The District provides a wide range of services and benefits to help get people back on their feet. The stimulus will augment some of these existing services.

 

Job Training
The federal stimulus bill provides significant levels of new funding for job training activities for adults and young people, with an emphasis on preparing people for jobs in the “green” sector and other high-demand industries like health care.
The District Department of Employment Services (DOES) is developing its plans to use these funds to create new and expanded job training in these areas now. Information will be posted here and on the DOES website as it becomes available. 

In the meantime, learn more about the job training and placement programs that are already underway at does.dc.gov.

 

Unemployment Benefits
The act also continues the current extended unemployment benefits program (which provides up to 33 weeks of extended benefits) through the end of 2009, and increases the benefit level by $25 per week. 
The Department of Employment Services is the District agency that administers Unemployment Insurance. More information about how to apply for unemployment benefits (including eligibility requirements, etc.) is available at does.dc.gov.

Food Stamps and Other Nutrition Programs
The bill increased Food Stamp benefits by 13 percent to help struggling families offset rising food costs. In addition, it provided states and localities with funding to increase certain other nutrition programs, including: 

Select one of the sites below for more information on how to access nutrition assistance through the District Government. 

Keeping Your Health Care If You Lose Your Job
Workers who are laid-off can now get federal help paying for “COBRA” benefits, which are named for the federal “continuation of benefits” statute that allows employees to stay enrolled in their former employer’s health insurance programs if they pay the premiums. Under the new bill, the federal government will pay 65 percent of premium costs for up to nine months. More information about the program is available from the US Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration.

 

 

*The District of Columbia government is not responsible for information on websites outside the DC.Gov portal. Inquiries should be made to the sponsoring organizations.