North Carolina workers impacted by the closing of a paper mill and ensuing layoffs received an additional $2 million in assistance from the Department of Labor on Wednesday.
As people recover from the effects of these job losses, this financing is part of a continuous effort to help them transition to new career prospects and offer vital support.
The $2 million in financing is intended to guarantee that the displaced workers maintain access to vital resources, such as employment services, training programs, and job search aid, the Department of Labor said in a statement.
The extra financing is a component of a larger program designed to meet the needs of employees who were laid off at Pactiv Evergreen’s Waynesville factory and the shutdown of the company’s Canton paper mill.
Workers in 11 North Carolina counties were directly impacted by the closing of the Canton paper mill and the layoffs at the Waynesville factory, which led to a large number of job losses.
Clay, Buncombe, Graham, Cherokee, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, Swain, and Transylvania are among the counties that will receive the additional funding.
It is anticipated that this financing will enable these people to take advantage of possibilities for skill development, job search support, and retraining programs.
The Department of Labor already granted a $7.5 million National Dislocated Worker grant in June 2023, with an extra $2.5 million in financing, in addition to the $2 million granted on Wednesday.
These initiatives are a part of a larger support package designed to assist impacted employees in finding new jobs and reviving their careers following the closure.
The money will be utilized to provide a range of services, including career counseling, educational support, and job retraining, all of which are intended to assist employees in adjusting to the shifting labor market and landing new jobs.
The shutdown resulted from Pactiv Evergreen’s choice to sell the Canton paper plant to Spirtas Worldwide, a business based in St. Louis.
Due in large part to damage from Hurricane Helene, the corporations got into a court battle over the paper mill site after the sale.
Notwithstanding these obstacles, Spirtas Worldwide has announced plans to rehabilitate the abandoned location in an effort to restore the neighborhood and possibly generate new employment possibilities for locals.
The 2014 Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, which was created to support employees who lose their employment as a result of layoffs or factory closures, is followed by this additional $2 million grant.
The law guarantees that displaced workers receive the tools and instruction required to find new jobs and make a smooth transfer into other industries.
Workers in the impacted counties will now have easier access to vital programs and tools that can assist them in rebuilding their careers, ultimately enabling them to restore financial stability in the face of an unpredictable labor market, thanks to this substantial financing.
This information has been sourced from UPI.
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