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OVERVIEW OF USDOL NATIONAL HEALTH EMERGENCY DISLOCATED WORKER GRANT OPPORTUNITY

National Health Emergency Dislocated Work Grant Opportunity. On March 18, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) announced the availability of up to $100 million for Dislocated Worker Grants (DWGs) to help address the workforce-related impacts of the public health emergency related to the COVID-19 outbreak. DWGs provide time-limited funding assistance in response to major economic dislocations or other events that cause significant impact on states and local areas that exceed the capacity of existing formula funds and other relevant resources to address. DWGs are generally approved for a 24-month period of performance. USDOL funds two types of DWGs: Disaster Recovery and Employment Recovery.

Connecticut Application. The Connecticut Department of Labor (CTDOL) intends to submit an emergency application for a Disaster Recovery DWG on behalf of the Governor’s Workforce Council (GWC) and Connecticut’s five regional workforce development Boards (WDBs) on Monday, March 30, 2020.

Grant Opportunity Details.

Eligible participants include dislocated workers, workers laid-off as a result of the disaster, self-employed individuals unemployed or underemployed as a result of the disaster, and long-term unemployed individuals.

Services provided through Disaster Recovery DWGs include:

a) Disaster-relief employment – temporary employment (up to 12 months or 2,080 hours) performing clean-up and recovery efforts (e.g., cleaning schools or sanitizing quarantine or treatment areas after their use)

b) Humanitarian-assistance employment – temporary employment related to the delivery of humanitarian assistance in the immediate aftermath of the disaster or emergency. For the purposes of the National Health Emergency DWG opportunity, this may include delivering medicine, food, or other supplies to vulnerable populations, helping to set up quarantine areas and providing assistance to quarantined individuals, or organizing and coordinating recovery, quarantine, or other related activities.

c) Employment and training services

d) Supportive services, when needed to enable participants to participate in temporary employment and/or employment and training services

Participants may enroll in employment only, employment and training activities only, or both services, based on an assessment of the specific needs of each participant and the goal of allowing participants to obtain unsubsidized, sustainable employment following the conclusion of grant-supported activities.

Participant wages will be paid with DWG funds. The worksite employer that provides participants temporary employment is required to pay the higher of the Federal, state, or local minimum wage, or the comparable rates of pay for other individuals employed in similar occupations by the same employer. There is no limitation to what type of entity may be a worksite employer.

Application Process. CTDOL will submit an abbreviated, emergency application on Monday, March 30, 2020. Potential worksite employers and other partners are being asked to make a non-binding, preliminary commitment to employ disaster relief workers and to complete a spreadsheet documenting their anticipated employment needs (to the best of their ability) for the emergency application.

Within 60 business days following an award of Disaster Recovery DWG funds requested via the emergency application, CTDOL must modify the grant to provide a full application, including a budget, implementation plan, and a list of worksites where the disaster relief work will be performed. Potential worksite employers will be asked to provide a solid commitment and more detailed information on employment needs for the full application.

Contact Person. Pease contact Rich Pearson at Capital Workforce Partners: rpearson@capitalworkforce.org (860-983-9085) for additional information or related questions.

GOVERNOR LAMONT PROVIDES UPDATE ON CONNECTICUT’S CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE EFFORTS

Latest Data as of 5:00PM on Sunday, March 29, 2020

(HARTFORD, CT) – As the State of Connecticut continues taking actions in response to the global spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Governor Ned Lamont provided the following updates as of 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 29, 2020:

Data updates on testing in Connecticut

Connecticut residents have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 1,993. To date, more than 11,900 tests have been conducted in Connecticut among both state and private laboratories. Approximately 404 people have been hospitalized. There has been another fatality due to complications of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total number of fatalities to 34 (21 in Fairfield County, 6 in New Haven County, 4 in Tolland County, 2 in Hartford County, and 1 in Middlesex County).

It should be noted that the increase in hospitalizations reflected in today's report reflects a change to provide the most up-to-date information from the Connecticut Hospital Association. The distribution by county is based on where hospitals are located, not where patients reside.

Governor Lamont Announces Approval of Federal Disaster Declaration for COVID-19 Response in Connecticut

Governor Lamont’s request for a presidential major disaster declaration for the State of Connecticut in response to the COVID-19 pandemic was approved today, unlocking additional federal assistance programs for the state.

Today’s approval is for public assistance, meaning that impacted state agencies and municipalities in all eight counties will be reimbursed for 75 percent of the costs associated with their response and emergency protective measures. The governor’s other request for disaster assistance, including individual assistance that could provide Connecticut residents with a number of critical benefits, such as expanded unemployment assistance, food benefits, and child care assistance, remains under review by the White House.

For more information, read the press release Governor Lamont issued today.

Department of Public Health commissioner orders homeless population moved into less congested housing, directs development of temporary housing for certain first responders and health care workers

Pursuant to Governor Lamont’s Executive Order No. 7P, which was issued yesterday evening, Department of Public Health Commissioner Renée D. Coleman-Mitchell late Saturday night issued an order directing state, local, and private sector partners to transition the homeless population into alternative, less congested housing for the purpose of providing adequate social distancing between all individuals. The goal is to decompress the current population by providing less populated settings.

The order also requires the development of non-congregate temporary housing for first responders and health care workers who are at reasonable risk of having been exposed to COVID-19 and cannot return to their usual residence because of the risk of infecting other household members.

FEMA has notified the State of Connecticut that it will reimburse the state and municipalities for 75 percent of the costs related to the non-congregate housing for the homeless population, as well as first responders and health care workers.

For more information, read Commissioner Coleman-Mitchell’s order.