US Department of Labor awards $2M to help workers affected by layoffs, business closures in Maine’s coastal region

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of $2 million to Coastal Counties Workforce Inc. to support employment and training services for workers affected by layoffs and multiple business closures in Maine.  

Between January and December 2024, companies with locations in Maine’s six coastal counties announced layoffs affecting over 1,177 workers. Job losses were concentrated in the food service, manufacturing, and retail industries, with six employers – including L.L. Bean Inc., onsemi, WEX Inc., as well as several food service establishments, and other small businesses – accounting for mass layoff events that resulted in job losses for 50 or more workers.

Administered by the department’s Employment and Training Administration, this National Dislocated Worker Grant will allow Coastal Counties Workforce Inc. – a nonprofit entity that administers and oversees workforce system services for parts of Maine – to provide retraining and skills development services for dislocated workers seeking assistance in Cumberland, Knox, Lincoln, Sagadahoc, Waldo, and York counties.

Supported by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014, National Dislocated Worker Grants provide a state or local board with funding for direct services and assistance in areas experiencing a major economic dislocation event that leads to workforce needs exceeding available resources.