The Department of Labor (DOL) today awarded $68,745,912 to 37 states, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the District of Columbia to implement or continue re-employment and eligibility assessments for Unemployment Insurance beneficiaries.
"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 of Labor Thomas E. Perez. "These federal grants will also strengthen the integrity of the Unemployment Insurance program by preventing improper payments so that it remains available for those who truly need it."
The funding will be used to conduct in-person assessments at American Job Centers. The 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.