labor lawAdivision of labor law center

With the new swell of support for Democrats in the nation’s capitol, the U.S. Department of Labor is working to improve the economy in troubled regions, including the Arkansas Delta regions of Arkansas and Mississippi.

Part of that effort includes a recent Arkansas unemployment grant of up to $5 million to train workers in the Arkansas Delta region. According to U. S. Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao, “Investing in area workforces through this collaborative approach will boost entire regions’ economic vitality.” Secretary of Labor Chao adds, “This regional economic development strategy transcends political boundaries to better leverage a region’s assets to help workers succeed in the 21st century worldwide economy.”

The grant includes an initial award of $500,000. After a regional implementation plan is completed, the region will then have access to an additional $4.5 million grant.

The Arkansas unemployment grant, aimed at easing Arkansas unemployment in the troubled Arkansas Delta region, which includes areas in the states of Arkansas and Mississippi. The Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development program, or WIRED, is an effort by the U.S. Labor Department’s Employment and Training Administration to help struggling regional economies in several areas.

According to Assistant U.S. Secretary of Labor for Employment and Training Emily DeRocco, “Strong regional economies that are built on maximizing talent and innovation will be crucial to the nation’s success in the global economy.”

The U. S. Department of Labor recently announced that thousands of Arkansas workers would be among those to benefit from a grant of up to $65 million. Under the WIRED program, the region will use the grant to improve Arkansas unemployment and the area economy by training employees. WIRED works to integrate economic and workforce development activities and demonstrate that talent development can create economic transformation in regional economies across the United States. The first round of WIRED grants in 2005 awarded $195 million to 13 regions. The grants are awarded based on a competition involving the state governors.  The WIRED initiative has already demonstrated its success.

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