Mar 24th 2008, 07:28

Layoffs Won't Stop You From Working

A program to help people get back on their feet upon losing their jobs

If you lose your job through no fault of your own, you can get job help with the Dislocated Worker program of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA).

If you’ve been part of a mass layoff because of an uncontrollable occurrence like natural disasters or the company closure, you can avail of this benefit.  The Act provides three levels of service, namely:

• Core services that include outreach, job search and placement assistance, and labor market information;
• Intensive services, including comprehensive assessments, development of individual employment plans, counseling, career planning — where Core services cannot apply to an individual; and
• Training services, including basic skills and occupational training, for those who don’t qualify for Intensive services

Applicants qualified to participate are all 50 states, along with Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia and other nearby areas, local workforce boards, and non-profit or private organizations that provide similar services to targeted beneficiaries.  Funding is based on a formula that refers to the distribution of unemployment in the area.

Eligible beneficiaries are jobless people, including the self-employed, who experience unemployment because of natural disasters, mass layoffs, federal government actions, or any decision specified by the U.S. Secretary.  Other eligible individuals are certain military personnel and defense employees.

This program was able to serve more than 300,000 participants, where 83.2% were able to get employed.  The funding is estimated to be around $85,000,000 for this year of 2008.

Interested but still have questions? Call the Office of the Workforce Investment at 202-693-3046.

 

 

To Do List: - Suggested Links:

1. Increase Your Income:
   Get an online degree with financial aid from the government.
2. Consolidate Your Bills:
   Student Loans - Credit Card Debts - Refinance Home
3. Reward Yourself:
   Get a new computer for free.
4. Get some cash you don’t have to pay back:
   Government has money for almost any worthwhile need.
5. Bargain prices on government auctions
   Discounts on foreclosed property, liquidations, surplus items