FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
| DATE: July 21, 1999 | CONTACT: | LeRoy Davis | |
| NO: 00-04 | PHONE: | (907) 465-5934 |
Federal Grant Helps Unemployed Return to Work
The U.S. Department of Labor has awarded a grant of $388,000 to the Alaska
Department of Labor and Workforce Development to help unemployed workers return to work.
In announcing the grant awards, Assistant Secretary of Labor Raymond Bramucci stated,
"This administration believes that every person that wants a job should be able to
find one. These grants demonstrate our commitment to providing the best possible service
to our customers - American workers." Alaska is one of eleven states receiving grants
to conduct re-employment services.
The re-employment program identifies unemployed workers who are at risk of running out of
unemployment benefits and who need help finding jobs. Trained specialists in Alaska Job
Centers assist workers with individual re-employment plans that typically include a
variety of work search activities designed to get people back to work as quickly as
possible. Individual assistance may include resume preparation, job interview practice,
networking with other job seekers, vocational testing and counseling and introduction to
job seeking on the Internet. Eligible workers may also be referred to training to improve
their chances of finding work.
Ed Flanagan, Commissioner of the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development
added, "This grant is perfectly timed for improving services we provide to unemployed
workers." Referring to the department's recently expanded duties that include
administering the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) program, Flanagan added,
"Alaska's grant will help unemployed workers by closely coordinating the employment
service, job training and unemployment programs."
