ETA News Release: [September 09, 2004]
Contact Name: Lorette Post
Phone Number: 202-693-3984
U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao Announces Additional
$1.1 Million to Aid Dislocated Maine Fishermen
WASHINGTON - U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao today announced the release of $1.1 million to assist dislocated fishing industry workers in Maine. This is the final installment of a National Emergency Grant awarded in June 2003 for more than $2.1 million.
"The $1.1 million released today will assist 100 recently dislocated fisherman and continue needed services for about 138 fishing industry workers and their family members," said U.S. Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao. "These grants pay for training to help these dislocated coastal workers begin new careers in high growth sectors such as education, carpentry, commercial diving, customer service and healthcare."
Available services include comprehensive assessment, counseling, career planning, pre-vocational services, case management, follow-up services, occupational and on-the-job training, customized and entrepreneurial training and skills upgrading.
Awarded to the Maine Department of Labor Bureau of Employment Services, the funds represent the final installment of a $2.1 million grant announced in 2003 to continue serving fishermen who had begun receiving training and employment assistance through a $1 million grant awarded in June 2002. The initial grant was earmarked to serve 305 fishermen who lost their businesses or jobs due to federal harvesting restrictions put in place to conserve ground-fishing. The federal government has allocated over $3.1 million in assistance for laid off fishing industry workers in Maine through these two National Emergency Grants.
National Emergency Grants are part of the secretary's discretionary fund. A grant is awarded after a state submits a request and grant guidelines have been met.
For more information on the Department of Labor's employment and training programs, please visit www.doleta.gov.
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U.S. Labor Department releases are accessible on the Internet at http://www.dol.gov. The information in this news release will be made available in alternate format upon request (large print, Braille, audio tape or disc) from the COAST office. Please specify which news release when placing your request. Call (202) 693-7773 or TTY (202) 693-7755.
