SOMERVILLE – Somerset and Hunterdon counties, under the auspices of the Greater Raritan Workforce Investment Board, will participate in a federally funded program that will enable public and private nonprofit organizations to hire unemployed workers for storm cleanup. 

 

The U.S. Department of Labor approved a $15.6 million National Emergency Grant to fund Gov. Chris Christie’s plan to hire unemployed New Jersey residents to assist with Hurricane Sandy clean-up and recovery efforts in the Garden State .

The plan, submitted for federal funding by the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development last week, will give temporary jobs to unemployed residents through local government agencies that need to restore public lands and infrastructure.  Applicants must have been displaced from their jobs temporarily or permanently due to Hurricane Sandy or unemployed more than six months and have exhausted their unemployment benefits. The USDOL has initially released $5.2 million of the $15.6 million approved. The USDOL will provide additional funding up to the amount approved as New Jersey demonstrates a continued need for the assistance.

In Somerset and Hunterdon counties, individuals can start the application process by calling Employment Services at 908-704-3000 or by attending a Hurricane Sandy Employment Services Orientation being offered Monday through Friday at 11 a.m. at the local office. Employment Services is located on the first floor at 75 Veterans Memorial Drive East , Somerville , NJ 08876 .

Placement of the workers will not begin immediately. Individual counties must first identify relief, restoration and clean-up projects and determine how to deploy the workers.

Job-seekers also may send e-mails to sandyhelp@dol.state.nj.us or log onto www.Jobs4Jersey.com or call 1-877-682-6238 or 1-800-233-5005. Please be patient if lines are busy.

Additional updates may be found on the Hurricane Sandy icon at http://lwd.dol.state.nj.us/