DOL Announces $1.1 Million Grant to Assist Workers in Oregon Affected By Retail Industry Layoffs
The recent retail industry layoffs at Oregon has affected about 100 workers at Joe’s Sports, Outdoor, Auto/Truck and More, a provider of sporting goods, outdoor equipment, automotive supplies, and general merchandise in Wilsonville, Ore. In order to provide assistance to these workers, the U.S. Department of Labor has announced a $1,137,425 grant.
Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis said that the vital part of this mission of U.S. Department of Labor was to provide the workers with training opportunities, which would not only lead to new career options but also to a stronger economy. She also explained that the purpose of the government’s financial assistance was to provide the Oregonians with necessary re-employment and retraining services required to procure good jobs in promising regional industries.
This grant has been awarded to the Oregon Department of Community Colleges and Workforce Development and is to be managed by the Workforce Investment Council of Clackamas County. Through this grant affected workers will be provided access to dislocated worker services, such as skills assessment, basic skills training, individual career counseling, and occupational skills training.
The study conducted by the Department of Community Colleges and Workforce Development suggest that there are job vacancies in several fields, including medicine, human resources, business administration, criminal justice, and hospitality fields.
Owing to the closure of the corporate offices, distribution center, and retail stores of Joe’s Sports, Outdoor, Auto/Truck and More on June 15, 2009 many workers went unemployed. In a measure to compensate these workers, of the $1,137,425 grant announced, $863,865 will be released initially.
Further release of the approved funds will be exercised when the state expresses future need of monetary assistance. The initially dispersed amount is sponsored by the resources from National Emergency Grants under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.