Associated Press
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor is granting Washington state $15 million to help people find jobs, U.S. Rep. Jennifer Dunn’s spokeswoman said Thursday.
Labor Secretary Elaine Chao declared a state of emergency in Washington because unemployment here has soared to 7.5 percent staewide. Gov. Gary Locke will be able to use the money, which comes from an emergency fund, on programs that help people get back to work, including retraining classes, said Jen Burita, spokeswoman for Dunn, R-Wash.
The funds will be available immediately, Burita said. The state could also receive more help in the future.
Separately on Thursday, the House also voted to extend unemployment benefits for laid-off workers by 13 weeks as part of the Job Creation and Worker Assistance Act.
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