Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced that the Maine Department of Labor has been awarded $1.5 million to help address the workforce-related impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.  This funding, allocated through the U.S. Department of Labor’s Dislocated Worker Grants (DWGs) program, was awarded through the CARES Act. 

“This important funding will help to mitigate the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Maine’s workforce, ensuring that our state’s hardworking men and women have access to the resources they need to get through this difficult time,” said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement.   

The Maine Department of Labor received Disaster Recovery DWGs, which may be used to provide eligible participants disaster-relief employment to address COVID-19 impacts within their communities, as well as employment and training activities.   The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services declared COVID-19 a nationwide public health emergency on January 31, 2020.  FEMA also issued COVID-19 emergency declarations for states, outlying areas, and Indian tribal governments on March 13, 2020.  These federal declarations enable the Secretary of Labor to award Disaster Recovery DWGs to help address the workforce-related impacts of this public health emergency.