U.S. Labor Department announces release of $32.3 million to Idaho

The U.S. Department of Labor has decided to release $$32,260,831 in the unemployment insurance modernization incentive funds to the state of Idaho.
Idaho's approved application will be posted at the department's Employment and Training Administration Web site at http://www.doleta.gov/recovery .

"Idaho has made important updates to its UI program to better meet the needs of the 21st century workforce," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "The UI modernization provisions adopted in Idaho help unemployed workers who have entered the workforce recently, work part time or need training to become re-employed receive the benefits they deserve."

As for the usage of the funds to Idaho, the Idaho Department of Labor can use them to pay unemployment benefit. What’s more, the funds can also be used to administer its unemployment insurance program or deliver employment services, if appropriated by the legislature.

These funds are extremely important to those folks in Idaho. These one-time dollars give Idaho families the temporary assistance they need to help themselves through these challenging economic times."

The Recovery Act made a total of $7 billion available in UI modernization incentive payments to states that include certain eligibility provisions in their UI programs. The states that can show that its law includes those provisions have the qualification to share some of the fund.
In addition to Idaho, Connecticut, Minnesota and New Jersey have been certified by the Labor Department to receive their full shares of the funds. Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, South Dakota, Vermont and Virginia have been certified to receive one-third of their shares.