WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration today awarded $65 million to 52 state workforce agencies, including Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and the District of Columbia, to operate Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment programs for unemployment insurance beneficiaries.
“Unemployment insurance claimants in danger of exhausting their benefits require responsive, timely services to avoid becoming long-term unemployed,” said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employment and Training Portia Wu. “The RESEA program offers these claimants access to the wide array of services available in the workforce system to help them find good jobs. The grants also help us maintain the integrity of the UI program by ensuring their continued eligibility for benefits.” The funding will allow states to continue operating their RESEA programs through April 2017. Upon receipt of a full year’s appropriation for 2017, ETA expects to provide additional funding to administer these programs through December 2017. The funds will be used to conduct in-person assessments in American Job Centers. The assessments include: * Developing an individual re-employment plan for each claimant selected for services.
* Providing career and labor market information to inform their job search.
* Help developed job skills and employment prospects.
* Customizing reemployment services.
* Review the claimant’s continued eligibility for UI benefits.
The target populations for RESEA services include individuals who are identified as most likely to exhaust their UI benefits and transitioning veterans receiving Unemployment Compensation for Ex-Servicemembers. This is the 13th year that the department has awarded grants through this initiative. Several studies have shown that this type of program is effective in helping unemployed individuals successfully get back to work. Participating claimants need benefits for a shorter period of time, are less likely to exhaust their benefits, and are more successful in returning to work. Every dollar invested produced a savings of $2.60, one study found.
Information about the positive impact and effectiveness of these types of services can be found in research conducted by Impaq International LLC on the department’s Web site at: http://workforcesecurity.doleta.gov/unemploy/uirelprojects.asp#reacongress; and http://wdr.doleta.gov/research/FullText_Documents/ETAOP_2012_08_REA_Nevada_Follow_up_Report.pdf Another recently completed evaluation will soon be made available. Editor’s Note: A listing of states and their initial awards (under the Continuing Resolution that provides federal funding through April 28, 2017) follows: State FY2017 Award (Initial Award) Alabama $448,771 Alaska $156,353 Arizona $413,387 Arkansas $244,670 California $6,982,052 Colorado $112,450 Connecticut $838,222 Delaware $265,318 District of Columbia $359,952 Florida $3,233,330 Georgia $460,050 Hawaii $71,867 Idaho $162,556 Illinois $752,017 Indiana $2,531,762 Iowa $855,746 Kansas $393,846 Kentucky $497,683 Louisiana $960,081 Maine $720,716 Maryland $689,745 Massachusetts $3,387,820 Michigan $1,189,240 Minnesota $844,917 Mississippi $552,470 Missouri $421,969 Montana $156,890 Nebraska $287,710 Nevada $1,184,102 New Hampshire $754,155 New Jersey $1,063,379 New Mexico $325,637 New York $11,215,399 North Carolina $2,393,636 North Dakota $327,973 Ohio $1,811,739 Oklahoma $540,991 Oregon $2,679,475 Pennsylvania $830,840 Puerto Rico $165,018 Rhode Island $641,101 South Carolina $683,834 South Dakota $135,772 Tennessee $1,418,027 Texas $4,280,196 Utah $590,017 Vermont $403,240 Virgin Islands $120,949 Virginia $913,800 Washington $2,716,898 West Virginia $182,669 Wisconsin $1,629,564 Total $65,000,000
