WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today awarded $112 million to 50 state and territorial workforce agencies, including those in Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and the District of Columbia, to operate reemployment services and eligibility assessments programs for those receiving unemployment insurance benefits. Estimates based on the budgets in the past 10 years show that the program has reduced individual use of UI services by approximately one-and-a-half weeks, saving on average $3 for every dollar spent in costs.
This is the 12th year that the department has awarded grants through this initiative. Recipients prioritize RESEA services to transitioning, honorably discharged veterans and individuals likely to exhaust their UI benefits. “As our nation continues to enjoy a period of sustained economic growth, with 14.4 million jobs added in the past 73 months, the U.S. Department of Labor remains focused on modernizing and improving the UI system, and helping those who are still looking for jobs to support themselves and their families,” said Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training Portia Wu. “Today’s grant awards will ensure unemployed individuals have a wide array of workforce services available and can continue to be eligible for UI services.” The funds will be used to connect participants with in-person assessments and re-employment services through their local their local American Job Centers including developing an individual re-employment plan; providing relevant and timely labor market information, identifying job skills and employment prospects; and reviewing claimant’s continued eligibility for UI benefits.
2016 Re-employment Services and Eligibility Assessment Grants State Funds Awarded State Funds Awarded Alabama $250,444 Missouri $769,758 Alaska $130,293 Montana $702,997 Arizona $648,946 Nebraska $441,477 Arkansas $143,429 Nevada $2,070,137 California $12,698,079 New Hampshire $1,295,354 Colorado $364,416 New Jersey $1,917,219 Connecticut $913,219 New Mexico $635,048 Delaware $564,658 New York $20,270,329 District of Columbia $525,182 North Carolina $4,438,192 Florida $5,714,020 Ohio $3,002,253 Georgia $202,171 Oklahoma $1,054,169 Hawaii $1,075,361 Oregon $5,221,196 Idaho $749,790 Pennsylvania $1,290,160 Illinois $1,245,566 Puerto Rico $302,442 Indiana $4,404,403 Rhode Island $1,249,242 Iowa $1,613,534 South Carolina $1,144,308 Kansas $748,455 South Dakota $305,187 Kentucky $561,932 Tennessee $2,963,132 Louisiana $1,800,284 Utah $1,889,591 Maine $772,659 Vermont $100,000 Maryland $1,325,350 Virgin Islands $264,643 Massachusetts $6,251,469 Virginia $1,766,845 Michigan $1,550,610 Washington $9,192,063 Minnesota $1,646,396 West Virginia $358,083 Mississippi $998,544 Wisconsin $2,456,965 For more information on the effectiveness of these services, visit http://1.usa.gov/1XWiNsu.
