Federal money granted for Cabletron employee retraining and household financial assistance will meet immediate needs of families, local assistance agency officials said.

Friday, January 07, 2000

Federal money granted for Cabletron employee retraining and household financial assistance will meet immediate needs of families, local assistance agency officials said.

While many hands are recruiting new industries and marketing buildings to reduce unemployment, those who are unemployed need help with training, housing, healthcare, child care and other "people" issues, Ironton-Lawrence County Community Action Organization executive director Keith Molihan said.

Molihan, U.S. Rep. Ted Strickland, Ted Mastroianni, associate assistant secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor, and Evelyn Bissonnette of the state’s employment services announced details of the Department of Labor’s $6 million dislocated worker grant at a Thursday press conference.

The grant targets former employees of Cabletron and the Goodyear plant in Logan for retraining funds.

And it allows workers without unemployment assistance to receive needs-related payments for household bills while they train.

"We know the resolution of all these problems is probably going to be long-term," Molihan said.

But there are short-term steps with people programs, like those funded by the grant, in the interim period that local agencies also need to concentrate on, he said.

"The most unique thing about this grant is it supplies not only money for textbooks and tuition payments but also needs the unemployed workers have," Strickland said.

The CAO kept almost daily contact with Washington, D.C., and Strickland kept in touch with Labor Department officials, he said.

"I think they took this under serious consideration and have helped meet the needs," Strickland added.

"We know this is not a cure-all but we hope this leads to a better cup of life for those affected," Mastroianni said.

The state sets the criteria for use of the grant, which is for Cabletron workers only, and the CAO will administer it locally, Ms. Bissonnette said.

For the 112 people enrolled in training, the grant will continue services for them while they train, to get them back into the workforce, she said.

Applicants who want to seek needs-related payments must be enrolled in training, or can enroll for almost another six weeks, and must meet several needs guidelines.

Applicants can keep a "subsistence" job to make ends meet, but that income will be considered when figuring needs-related payments.

Eligibility for those payments is based on family income – $9,060 for one person; $14,840 for two-person households; $20,380 for three-person households; $25,150 for four-person households; $29,680 for five-person households; and $34,710 for six-person households.

Income is the last six months income multiplied by two.

Each participant in full-time training who receives needs-related payments must be re-evaluated for eligiblity every 12 weeks.

More information is available at the Workforce Development Resource Center’s One Stop Center on Second Street in Ironton, officials said.

Addressing Cabletron workers’ concerns about where their friends and neighbors find jobs in the area’s depressed economy, even after training, Molihan cautioned them not to let discouragement rule.

"We’ve got to handle everything on an individual basis," he said. "In some cases, we can put those people to work immediately. But don’t let them be discouraged. Tell them to come to the One Stop Center, find help for training, housing, healthcare

"We want to see the buildings filled, but in the meantime, get in touch with us and I guarantee we’ll work with you."

Also answering questions, Ms. Bissonnette said training also is not just a two-year university or technical college program.

It can include on-the-job training, which benefits older workers, or specialized seminars, she said.

Strickland and Mastrioanni also answered questions about retraining help for Ironton Iron workers who could face layoffs as soon as next month that is similar to the Cabletron grant.

"My hope is that when the need arises, there will be another application from the state that specifically identifies Ironton Iron workers as the recipients," Strickland said.

Mastrioanni said the current grant could not be amended to include Ironton Iron workers, but agreed with Strickland that another application would be looked at favorably by the Department of Labor.

"And if there is any funds left over (from the current grant), we could allow the state to reprogram that immediately," he said.