Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity

This UDSOL guide is intended to present a brief overview describing the principal provisions of the Federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act.

Job Training and Economic Development

The Job Training and Economic Development (JTED) Grant Program assists low-wage, low-skilled workers to advance in their careers, and helps unemployed, disadvantaged people learn skills necessary to secure employment. The program provides grants to not-for-profit community-based organizations (CBOs), which work with small local businesses to develop curricula, train eligible workers, and provide ongoing support. CBOs can establish a partnership with a local business to provide training to its low-wage workers, thereby expanding their skills and advancing their career opportunities. In addition, CBOs can work with local economic development organizations and employers to identify local industries experiencing problems recruiting skilled entry-level workers, training economically disadvantaged individuals (including welfare recipients) in the needed skills and placing them in employment with these companies.

Peer Advisor Program (external link)

Peer Advisors are dislocated workers hired by the Illinois AFL-CIO Peer Outreach Program to assist the Local Workforce Area recruit dislocated workers from their company, and ideally have familiarity and credibility with the affected workers (such as a union steward). They serve in full-time, temporary positions and are appointed for three months, with the option of extension depending on the layoff status and participation.

Rapid Response Services (external link)

The DCEO Regional Workforce Management Division in conjunction with the Special Projects Division of the Office of Workforce Development administers the state's "rapid response" and "mass layoff" assistance programs by allocating federal job training funds to local Illinois Employment and Training Centers or IETC's. Staff at these offices provide "core", "intensive", and "training services" so as to improve the long-term employment outcomes for individuals receiving assistance.

Contacting Your Rapid Response Specialist (external link)

Illinois' Regional Workforce Management staff are assigned to a specific Economic Development Region to assist in providing rapid response assistance.

WARN - Plant Closing & Mass Layoff Assistance (external link)

This DCEO web page allows you to download copies of the Federal and Illinois WARN act in PDF format. In addition, this page provides you with the Illinois contact for filing WARN notices and information on filing a WARN related complaint with the Illinois Department of Labor.

State Energy Sector Partnership and Training Grants Program (SESP), Energy Efficiency Collaborative Network Project

The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), Office of Employment and Training, administers the State of Illinois Energy Sector Partnership and Training Grants Program (SESP). The program's goals are to develop an energy sector strategy for training workers in energy efficiency and renewable energy industries, and to propose training activities that lead to employment in targeted industry sectors In support of those goals, DCEO is issuing this Request for Application.