Funding will assist nearly 3,200 workers with temporary employment and job training services
SACRAMENTO – The California Employment Development Department (EDD) announced today release of $23 million through two National Dislocated Worker Grants to address the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic’s impact on California’s workforce. The two grants from the U.S. Department of Labor will provide temporary jobs to 600 unemployed workers and employment and job‑training services to 2,590 workers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on the lives of many Californians and local economies,” said EDD Director Sharon Hilliard. “It is our hope and belief that this funding, along with other ongoing efforts, will help provide some much-needed assistance to affected workers.”
Funding for disaster recovery will aid California’s response to COVID-19 by providing temporary employment opportunities to workers who are unemployed or underemployed as a result of the pandemic. Job opportunities include clean-up and sanitation of public spaces, as well as providing humanitarian aid.
Employment and training services will be available to workers who are unlikely to return to work in their previous occupations. Services include training, subsidized employment, and job placement into in-demand occupations, especially those where there’s an increased need due to the impact of COVID-19.
The EDD recommends that all individuals interested in applying for these temporary jobs or receiving employment assistance, call and register at their local America’s Job Center of CaliforniaSM. These job centers offer no-fee employment services and training resources and will guide applicants through the registration process.
Please refer to the table below for more information on the projects, services provided, and project operators’ contact information.
2020 COVID-19 National Dislocated Worker Grant Projects
| Disaster Recovery National Dislocated Worker Grant | ||
| Project Operator | Contact | Award Amount |
| Alameda County Workforce Development Board | Patti Castro, Executive Director
(510) 259-3843 |
$400,000 |
| Humboldt County Workforce Development Board | Wendy Zanotelli, Executive Director
SMART Business Resource Center (530) 355-3388 |
$400,000 |
| Imperial County Workforce & Economic Development | Linsey J. Dale, Public Information Officer (442) 265-1018 | $500,000 |
| La Cooperativa Campesina de California | Julissa Garcia, Analyst
(916) 388-2228 |
$1,400,000 |
| City of Los Angeles
Economic and Workforce Development Department (EWDD) |
Jaime Francisco, EWDD Public Information Officer
(213) 744-9048 |
$1,800,000 |
| Los Angeles County Workforce Development, Aging & Community Services | Michael Kapp, Director of Public Affairs
(213) 706-8140
|
$2,200,000 |
| Merced County Department of Workforce Investment | David Mirrione, Assistant County Executive Officer, Merced County Director (209) 385-7515 |
$400,000 |
| Monterey County Workforce Development Board | Christopher Donnelly, Executive Director (831) 759-6644 |
$400,000 |
| North Central Counties Consortium | Cindy Newton, Executive Director (530) 751-8202 |
$1,000,000 |
| Northern California Indian Development Council, Inc. | Aubrey Richeson, MIS Coordinator
(707) 445-8451 Ext. 34 |
$600,000 |
| Northern Rural Training Employment Consortium | Michael Cross, Executive Director (530) 892-9600 Ext. 204 |
$1,200,000 |
| Santa Barbara County Workforce Development Board | Raymond L. McDonald, Executive Director
(805) 681-4453 |
$500,000 |
| Workforce Investment Board of Tulare County | Nicola Wissler, Business Resource Specialist
(559) 713-5208 |
$600,000 |
| Employment Recovery National Dislocated Worker Grant | ||
| Project Operator | Contact | Award Amount |
| Anaheim Workforce Connection | Mike Lyster, Chief Communications Officer (714) 765-4497 |
$800,000 |
| Workforce Development Board of Contra Costa County | Donna Van Wert, Executive Director (925) 671-4514 |
$540,000 |
| Foothill Workforce Development Board | Dianne Russell-Carter, Executive Director (626) 584-8395 |
$525,000 |
| Fresno Regional Workforce Development Board | Blake Konczal, Executive Director (559) 960-1282 |
$450,000 |
| Golden Sierra Job Training Agency | Steve Russell, Business and Employment Specialist
(916) 773-8554 |
$160,000 |
| Kings County Economic Development Corporation | Lance Lippincott, Director of Economic and Workforce Development
(559) 852-4960 |
$150,000 |
| Madera County Workforce Investment Corporation | Tracie Scott-Contreras, Executive Director (559) 662-4587
|
$90,000 |
| Mother Lode Consortium | Amy Torres, Operations Manager (209) 536-4701 |
$150,000 |
| Workforce Alliance of the North Bay | Bruce Wilson, Executive Director
(707) 247-8291
|
$600,000 |
| NOVA Workforce Board/City of Sunnyvale | Kris Stadelman, Director
(408) 730-7233 |
$410,000 |
| Oakland Workforce Development Board, City of Oakland Economic & Workforce Development Department | Lazandra Dial, Acting Executive Director
(510) 238-3474 |
$800,000 |
| Pacific Gateway Workforce Innovation Network | Nick Schultz, Executive Director
(562) 570- 3702
|
$700,000 |
| City of Richmond – Richmond Workforce Development Board | Sal Vaca, Director of Community Services
(510) 307-8006 |
$215,000 |
| Sacramento Employment and Training Agency | Terri Carpenter, Workforce Development Manager
(916) 263-7891 |
$300,000 |
| San Bernardino County Workforce Development Board | Phil Cothran, Workforce Board Chair
(909) 822-3545
|
$250,000 |
| San Diego Workforce Partnership, Inc. | Andrew Picard, Chief Programs Officer
(619) 228-2929 |
$900,000 |
| San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development | Joshua Arce, Director of Workforce Development
(415) 701-4817 |
$800,000 |
| San Joaquin County Employment and Economic Development Department | John M. Solis, Executive Director (209) 601-1249
|
$315,000 |
| San Jose Silicon Valley Workforce Development Board | Monique Melchor, Director
(408) 794-1108 |
$600,000 |
| Workforce Development Board of San Luis Obispo County | Dawn Boulanger, Workforce Development Board Director
(805) 781-1835 |
$155,000 |
| City of Santa Ana | Steven Mendoza, Executive Director
(714) 647-5336 |
$160,000 |
| Workforce Development Board of Solano County | Heather Henry, President/Executive Director
(707) 863-3501 |
$205,000 |
| Sonoma County Workforce Investment Board | Katie Greaves, Director
(707) 565-8501 |
$160,000 |
| South Bay Workforce Investment Board | Jan Vogel, Director (310) 970-7700 |
$800,000 |
| Workforce Development Board of Ventura County | Rebecca Evans, Executive Director
(805) 758-8411 |
$315,000 |
| Verdugo Workforce Development Board | Judith Velasco, Executive Director (818) 937-8031 |
$400,000 |
| Yolo County Health and Human Services Agency | Jenny Tan, Public Information Officer
(530) 666-8042 |
$150,000 |
Disaster Recovery Dislocated Worker Grant #1
Activities: Disaster Recovery Employment and Employment and Training Services, including supportive services and needs-based payments. This may also include Temporary Job Creation (TJC), which pays for wages of dislocated workers from the most impacted industries for humanitarian needs. This includes those providing services at shelters, food banks, and those providing services to mature populations.
The temporary employment will:
- Provide immediate employment and wages for displaced, unemployed, or underemployed workers impacted by COVID-19.
- Clean and sanitize public or non-profit sites to restore and ensure safe access to the public.
- Provide supportive services to temporary workers to help them succeed at restoring impacted communities.
- Provide humanitarian assistance.
The reemployment activities that will be offered include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Linking dislocated workers to local employers offering in-demand occupations including grocery retail, pharmacy, and healthcare facility positions.
- Job placement assistance in high-demand sectors, including occupations with increased demand as a result of COVID-19 impact.
- Structured skill building activities such as equipment safety and use, and sanitation practices.
- Job readiness workshops to build skills.
- Assistance with career planning, including an individual employment plan and career workshops.
- Resume preparation and interview preparation for in-demand occupations.
- Case management to support the participant’s employment goals.
- Supportive services for work supplies and safety and equipment training, etc.
- Support services and needs-based payments to support participant stabilization.
- Training: apprenticeships, on-the-job training, individual training accounts, customized training, and work experience.
- Follow-up services to contact participants at specific intervals for employment status, assess additional employment-related needs, and to ensure participant engagement.
Employment Recovery Dislocated Workers – Grant #2
Activities: Employment and Training Services, including supportive services and needs based payments. Focus on training, subsidized employment (work experience, on-the-job training, etc.), and job placement into in-demand occupations; including occupations that have an increased demand due to impact of COVID-19, including but not limited to: health care and health care supporting professions, food delivery, food production, grocery-related work, manufacturing of healthcare tools and supplies (N-95 masks, scrubs, gowns, etc.), manufacturing of basic human essentials and household items (toilet paper, hand sanitizer, soap, etc.), case management, social work, child care, and any other occupation with a meaningful connection to the COVID-19 national health emergency.
The reemployment activities that will be offered include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Referrals to local employers.
- Job placement assistance in high-demand sectors, including occupations with increased demand as a result of COVID-19 impact.
- Job readiness workshops to build soft skills.
- Assistance with career planning with an individual employment plan and career workshops.
- Résumé preparation and interview preparation.
- Case management to support the participant’s employment goals.
- Support services and needs-based payments to support participant stabilization and work readiness.
- Training: apprenticeships, on-the-job training, individual training accounts, customized training, work experience.
- Follow-up services to contact participants at specific intervals for employment status, assess additional employment-related needs, and to ensure employment needs are met.
###