DOL Funds Awarded for Hurricane Recovery in Florida and Texas

U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) awarded more than $8 million to support disaster-relief employment and workforce training this week, including:

• $6.6 million to help Florida recover from Hurricane Idalia
• $2 million to help Texas recover from Hurricane Beryl

In Texas, the DOL gave the emergency grant funding to support employment and training of workers to assist in cleanup and recovery activities in 67 counties stricken by the effects of Hurricane Beryl. On July 8, Beryl came ashore as a Category 1 hurricane near Matagorda County in Texas.

In Florida, on Sept. 18, 2023, the department announced a National Dislocated Worker Grant of up to $20 million–with an initial award of $6.6 million–to the Florida Department of Commerce to provide people with temporary employment focused on debris removal, water damage cleanup, and the delivery of humanitarian assistance to those affected by the storm, and for career and training services for affected workers. Funding also supports career and training services for area workers.

On Aug. 30, 2023, Hurricane Idalia struck the northeastern Gulf Coast as a Category 3 storm, bringing strong winds, storm surges and massive flooding to the region. The incremental award will continue to support disaster-relief jobs and employment and training services to assist people in 33 counties. The Federal Emergency Management Agency issued the emergency declaration on Aug. 28, 2023, and the major disaster declaration on Aug. 31, 2023, enabling the state to request federal assistance for recovery efforts.