Policy Chapters and Sections

National Dislocated Worker Grants (DWGs)

Chapter: 6 Section: 4
Effective Date: 8/14/2024
Expiration Date: Continuing
Published Date: 8/14/2024 2:07:33 PM
Status: Current
Version: 2

Tags: Dislocated Worker, Grants, Grants, DWG

  1. National Dislocated Worker Grants (DWGs) are discretionary grants awarded by the Secretary of Labor. DWGs provide resources to states and other eligible applicants to respond to large, unexpected layoff events causing significant job losses. In addition, DWGs may fund disaster relief employment to assist with recovery efforts in federally declared disaster areas. There are two types of DWGs:
    1. Employment Recovery DWGs temporarily expand capacity to serve dislocated workers, including military service members, and meet the increased demand for Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) employment and training services. The goal is to reemploy laid-off workers and enhance their employability and earnings.
    2. Disaster Recovery DWGs provide funding to create temporary employment opportunities to assist with humanitarian assistance and clean-up and recovery efforts when an area impacted by disaster is declared eligible for public assistance by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) or otherwise recognized by a federal agency with authority or jurisdiction over federal response to the emergency or disaster. Unlike Employment Recovery DWGs, Disaster Recovery DWGs uniquely provide wages to participants assisting with humanitarian assistance, clean-up, and recovery efforts as defined by WIOA and DWG regulations.
  2. This section discusses the DWGs, including participant eligibility, operating instructions, grant administration and reporting, performance reporting, and performance measures.
  3. Illinois' guidance on DWGs is outlined in the DWG Operating Procedures Manual attachment. (See the Attachments tab.)
  4. The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Office of Employment and Training (OET) consulted with the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) concerning paying into Unemployment Insurance (UI) for Disaster Relief Employment (DRE) temporary workers who assist with disaster recovery and cleanup. IDES advised that because the primary purpose of Disaster Relief Employment (DRE) is to assist communities in their emergency disaster recovery efforts, the wages earned from Disaster Relief Employment are not excluded from Unemployment Insurance (UI) reporting.  It's acknowledged that training and new skill development are valuable outcomes and benefits of DRE temporary work; however, they are a secondary benefit.
  5. The links in the References tab provide federal guidance and other information necessary to provide services through the DWGs.

WIOA Section 170 - National Dislocated Worker Grants

USDOL Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) No. 14-18, Aligning Performance Accountability Reporting, Definitions, and Policies Across Workforce Employment and Training Programs Administered by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) (March 25, 2019)

20 CFR Part 687 - NATIONAL DISLOCATED WORKER GRANTS

USDOL Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) No. 19-16, Guidance on Services provided through the Adult and Dislocated Worker Programs under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and the Wagner-Peyser Act Employment Service (ES), as amended by title III of WIOA, and for Implementation of the WIOA Final Rules (March 01, 2017)

USDOL Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) No. 12-19, Change 1, National Dislocated Worker Grant Program Guidance (November 2, 2020)

USDOL Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) 07-22, Increasing Employer and Workforce System Customer Access to Good Jobs (January 18, 2023)

USDOL Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) No. 16-21, Updated National Dislocated Worker Grant Program Guidance (June 16, 2022)

USDOL Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) No. 02-22, QUEST: Disaster Recovery National Dislocated Worker Grants Funding Announcement (July 5, 2022)

USDOL Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) No. 02-22, Change 2, 2023 QUEST Disaster Recovery National Dislocated Worker Grants Funding Announcement

Illinois Paid Leave for All Workers Act (PLAWA) 

USDOL ETA Advisories (TEGLs and TENs)

USDOL Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Regulations and Information

U.S. Government Publishing Office (Federal Registers)

Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circulars

No Forms & Instructions Found