US Department of Labor awards nearly $16M in additional funding to promote equitable access to unemployment insurance systems

WASHINGTON – In an effort to support greater public awareness and improve delivery of unemployment insurance services to people who face obstacles to access, the U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of $15.9 million in equity grant funding to state unemployment insurance systems in Alabama, Idaho, Missouri and New Mexico.  

Administered by the department’s Employment and Training Administration, the grants will fund projects aimed at ensuring race, age, ethnicity, language proficiency, disability status, geographic location or other systemic barriers do not prevent those in need from access to UI services.

Funds will support projects designed to promote awareness, simplify instructions, provide translation services, enhance technology, increase staffing and address other specific needs of disadvantaged communities. Today’s grant recipients and total funds allocated are as follows:

• Alabama: $4,562,000
• Idaho: $2,283,000
• Missouri: $6,840,000
• New Mexico: $2,258,460

In August 2021, the department issued guidance to inform states about the availability of $260 million in grant funding. The department announced the initial award of $20 million in grants on March 1, 2022. 

As funding is awarded to additional states, the department will issue subsequent news releases.