Julie Su Acting United States Secretary of Labor | Official Website
The U.S. Department of Labor has announced the allocation of over $7.4 million to aid disaster-relief employment and workforce training for California residents impacted by severe winter storms in late 2022 and early 2023.
On April 13, 2023, the department initially announced a National Dislocated Worker Grant of up to $22 million, starting with an award of $7.4 million to the California Employment Development Department. This funding aims to provide temporary jobs focused on debris removal, water damage cleanup, and humanitarian assistance delivery following the storm. Additionally, it supports career and training services.
Between December 27, 2022, and January 31, 2023, a series of winter storms and atmospheric rivers hit California, causing significant damage in 51 out of the state's 58 counties. The storms led to flooding and mudslides, toppled trees, created sinkholes, and damaged both public and private lands. On January 14, 2023, the Federal Emergency Management Agency issued a major disaster declaration that allowed California to request federal assistance for recovery efforts.
The grant is administered by the department’s Employment and Training Administration and supported by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014. National Dislocated Worker Grants are designed to temporarily expand service capacity for dislocated worker programs at state and local levels when large-scale economic events result in significant job losses.
