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California Awards $250,000 to Support Workers and Businesses to Stay Competitive

Published:

NR No. 24-40
Contact: Loree Levy/Greg Lawson
916-654-9029
mediainquiries@edd.ca.gov

What You Need to Know: California is assisting workers and businesses to minimize disruptions caused by layoffs, plant closures, and major disasters. With tailored services, California workers can retain good jobs while employers maintain a quality workforce and seek to avoid needs for future layoffs.

SACRAMENTO – The Employment Development Department (EDD) announced today that it has awarded $250,000 to the California Workforce Association (CWA) to provide technical assistance to California’s 45 Local Workforce Development Boards. These 45 Local Boards are part of the statewide workforce development system and work together with local, state, and federal agencies to deliver job training, employment services, and business support vital to the social and economic health of their communities.

"We are committed to helping California workers remain resilient when facing job losses,” said EDD Director Nancy Farias. “Through close collaboration with CWA and our partners, we will strengthen layoff aversion strategies that safeguard jobs.”

CWA will focus its assistance on Rapid Response services designed to assist workers and companies facing layoffs, plant closures, or major disasters. In collaboration with the EDD, California Workforce Development Board, California Federation of Labor Unions, and Workforce Development Agency, CWA will identify effective practices and develop recommendations to maximize the impact of Rapid Response funding across the state.

“This collaboration will allow CWA to work closely with local workforce boards across the state to maximize Rapid Response funding, helping communities retain jobs and support businesses during challenging times,” says CWA Interim Executive Director Kelli Oropeza-Grimes. “CWA is committed to empowering California’s workforce by supporting local leaders with the tools to protect jobs and create new opportunities – building a stronger, more resilient workforce statewide.”

This grant is 100 percent federally funded by a grant award totaling $995,000 from the U.S. Department of Labor.

For more information about CWA’s work and this project, contact Kelli Oropeza-Grimes, CWA’s Interim Executive Director and Chief Financial Officer, at 1-916-263-4298 or koropeza@calworkforce.org.