Located in:
- Program-specific Requirements for Adult, Dislocated Worker, and Youth Activities under Title I-B
The Unified or Combined State Plan must include the following with respect to activities carried out under subtitle B—
a. 2. C. In addition, describe the State policies and procedures to provide Rapid Responses in cases of natural disasters including coordination with FEMA and other entities
Current Narrative:
Should the Governor declare a state disaster, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) may respond by also declaring a federal disaster. Once/if these two declarations are made, OWI will work with the local workforce board and its providers/partners to apply for a Disaster Recovery Dislocated Worker Grant. The purpose of these grants is to provide temporary disaster relief. This can happen in a limited number of ways but includes the following:
- Temporary employment to provide food, clothing, shelter and other humanitarian assistance for disaster victims;
- Demolition, repair, cleaning, renovation and reconstruction of damaged or destroyed public structures, facilities and lands located within the declared disaster area; and
- Training for people dislocated due to the disaster that need to be returned to gainful employment
An emergency declaration by Oregon’s Governor is not sufficient to apply for funding assistance.
WIOA establishes DWGs, including grants for employment and training assistance and grants for disaster relief employment assistance. Significant changes under WIOA include:
- Authorizes DWGs to provide assistance to areas with a higher than average demand for employment and training services from dislocated members of the Armed Forces and military spouses.
- For Disaster Recovery DWGs, WIOA:
- Allows Federal agency emergency or disaster declarations, in addition to those made by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, to trigger an opportunity for eligible entities to apply for assistance. The newly eligible situations must fit the definition of emergency or disaster situations of national significance that could result in a potentially large loss of employment, as declared or otherwise recognized by the chief official of a Federal agency with authority for the federal response to the emergency.
- Allows circumstances where a substantial number of individuals from a disaster area relocate to another area to trigger an opportunity for eligible entities in the relocation area to apply for assistance.
- Affirms eligibility for the grant program for self-employed individuals who become unemployed or significantly underemployed as a result of the emergency or disaster.
- Increases the temporary employment duration from six months (under WIA) to 12 months. The Secretary of Labor may extend the duration of disaster relief employment for up to an additional 12 months.