The U.S. Department of Labor has awarded the state a $3.33 million grant to support the continued reopening of the economy and to mitigate workforce disruptions related to the pandemic.
About 30 percent of the grant funds will be used to employ temporary workers to help with contact tracing, sanitizing, test site facilitating and other jobs directly tied to the state’s COVID-19 response, according to a news release Tuesday.
All temporary workers will receive additional employment services and potentially training to help to transition to full-time employment when the pandemic ends.
About half of the funds will be used to support those whose jobs have been permanently eliminated.
“Through this grant, we’ll be able to support the state’s pandemic relief efforts while directly supporting impacted workers,” said Stephanie Beckhorn, Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity’s employment and training director. “This funding will provide essential reemployment services such as assessment, career counseling, training and other supportive services to help our hard-working Michiganders get back to full-time employment in high-growth, high-demand industries.”
Grant funding will also be used to improve the delivery of reemployment services through technology upgrades to the Michigan workforce system.
Upgrades planned include improvements to the virtual service delivery models, electronic registrations, website upgrades, virtual talent tours and equipment necessary to accommodate virtual learning.
