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Disaster Recovery Dislocated Worker Grants, Change 1
Summary ETA changes the policies for Disaster Recovery National Dislocated Worker Grants under TEGL 09-24. It revises requirements for grants responding to the opioid crisis and updates other grant priorities and application materials. State and local workforce agencies, recipients, and applicants are directed to review their procedures against the new terms.
Document
Federal guidance
Agency
U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (ETA)
Document number
TEGL No. 09-24, Change 1
Date issued
May 7, 2026
Status
Active
ETA lists this change as active. The letter prints an expiration date of Continuing and no rescissions.
Status last verified October 24, 2026
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About this page: The full text below is the official document from U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (ETA). Ezel adds the plain-English summary and tracks the document's status. The official source linked on this page is authoritative for any reliance.
CLASSIFICATION
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION WIOA - DWG
ADVISORY SYSTEM CORRESPONDENCE SYMBOL
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR OWI
DATE
Washington, D.C. 20210
May 7, 2026
ADVISORY: TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT GUIDANCE LETTER NO. 09-24
Change 1
TO: STATE WORKFORCE AGENCIES
STATE WORKFORCE ADMINISTRATORS
STATE WORKFORCE LIAISONS
STATE AND LOCAL WORKFORCE BOARD CHAIRS AND DIRECTORS
LABOR COMMISSIONERS
AMERICAN JOB CENTERS
WIOA SECTION 166(c) INDIAN AND NATIVE AMERICAN PROGRAM
GRANTEES
RAPID RESPONSE COORDINATORS
FROM: HENRY MACK, ED.D.
Assistant Secretary
SUBJECT: Change 1 to Training and Employment Guidance Letter Number 09-24, Updated
National Dislocated Worker Grant Program Guidance and Application Information
1. Purpose. To inform the state and local workforce development system of changes to the
policies and priorities that govern the award and use of Disaster Recovery National
Dislocated Worker Grant (DWG) funds, pursuant to the Workforce Innovation and
Opportunity Act (WIOA), Title I, Section 170.
2. Action Requested. Please share with all staff who administer DWGs. The workforce
development system, all DWG recipients, and eligible applicants should review and update
applicable policies and procedures to comply with this Training and Employment Guidance
Letter (TEGL).
3. Summary and Background.
a. Summary – This Change 1 to TEGL Number (No.) 9-24 includes updates to
requirements for Disaster Recovery DWGs in response to the opioid crisis1 as well as
revisions to reflect current policies and priorities for the overall DWG program. In
December 2024, the Department of Labor (DOL) published TEGL No. 09-24 Updated
National Dislocated Worker Grant Program Guidance and Application Information,
which described the policies and priority of the program at that time.
1
As defined by the Department of Health and Human Services, “opioids are a class of drugs that include the illegal
drug heroin, synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, and pain relievers available legally by prescription, such as
oxycodone (OxyContin®), hydrocodone (Vicodin®), codeine, morphine, and many others.” See
https://www.hhs.gov/opioids/prevention/index.html.
RESCISSIONS EXPIRATION DATE
None Continuing
For Disaster Recovery DWGs responding to the opioid crisis,2 key updates in this
TEGL No. 09-24, Change 1 include:
i. Funding approach – For Disaster Recovery DWGs in response to the opioid
crisis, DOL will prioritize awards to applicants with a demonstrated need for
the funding that have not previously been awarded an opioid-related DWG,
and to those that do not have an active opioid-related DWG at the time of
proposed start date. DOL will only consider one Opioid DWG per eligible
applicant at any one time, with the state determining the appropriate service
area within the state. Applicants must demonstrate, with sourced data, the
severity of the impacts (e.g., rates of death related to opioid use, rates of non-
fatal hospitalizations related to opioid abuse, number of children affected due
to parental/primary caregiver substance abuse/misuse, etc.) of the opioid crisis
in the proposed service area. Note that DOL will only accept these
applications during the fourth quarter of the fiscal year (July 1–September 30)
to ensure that funds remain available for natural disaster recovery and
employment recovery DWGs throughout the year. (Attachment I, pages I-17
and I-25).
ii. Disaster-Relief Employment – DOL will consider applications for opioid-
disaster DWGs without the inclusion of Disaster-Relief Employment as a
service strategy. (Attachment I, page I-6).
iii. Updated Application Requirements – Among other updates, applicants must
demonstrate ongoing state efforts to use workforce resources to address the
opioid crisis and that available workforce resources are inadequate to meet
demand for services to respond to the opioid crisis, and describe plans to
sustain activities carried out after the grant period of performance (Attachment
I, page I-20).
iv. Employment and Training - DOL encourages applications that emphasize
employment and training participant services focused on increasing the
number of qualified professionals in fields mitigating the opioid crisis. DOL
includes law enforcement and first responders among these professions
(Attachment I, page I-6).
Other key updates in this Change 1 include:
o Qualifying Events for Disaster Recovery DWGs – Updated to clarify that for
emergencies or disasters involving a Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA) declaration, FEMA must designate the event is eligible for public
assistance in order to qualify for a DWG (Attachment I, page I-2).
o Eligible Applicants for Disaster Recovery DWGs – Updated to clarify that the
term “state workforce agencies” refers to state workforce agencies administering
WIOA formula funds (Attachment I, page I-3).
o Participant Eligibility and Documentation – Updated requirements for self-
attestation policies and the collection of all documentation needed to demonstrate
participant eligibility (Attachment I, pages I-4 and I-13).
2
The Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services declared the opioid crisis a Public Health
Emergency on October 26, 2017, and this declaration has been renewed every 90 days. At time of this writing, the
most recent renewal was signed on March 16, 2026. https://aspr.hhs.gov/legal/PHE/Pages/Opioids-Renewal-15Dec2025.aspx
o Disaster-Relief Employment – Updated wage requirements to remove the $15
hourly wage rate minimum in the absence of an industry standard (Attachment I,
page I-8).
o Administrative Costs Limitation – Updated total administrative costs to 10
percent of the total grant award, with rare exceptions (Attachment I, page I-31).
o Performance Measures – Updated required performance goals to remove
Measurable Skills Gains (Attachment I, Page 1-32).
b. Background – DWGs are discretionary grants awarded by the Secretary of Labor under
Section 170 of WIOA to provide employment-related services for dislocated workers and
other eligible individuals.
DWGs provide supplemental funding in response to major economic dislocations or other
events that cause or contribute to a shortage of existing WIOA Dislocated Worker
formula funds and other relevant resources in states and local areas, creating challenges
in their ability to provide workforce services to eligible participants. DWGs enable states
and communities to respond to and recover from large, often unexpected dislocation
events and their associated impacts.
The WIOA statute allows DOL to fund two types of DWGs: Disaster Recovery and
Employment Recovery. Disaster Recovery DWGs provide funding to create temporary
employment opportunities to assist with clean-up and recovery efforts when an area
impacted by an emergency or major disaster is declared eligible for public assistance by
the FEMA or is declared or recognized as an emergency or disaster of national
significance by a Federal agency with authority or jurisdiction over Federal response to
the disaster or emergency, including public health emergencies. Employment Recovery
DWGs expand capacity to serve dislocated workers and to meet the increased demand for
employment and training services following a qualifying dislocation event such as a mass
layoff, plant closure, or higher-than-average demand for employment and training
activities for dislocated members of the Armed Forces and their spouses. While the two
DWG types serve different purposes, both play an important role in helping communities,
individuals, and businesses recover from large-scale economic events.
DWGs in response to the opioid crisis are a specific type of Disaster Recovery DWG,
where the qualifying event is a declaration by the Department of Health and Human
Services (HHS) designating the opioid crisis as a Public Health Emergency.3
4. DWG Program Guidance. See Attachment I, National Dislocated Worker Grant Program
Guidance and Application Information, for a full discussion of NDWGs’ purpose, policies,
priorities, and requirements. See Attachment II, Policy Explanations and Examples to
Support DWG Program Guidance, for additional supporting information.
5. Paperwork Reduction Act Statement. Applicants for DWGs must submit an application,
as described in Attachment I. The OMB Information Collection Number for that application,
3
Health and Human Services Declaration of Opioid Public Health Emergency renewed March 2026
https://aspr.hhs.gov/legal/PHE/Pages/Opioid-Renewal-16Mar2026.aspx.
1225-0086, expires June 30, 2028. The current approval and subsequent approvals for this
information collection are tracked in https://www.reginfo.gov/publi c/do/PRAMain.
According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a
collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number.
Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 20 hours per
response, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources,
gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of
information.
This information is being collected for the purpose of awarding a grant and is required to be
considered for a DWG. DOL will use the information collected through this solicitation to
ensure that grants are awarded to the applicants best suited to perform the functions of the
grant.
6. Inquiries. Direct questions regarding this guidance to the appropriate ETA regional office.
7. References.
• TEGL No. 09-24, Updated National Dislocated Worker Grant Program Guidance and
Application Information, issued December 17, 2024,
https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/advisories/tegl-09-24;
• Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) (Pub. L. 113-128) (July 22, 2014);
• Employment and Training Administration, Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act;
Final Rule (WIOA DOL Final Rule) published at 81 FR 56071 (August 19, 2016),
specifically 20 C.F.R. parts 680 and 687;
• TEGL No. 23-19 Change 3, Guidance for Validating Required Performance Data
Submitted by Grant Recipients of U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Workforce Programs,
issued December 1, 2025, https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/advisories/tegl-23-19-change-
3;
• TEGL 5-25, Maximizing Innovation in Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act
Programs, issued November 25, 2025, https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/advisories/tegl-
05-25;
• TEGL No. 14-18, Aligning Performance Accountability Reporting, Definitions, and
Policies across Workforce Employment and Training Programs Administered by the U.S.
Department of Labor (DOL), issued March 25, 2019,
https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/advisories/training-and-employment-guidance-letter-no-
14-18;
• TEGL No. 8-18, Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Title I and Wagner-
Peyser Act Waiver Requirements and Request Process, issued December 19, 2018,
https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/advisories/training-and-employment-guidance-letter-no-
08-18;
• TEGL No. 19-16, Guidance on Services Provided through the Adult and Dislocated
Worker Programs under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and the
Wagner-Peyser Act Employment Service (ES), as amended by title III of WIOA, and for
Implementation of the WIOA Final Rules, issued March 1, 2017,
https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/advisories/training-and-employment-guidance-letter-no-
19-16;
• TEGL No. 17-16, Infrastructure Funding of the One-Stop Delivery System, issued January
18, 2017, https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/advisories/training-and-employment-
guidance-letter-no-17-16;
• TEGL No. 16-16, One-Stop Operations Guidance for the American Job Center Network,
issued January 18, 2017, https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/advisories/training-and-
employment-guidance-letter-no-16-16;
• TEGL No. 16-16, Change 1, Change 1 to Training and Employment Guidance Letter
(TEGL) 16-16 One-Stop Operations Guidance for the American Job Center Network,
issued June 16, 2017, https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/advisories/training-and-
employment-guidance-letter-no-16-16-change-1;
• TEGL No. 28-10, Federal Financial Management and Reporting Definitions, issued May
27, 2011, https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/advisories/training-and-employment-
guidance-letter-no-28-10;
• TEGL No. 10-09, Implementing Priority of Service for Veterans and Eligible Spouses in
All Qualified Job Training Programs Funded in Whole or in Part by the U.S. Department
of Labor (DOL), issued November 10, 2009,
https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/advisories/training-and-employment-guidance-letter-no-
10-09;
• TEN No. 19-24, Announcing the Disaster Lifecycle from Preparedness through
Resiliency: A Guide for State Workforce Agencies, issued January 17, 2025,
https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/advisories/ten-19-24; and
• Information Collection Forms and Participant Individual Record Layouts: Workforce
Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Common Performance Reporting - ETA 9169
9170 (OMB Control No. 1205-0526) and DOL-only Performance Accountability,
Information, and Reporting System - 9172, 9173 (OMB Control No. 1205-0521) and ETA
Form 9130 (OMB).
8. Attachments.
• Attachment I – National Dislocated Worker Grant Program Guidance and Application
Information
• Attachment II - Policy Explanations and Examples to Support DWG Program Guidance
Attachment I
National Dislocated Worker Grant Program
Guidance and Application Information
Contents
Attachment I: National Dislocated Worker Grant Program Guidance and Application
Information
Purpose of this Program Guidance ..............................................................................................1
Part 1: National Dislocated Worker Grant Program Policies ...................................................2
Section 1.A: Types of DWGs ..........................................................................................................2
Disaster Recovery DWGs .........................................................................................................2
Employment Recovery DWGs .................................................................................................10
Part 2: DWG Applications ..........................................................................................................15
Section 2.A: Application Information and Requirements..............................................................15
Section 2.B: Grant Awards ............................................................................................................23
Part 3: Grant Funding Approach ...............................................................................................24
Section 3.A: Grant Awards Funded in Full ...................................................................................26
Section 3.B: Grant Awards Funded Incrementally ........................................................................26
Section 3.C: Additional Funding ...................................................................................................27
Section 3.D: Emergency Applications ...........................................................................................27
Section 3.E: Other DWG Funding Criteria ....................................................................................28
Part 4: Administrative Policies ...................................................................................................28
Part 5: Post-Award Requirements and Information ................................................................32
Section 5.A: Participant Enrollment and Grant Performance .......................................................32
Section 5.B: Post-Award Information............................................................................................33
Attachment II: Policy Explanations and Examples to Support DWG Program Guidance
Section 1: Participant Eligibility, Disaster Recovery DWGs ..........................................................1
Section 2: Other DWG Program Clarifications ...............................................................................3
Section 3: Understanding the Difference Between Allowable and Unallowable Disaster-Relief
Employment .....................................................................................................................................8
Section 4: Information for Tribal and Native Applicants and Grant Recipients .............................9
Section 5: DWGs and the Continuum of Resources for Affected Individuals Under Different
Scenarios ........................................................................................................................................10
Purpose of this Program Guidance
This program guidance outlines the framework for the National Dislocated Worker Grant
(DWG) Program, detailing its purpose, policies, priorities, and requirements. Additionally, the
guidance includes various examples (see Attachment II) to clarify specific policies,
requirements, and expectations.
Part 1: National Dislocated Worker Grant Program Policies
Section 1.A: Types of DWGs
Disaster Recovery DWGs
Description
Disaster Recovery DWGs provide temporary disaster-relief employment, as well as employment
and training activities, as appropriate, in response to applicable emergency or disaster
declarations as defined in 20 CFR 687.110(b), including public health emergencies. Disaster
Recovery DWGs help address employment and economic recovery from the impact of disasters
and emergencies in disaster-declared areas.
Disaster Recovery DWGs help communities address and recover from the impacts of a disaster
or emergency including public health emergencies, and to help develop a workforce better
equipped for resilience to disaster events in the future. The Employment and Training
Administration (ETA) expects that the State Workforce Agency (or DWG grant recipient or
subrecipient) actively participates to better coordinate with existing or developing emergency
response efforts. ETA will also use this information to facilitate any necessary communication
with FEMA. ETA encourages states and other entities eligible to apply for Disaster Recovery
DWGs to maintain readiness and play a role in disaster preparedness by actively:
• Supporting and participating in disaster preparedness planning activities carried out by
state emergency management agencies or others; and
• Planning for the types of disaster-relief employment positions that have identified
pathways to unsubsidized employment. (Note that such positions must abide by
employment laws and certain standards described below).
Qualifying Events
The following events are eligible for Disaster Recovery DWGs:
1. Emergencies and major disasters, as defined under Section 102 of the Stafford Act (42
U.S.C. 5122), declared by FEMA as eligible for Public Assistance.
2. Emergencies or disaster situations of national significance, natural or man-made, that
could result in a potentially large loss of employment, as declared or otherwise
recognized and issued in writing by the chief official of a Federal agency with
jurisdiction over the Federal response to the disaster or emergency. Federal agency
declarations might be made by the Department of Health and Human Services, the
Environmental Protection Agency, the Small Business Administration, Economic
Development Administration, or others. In some cases, these declarations, such as the
public health emergency declarations for COVID-19 or the opioid epidemic, established a
new qualifying event that remains in effect until the qualifying declaration is rescinded or
expires.
Not every Federal emergency or disaster declaration will automatically meet the standard
for “national significance” as required by WIOA. Applicants requesting a Disaster
Recovery DWG for an emergency or disaster of national significance must demonstrate
that a potentially large loss of employment could result from a disaster or emergency.
ETA defines “potentially large” in this context as the potential loss of at least 50 jobs
within the disaster area covered by the relevant declaration within the jurisdiction of the
applicant.
3. Relocation of a substantial number of individuals from a state, tribal area, or outlying
area affected by a disaster or emergency to other states, tribal areas, or outlying areas
outside the disaster or emergency area.
ETA will determine whether a relocation is “substantial” based on the information
provided in the DWG application.
Eligible Applicants
Eligible applicants for Disaster Recovery DWGs include the state workforce agencies
administering WIOA formula funds, outlying areas, or Indian tribal government as defined by
the Stafford Act, 42 U.S.C. 5122(6).
Eligible Participants
The following individuals are eligible to receive services provided through a Disaster Recovery
DWG, per 20 CFR 687.170(b):
1. Individuals temporarily or permanently laid off as a consequence of the emergency or
disaster;4
2. Dislocated workers as defined in WIOA Section 3(15), including displaced
homemakers as defined in WIOA Section 3(16); see TEGL 19-16 for more specific
information on the flexibilities that WIOA provides to Governors concerning
establishing procedures for interpreting and applying the definition of dislocated
worker to individuals;
3. Long-term unemployed individuals,5 as defined by the state workforce agency or
other eligible entity; or
4. Self-employed individuals who became unemployed or significantly underemployed
as a result of the emergency or disaster.
Note that the statute and its regulations do not restrict enrollment in a Disaster Recovery DWG to
individuals impacted by the qualifying event. Grant recipients can enroll individuals who meet
the definition of “dislocated worker” in WIOA, and long-term unemployed individuals as
defined by the grant recipient, even if the dislocation or the unemployment is not a result of the
qualifying event. For opioid-related Disaster Recovery DWGs, participant eligibility does not
require that an individual be personally impacted by opioid addiction.
4
This eligibility category provides grant recipients flexibility to identify and enroll participants in a Disaster
Recovery DWG, as it contains several terms that grant recipients can apply to best fit the disaster situation. See
Attachment II for additional information.
5
This definition of a long-term unemployed individual is unique to the DWG program. Unlike other WIOA Title I
Programs, the DWG program does not require any specific determination of number of weeks unemployed or other
factors to qualify as “long-term unemployed.” ETA recommends that state workforce agencies and other entities
eligible to apply for Disaster Recovery DWGs develop a definition for long-term unemployed individuals that is
most appropriate to best carry out the Disaster Recovery DWG activities. See Attachment II for additional
information.
When determining participant eligibility, grant recipients must develop and follow written
policies and procedures. Such policies and procedures should address terms such as “laid off as
a consequence of the emergency or disaster,” long-term unemployed, and significantly
underemployed. See Attachment II for additional information and examples related to the
Disaster Recovery DWG participant eligibility categories.
Grant recipient policies should include a protocol for verifying participant eligibility and for
collecting and validating participant data in alignment with Section 4 of TEGL No. 23-19,
Change 3, which removed self-attestation as an acceptable form of source documentation for one
participant eligibility-related data element, date of birth. While self-attestation may be used as
source documentation for some required participant eligibility data elements,6 grantees are
encouraged to use other forms of source documentation whenever possible. DWG grant
recipients must retain documentation of self-attestations provided by participants.
Allowable Grant Activities
Disaster-Relief Employment. Disaster Recovery DWGs provide funding for the creation of
disaster-relief employment, temporary employment of eligible individuals for the purposes
described in WIOA Section 170(b)(1)(B) and (d), as well as 20 CFR 687.180(b) and (c).7
Applicants must demonstrate that any disaster-relief employment they intend to create under a
Disaster Recovery DWG will be designed to mitigate the humanitarian, physical, or economic
impacts of the disaster, and that the proposed work aligns with the following categories:
1. Cleanup and recovery efforts including demolition, cleaning, repair, renovation and
reconstruction of damaged and destroyed structures, facilities and lands located within
the disaster area and in offshore areas related to the emergency or disaster; or
2. Employment related to the delivery of appropriate humanitarian assistance in the
aftermath of the disaster or emergency; more information on humanitarian assistance is
provided below.
Cleanup and Recovery. Cleanup and recovery include a broad set of activities that focus on
demolition, cleaning, repair, renovation and reconstruction. Such activities may address
damaged facilities, lands, or offshore areas, as appropriate, within the declared disaster area,
developed in response to specific disaster events.
Cleanup and recovery activities’ design must address, mitigate, or otherwise limit the damage, or
the health and safety impacts, of the current disaster. Repairs and reconstruction must be limited
to facilities, lands, or offshore areas damaged as a consequence of a declared disaster event.
WIOA prohibits the use of these funds for new construction or other activities aimed at
preventing the impacts of future disasters.
6
TEGL no. 23-19, Change 3 is the most recent data validation guidance as of the publication of this TEGL.
Attachment II of TEGL no. 23-19 Change 3 eliminates self-attestation for data element (DE) 200 Date of Birth.
Self-attestation is an allowable source document for DE 401- UC Eligible Status, DE 402 - Long-Term Unemployed
at Program Entry, and DE 410 - Date of Actual Dislocation.
7
Disaster Recovery DWG participants shall be provided benefits and working conditions at the same level and to
the same extent as other employees working a similar length of time and doing the same type of work (WIOA
Section 181(b)(5)).
Humanitarian Assistance. Humanitarian assistance generally includes actions designed to save
lives, alleviate suffering, and maintain human dignity in the aftermath of disasters. This
assistance includes activities supporting projects that distribute food, clothing, shelter and other
humanitarian assistance. The humanitarian assistance provided by disaster-relief employment
participants must respond to the impacts or the needs resulting from the disaster situation named
in the Federal declaration.
When using DWG-funded Disaster-Relief Employment to deliver or provide humanitarian
assistance, grant recipients cannot use DWG funds to purchase the material goods for delivery to
individuals impacted by the disaster.
Examples of humanitarian assistance in a public health emergency include providing support for
addiction treatment services and serving as peer recovery navigators or in other peer-focused
positions that support individuals struggling with opioid addiction or recovery from opioid
addiction.
Due to the variable nature of emergencies and disasters, DOL will consider humanitarian
assistance activities on a case-by-case basis; therefore, applicants should demonstrate that any
proposed disaster-relief employment for humanitarian assistance thoroughly addresses the
following:
1. How the proposed employment activities and duties will address specific humanitarian
assistance needs created by the declared disaster,
2. How the disaster created the need for disaster-relief employment positions; and
3. How the proposed disaster-relief employment will help mitigate the effects of the
declared disaster by addressing the humanitarian need.
For more information on application requirements, please review the Community Needs
Assessment in Section 2.A below. For examples of cleanup and humanitarian assistance
activities, see Attachment II.
The provision of general humanitarian assistance that solely or primarily focuses on the
prevention of or planning for future disaster events is not allowable under a Disaster Recovery
DWG. WIOA allows activities that provide prevention and planning for future events only if
these activities are incidental to responding to the humanitarian assistance needs created by the
current event.
Exception to the Disaster-Relief Employment Requirement. Generally, Disaster Recovery DWG
projects must include disaster-relief employment in response to the Federally declared disaster
event. As necessary, ETA may approve grants that offer employment and training activities
only, and it will consider such an exception in the following situations:
1. For Disaster Recovery DWGs responding to non-Stafford Act disaster or emergency
declarations, where the circumstances and nature of the disaster do not allow for cleanup
or humanitarian temporary employment opportunities authorized by WIOA; or
2. For Disaster Recovery DWGs responding to declared disasters in other geographic areas
due to an influx of individuals who have relocated to the recipients’ location. In these
circumstances, the DWG may provide employment and training activities as the primary
activity since participants are outside of the disaster area. However, these grants may
also offer participants disaster-relief employment where appropriate.
Exception to Disaster Relief Employment for Opioid Disaster Recovery DWGs: For Disaster
Recovery DWGs responding to the opioid crisis, DOL will consider applications whether they
propose Disaster-Relief Employment or do not propose Disaster-Relief Employment. Applicants
should only propose Disaster-Relief Employment if that is the most significant workforce need
related to the opioid public health emergency and would be the most effective use of funds.
In alignment with 20 CFR 687.180, grant recipients must develop and follow policies to
effectively carry out disaster-relief employment activities.
Employment and Training Activities. Disaster Recovery DWGs may provide employment and
training activities to eligible participants following a qualifying disaster or emergency, per
WIOA Section 170(d)(1)(C). As noted above, DWG funds may provide employment and
training activities regardless of an individual’s participation in disaster-relief employment.
As a general goal, employment and training activities should be designed to allow participants to
obtain unsubsidized employment following the conclusion of grant-supported activities.
In alignment with both 20 CFR 687.180 and the Uniform Guidance, grant recipients must
develop and follow policies to effectively carry out employment and training activities.
Opioid Disaster Recovery Employment and Training Emphasis: For Opioid Disaster Recovery
DWGs, DOL encourages applications that emphasize provision of employment and training
participant services focused on increasing the number of qualified professionals in fields
mitigating the opioid crisis. Professional fields may include addiction treatment and related
services; pain therapy and pain management services that could reduce or prevent dependence on
prescription painkillers; mental health care treatment services for disorders and issues that could
lead to or exacerbate opioid abuse and addiction, law enforcement and first responders.
Participant Enrollment Options. While most Disaster Recovery DWG projects must include
disaster-relief employment, not all participants in a Disaster Recovery DWG project must
participate in disaster-relief employment. Grant recipients may enroll Disaster Recovery DWG
participants in:
• Disaster-relief employment only;
• Employment and training activities only; or
• Both disaster-relief employment and employment and training activities.
Grant recipients should assess the specific needs of each participant, and consider the needs and
priorities created by the declared emergency or disaster event, to determine the appropriate
disaster recovery activity for participants: disaster-relief employment, employment and training
activities, or both. These activities may occur concurrently, or one may occur before the other.
Participants receiving disaster-relief employment should also receive basic career services
described in WIOA Section 134(c)(2)(A)(i)-(xi), such as initial assessment of skill level, labor
exchange services, and provision of information and assistance to file for unemployment
compensation.
Supportive Services. Supportive services provide resources or payments necessary to enable
individuals enrolled in WIOA Title 1 programs to participate in and achieve successful outcomes
in WIOA-funded activities.
Under Disaster Recovery DWGs, supportive services may be utilized:
• To enable a participant to participate in disaster-relief employment, and to safely and
effectively carry out the job for which they have been hired; or
• To enable a participant to engage in grant-funded employment and training activities or
obtain unsubsidized employment.
Any supportive services provided must be consistent with WIOA, applicable DOL regulations
and guidance, and grant recipient policies.8 DOL encourages grantees to engage with area
programs and entities in the area that offer supportive services and refer participants to these
services when available, prior to utilizing DWG funds for these services.
Other Allowable Activities. To enable successful grant activities and outcomes, support
participants in achieving successful placement in unsubsidized employment, and better serve
participants from impacted communities, Disaster Recovery DWGs may use grant funds to carry
out additional activities. Attachment II includes examples of other allowable activities under a
Disaster Recovery DWG.
DOL encourages applicants to describe any of these or other activities as part of the Community
Needs Assessment or other parts of the application for Disaster Recovery DWG funds to help tell
the story of the full scope of planned interventions.
General Policies: Disaster Recovery DWGs
Limit on Disaster-Relief Employment Duration. Participants in disaster-relief employment
positions may be employed for a maximum of 12 months or 2,080 hours, whichever is longer.9
See Attachment II for information on how this disaster-relief employment limitation may apply
in cases where there may be more than one Disaster Recovery DWG operating. Note that the
limit on employment duration is determined by an individual participant’s hours worked, not by
the start date of the grant, or the date of an award of a contract to a Disaster-Relief Employer.
Participant Wages. In accordance with WIOA Section 181(a)(1)(A), generally, grantees must
compensate disaster-relief employment participants at the same rates, including periodic
increases, shift differential, benefits, or overtime pay, as any employees who are similarly
situated working in similar positions at the same employer and who have similar training,
experience, and skills. In cases where the Disaster-Relief Employer does not have any other
temporary employees working in similar positions with similar training, experience and skills as
the grant participants, DOL interprets this section to require that the employer pay the DRE
employees the same as the employer’s permanent employees who are working in similar
8
For more information on supportive services, see TEGL No. 19-16
(https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/advisories/training-and-employment-guidance-letter-no-19-16).
9
Grant recipients may request a grant amendment to extend the period of employment for existing participants for
up to an additional 12 months. This amendment request must justify extending participants’ disaster-relief
employment, as required by 20 CFR 687.180(b)(1).
positions. Such rates must be in accordance with applicable laws but must not be less than the
higher of the rate specified in Section 6(a)(1) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C.
206(a)(1)) or the applicable state or local minimum wage law. Where applicable, fringe benefits
should be paid in accordance with the benefits that the Disaster-Relief Employer offers its own
employees. See Section 2.A for more information on Disaster-Relief Employers.
In cases where the Disaster-Relief Employer does not have non-participant employees doing the
same or similar work and with similar training, experience, and skills, grant recipients must
ensure that the wages that they will pay to participants align with the industry standard for that
type of work in the area where the work is to be performed, supported by documentation in the
application.
Disaster-Relief Employment Locations. Generally, grant-funded disaster-relief employment
must take place in the geographic area covered by the qualifying disaster declaration.
Grant recipients must give the highest priority to cleanup of the disaster areas’ most severely
damaged public communities, facilities, and property, and to the cleanup and the provision of
humanitarian assistance to economically impacted areas within the disaster area. Where
possible, grant recipients should prioritize enrollment of eligible individuals most in need of
economic support or workforce development services.
While Disaster Recovery DWG projects generally take place on public property, work may also
occur on private property when the following conditions are met:
1. The work must be intended to remove health and safety hazards to the larger community,
or to address or alleviate specific economic or employment-related impacts of the
disaster, such as cleanup work needed for disaster-affected employers to resume or
continue operations;
2. The activities are necessary to remove health and safety hazards on private lands or
around homes, businesses or other structures and may only return the land or structure(s)
to a safe and habitable level, or operational status, and will not improve the original land
or structure(s); and
3. Grant recipients must not use Disaster Recovery DWG funds to cover the cost of
materials to do repairs.
Grant recipients must maintain documentation under the Disaster Recovery DWG for all
worksites, including the dates and hours worked by each participant. For work on private
property, grant recipients must document the rationale for determining the allowability of such
work in accordance with this guidance. The Department does not require grant recipients to
receive its approval to work on private property.
Preventing Future Disaster Impacts. Generally, DOL will not authorize disaster-relief
employment for activities primarily designed to prevent or address the impacts of future
disasters. Under WIOA Section 170(d)(1), DWG activities must be designed to mitigate the
effects of the current declared disaster for which the grant was awarded; activities that may
prevent future disasters or their impacts are permissible only where such activities are incidental
to addressing the impacts of the current disaster or emergency. See Attachment II for a
comparison of activities that may be allowable and those that may not.
Coordination with Emergency Management Agencies. The grant recipient must coordinate the
activities funded under a Disaster Recovery DWG with the appropriate organizations, including
state emergency management agencies, to avoid duplication of efforts and to ensure that
activities appropriately respond to the affected community’s needs after a disaster. The grant
recipient must coordinate with any Federal agencies handling the Federal response to the disaster
or emergency in the areas grant recipients are delivering services, either through direct contact or
contact with state or local agencies coordinating with these Federal agencies. See Section 2.A
below for required application to meet this requirement.
Health and Safety Standards. Grant recipients must establish written policies that require
Disaster-Relief Employers to provide participants the same health and safety standards
established under Federal and state law applicable to working conditions of permanent
employees. To the extent that state workers’ compensation law applies, Disaster-Relief Employers
must provide workers’ compensation to participants on the same basis as individuals in similar
employment, as required by WIOA Section 181(b)(4). In cases in which a participant is not
covered under a state workers’ compensation law, based on the status of the Disaster-Relief
Employer with whom the participant is placed, the temporary nature of their employment, or
another reason, the employer must provide the participant with appropriate on-site medical and
accident insurance for work-related activities. The grant recipient must also ensure that
participants receive appropriate safety training and ensure safe working conditions in accordance
with the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act of 1970.10
Incorporating Additional Disaster Events. Disaster Recovery DWG funds awarded to a grant
recipient may be available for expenditure for additional declared disasters or situations of
national significance that occur within the same program year the funds were initially awarded.
The addition of disaster events to an existing DWG project requires prior approval from the grant
officer through a grant amendment request.
Requirements for Unemployment Insurance (UI) Coverage. While disaster relief employment
serves an important role in stabilizing a community and dislocated workers during the aftermath
of a disaster, the ultimate goal for all participants is entry into unsubsidized employment. To
support this outcome, grantees must make efforts to develop direct pathways from disaster relief
employment into unsubsidized employment. In rare instances where disaster relief participants
do not enter employment, those temporary disaster-relief employment participants may qualify
for unemployment benefits at the conclusion of their disaster relief employment. Unemployment
Compensation eligibility for disaster relief employment participants is based on state laws and
the specific Disaster Relief Employer for whom they worked. State UI laws generally indicate
which employers must pay relevant UI taxes, and grantees may use DWG funds to pay required
UI-related taxes for each Disaster Relief Employment participant, in accordance with State UI
laws. Since not all employers are required to pay UI taxes depending on their business entity
type, the state workforce agency should check with the state’s UI agency and the employer with
which the grantee has established a DRE relationship regarding UI payroll tax requirements.
Grant recipients should contact their Federal Project Officer for questions on grant allocable
costs related to Disaster Relief Employers’ UI taxes. Note that the grant may not be used to pay
10
For more information, contact the appropriate OSHA field office. A listing of OSHA field offices is available at
https://www.osha.gov/contactus/bystate.
penalties for failure to remit employer taxes or provide unemployment insurance coverage where
required by law.
Employment Recovery DWGs
Description
Employment Recovery DWGs provide resources for eligible applicants that demonstrate the
state, local area, or WIOA Section 166-eligible entities’ WIOA formula funds are insufficient to
respond to major economic dislocations and their associated economic impacts. Major economic
dislocations include plant closures and mass layoffs, closures and realignments of military
installations, and other economic events that cause significant job losses.
Employment Recovery DWGs help support economic and employment-related recovery after
mass layoffs or other instances of large-scale job loss and the associated employment impacts
that these losses may generate. When such events occur, the economic and other impacts can be
widespread and negatively affect workers, businesses, and communities, as well as the ability of
the public workforce system to effectively serve dislocated workers. Employment Recovery
DWGs enable the delivery of critical career, training, and other resources to support
reemployment efforts.
ETA requires projects funded with DWG resources to align with existing state, local, or tribal
strategic priorities and focus on preparing dislocated workers and other eligible individuals for
in-demand jobs with family-supporting wages.
WIOA considers DWGs part of a continuum of support for workers, businesses and communities
that begins with early intervention or layoff aversion activities. The continuum of services also
includes planning for large-scale layoffs and using resources from other WIOA programs and
from federal, state, and local economic development agencies or from other agencies. This
coordinated support mitigates the impacts of layoffs and unemployment caused by many factors,
including, for example, mass layoffs, a series of related layoffs in a single industry, and other
layoff situations. The American Job Center (AJC) Network provides regular assistance to people
out of work, and these coordinated resources exist to support workers and job seekers under a
variety of circumstances for rapid reemployment
Early intervention activities facilitate the gathering of demographic information and
identification of the needs and interests of affected workers. Therefore, DOL expects DWG
applications to reflect the results of early intervention processes and strategies. Assessments of
participant demographics, current labor market information, business demands, and potential
participants’ needs should inform the content of applications. Information gathered from early
intervention activities helps applicants provide a rationale for enrollment estimates and how
proposed grant activities will meet the needs of the participants.
I - 10
States and local workforce areas must prioritize efforts designed to prevent or minimize the
impacts of dislocations through layoff aversion efforts and other reemployment efforts through
Rapid Response before requesting supplemental funds through a DWG. To maximize the
effectiveness of early intervention strategies for dislocated workers, and to deliver services while
a DWG application is pending, the Department encourages states to initiate services for
comprehensive Rapid Response services where Rapid Response funds are available. For more
information on Rapid Response and layoff aversion activities, see Training and Employment
Guidance Letter (TEGL) 19-16, Guidance on Services provided through the Adult and
Dislocated Worker Programs under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and
the Wagner-Peyser Act Employment Service (ES), as amended by title III of WIOA, and for
Implementation of the WIOA Final Rules.
Employment Recovery DWGs provide employment and training assistance to dislocated workers
and other eligible participants as described below.
Qualifying Layoff Events
The below lists qualifying events which permit an eligible entity to submit an application for
Employment Recovery DWG funding. After receiving the application, DOL will review the
application and determine whether to award DWG funding. 20 CFR 687.110(a)(5) states that the
Secretary of Labor may determine additional qualifying events. Qualifying events for
Employment Recovery DWGs include:
Mass Layoff or Plant Closure. Layoffs or plant closures affecting 50 or more workers from at
least one employer within the applicant’s service area. As long as applicants document at least
one layoff or plant closure affecting 50 or more workers, applicants are not required to
demonstrate more than one layoff of 50 or more workers as part of the qualifying event.
However, DOL may require additional information in an application to substantiate the size and
scope of a DWG funding request.
Community Impact. Multiple small dislocations occurring over a period of up to 12 months that
have significantly increased the number of unemployed individuals in a state, regional, or local
workforce area or areas, often in rural areas, may qualify for an Employment Recovery DWG.
These community impact events might not reach 50 affected workers but create a substantial
economic impact.
Higher-than-Average Demand for Services from Dislocated Members of the Armed Services. A
higher-than-average demand for employment and training activities for dislocated members of
the Armed Services and dislocated military spouses that exceed state, local, or tribal resources
for providing such activities may qualify for Employment Recovery DWG funding.
The higher-than average demand qualifying event, unlike a mass layoff or community impact,
requires additional information to demonstrate that the qualifying event described in WIOA
Section 170(b)(1)(D) has occurred. DOL expects an applicant to demonstrate each of the
following elements:
1) A demand for employment and training services for dislocated members of the Armed
Services and dislocated military spouses that is above average; and
2) This demand for employment and training services by this population will exceed
existing state, local, or tribal resources for providing such services.
I - 11
An applicant also must demonstrate that it will carry out the activities in its proposed project in
partnership with Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs transition
assistance programs, as well as other programs serving this population within the American Job
Center (AJC) system or through partner programs, as appropriate.
For a detailed description of how these requirements can be demonstrated in an application,
please see Section 2.A below.
Applicants who are not a state workforce agency or local workforce development board (WDB)
must coordinate with appropriate local WDBs or with the state to obtain data to determine the
demand for employment and training activities for military service members and spouses, as well
as information on limitations of available formula funds to meet the higher-than-average
demand. WIOA Section 166-eligible applicants can submit their own data or coordinate with
state workforce agencies or local workforce development areas to obtain such data, and ETA will
consider alternative data sources from these applicants.
Eligible Applicants
Eligible applicants for Employment Recovery DWGs include:
1. States workforce agencies or outlying areas, or a consortium of state workforce
agencies;
2. Local WDBs or a consortium of WDBs;
3. Entities eligible for funding through the Indian and Native American Program in
WIOA Section 166(c);
4. Appropriate entities determined by the governor of the state or outlying area
involved; or
5. Entities that demonstrate to the Secretary of Labor their capability to effectively
respond to circumstances related to particular dislocations.
See section 2.A for information on the documentation required for the entities identified in items
4 and 5 above to demonstrate their eligibility to apply for Employment Recovery DWGs.
Eligible Participants
For Employment Recovery DWGs, the following individuals are eligible to receive employment
and training assistance:
1. Dislocated workers as defined in WIOA Section 3(15), including displaced homemakers
as defined in WIOA Section 3(16), dislocated members of the Armed Forces (service
members who are transitioning to the civilian workforce) and recently separated veterans
who are dislocated. This includes all members of the Armed Forces who were
discharged under conditions other than dishonorable.11 See TEGL 19-16 for more
specific information on the flexibilities that WIOA provides to Governors with regard to
11
A basic requirement to qualify as a dislocated worker is that the worker be terminated or laid-off. The term
“terminated” is not defined in the WIOA statute or regulations. It is Department of Labor policy that being
discharged, under conditions other than dishonorable, either voluntarily or involuntarily, terminates the employment
relationship between the individual and the military for the purposes of the WIOA definition of a dislocated worker.
To be eligible, the separating or separated service member must also satisfy other criteria for dislocated worker
eligibility, including the requirement that the individual is “unlikely to return to a previous industry or occupation.”
I - 12
establishing procedures for interpreting and applying the definition of dislocated worker
to individuals.
2. Other members of the Armed Forces.12
3. An individual who is employed in a non-managerial position with a Department of
Defense contractor, who is determined by the Secretary of Defense to be at risk of
termination from employment as a result of reductions in defense expenditures, and
whose employer is converting operations from defense to nondefense applications in
order to prevent worker layoffs.
4. In the case of the passage of a formal Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) law,
additional Employment Recovery DWG participant eligibility may exist. DOL will issue
special program guidance in such cases.
Grant recipient policies should include a protocol for verifying participant eligibility and for
collecting and validating participant data in alignment with WIOA core programs and Section 4
of TEGL No. 23-19, Change 3 which removed self-attestation as an acceptable form of source
documentation for one participant eligibility-related data element, date of birth. While self-
attestation may be used as source documentation for some required participant eligibility data
elements,13 grantees should use other forms of source documentation whenever possible.
Grantees must retain documentation of self-attestations provided by participants.
Please note that WIOA does not require that participants served under an Employment Recovery
be a worker laid off from the qualifying event; WIOA only requires that participants must meet
eligibility requirements for dislocated workers. Once the qualifying event has been established,
an applicant may request funds to enroll and serve eligible dislocated workers in the proposed
service area. DOL may require applicants to provide sufficient detail in an application to
establish that the requested funding amount and planned participant numbers align with
demonstrable needs, as described in Section 2.A below.
Allowable Activities
Employment and Training Assistance. For DWGs, the terms “employment and training
assistance” and “employment and training activities” are used interchangeably, and include
career services, training services, and supportive services, as described below. In alignment with
both 20 CFR 687.180 and the Uniform Guidance, grant recipients must develop and follow
policies to effectively provide employment and training assistance.
Career Services. Career services, described in WIOA Section 134(c)(2), 20 CFR Part 680, and
TEGL 19-16, are activities designed to help support dislocated workers in making informed
decisions for the purpose of achieving reemployment and education goals. Career services may
12
A member of the Armed Forces who was on active duty or full-time National Guard duty (as defined in 10 U.S.C.
1141) and is involuntarily separated, or is separated under the special separation benefits program at 10 U.S.C.
1174(a) or the voluntary separation incentive program at 10 U.S.C. 1175; is not entitled to retired or retained pay
incident to the separation; and applies for employment and training assistance within 180 days of separation, is
eligible to receive services under an Employment Recovery DWG.
13
TEGL no. 23-19, Change 3 is the most recent data validation guidance as of the publication of this TEGL.
Attachment II of TEGL no. 23-19 Change 3 eliminates self-attestation for data element (DE) 200 Date of Birth.
Self-attestation is an allowable source document for DE 401- UC Eligible Status, DE 402 - Long-Term Unemployed
at Program Entry, and DE 410 - Date of Actual Dislocation. Self-attestation is an allowable source document for
data element numbers 401- UC Eligible Status, 402 - Long-Term Unemployed at Program Entry, and 410 - Date of
Actual Dislocation.
I - 13
include, but are not limited to outreach, intake, labor exchange services, initial and
comprehensive assessments, development of an individual employment plan, referral, provision
of labor market information, work experiences including transitional jobs or internships, and
information on eligible training providers and the availability of supportive services.
Training Services. As described in WIOA Section 134(c)(3)(D), allowable training services
under Employment Recovery DWGs may include occupational training, work-based learning
such as on-the-job training and Registered Apprenticeships, entrepreneurial training, and
customized training. Grantees may use DWG funds to reimburse up to 50 percent of the wage
rate for on-the-job training or up to the reimbursement percentage the Governor or local WDB
has approved for on-the-job training for WIOA formula programs according to the criteria
outlined in WIOA Section 134(c)(3)(H) and 20 CFR 680.730. If a state has a waiver to
reimburse on-the-job training at higher rates, then grantees may apply that waiver to DWG-
funded on-the-job training. See Part 4, Administrative Policies, for more information. The use
of DWG funds for training is subject to the limitations or requirements as applicable to the
WIOA Dislocated Worker formula program delineated in 20 CFR part 680 and TEGL 19-16.
Supportive Services. Supportive services often contribute to participants’ success and are
allowable whenever they are needed to enable individuals to participate in employment and
training activities. Supportive services offered to participants under an Employment Recovery
DWG have the same requirements and features of supportive services delivered in the WIOA
Dislocated Worker formula program. DWG supportive services must align with the state, local
area, or WIOA Section 166(c) Indian and Native American program grantee’s supportive service
policy and have the same requirements as WIOA Dislocated Worker formula program supportive
services per 20 CFR part 680 and TEGL 19-16.
Other Allowable Activities. To ensure successful participant outcomes and entry into
unsubsidized employment, Employment Recovery DWGs may further use grant funds to carry
out other necessary activities that directly benefit enrolled participants. See Attachment II for
examples of activities that may be allowable and appropriate for Employment Recovery DWG
projects.
I - 14
Part 2: DWG Applications
Section 2.A: Application Information and Requirements
Demonstrating Applicant Eligibility
DOL requires some entities to provide additional information to demonstrate their eligibility to
apply for Employment Recovery DWGs as described in section I.A.2 above. These requirements
include:
1. Entities determined to be appropriate by the governor of the state or outlying area
must attach a signed letter from the Governor, on official letterhead, identifying the
organization and indicating why the Governor has determined it appropriate to carry
out a DWG project.
2. Entities that aim to demonstrate to the Secretary of Labor their capability to
effectively respond to circumstances related to particular dislocations must submit
documentation that the applicant has:
i. expertise with workforce development or training and addressing the impacts of
large-scale dislocation events on affected workers;
ii. the geographic or administrative reach to handle large-scale workforce issues;
iii. financial and administrative capability to administer a Federal grant;
iv. a letter of support for its DWG application from the relevant state workforce
agency(ies) and WDBs for all of the geographic area(s) the DWG will serve;14
v. the capacity to submit required performance data through ETA’s performance
reporting system; and
vi. completed the pre-application activities required by 20 CFR 687.140.
In cases where the applicant is not the state workforce agency (i.e., the state agency that receives
WIOA Dislocated Worker formula funds), the applicant must work collaboratively with its state
workforce agency or appropriate local WDBs to ensure that the applicant coordinates with Rapid
Response efforts, or otherwise coordinates with early intervention activities as required in 20
CFR 687.140. Such applicants are also responsible for collecting and reporting applicable
performance data per WIOA requirements. Where appropriate, partnering with applicable
workforce system entities may provide support in understanding and reporting of performance
data.
Application Submission
Grant recipients and applicants must submit any applications for funding through Grants.gov
(https://www.grants.gov). Except as noted on page I-17, for opioid-related events, DOL will
accept applications for DWGs at any time. The application must meet the requirements outlined
in Section 170 of WIOA and implementing regulations at 20 CFR part 687, and this DWG
operational guidance, and respond to any additional information requested by the Grant Officer.
Applications that are incomplete or do not meet the requirements of this TEGL may be returned;
applicants may resubmit an amended funding request for further consideration. For detailed
14
This requirement is designed to ensure that there will not be duplication of services for the same potentially
eligible participant population between local AJCs and a DWG grant applicant working to meet this eligibility
requirement, should the applicant be awarded a DWG.
I - 15
instructions on applying for DWGs, and information on the Suggested Application, see ETA’s
How to Apply webpage (https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/grants/apply).
Unique Entity ID (UEI) and Sam.gov Registration
Before applying, applicants must register with the System for Award Management (SAM) and
obtain an Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). Submission requirements stipulate that all applicants
for Federal grant and funding opportunities must supply their UEI number on the SF-424.
Instructions for registering with SAM are available online (https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration). An awardee must maintain an active SAM registration with current information at
all times during which it has an active Federal award or an application under consideration. To
remain registered in the SAM database after the initial registration, states must review and
update the registration at least every 12 months from the date of initial registration. Failure to
register with SAM and maintain an active account will result in Grants.gov rejecting your
submission.
Applicant information provided on the SF-424 must match with the SAM registration, including
the applicant’s legal name, address, nine-digit zip code, employer identification number (EIN),
and UEI.
Timing of Applications
Disaster Recovery DWGs
Emergency Application. DOL offers the opportunity for eligible applicants to submit an
abbreviated emergency application for Disaster Recovery DWG funds in the immediate
aftermath of a qualifying emergency or disaster declaration, which may enable the recipient to
begin grant activities while continuing to assess the full impact of the disaster and develop a full
application. As noted in Section 2.B below, applicants need not identify their full funding
request when submitting an emergency application; ETA will award an initial funding allotment
designed to provide sufficient funding to begin grant activities while the grant recipient develops
a full Disaster Recovery DWG application.
Generally, DOL will accept emergency applications as follows:
1. When a declaration of a qualifying disaster by FEMA as eligible for Public
Assistance, or a declaration by a Federal agency having jurisdiction over the disaster
is made within 45 business days of the date of the emergency or disaster event; and
2. An emergency application is submitted not more than 15 business days after the
qualifying declaration.
In cases where a qualifying emergency or disaster declaration is issued more than 45 business
days after the disaster event began, applicants should submit a full application reflecting a
comprehensive assessment of the impacts of the declared emergency or disaster.
DOL expects grant recipients awarded Disaster Recovery DWG funding under an emergency
application to begin serving eligible participants as quickly as possible to support economic and
employment-related recovery in the disaster area(s). Grant recipients may carry out allowable
grant activities such as participant outreach, implementing subrecipient or project operator
agreements, identifying potential worksite employers, and enrolling participants in employment
and training activities immediately upon approval of an emergency application, or as early as the
I - 16
date of the qualifying emergency or disaster declaration, if requested in the application and
approved in the grant award.
As part of the emergency application, applicants may request approval for disaster-relief
employment positions that address the impacts of the declared disaster. Cleanup or humanitarian
assistance disaster-relief employment may begin as soon as an emergency award is approved, or
as early as the date of the qualifying emergency or disaster event, if requested in the application
and approved in the grant award.
See Grant Start Date in Section 2.B for more information on what information applicants must
provide when the proposed start date for grant precedes the award date. In addition, see Section
3.D for more information on how ETA funds emergency applications and required application
information.
Full Application. A full application for a Disaster Recovery DWG should reflect the results of
the following activities, as described in § 687.140(b): (1) Conduct a preliminary assessment of
the clean-up and humanitarian needs of the affected areas; (2) Reasonably ascertain that there is
a sufficient population of eligible individuals to conduct the planned work; and (3) Coordinate
with the Local WDB(s) and chief elected official(s) of the local area(s) in which the proposed
project is to operate.
Within 60 business days following the notification of an award of a Disaster Recovery DWG
requested via an emergency application, the grant recipient must amend the grant to provide a
full and complete application, including a funding request. Grant recipients who anticipate
challenges with meeting the 60-day requirement should notify ETA for technical assistance or to
request an extension not to exceed 30 business days. DOL will consider failure to submit a full
application within the required timeframe a factor when determining future requests for funding
and period of performance extensions. Additionally, failure to submit a timely full application
may result in other restrictions placed on the grant award.
In lieu of an emergency application, applicants may also submit a full application, which must
contain a complete statement of work, project budget, and other applicable documents or
information that support the project. The full application submission must clearly merit the
funding request, be reasonable based upon the disaster’s impact and resulting needs on the
community and demonstrate compliance with WIOA. Applicants should consider the needs of
eligible participants and other factors and request a grant start date that enables provision of
DWG-funded services as quickly as possible. See the Grant Start Date description in Section
2.B. below for more information on when grant activities may begin.
Opioid-related Disaster-Recovery DWGs. DOL must carefully manage appropriated resources
throughout each program year to ensure sufficiency of resources for essential Disaster Recovery
and Employment Recovery DWGs. Therefore, for Disaster Recovery DWGs in response to the
opioid crisis, DOL will prioritize awards to applicants with a demonstrated need for the funding
that have not previously been awarded an opioid-related DWG, and to those that that do not have
an active opioid-related DWG at the time of proposed start date. DOL will only consider one
Opioid DWG per eligible applicant at any one time, with the state determining the appropriate
service area within the state. Applicants must demonstrate, with sourced data, the severity of the
impacts of the opioid crisis in the proposed service area. Note that DOL will only accept these
I - 17
applications received during the fourth quarter of the fiscal year (July 1–September 30) in order
to ensure that funds remain available for natural disaster recovery and employment recovery
DWGs throughout the year.
Employment Recovery DWGs. To the extent possible, applicants should submit an Employment
Recovery DWG application within 120 days of a qualifying layoff event to facilitate the timely
delivery of reemployment services.15 Applicants may provide DWG services to participants at
the time of eligibility determination, which may be as early as notification of layoff (receipt of an
individual layoff notice or the date of the company’s layoff announcement) or the date of the
layoff itself. Applicants should consider the needs of eligible participants and other factors and
request a grant start date that enables provision of DWG-funded services as quickly as possible.
See the Grant Start Date description in Section 2.B. below for more information on when grant
activities may begin.
Applications for DWG Funds
Applicants for DWG funds, must submit all DWG funding requests through an application
submitted to ETA. There is no required application format for DWGs, and applicants may use
any format they choose, as long as they address all required application elements. However, to
support a streamlined application process, DOL has developed suggested application forms that
contain all the required information, available at Grants.gov (https://www.grants.gov).
Application Information for “Higher-than-Average Demand for Services” Employment
Recovery DWG Qualifying Events. DOL requires applicants to provide additional information
to demonstrate that a Higher-than-Average Demand for Services qualifying event has occurred.
To demonstrate that demand for employment and training services by dislocated members of the
Armed Forces and eligible spouses is “higher-than-average” and therefore constitutes a
qualifying event for an Employment Recovery DWG, an applicant must address each of the three
main elements described below, as required by WIOA Section 170(b)(1)(D). While WIOA
requires these main elements, the methods, data sources, and time frames that demonstrate the
required elements are at the discretion of the applicant. The language below includes examples
or options that may be useful to applicants.
First, an applicant must demonstrate that the current demand for services by dislocated members
of the Armed Services and dislocated spouses exceeds average demand. An applicant may
demonstrate this demand through any applicable data or information including the number of
dislocated members of the Armed Services and eligible spouses who have sought any
employment or training-related services from AJCs (in-person or virtually) in one or more local
areas, or statewide. Such data may be gathered from one or more local workforce areas within a
state or territory, or from a regional area which may cover more than one state as appropriate, to
best enable the applicant to determine the average demand.
An application therefore must address:
15
For Employment Recovery DWGs requested in response to a Community Impact qualifying event, applicants
should consider the 120-day timeframe to begin at the time of the last layoff event included in the calculation that a
qualifying Community Impact is occurring, or no later than one year after the first of the layoffs included in the
calculation occurred.
I - 18
1. Average Demand. An application must show how the applicant calculated the average
demand for employment and training services by dislocated members of the Armed
Services and dislocated spouses. To determine average demand, use data for at least the
two years immediately prior to the year that will be used to determine the current
demand. For example, an applicant could identify the average demand on a program year
basis by calculating the average demand for services for the three previous full Program
Years (July 1–June 30) for which there are data available at the time of application. In
this example, the average demand for services should not include the current Program
Year’s data.
2. Current Demand. The application must show how the applicant calculated the current
demand for employment and training services by dislocated members of the Armed
Services and dislocated spouses, using the same methodology or information used to
determine the average demand. Current demand may be related to a one-time event such
as a large transition of military members leaving service from a base or other facility, an
ongoing transition over a longer period of time (up to the 12 months prior to the date of
application), or from an increase in dislocated service members and dislocated spouses
moving into a community, region, local workforce area, or state over a period of up to 12
months prior to the application. For example, if an applicant calculated the average
demand using the program year basis, an applicant may show the demand for services, or
a projected total demand, for the current program year.
3. Current Demand Exceeds the Average. The application must demonstrate that the
current demand for employment and training services (as described in #2 above) for this
same population exceeds, or is on target to exceed, the average demand (as described in
#1 above).
Note that WIOA only requires that an applicant demonstrate that current demand is higher than
average demand to establish this element of the qualifying event.
Second, an applicant must demonstrate that the higher-than-average demand exceeds existing
resources for providing employment and training services. In alignment with the other
Employment Recovery DWG qualifying events (mass layoff and community impact), to show
that the demand will exceed existing resources, an applicant must provide sufficient information
to demonstrate that either:
1. The total number of dislocated members of the Armed Services and spouses seeking, or
intending to seek, employment and training services in one or more local areas, or
statewide, is at least 50; or
2. The total number of dislocated members of the Armed Services and spouses seeking
employment and training services is fewer than 50 individuals, but the impact still
exceeds existing state, WIOA Section 166-eligible entities’, or local resources to provide
employment and training services.
Third, an applicant must demonstrate that they will deliver services to dislocated members of the
Armed Services and dislocated military spouses in partnership with the Department of Defense
and Department of Veterans Affairs transition assistance programs. To demonstrate this, an
applicant must provide evidence of existing partnerships, or concrete plans for developing
partnerships, with entities that provide transition assistance to veterans and dislocated service
members and spouses through the Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Defense, or
DOL VETS.
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Applications for Opioid-response Disaster Recovery DWGs: DOL requires applicants for opioid-
response Disaster Recovery DWGs to include additional information in the application to:
• Demonstrate significant ongoing impacts to the workforce from the opioid public health
emergency.
• Demonstrate ongoing state or tribal government efforts to use available workforce
resources to address the impacts of the public health emergency, including either the use
of WIOA formula funds, WIOA governor’s reserve, or Rapid Response funding, to carry
out activities proposed in the application.
• Demonstrate that these funding sources listed above are inadequate to meet demand for
services to respond to the opioid crisis.
• As discussed in Section 5 below, for states and outlying area grant recipients, the
negotiated performance outcome measures for the WIOA title I Dislocated Worker
program serve as a basis for each DWG’s performance goals unless applicants request
additional considerations to set performance measures for an individual grant. If
proposing a set of performance goals lower than those established for the WIOA
Dislocated Worker formula program, explain why.
• Describe the applicant’s plans to sustain activities carried out under the grant after the
period of performance, should the workforce impacts stemming from the opioid crisis
continue.
DWG Funding Requests. DOL expects that funding amounts requested in applications for all
DWGs meet the requirements of “allowable” as defined by the Uniform Guidance (necessary,
reasonable, and allocable) based on the impact of the qualifying event and its associated
economic and employment-related impacts on the affected community or communities, the total
projected number of participants, the planned mix of services, and other relevant criteria.
Applicants must provide sufficient justification in an application to establish that the requested
funding amount, service areas, and planned participant numbers align with demonstrable needs.
See Section 2.B below for more information on how DOL assesses “allowability” when
reviewing funding requests for DWGs.
An applicant may submit an application that includes relevant information on the overall
availability of formula funds to serve eligible dislocated workers in the service area of the
proposed grant, including:
• The qualifying event and its direct and indirect impacts on dislocations in the project
service area; or
• Other related economic events within the project service area that further affect the
ability of the workforce system to provide services to eligible dislocated workers.
This information supports an applicant’s request to serve an appropriate number of planned
participants (regardless of the circumstances that caused their dislocation) and the total funding
amount requested.
Community Needs Assessment. The Community Needs Assessment, submitted as part of a
DWG application and conducted pursuant to 20 CFR 687.140, describes the qualifying event and
its associated impacts and sets the scope of the planned response.
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For Disaster Recovery DWG applications, the Community Needs Assessment describes at a
minimum:
• The impacts of the declared emergency or disaster event, including how the proposed
grant will prioritize communities and individuals most at-need due to the effects of the
declared disaster or emergency situation;
• The cleanup or humanitarian needs that stem from the impacts of the declared emergency
or disaster;
• How the proposed disaster-relief employment will address the needs and help mitigate
the effects of the declared emergency or disaster event and promote community recovery
including through creating a pathway to in-demand and high-wage employment
opportunities;
• How the grant recipient expects to recruit and enroll eligible individuals and ensure that
participants can successfully complete their grant-funded activities. This may include
partnering with other programs or utilizing grant funds to provide supportive services
such as child care, transportation, or other critical resources to reduce or remove barriers
to participation that often affect eligible participants; and
• How DWG funds will provide opportunities for individuals to return to unsubsidized
employment as a result of grant activities.
For emergencies or disasters of national significance (i.e., those declared by a Federal agency
other than FEMA, such as the opioid crisis), the Community Needs Assessment must
additionally demonstrate that the declared emergency or disaster has “national significance that
could result in a potentially large loss of employment,” as required by WIOA Section
170(a)(1)(B). Applicants do this by demonstrating that the emergency or disaster could result in
the loss of at least 50 jobs in the area covered by the declaration.
For Employment Recovery DWGs (and for Disaster Recovery DWGs that anticipate including
employment and training activities in addition to disaster-relief employment), the Community
Needs Assessment must:
• Describe the qualifying layoff or other event as required in Part I above;
• Describe the resulting economic impacts of the qualifying event as well as any broader or
additional economic effects or challenges including secondary or related layoffs,
increases in unemployment, or other factors where applicable, that impact the community
or communities to be covered by the proposed project;
• Explain why existing formula and/or other funds are unable to meet the employment and
training needs created by the qualifying event and other associated layoffs or numbers of
eligible dislocated workers, by providing current formula funds, Rapid Response funds
(or other funds) available, number of participants generally served through these funds,
and the unmet need created by the qualifying event and associated impacts;
• Provide an overview of the broader economic situation, layoff impacts, or other
challenges impacting the ability of the grant recipient and any subrecipients to effectively
serve eligible dislocated workers in the communities to be included in the project where
appropriate to justify the planned participant and funding level request;
• Describe how DWG funds will be used to engage with industry and local employers and
to leverage industry-driven strategies to prepare participants for in-demand jobs and
strengthen the local economy;
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• Describe how grant efforts will be integrated into existing workforce and education
activities in the state and local area including how grant efforts will leverage these
partnerships, infrastructure and funding; and
• Describe how DWG funds will provide opportunities for individuals to return to
unsubsidized employment as a result of grant activities.
Demonstrating Coordination with Emergency Management Agencies. Under WIOA, as
described in Section I.A. above, Disaster Recovery DWG recipients must ensure coordination
with FEMA or other emergency management agencies, as appropriate. Entities submitting a full
application for Disaster Recovery DWG funding should include a contact from the relevant state
or other applicable emergency management agency and provide a description of the anticipated
coordination activities to limit duplication of activities to best respond to and recover from the
effects of the declared emergency or disaster event.
For Disaster Recovery DWGs submitted to address the impacts of the opioid epidemic or other
public health emergency situations, an applicant could coordinate with a state health, mental
health, opioid response, or other similar agency to meet this requirement.
For more information on the Community Needs Assessment and other application requirements,
see ETA’s How to Apply website (https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/grants/apply).
Disaster-Relief Employer. Generally, Disaster Recovery DWG applications require the
identification of Disaster-Relief Employers. For purposes of the DWG program, Disaster-Relief
Employers are entities designated by grant recipients or subrecipients to serve as the employer
for disaster-relief employment participants; as such, they have the responsibility of carrying out
all day-to-day human resources and payroll activities for disaster-relief employment participants
in a Disaster Recovery DWG.
DOL places no limitation on what type of entity or organization may be a Disaster-Relief
Employer. Disaster Relief Employers may include public or private organizations. When grant
recipients or subrecipients contract with an entity as the Disaster-Relief Employer, including
either a non-profit or for-profit entity, they must ensure that negotiations, pricing and any fees
contained in the contract and charged to the grant are reasonable and fair, and that any
competition is full and open. Additional guidance may be found in the Uniform Guidance’s
Procurement Standards at 2 CFR 200 and the applicable state procurement policies.
Subrecipients & Subawards. Where applicable, DWG applicants must identify any subrecipients
that will support grant activities. As defined in 2 CFR 200.1, a subrecipient means an entity that
receives a subaward to carry out part of a Federal grant but does not include an individual who is
a beneficiary of such award.
Subawards, as described 2 CFR 200.1, are awards provided by a pass-through entity to a
subrecipient to carry out part of a Federal award received by the pass-through entity. They do
not include payments to a contractor, payments to an individual who is a beneficiary of a Federal
program, or payments to a participant. A subaward may be provided through any form of legal
agreement, including an agreement that the pass-through entity considers a contract.
I - 22
Grant recipients may subaward funds to local boards or other entities such as public and private
agencies and organizations that were previously engaged in such projects. A grant recipient,
when working with subrecipients, must ensure that it works with responsible entities to ensure
successful performance. The grant recipient’s due diligence to work with responsible entities
may include risk evaluations or assessments to ensure that each entity has the internal controls
and systems in place to effectively manage the grants funds in accordance with program
requirements, 2 CFR part 200, and the terms and conditions of the subaward. Subrecipients must
adhere to the same terms and conditions applicable to the DWG grant recipient. Project
operators are subrecipients of a DWG grant.
Proposed Project Timeline. An application must include a timeline of the proposed project that
reflects the applicant’s proposed project design. The timeline should include the anticipated
project implementation schedule, project goals and objectives, expected participant enrollment
targets, and other relevant information that demonstrates that multiple aspects of the proposed
project have been considered to achieve the most effective results. The timeline should also
demonstrate that the funding request is reasonable based on anticipated activities, costs,
enrollments, or other elements.
Section 2.B: Grant Awards
Allowability of Costs. DOL reviews DWG applications to determine whether the costs
associated with the proposed activities are allowable (necessary, reasonable, and allocable) based
on the information provided in the application. Generally, a DWG application must include
information that explains how the applicant determined the estimated costs based upon existing
fiscal policies or costs for comparable programs, and in alignment with the proposed project
activities and Community Needs Assessment.
Award Procedures. Within 45 calendar days of the receipt of a complete and responsive
application meeting all DWG submission requirements, DOL will make a decision to approve or
disapprove the request. Awards are based on the availability of Federal funding and are made at
DOL’s discretion. DOL will issue a notice of award for successful applications no later than 10
days following the Secretary’s approval of the grant award.
Grant Start Date. Unless otherwise requested by an applicant, DOL will award DWGs with start
dates that align with the date of award, and all grant-funded services will begin following the
date of award.
However, to better enable DWG projects to rapidly address the impacts of the qualifying disaster
or layoff event, DOL encourages applicants to consider requesting in their application an earlier
start date to reimburse allowable costs incurred for DWG activities started before the date of the
award, as long as a formal request with justification for an earlier start date is included in the
application and that request is approved in the grant award. The proposed start date may not
precede the latest of either the first day of the current fiscal year or the date of the qualifying
disaster or emergency event, for Disaster Recovery DWGs, or the qualifying layoff notification
or layoff, for Employment Recovery DWGs.
Once established, the start date cannot be modified.
I - 23
Period of Performance & Closeout. The period of performance for DWG funds begins at the
project start date and continues through the project end date, as specified in the grant award.
DOL will generally award DWGs with a period of performance not to exceed 36 months from
the project start date, unless an applicant specifically requests a shorter period of performance.
Grant recipients must obligate all funds during the period of performance. The period of
performance established with the initial award governs the ability to obtain incremental and
additional funding. DOL will consider a one-time extension of the period of performance by up
to 12 months in exceptional circumstances, and with appropriate justification, which includes a
demonstration that the recipient will be able to complete planned grant activities within the
extended period. DOL will not consider extensions to the period of performance for the sole
purpose of grantee’s spending down funds or exceeding performance goals or where DOL has
identified the grant recipient as high risk.
Grantees must submit all final reports no later than 120 calendar days after the conclusion of the
period of performance. (2 CFR 200.344(b)).
Part 3: Grant Funding Approach
DWG Funding Approach. TEGL 9-24 introduced a new funding approach for DWGs when it
was published in December 2024, and ETA is continuing to use that funding approach. Where
DOL historically funded nearly all DWGs on an incremental basis, DOL since December 2024
aims to award DWGs in-full, with funding limitations as described in this section. This change
in approach was driven by ETA’s analysis of the DWG grants over the three-year period
preceding the publication of TEGL 9-24 guidance, and by considering the last few years’ history
of decreased federal funding generally available for DWGs.
This funding approach is not intended to affect how or when eligible applicants apply for
funding. This section describes DOL’s approach to determining funding levels after receiving an
application and deciding to make an award. DOL will continue to evaluate each DWG
application on a case-by-case basis and determine if it is appropriate to fund in full or
incrementally based on a number of factors, including availability of funds, severity of
qualifying event as demonstrated in the application or as determined by the Secretary, the
viability of a proposed project, and an applicant’s prior performance or demonstrated capacity to
effectively manage a DWG.16
DWG Funding Limitations. Availability of funds fluctuate throughout the year based upon
appropriated funds and the number and severity of qualifying events affecting the workforce
system. To best manage DWG resources and to ensure that DWG funds remain available
throughout the year to address the needs that arise, DOL generally limits the funding amounts for
both Disaster Recovery and Employment Recovery DWG awards, whether funded in full at the
time of the award or funded incrementally. DWG awards will generally not exceed, but can be
less than, the following limits.
16
Applicants should note that prior DWG experience and performance are only considerations for how funds are
disbursed and are not included in determinations of whether an applicant or project is funded.
I - 24
• Disaster Recovery DWGs
For emergencies declared by FEMA as eligible for public assistance, there is a limit of $5
million. In cases where a disaster affects multiple large population centers within a state
or where the applicant demonstrates the impacts of the qualifying event require higher
funding levels, DOL may provide awards of up to $10 million. Note that the limits apply
to a single grant award and do not necessarily represent a limit on how much assistance
will ultimately be awarded to address the overall impacts of the disaster or the number of
awards for the same disaster. Eligible applicants may submit one application per
qualifying event. See Section 3.C. on requesting additional funding.
For Disaster Recovery DWGs for emergencies or disasters of national significance, such
as the public health emergency declaration for the opioid epidemic, a limit of $2 million
(except in extraordinary circumstances that indicate a higher award amount is
appropriate).
For Disaster Recovery DWGs in response to the opioid crisis, DOL will prioritize awards
to applicants with a strong demonstrated need for the funding that have not previously
been awarded an opioid-related DWG, and to those that that do not have an active opioid-
related DWG at the time of proposed start date. DOL will only consider one Opioid
DWG per eligible applicant at any one time, with the state determining the appropriate
service area within the state. Applicants must demonstrate, with sourced data, the
severity of the impacts of the opioid crisis in the proposed service area. Note that DOL
will only accept these applications received during the fourth quarter of the fiscal year
(July 1–September 30) in order to ensure that funds remain available for natural disaster
recovery and employment recovery DWGs throughout the year.
• Employment Recovery DWGs
For Employment Recovery DWGs, there is a limit of $2 million (except in specific
circumstances).
These funding limitations are based on DOL’s analysis of DWG grant applications, awards, and
the amount and rate of grant expenditures over the three-year period preceding the publication of
this guidance. DOL will update DWG funding limitations as necessary to account for changing
circumstances. At her discretion, the Secretary will determine the appropriateness of higher
award amounts where the severity, scale, or other factors associated with a DWG qualifying
event indicate a need. For Employment Recovery DWGs, DOL will take into consideration the
availability of current formula funds and Rapid Response funds available, number of participants
generally served through these funds, and the unmet need created by the qualifying event and
associated impacts.
DOL may fund DWG awards at levels that exceed the limitations identified in this section in
exceptional circumstances. While DOL will determine such exceptions on a case-by-case basis,
examples of circumstances that might trigger an exception could include:
• Disaster events of exceptionally large scale or impact.
• Disaster events that create impacts that pose a serious threat to the national economy or to
national security.
• Layoff events that result in an outsized impact on a community or region.
I - 25
Whether DOL funds DWGs in full or incrementally, the approved funding amount may be lower
than the amount requested by the applicant. DOL may authorize reduced awards in situations
such as:
• For applications requesting funding that exceeds the availability of funds or published
funding limitations including those scenarios where DOL does not have a full
appropriation;
• For evolving qualifying events where additional time is needed to determine the full
impact, such as layoff events that are spread out over time;
• Where applicants have not demonstrated experience or successful performance with
DWGs; or
• Based on other circumstances as determined by the Secretary.
Section 3.A: Grant Awards Funded in Full
In general, DOL will fund DWG awards ”in full,” rather than incrementally, up to the funding
limitations described above. When DOL funds grants in full at the time of award, those will
generally be the only funds the recipient will receive under that award.
DOL will consider additional funding under certain circumstances described in Section 3.C.
Section 3.B: Grant Awards Funded Incrementally
Where appropriate, DOL may choose to fund DWGs incrementally. Such situations may
include:
• Limited availability of DWG funds;
• When the Secretary has determined that a grant award should exceed the funding
limitation;
• For awards to entities with limited or no prior experience operating DWGs, including
those entities that are not a part of the public workforce system (for example, those
applicants that meet the eligibility criteria of “other entities that demonstrate their
capability to apply”); or
• When an applicant has a history of failing to meet performance or other benchmarks in
previous DWGs.
In the few scenarios where DOL awards DWGs incrementally, DOL generally awards funds with
an overall “up-to” amount, with funds released in approximately three increments as funds are
expended, as project goals are met, or on a schedule established as part of the grant Terms and
Conditions. Approval of the award “up-to” ceiling does not represent obligation of funds beyond
the immediate increment, and each subsequent increment up to the award ceiling is contingent
upon demonstration of need to support ongoing disaster-relief employment or employment and
training activities, continuing or evolving community needs, and progress made toward the
enrollment goals and milestones established in the approved grant agreement.
For incrementally-funded DWGs, DOL may consider awarding the next increment when:
• The recipient has addressed all outstanding Conditions of Award;
• The recipient demonstrates that expenditures have reached, or are within 45 days of
reaching, approximately 70 percent of the total DWG funds awarded to date. The
recipient may provide evidence of obligations occurring within the 45 days to
demonstrate expenditures are within 45 days of reaching 70 percent;
I - 26
• The recipient demonstrates that program needs continue, as evidenced by enrollments,
expenditures, performance measure outcomes, and other data as applicable;
• ETA reports and documentation demonstrate the grant recipient is making a reasonable
effort to achieve program goals;17 and
• Sufficient time remains in the period of performance to complete the full complement of
services for any existing or potential new participants and fully expend the next
increment.
Grant recipients may request subsequent increments of funding by submitting a grant
modification request to their Federal Project Officer. Grant recipients may request a subsequent
increment higher than the amount established in the grant Terms and Conditions; however,
Contingent on availability of funds, DOL will only consider such requests if the grant recipient
has sufficiently demonstrated that an increase to the next increment is in the best interest of the
grant program and DOL. When additional funds become available or other factors indicate,
DOL may initiate renegotiation of the grant Terms and Conditions with the grant recipient as
appropriate.
Section 3.C: Additional Funding
Additional funding refers to funds requested after a grant has been fully funded. As noted above,
for particularly large disasters, grantees may need additional resources after using the full
funding provided in the initial DWG award. (This is different than “incremental funding” which
refers to partial funds received up to an approved award threshold.) ETA will consider a grant
recipient’s request for additional funding for DWG awards as follows:
• For DWGs funded in full: When the grant recipient demonstrates progress on program
goals, via quarterly performance and expenditure reports and other documentation, and it
needs additional funds due to the ongoing or changing effects of the qualifying event and
its associated impacts as described in the Community Needs Assessment in the original
application. Alternatively, when the grant recipient demonstrates that it needs additional
funds to complete the approved project within the approved period of performance.
• For DWGs funded incrementally: When the grant recipient demonstrates the
requirements above for requesting the next increment, and when the grant recipient
demonstrates that it needs additional funds to complete the approved project within the
approved period of performance.
Section 3.D: Emergency Applications
Eligible applicants may submit an emergency application for a Disaster Recovery DWG as
described in Section 2.A. above. DOL will award Disaster Recovery DWGs in response to
17
ETA’s review of a request for funding increments will consider an applicant’s demonstrated success or progress
towards meeting any specific outcomes and milestones identified in the initial application, as well as progress in
responding to monitoring reports, audit reports, high risk notifications, and compliance with the grant agreement
including terms and conditions found at the ETA Grant Resources webpage
(https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/grants/resources). ETA may review quarterly performance reports to ensure that
the recipient is making a reasonable effort to achieve program goals and may review monitoring reports and
corrective action plans to ensure that the recipient is managing the program in compliance with the grant agreement
and all relevant federal regulations. Such a demonstration should be included in the amendment requesting a
funding increment and may include evidence of efforts made to achieve specific outcomes, milestones or enrollment
numbers, even where the grant recipient has been unable to meet those goals.
I - 27
emergency applications for up to $1,000,000 to enable grant recipients to begin grant activities as
quickly as possible. Subsequently, grant recipients may request funding up to the funding
amount limitation for Disaster Recovery DWGs, as part of their full application submission. The
initial emergency funding amount is counted toward this total funding amount in the full
application. The funding request included in the full application is contingent upon the grant
recipient’s assessment of the specific impacts of the declared disaster as described in the
Community Needs Assessment, the expected number of participants to be enrolled, the
anticipated costs associated with these services. DOL may consider other factors as noted above
under Funding Approach, including the availability of funds, the severity of qualifying event as
demonstrated in the application or as determined by the Secretary, the viability of a proposed
project, and an applicant’s prior performance or demonstrated capacity to effectively manage a
DWG.18
Section 3.E: Other DWG Funding Criteria
The period of performance for all DWGs will be 36 months from the start date established in the
grant agreement for the initial award. Grant recipients may request one period of performance
extension of up to 12 months. Such a request may be made only in the final year of the period of
performance and may not include a request for additional funds. See Period of Performance &
Closeout on page I-24 of this TEGL.
DOL will not consider requests for incremental or additional funding, or period of performance
extensions, and may impose fund drawdown or other award restrictions in cases where a grant
recipient has not demonstrated compliance with the grant award Terms and Conditions or has not
met established timelines for addressing conditions of award as described in a grant award
document.
Part 4: Administrative Policies
Section 4.A: Risk Review
At its discretion, DOL funds applicants that adequately demonstrate eligibility according to the
application requirements. DOL may elect to award a grant with or without discussions with the
applicant. Should DOL award a grant without discussions, DOL will base the award on the
applicant’s signature on the SF-424, including electronic signature, which constitutes a binding
offer by the applicant.
Note that DOL will determine if the applicant had any restriction on spending for any DOL grant
due to adverse monitoring findings within the past three years. Depending on the severity of the
findings, the Grant Officer may elect to not provide the applicant a grant award or impose
conditions on the award.
All applications deemed complete and responsive by the Grant Officer will undergo a risk review
process. Before making an award, DOL will review information available through any OMB-
designated repository of government-wide eligibility qualification or Federal integrity
information, such as the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity System (FAPIIS),
Sam.gov’s suspension and disbarment, and “Do Not Pay.” Additionally, ETA will comply with
18
Applicants should note that prior DWG experience and performance are only considerations for how funds are
disbursed and are not included in determinations of whether an applicant or project is funded.
I - 28
the requirements of 2 CFR Part 180 (Government-wide Debarment and Suspension Non-
Procurement). This risk evaluation may incorporate results of the evaluation of the applicant’s
eligibility (application screening) or the quality of its application (technical review). If DOL
determines that an entity is responsible and an award will be made, special conditions that
correspond to the degree of risk assessed may be applied to the award. Risk-related criteria
evaluated include:
1. Financial stability;
2. Quality of management systems and ability to meet the management standards prescribed
in the Uniform Guidance;
3. History of performance as evident in the applicant’s record in managing awards,
cooperative agreements, or procurement awards; if it is a prior recipient of such Federal
awards, including timeliness of compliance with applicable reporting requirements,
conformance to terms and conditions; and if available, the extent to which any previously
awarded amounts will be expended prior to future awards;
4. Reports and findings from audits performed under Subpart F – Audit Requirements of the
Uniform Guidance (2 CFR Sections 200.500–200.521) or the reports and findings of any
other available audits, as well as audits and monitoring reports containing findings and
issues of non-compliance or questioned costs; and
5. The applicant’s ability to effectively implement statutory, regulatory, or other
requirements imposed on recipients.
Selection of an organization as a recipient does not constitute approval of the grant application as
submitted. Before it awards the actual grant, DOL may enter into negotiations about such items
as program components, staffing and funding levels, and administrative systems in place to
support grant implementation, as well as impose additional requirements on the grant-supported
activities the applicant proposed. If the negotiations do not result in a mutually acceptable
submission, the Grant Officer reserves the right to terminate the negotiations and decline to fund
the application. DOL reserves the right to not fund any application related to this TEGL.
Applications submitted by for-profit or commercial entities must adhere to the Uniform
Guidance at 2 CFR part 200 and 2 CFR part 2900. This requirement also extends to for-profit or
commercial subrecipients.
Section 4.B: Partnership in the American Job Center (AJC) Network
Title I of WIOA authorizes and funds DWGs, and therefore, recipients are considered required
one-stop partners in the local AJC network.19 Partnership in the one-stop system provides an
array of benefits to the partner organization and participants being served by the DWG,
including: access to a wide array of services and resources, outreach and recruitment,
connections to businesses, access to economic or labor market information, and participation in a
regional economic partnership.
Most DWGs are awarded as supplemental funds to support an already existing Title I dislocated
worker program, which renders them part of the existing local one-stop partnership. As such,
DWG grant recipients that are currently one-stop partners would not be required to update or
19
Guidance related to required WIOA partners, MOUs, and IFAs can be found in TEGL 16-16 and TEGL 17-16.
I - 29
modify the existing Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) or Infrastructure Funding
Agreements (IFAs).
However, DWGs awarded to grant recipients that are not already one-stop partners must engage
with the local workforce development board to become a partner in the AJC network and be
included in the local MOUs and IFA.20 DWG recipients must become one-stop partners and
recognized in the MOU and IFA no later than six months from the grant award date. For more
information on MOUs and IFAs, a technical assistance resource called the Sample MOU and
IFA Toolkit may be found on www.workforcegps.org.
DWG applications require an applicant to indicate that they are, or commit to becoming, a one-
stop partner. Tools and resources to support an applicant’s efforts to become a partner may be
found on ETA’s How to Apply website (https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/grants/apply). The
Grant Agreement will provide more information on this requirement.
Section 4.C: Waivers
20 CFR 687.190 allows approved WIOA statutory or regulatory waivers for state formula funded
WIOA programs to be applied to DWGs. A grant application seeking to apply the waiver must
include a description of the approved waiver and request that it be applied to the DWG. DOL
will consider such requests as part of the overall DWG application review and decision process,
but applicants may not use this process to request new waivers. The process for requesting a
WIOA waiver is separate from the DWG application process. See TEGL 8-18, Workforce
Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Title I and Wagner-Peyser Act Waiver Requirements
and Request Process, for instructions on requesting a WIOA waiver and TEGL 5-25,
Maximizing Innovation in Workforce Innocation and Opportunity Act Programs.
Similarly, grant recipients may request already-approved statutory or regulatory waivers for a
state’s formula-funded WIOA programs be extended to their DWG through a grant amendment
request. This amendment request also must describe the waiver and request application of the
waiver to the DWG.
DOL cannot waive the statutory and regulatory requirements of DWGs, which are outside the
waiver authority at WIOA Section 189(i).
Section 4.D: Veterans’ Priority
DWGs are subject to the provisions of 38 U.S.C. 4215, which provides priority of service to
veterans and eligible spouses in all Department of Labor-funded job training programs. Veterans
and eligible spouses who meet DWG eligibility requirements will receive priority of service for
training made available under DWGs, as described in TEGL No. 10-09, Implementing Priority of
Service for Veterans and Eligible Spouses in all Qualified Job Training Programs Funded in
whole or in part by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL).
20
As required one-stop partners, Native American programs (described in WIOA Section 166) are encouraged to
contribute to infrastructure costs, but they are not required to make such contributions under WIOA. Any agreement
regarding the contribution or non-contribution to infrastructure costs by Native American programs must be
documented in the MOU (WIOA Section 121(h)(2)(D)(iv); see also 81 FR 55911-55912 of the preamble to the Joint
WIOA Final Rule). See TEGL 17-16 for more information on infrastructure costs.
I - 30
Section 4.E: DWG Limitations
Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal
Awards (Uniform Guidance). All proposed project costs must be necessary, reasonable, and in
accordance with Federal guidelines. DOL will determine allowable costs in accordance with the
Cost Principles, now found in the Office of Management and Budget’s Uniform Administrative
Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform
Guidance), codified at 2 CFR part 200 and DOL’s regulations at 2 CFR part 2900. Disallowed
costs are those charges to a grant that DOL or its representative determines unallowable in
accordance with the Uniform Guidance or other conditions contained in the grant.
Indirect Costs. As specified in the Uniform Guidance, indirect costs are those that have been
incurred for common or joint objectives and cannot be readily identified with a particular final
cost objective. Grant recipients have two options to claim reimbursement of indirect costs.
Option 1: Grant recipients may use a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA, see
2 CFR part 200 Appendix IV) or Cost Allocation Plan (CAP, see 2 CFR part 200 Appendix
V) supplied by the Federal Cognizant Agency. If grant recipients do not have a NICRA/CAP
or have a pending NICRA/CAP, and in either case choose to include estimated indirect costs
in their budget, at the time of award the Grant Officer will release funds in the amount of 15
percent of salaries and wages to support indirect costs. Within 90 days of award, grant
recipients must submit an acceptable indirect cost proposal or CAP to its Federal Cognizant
Agency to obtain a provisional indirect cost rate.
Option 2: Any non-Federal entity that does not have a current negotiated (including
provisional) rate, with the exceptions noted at 2 CFR 200.414 in the Uniform Guidance, may
elect to charge a de minimis rate of 15 percent of modified total direct costs (see 2 CFR
200.1 for definition). The de minimis rate does not require documentation to justify its use
and may be used indefinitely. If a grant recipient chooses this option, this methodology must
be used consistently for all Federal awards until such time it chooses to negotiate for an
indirect cost rate, which it may apply to do at any time. (See 2 CFR 200.414 for more
information on use of the de minimis rate.)
Applicants charging indirect costs to a grant must submit a NICRA or CAP, which has been
approved by their Federal Cognizant Agency, that covers the entire period of performance.
Administrative Costs. DOL applies administrative cost limitations to all DWGs as follows.
1. Total administrative costs, including the administrative costs for the grant recipient and
any subrecipients must not exceed 10 percent of the total grant award. The grant
recipient may determine the distribution of total administrative costs across the grant
recipient and any subrecipients.
2. In rare circumstances, ETA will consider requests for a higher total administrative cost
percentage, of up to 15 percent of the total award, as part of the DWG application, if the
grant applicant provides sufficient justification. These justifications should demonstrate
how grantees are using existing service delivery infrastructure established by the WIOA
formula programs before devoting funds to additional administrative costs.
I - 31
WIOA title I functions and activities that constitute administrative costs are identified at 20 CFR
683.215. Administrative costs may include both direct and indirect costs.
Section 4.F: Other Terms
DOL may negotiate and fund projects under terms other than those specified in these DWG
guidelines when applicants can demonstrate that such adjustments will achieve a greater positive
benefit for the workers and/or the communities assisted, and provided the altered terms are
allowable under WIOA and 20 CFR part 687; for more information visit the grant terms and
conditions website (https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/grants/resources).
Part 5: Post-Award Requirements and Information
Section 5.A: Participant Enrollment and Grant Performance
Participant Enrollment. Participant enrollment serves as an important element in demonstrating
success for DWG projects. DOL bases grant funding amounts, including “up-to” award amounts
for incrementally funded grants, in part on the total number of participants an applicant proposes
to enroll. Assessing grant progress requires a consistent expectation for planned participant
numbers.
Grant recipients may not reduce their total participant enrollment goal after approval of a full
application. DOL encourages grant recipients to make all reasonable efforts to achieve or exceed
planned participant levels; grant recipients who can demonstrate that they have made substantial
efforts to meet enrollment goals will not be penalized in future grant applications for failure to
meet these goals.
Grant Performance
Performance Measures. For states and outlying area grant recipients, the negotiated
performance outcome measures for the WIOA title I Dislocated Worker program serve as a basis
for each DWG’s performance goals unless applicants request additional considerations to set
performance measures for an individual grant. Performance measures include: Employment
Rate the second and fourth quarter after exit; Median Earnings the second quarter after exit;
Credential Attainment; Measurable Skill Gains; and Effectiveness in Serving Employers. DWG
grantees must set goals for employment, earnings, and credential attainment. DOL negotiates
with states to determine acceptable performance measures for the title I Dislocated Worker
program. Local WDB grant recipients use performance measures negotiated with the state for
the title I Dislocated Worker program. WIOA Section 166 Indian and Native American program
grantees serving as grant recipients use measures established for that program as a basis for
DWG performance targets. Goals approved in the DWG application serve as final performance
measures for all grant recipients.
Reporting. DWG recipients must submit Quarterly Performance and Quarterly Narrative
Reports in accordance with TEGL 14-18, Aligning Performance Accountability Reporting,
Definitions, and Policies Across Workforce Employment and Training Programs Administered
by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), Attachment 6.
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See the DWG performance web page (https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/dislocated-workers/performance)for resources and information on DWG performance. on. DOL may post
DWG performance outcome data publicly on ETA’s website.
DWG recipients must submit financial reports using the ETA-9130 (G) Financial Report,
including training expenditures under Section 11c. For financial reporting guidance and
instructions, see(https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/grants/management/reporting).
Section 5.B: Post-Award Information
Project Implementation Plan. Unless otherwise specified by the regional office, each grant
recipient must develop a Project Implementation Plan to reflect the approved project design and
funding parameters in the grant award as well as identify project timelines, anticipated outcomes,
potential challenges for reaching targets, and other information that will enable DOL to support
the grant recipient. The grant recipient must complete the implementation plan within 60
business days of the award of a grant following a full application and transmit the plan to the
Federal Project Officer upon completion.
Grant Amendments. DWG recipients must request and obtain prior written approval for most
revisions to a grant project, per the Uniform Guidance at 2 CFR 200.308. Grant recipients must
contact their assigned Federal Project Officer (FPO) to prepare and submit amendment requests
to modify existing grant awards. To request such changes (e.g., statement of work changes,
budget realignments, and period of performance extensions), recipients must submit amendments
to address the changing circumstances affecting the project’s implementation. Recipients must
also submit amendments to respond to special conditions of award, or to request incremental or
additional funding. For additional information on the DWG amendment process, see ETA’s
How to Apply webpage (https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/grants/apply).
Grant Recipients Covered by the “477 Program”. Public Law 102-477, the Indian Employment,
Training and Related Services Demonstration Act of 1992, as amended, which is commonly
called the 477 Program, was developed to tackle issues within Native communities by promoting
Tribal self-determination and comprehensive community development. The 477 Program allows
Federally-recognized Tribes to integrate funds and programs from across several Federal
agencies into a single program to enable streamlined operations, reduced administrative burdens,
and enhance employment, training, and related program services within Native American
communities.
DWGs are among the funds eligible for consolidation under a 477 plan. To best support the 477
process, DOL encourages Tribes which expect to consolidate their DWG award into an existing
477 plan to notify DOL in their application.
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Attachment II
Policy Explanations and Examples to Support DWG Program Guidance
Attachment II provides additional information, explanations, and examples for how applicants
and grant recipients can operationalize the program requirements and flexibilities of the DWG
program to enable grant recipients to design their grants for successful outcomes and tailored to
the needs on the ground.
The information in this Attachment is organized into four sections:
• Descriptions of flexibilities and examples of participant eligibility in Disaster Recovery
DWGs.
• Examples and clarifications for other DWG program policies to support the
development of allowable and flexible grant activities.
• Understanding the difference between “mitigation” and “prevention” activities in
disaster-relief employment.
• Consolidating information specific to Indian tribal government and WIOA Section 166-
eligible entities.
Section 1: Participant Eligibility, Disaster Recovery DWGs
Eligibility categories for participants represent the most commonly asked questions related to
Disaster Recovery DWGs. This section of Attachment II provides additional context and
information on the four categories of participant eligibility, as well as some ideas on how grant
recipients might develop policies that maximize enrollments to better address the needs of
individuals following a qualifying emergency or disaster event.
Per Section 1.A of TEGL Attachment I, grant recipients must develop and follow written policies
and procedures for determining participant eligibility; these policies should include how the
grant recipient applies terms such as “laid off as a consequence of the emergency or disaster,”
“long-term unemployed,” and “significantly underemployed.” To best ensure that grant
recipients can enroll participants quickly, grant recipients may apply these eligibility terms and
protocols in a manner that provides the most flexibility, enables identification of the broadest
participant eligibility pool, and ensures speedy enrollment. The table below provides some
examples of the kinds of flexibility that might be associated with each of the Disaster Recovery
DWG participant eligibility categories.
Table 1: Disaster Recovery DWG Participant Eligibility Categories
Eligibility Categories Elements of Potential Example(s) of Use
Flexibility
Temporarily or permanently This category contains three A low-wage worker cannot
laid off as a consequence of separate elements that provide work for four weeks due to
the emergency or disaster flexibility to grant recipients: flood-related road damage
[emphasis added.] but returns to work following
• WIOA lists “temporarily repairs. A grant recipient
or permanently laid off” policy may consider the
separately from worker to be “temporarily
“dislocated worker,” and laid off.” Under this policy,
thus it has a different this worker could be eligible
to receive services under a
II - 1
meaning than “dislocated” Disaster Recovery DWG and
and is not limited to the enroll in training for higher-
definition at WIOA wage employment
Section 3(15). For opportunities.
purposes of this
participant eligibility In another example, the term
category, “laid off” may “laid off as a consequence of
be read as “lost a job.” the disaster” might apply to
• How the grant recipient an individual who is fired
determines the meaning of from employment for use of
the phrase “as a opioid. When the disaster is
consequence of the the HHS public health
emergency or disaster” in emergency declaration related
conjunction with the to the opioid crisis. The term
reason for a job loss may “laid off” here may be
create unique interpreted to mean that such
opportunities to enroll an individual lost their
individuals who would employment as a result of the
not otherwise be eligible declared disaster, making
as dislocated workers. them eligible to participate in
• “Temporarily” laid off: a Disaster Recovery DWG
the WIOA statute does not addressing the opioid crisis.
require any specific
amount of time for an
individual to be without
work.
Dislocated workers • Several aspects of the A grant recipient’s existing
WIOA definition at policy for determination of
Section 3(15) must be eligibility as a dislocated
interpreted and applied to worker is applicable in a
determine participant Disaster Recovery DWG.
eligibility; the most
obvious being the criteria
that an individual be
“unlikely to return” to
their prior industry or
occupation.
• WIOA Section 3(15)
includes language that
addresses “individual”
eligibility 3(15)(A) as
well as “group eligibility”
at 3(15)(B) which may
provide additional
avenues for participant
eligibility determinations.
• Any flexibilities that
WIOA provides to
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Governors concerning
establishing procedures
for interpreting and
applying the definition of
dislocated worker to
individuals apply under
Disaster Recovery DWGs
as well.
Long-term unemployed WIOA, and this guidance, A grant recipient might
individuals leave this definition to the determine that the long-term
state or other entity who is the unemployed individual
grant recipient, which creates eligibility category applies
substantial opportunity to for:
establish a definition that • Individuals with sparse
enables the broadest work history.
eligibility to be applicable. • Currently incarcerated
individuals who will soon
be released.
• Homeless Veterans
Reintegration Program
(HVRP) grant participants
who are unemployed.
• Individuals who recently
completed incarceration.
Self-employed individuals States may define the term Significantly underemployed
who became unemployed or “significantly might be defined as:
significantly underemployed underemployed” in • A percentage or amount of
as a result of the emergency implementing this aspect of income loss due to the
or disaster [emphasis added.] eligibility. impacts of a disaster
event.
• Loss of a major client or
customer of a self-
employed individual,
caused by the disaster
event.
Section 2: Other DWG Program Clarifications
This section highlights a series of specific topics and provides examples for how a grant recipient
might interpret, understand, or implement DWG-funded practices or policies. The table below
additionally includes reference(s) to the relevant TEGL content.
Table 2: Other DWG Program Clarifications
Topic Example Reference
Disaster Recovery Cleanup and recovery activities must be designed to Pg I-4
DWG: Disaster- address, mitigate, or otherwise limit the damage, or
Relief Employment, the health and safety impacts, of the current disaster.
Repairs and reconstruction must be of facilities,
II - 3
Cleanup and lands, or offshore areas damaged as a consequence of
Recovery Activities a declared disaster event.
For Disaster Recovery Dislocated Worker Grants in
response to the opioid crisis, ETA will consider
applications that propose to only provide
employment and training activities. Applicants
should only propose Disaster-Relief Employment if
that is the most significant workforce need related to
the opioid public health emergency and would be the
most effective use of funds.
Disaster Recovery Humanitarian assistance generally includes actions Pg I-5
DWG: Disaster- designed to save lives, alleviate suffering, and
Relief Employment, maintain human dignity in the aftermath of disasters.
Humanitarian Humanitarian assistance disaster-relief employment
Assistance may include activities supporting projects that
provide food, clothing, shelter, and other assistance
in response to the direct impacts of, or needs
resulting from, the disaster situation named in the
Federal declaration. Some examples include:
1. Some disasters contribute to a shortage of
child care opportunities, which in turn may
create difficulties for many parents to be able
to return to work following an emergency or
disaster event. In response, DWGs might
create disaster-relief employment
opportunities that provide child care when a
grant recipient can show that enabling people
to go back to work would help to alleviate the
economic impacts of the disaster.
2. Similarly, in a public health emergency such
as the opioid crisis, humanitarian assistance
disaster-relief employment positions might
include:
• Staffing support for addiction treatment
services;
• Serving as peer recovery navigators or in
other peer-focused positions that support
individuals struggling with opioid addiction
or recovery from opioid addiction; or
• Carrying out intake and coordination services
that connect homeless individuals affected by
the opioid crisis to partners who can provide
shelter, food, and other assistance.
II - 4
3. In the opioid public health epidemic,
overdose is a major concern. To help ensure
that members of the community may respond
to incidents of overdose, Disaster Recovery
DWG funds could be used to create disaster-
relief employment opportunities that train
members of the community to use naloxone
(which is used to reverse the effects of opioid
overdose). (Note that DWG funds cannot be
used to purchase naloxone for general use in
the community.)
4. Disaster Recovery DWGs that are awarded to
grant recipients responding to declared
disasters in other geographic areas due to an
influx of individuals who have relocated to
the recipients’ location may offer participants
disaster-relief employment where appropriate,
such as working in designated shelters to
provide humanitarian assistance to relocating
individuals impacted by the disaster.
Disaster Recovery DOL encourages grant recipients and project Pg I-22
DWG: Choosing operators to identify appropriate Disaster-Relief
the Best Option for Employers based on the nature and scope of the
Disaster-Relief disaster and the types of disaster-relief activities that
Employers projects will conduct. DOL encourages grant
recipients and subrecipients to have contracts or other
agreements in place with Disaster-Relief Employers
to ensure that they comply with all DWG and other
relevant rules and requirements, including with
regard to employment activities, participant
eligibility, participant safety and health (including
OSHA safety and work condition standards), pay and
benefits, unemployment insurance or workers
compensation, and any other Federal, state, or local
requirements.
Employers must adhere to Federal, state, and local
labor standards and laws covering all workers.
Disaster Recovery All DWG participants, in either Disaster Recovery or Pg I-6
DWG: Supportive Employment Recovery DWGs, may receive
Services supportive services. While supportive services for
participants receiving employment and training
services generally align with state or local policies,
Disaster Recovery DWG grant recipients are
encouraged to design and offer supportive services
II - 5
for disaster-relief employment participants that are
customized to the specific needs created by the
declared disaster event. DOL encourages grantees to
engage with area programs and entities in the area
that offer supportive services and refer participants to
these services when available, prior to utilizing DWG
funds for these services.
The opioid public health emergency may require
specific interventions to support grant participants
maintaining, obtaining, or re-obtaining employment,
or to complete employment or training services.
Some examples of supportive services for a Disaster
Recovery DWG related to the opioid crisis include:
• Healthcare, mental health treatment, addiction
treatment, or other forms of outpatient
treatment that may impact opioid addiction
and related, underlying, or complicating
conditions.
• Additional services needed to facilitate post-
training employment of participants impacted
by the opioid crisis.
• Linkages to community services.
• Purchase and provision of items necessary for
participants to perform disaster-relief
employment.
• Assistance with child care and dependent
care.
• Payments and fees for employment and
training-related applications, tests, and
certifications.
Disaster Recovery Participants in disaster-relief employment positions Pg I-7
DWG: Disaster may be employed for a maximum of 12 months or
Recovery 2,080 hours, whichever is longer.
Employment (DRE)
Participant However, there may be cases where a participant
Employment enrolled in disaster-relief employment under a
Duration Disaster Recovery DWG may be enrolled into a new
Limitations and Disaster Recovery DWG and receive disaster-relief
Exceptions employment under this new grant. Individuals who
still meet Disaster Recovery DWG participant
eligibility requirements may be enrolled in a new
grant, if one is available and one or more of the
following conditions are met:
• An existing grant no longer has sufficient
work available. Or
II - 6
• Work under an existing grant cannot be
completed due to the impact of a subsequent
disaster.
In such cases, these individuals will be eligible for a
full and separate 2,080 hours of employment under
the new grant.
All DWGs: Per WIOA, DWG participant eligibility is not Pg I-3 (Disaster
Participant restricted to individuals directly impacted by the Recovery
Eligibility, qualifying event. Any individuals who meet the DWG)
Individuals eligibility criteria for the type of DWG that is
Impacted by awarded may be enrolled in the grant. Pg I-12
Qualifying Event (Employment
For example, grant recipients who receive a Disaster Recovery
Recovery DWG in response to an influx of a DWG)
substantial number of individuals relocating away
from a disaster area may enroll any eligible
participant residing in the project service area,
including but not limited to eligible individuals who
have relocated.
For an Employment Recovery DWG, a grant
recipient may enroll any individuals who meet the
eligibility criteria; grant recipients are not restricted
to enrolling individuals affected by the qualifying
layoff(s) event(s).
All DWGs: Other DWGs support a broad range of activities that enable Pg I-7 (Disaster
Allowable Activities successful grant activities and outcomes, support Recovery
participants in achieving unsubsidized employment, DWG)
and better serve participants. DWG recipients might
consider carrying out activities such as: Pg I-14
• Aligning disaster-relief employment activities (Employment
with classroom training, work-based learning Recovery
opportunities, or both, to support long-term DWG)
employment opportunities for participants in
high-paying jobs.
• Working with businesses to develop
customized training plans or models, work
experiences (including paid or subsidized
work experiences), pre-apprenticeships,
Registered Apprenticeships, or other activities
to enable participants to succeed in training
and ultimately obtain unsubsidized
employment following their participation in
the DWG.
II - 7
• Developing and utilizing competency-based
assessment tools to validate the competencies
of DWG participants and identify the
appropriate employment and training
opportunities to accelerate their return to
workforce.
• Supporting the development of recovery-
friendly workplaces to support DWG
participants who may be struggling with or in
recovery from substance misuse.
• Hosting job fairs or hiring events to enable
DWG participants to obtain employment.
• Organizing and implementing outreach and
recruitment efforts to identify and enroll
eligible participants.
Section 3: Understanding the Difference Between Allowable and Unallowable Disaster-
Relief Employment
As described on pages I-4, I-5, and I-8 of Attachment I of this TEGL, WIOA requires that the
grantee to design any disaster-relief employment activities it implements address, mitigate, or
otherwise limit the damage, health and safety impacts, or other humanitarian effects of the
current disaster. Disaster-relief employment activities that solely or primarily focus on
prevention of and planning for future disaster events are not allowable under a Disaster Recovery
DWG. WIOA allows activities that provide prevention and planning for future events only if
these activities are incidental to responding to the humanitarian assistance needs created by the
disaster.
The table below provides some examples that help distinguish between possible mitigation
(allowable) and prevention (not allowable) activities. Grant recipients should consult with DOL
when developing proposed disaster-relief employment to ensure the allowability of all activities.
Table 3: Mitigation vs Prevention in Disaster-Relief Employment Examples
Mitigation: Allowable Prevention: Not Allowable
Repairing damaged seawall. Building a new seawall where one did not
previously exist.
Replanting trees following a wildfire, which Planting trees to prevent landslides where
may prevent a new disaster (landslides) but is trees did not exist previously.
allowable as “restoration” under WIOA.
Installing a new tornado warning siren system Installing a tornado warning siren system that
to replace one destroyed by a tornado. was not previously available in the disaster-
affected area.
Repair of a damaged storm shelter. Construction of new storm shelters.
Where the disaster event is the contamination Where the disaster event is a hurricane, the
of the local water supply, an allowable DWG would not support the installation of
humanitarian assistance activity could be water filtration systems that might be needed,
installation of water filters to ensure access to but such need was not created by the disaster
clean water. While such filters could protect event.
II - 8
the affected population from future
contaminations, a grant recipient may use
DWG funds to cover their installation because
this disaster-relief employment activity
addresses a humanitarian assistance need
caused by the current disaster event—lack of
access to clean water.
Section 4: Information for Tribal and Native Applicants and Grant Recipients
DOL encourages Indian, Native American, Native Hawaiian, and Alaska Native governments
and grant recipients to apply for Disaster Recovery or Employment Recovery DWGs, where
appropriate. While generally the rules and requirements for the DWG program apply across all
types of grant recipients, there are some unique to native and tribal communities. This TEGL
provides context for those elements as applicable, and they are consolidated here in this
Attachment as well.
Table 4: DWG Information for Tribal and Native Applicants
DWG Type and Topic TEGL Language TEGL
Reference
Disaster Recovery DWGs
Applicant Eligibility Indian tribal governments as defined by I-3
the Stafford Act, 42 U.S.C. 5122(6)
Eligible Qualifying Events 1. Emergencies and major disasters. I-2
2. Emergencies or disaster situations of
national significance.
3. Relocation of a substantial number of
individuals from a state, tribal area,
or outlying area affected by a disaster
or emergency to other states, tribal
areas, or outlying areas outside the
disaster or emergency area.
Allowable Employment & Indian tribal governments that receive a I-6
Training Activities Disaster Recovery DWG and may be
unfamiliar with the requirements of
WIOA related to allowable employment
and training activities are encouraged to
work with ETA regional office staff to
ensure alignment with these requirements.
Employment Recovery DWGs
Applicant Eligibility Entities eligible for funding through the I-11
Indian and Native American Program in
WIOA Section 166(c)
Eligible Qualifying Events 1. Mass Layoff or Plant Closure I-10
2. Community Impact
3. Higher-than-Average Demand for
Services from Dislocated Members of
the Armed Services.
II - 9
Applications for “Higher- WIOA Section 166 Indian and Native I-11
than-Average Demand” American Program applicants can
Qualifying Event coordinate with states or local areas to
obtain such data, and ETA will consider
alternative data sources from these
applicants.
Developing Grant Grant recipients that are entities described I-32
Performance Targets in WIOA Section 166(c) Indian and
Native American Program use measures
established for that program as a basis for
DWG performance targets.
All DWG Types
“477 Plan” Consolidation DWGs are among the funds that are I-33
Eligible eligible to be consolidated under a 477
plan. DOL encourages grant recipients
who expect to consolidate their DWG
award into an existing 477 plan to begin
the process to implement the
consolidation as quickly as possible after
an award to maximize the benefit of the
receipt of the funding.
Section 5: DWGs and the Continuum of Resources for Affected Individuals Under
Different Scenarios
The following examples provide some context for how Employment Recovery DWGs can
contribute to a resource mix to support workers and communities affected by job losses. Three
primary themes in the examples below are:
• The workforce system should begin services as soon as layoffs occur, with available
resources, such as dislocated worker formula funding and state Rapid Response funds.
That is, do not wait to serve people affected by layoffs even in cases where an
Employment Recovery DWG application has been submitted. Take advantage of other
existing resources. Applicants can even request a DWG with a start date earlier than the
date of award so that allowable costs occurring prior to the award can be allocated to the
grant once the award is received.
• Be prepared and also flexible.
• Understand that Employment Recovery DWGs are not the only resource available and
that there may be other resources that are appropriate vehicles for providing services to
all affected individuals. State workforce agencies and local areas should always look to
minimize response times and maximize available resources and opportunities through
effective and adaptable plans.
Example 1: A state workforce agency’s Rapid Response coordinator receives a WARN notice
announcing a layoff of several hundred scientists, technicians, and other highly paid workers at a
pharmaceutical factory in a rural area of the state. While these direct layoffs will cause hardship
on the affected workers, including their ability to obtain new employment with comparable
wages in the region, the trickle-down effects of the primary layoff will create additional
economic and employment challenges. Creating a timely and effective response to these impacts
requires a comprehensive, coordinated and innovative approach, aligning a range of different
II - 10
programs and resources to support economic and workforce recovery. In these situations,
Employment Recovery DWGs can be an important, even if not a central, part of the suite of
resources deployed to address the crisis.
In this scenario, state workforce agencies, local workforce areas, and partners can take advantage
of the lead time offered by the advance layoff notification to come together to develop
customized strategies for addressing the specific situation. Maximizing the impact of WIOA-
funded resources and other resources is critical to providing the most value with limited
resources. Employment Recovery DWG recipients, along with other state and local partners
from inside and outside the public workforce system, should consider how best to deploy the
grant funds alongside all other resources to provide the most appropriate services to the most
affected workers possible.
Example 2: Workers arriving for their shift on a Monday morning at the town’s largest
employer, an automotive parts manufacturer, find the front gates locked and a sign indicating
that the factory, a subsidiary of a major manufacturing firm, is being relocated outside of the
country. With 125 employees immediately unemployed and the jobs of dozens of vendors and
others who serve or benefit from the factory at risk of being lost as well, the local workforce area
does not have time to do in-depth planning for how best to address the situation. While the local
area will apply for an Employment Recovery DWG, those funds will not be immediately
available. In this scenario, ensuring that affected workers are not made to wait for services until
the DWG is awarded is vital to creating the best opportunities for individuals to be reemployed
as quickly as possible. In most cases this requires being prepared for such situations before they
ever occur, and developing the partnerships and strategies that can be quickly triggered should
such an event happen. But even the best plans will not be able to predict or prepare for all
possibilities. Making sure that the plans are adaptable, and state, local, and partner staff are
empowered to be innovative to address changing situations, is greatly important.
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What does federal law require in your situation?
Ezel checks current federal labor law against your facts and answers with citations.
Opens in Ezel Pro.
- Checks the law as it stands today, not only this page
- Cites every source it relies on, so you can verify it
- Chat, drafting and research in one workspace