US Department of Labor Awards $2M to Ohio to Help Former Chillicothe Paper Mill Workers

The grant money allows the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services to provide dislocated workers with retraining and skills development, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): The federal government is stepping in to help dislocated workers who were laid off from a paper mill in Chillicothe after the company announced its closure earlier this year.

The U.S. Department of Labor on Sept. 18 awarded Ohio $2 million to support employment and retraining services for workers who lost their jobs following the closure of the Chillicothe Paper Mill, according to a media release from the department.

The influx in cash comes after state and local government officials tried working with the paper mill to find a buyer and keep it in business, but those efforts failed, the Department of Labor said. Pixelle then announced a new closure of Aug. 10, where 780 workers were laid off.

The money comes from the National Dislocated Worker Grants program, which provides state or local employment agencies with funding for direct services in areas 'experiencing a major economic dislocation event that leads to workforce needs exceeding available resources.'

The grant money allows the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services to provide dislocated workers with retraining and skills development, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

The grant is for workers seeking assistance in Fairfield, Jackson, Hocking, Pickaway, Pike, Ross, Scioto, and Vinton counties, according to the Department of Labor.

Courtesy: www.dispatch.com