Michigan Gets $3.5 Million From Labor Department For Training, Wage Subsidies, Employment Services

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced $92.6 million in funding to 47 states to provide training and employment services to eligible workers affected adversely by foreign trade. Michigan’s share amounts to $3.5 million.

Administered by the department’s Employment and Training Administration, the Trade Adjustment Assistance for Workers Program supports training, employment and case management services, job search and relocation allowances, and income support during training. In addition, the program provides a subsidy to workers, aged 50 or older, whose reemployment wages are lower than the wages earned in their prior trade-affected employment. This distribution follows an initial allocation of $240.8 million provided to states in January 2021.

“Today’s announcement provides much-needed funding to train and support workers whose employment was affected adversely by foreign trade,” said Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh. “Helping these workers transition to new employment is critical to the nation’s equitable recovery, and serves as a reminder to Congress of the urgent need to reauthorize Trade Adjustment Assistance for Workers Program to ensure more workers can receive the benefits, services and training they need to connect to good jobs.”

Congress did not reauthorize the TAA program by its June 30 deadline. On July 1, the program reverted to its previous version, referred to as Reversion 2021. Without reauthorization, much of the TAA funding will end upon the program termination on June 30, 2022.

The department has distributed Trade Adjustment Assistance for Workers program funds as follows: