The U.S. Department of Labor has allocated $1.6 million to support disaster-relief employment and workforce training in Florida, as part of ongoing efforts following Hurricane Idalia. This funding is a continuation of the National Dislocated Worker Grant announced on September 18, 2023, which totals up to $20 million. Initially, $6.6 million was awarded to the Florida Department of Commerce for temporary jobs focused on debris removal, water damage cleanup, and humanitarian aid delivery.
The department subsequently provided an additional $6.6 million followed by another increment of $5 million. With the latest allocation, the total approved funds have been fully distributed.
Hurricane Idalia made landfall on August 30, 2023, as a Category 3 storm along the northeastern Gulf Coast, causing severe winds and flooding. Federal Emergency Management Agency declarations allowed Florida to request federal recovery assistance.
The Employment and Training Administration administers these grants under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014. These grants aim to enhance dislocated worker programs' service capacity during significant job loss events.
