemented, the department announced a proposed rule that would extend the protections of the Family and Medical Leave Act to all eligible employees in legal same-sex marriages, regardless of where they live. "The basic promise of the FMLA is that no one should have to choose between succeeding at work and being a loving family caregiver," said Secretary Perez. "Under the proposed revisions, the FMLA will be applied to all families equally, enabling individuals in same-sex marriages to fully exercise their rights and fulfill their responsibilities to their families." The proposed rule, announced on June 20, would change the FMLA regulatory definition of "spouse" so that an eligible employee in a legal same-sex marriage will be able to take FMLA leave for his or her spouse or family member regardless of the state in which the employee resides. Millions of workers and their families have benefited from the FMLA's provisions, which entitle eligible employees to take unpaid, job-protected leave for specified family and medical reasons.
• Read the News Release
• Read the Blog Post
• Learn About the Proposed Rule
$4 Million in Funding for Disability Employment
Nearly $4 million in funding is available to improve education and employment for people with disabilities, the Office of Disability Employment Policy announced on June 26. "Employers want the best from their employees," said Kathy Martinez, assistant secretary of labor for disability employment policy. "A key strategy is to adopt workplace policies and practices that encourage people to bring their best selves, their whole selves, to work." The department is offering $1.85 million to fund a cooperative agreement to manage and operate the National Employer Policy, Research and Technical Assistance Center on the Employment of People with Disabilities, and $2 million to fund efforts to improve post-secondary education and employment opportunities for youth with disabilities.
• Read the Technical Assistance News Release
• Read the Post-Secondary News Release
• Learn About the Grants
Expanding Opportunities for Women in Nontraditional Careers
Creating training opportunities for women so that they may compete for skilled jobs is critical to the future of our nation. To that end, the department on June 24 announced that $1.9 million in grants will be made available through the Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations program. The initiative is designed to recruit, train and retain women in high-skill occupations in a number of industries, including advanced manufacturing, transportation, energy, construction and information technology. "The federal funding announced today will go to organizations that are working to break down barriers for women in nontraditional fields and will help them enter Registered Apprenticeship programs that lead to long-term employment and middle class wages," said Portia Wu, assistant secretary of labor for employment and training.
Grants to Expedite Re-Employment Awarded to States, Territories
The department awarded nearly $69 million on June 24 to 37 states, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the District of Columbia to develop or expand re-employment and eligibility assessments for Unemployment Insurance beneficiaries. The funding will be used to conduct in-person assessments at American Job Centers. These assessments include the development of an individual re-employment plan for each claimant; the provision of labor market information that is appropriate to the claimant's location, job skills and employment prospects; a complete review of the claimant's eligibility for UI benefits; and a referral to the relevant re-employment or training services provided by the American Job Center. "Offering newly unemployed Americans access to a full array of job training and placement services will help to reduce time spent between jobs," said Secretary Perez.