The U.S. Department of Labor has awarded more than $146 million to workforce agencies to operate their Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessments programs, including the Arkansas Department of Labor.
RESEA is an evidence-based program focused on individualized assessments, reemployment services and referrals to support an individual who is receiving unemployment benefits return to work more quickly. State agencies provide individual reemployment plans and support more informed job searches. This program is critical to states’ abilities to help individuals return to work as the nation’s economy recovers amid the pandemic.
In the early stages of the coronavirus outbreak, many states shifted resources to respond to the unprecedented increase in new unemployment claims, and reduced or suspended their RESEA activities temporarily. States have since resumed their RESEA programs with greater use of remote services and virtual person-to-person video conferencing to deliver services.
“Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessments programs have a proven track record of providing needed assistance that gets people back to work quicker,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training Suzi LeVine. “These funds will assist states as they grow and restructure their RESEA programs to assist workers who are struggling to recover from the economic effects of the pandemic.”
RESEA is one of many tools states have to introduce workers receiving unemployment benefits to services the broader workforce system provides. Individuals receiving benefits under temporary federal extension programs are ineligible to participate in RESEA but other state workforce systems’ resources are available.