ELIGIBILITY

Workers who have lost their jobs and are unlikely to return to their previous industries or occupations are eligible for the program. This includes workers who lose their jobs because of plant closures or mass layoffs; long-term unemployed persons with limited job opportunities in their fields; and farmers, ranchers and other self-employed persons who become unemployed due to general economic conditions. Under certain circumstances, States may also authorize service for displaced homemakers.

SERVICE DELIVERY STRUCTURE

Each State is divided into substate areas. The programs are designed and operated at the local level, where the decisions about who can be served and which services will be offered are made based on local labor market needs and opportunities, and available resources.

The Governor of each State designates a Dislocated Worker Unit which has the primary responsibility for overall administration and management of the program, including the establishment of a system to respond rapidly to major worker dislocations. Funds are made available to the States each year using a distribution formula based on unemployment in each State.

SERVICES AVAILABLE

EDWAA authorizes an array of comprehensive and timely retraining and readjustment services. States and local substate grantees can tailor the services to meet participants' individual needs based on the funds available. These services include:

Rapid Response. Each State has a Dislocated Worker Unit (DWU) which receives notices of plant closures and mass layoffs covered under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN). When a DWU obtains information about a major layoff, it can respond with on-site services to assist workers facing job losses. The DWU may also help to set up a labor-management committee at the worksite and/or assist in efforts to avert worker dislocations

Retraining Services. Workers can receive classroom, occupational skills, and/or on-the-job training to qualify for jobs in demand. Basic and remedial education, entrepreneurial training, and instruction in literacy or English-as-a-second-language may be provided.

Readjustment Services. These include: outreach and intake; testing and counseling; development of individual service plans; labor market information; job development; job search and placement; supportive services (including child care and transportation allowances); relocation assistance and pre-layoff assistance programs.

Needs Related Payments. Dislocated workers in training who have exhausted their unemployment insurance (UI) benefits may receive needs-related payments while they complete training.

Certificates of Continuing Eligibility. These certificates allow eligible dislocated workers to defer the start of retraining, or to obtain their own retraining.

NATIONAL RESERVE ACCOUNT (NRA): States and substate areas may apply for NRA grants from the Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration (ETA) if they need additional funds to administer and operate projects for eligible workers dislocated due to mass layoffs, plant closures, disasters, and Federal government actions.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Workers, employers, and anyone interested in learning more about the EDWAA program and the services available should contact the appropriate State Dislocated Worker Unit at the phone number listed on the back, or write: Office of Worker Retraining and Adjustment Programs, U.S. Department of Labor, Room N-5426, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20210.

STATE           PHONE              STATE           PHONE

Alabama        (334) 242-5893      Nebraska        (402) 471-9903

Alaska         (907) 269-4658      Nevada          (702) 687-4310

Arizona        (602) 542-2484      New Hampshire   (603) 228-9500

Arkansas       (501) 682-3137      New Jersey      (800) 343-3919

California     (916) 654-9212      New Mexico      (505) 827-6846

Colorado       (303) 758-5020      New York        (518) 457-3101

Connecticut    (203) 566-7550      North Carolina  (919) 733-6383

Delaware       (302) 368-6913      North Dakota    (701) 328-2843

Dist. of Col.  (202) 673-4434      Ohio            (614) 466-3817

Florida        (904) 488-9250      Oklahoma        (405) 557-7294

Georgia        (404) 656-6336      Oregon          (503) 373-1995

Hawaii         (808) 586-9067      Pennsylvania    (717) 787-9282

Idaho          (208) 334-6303      Puerto Rico     (809) 754-5633

Illinois       (217) 785-6006      Rhode Island    (401) 277-3450

Indiana        (317) 232-7461      South Carolina  (803) 737-2601

Iowa           (515) 281-9013      South Dakota    (605) 773-5017

Kansas         (913) 296-7876      Tennessee       (615) 741-1031

Kentucky       (502) 564-5630      Texas           (512) 320-9834

Louisiana      (504) 342-7664      Utah            (801) 538-8757

Maine          (207) 287-3377      Vermont         (802) 828-4177

Maryland       (410) 767-2832      Virginia        (804) 786-3037

Massachusetts  (617) 727-8158      Washington      (206) 438-4611

Michigan       (517) 335-0056      West Virginia   (304) 558-1847

Minnesota      (612) 296-7918      Wisconsin       (608) 266-0745

Mississippi    (601) 949-2234      Wyoming         (307) 235-3601

Missouri       (314) 751-7796

Montana        (406) 444-4500



U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Worker Retraining

(202) 219-5577

This is one of a series of fact sheets highlighting U.S. Department of Labor programs. It is intended as a general description only and does not carry the force of legal opinion.