“One Workforce for America” Initiative Helps Battle Unemployment

The U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor (Department of Labor), and Agriculture (Department of Agriculture) are joining efforts to put American workers first in a post-coronavirus economic recovery initiative to help more families experience the benefits of work.

Together, through the “Engaging as One Workforce for America” initiative, HHS’ Administration for Children and Families (ACF), the Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration (ETA), and USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) will work to increase the capacity of state and local governments to:

• Shorten the duration of unemployment and reduce disconnections from the workforce that make it harder for individuals to return
• Make more workforce connections with people who aren’t working through a comprehensive and coordinated public and private effort

The vision of “One Workforce” is to encourage states and local communities to coordinate and maximize resources and technical assistance across federal, state, and local funding streams.  As well as from the private sector, to support training, employment services, and social supports to increase access to employment opportunities for all Americans.

“One Workforce” will create a coordinated approach to helping state and local governments, working in conjunction with community organizations, to prepare a skilled workforce for employers.

“We’re doing everything we can to help struggling Americans secure the training, support resources, and job opportunities they need to provide for their families,” said Assistant Secretary Lynn Johnson at the Administration for Children and Families at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “Our goal in this partnership is to lift our American workers and help set them up for success.”

“Developing an integrated local partnership system that serves Americans who have been most affected by the pandemic is critical,” said Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training John Pallasch at the U.S. Department of Labor. “This initiative encourages states to coordinate funding and leverage resources available to create a one workforce system that will more efficiently and effectively move Americans off the economic sidelines and toward the dignity of work.”

“Together, our agencies are focused on combining our efforts to move more families forward,” said U.S. Department of Agriculture Deputy Under Secretary Brandon Lipps. “The outcome of work provides hope, dignity, and a better future for workers, their children, and our nation.”

For more information, you can go here, the Department of Labor.