🗞️ DOL Awards $1M to Aid Washington Flood Recovery Efforts
The U.S. Department of Labor awarded $1 million to Washington state following December 2025's historic atmospheric river flooding. Funds support disaster cleanup jobs and employment services across 16 counties and tribal communities.
The U.S. Department of Labor awarded a $1 million National Dislocated Worker Grant to Washington State Department of Employment Security on January 23, 2026, to support recovery from severe storms and flooding that began December 9, 2025. A powerful atmospheric river caused widespread flooding, landslides, and infrastructure damage across western Washington, with some areas receiving over 24 inches of rain in two weeks.
FEMA issued an emergency declaration (FEMA-3629-EM) on December 12, 2025, enabling federal assistance for 16 counties: Benton, Chelan, Clallam, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, King, Kittitas, Lewis, Mason, Pierce, Skagit, Snohomish, Thurston, Wahkiakum, Whatcom, and Yakima, plus federally recognized tribal communities. The disaster caused over 1,200 rescues, tens of thousands of evacuations, levee failures, agricultural damage, and extensive road closures. Rivers including the Skagit River reached record levels, cresting at 37.7 feet and surpassing 1990 records.
The Disaster Recovery National Dislocated Worker Grant, authorized under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014, will fund temporary disaster cleanup and recovery jobs while providing employment and training services to affected residents. These grants supplement existing state and local workforce resources when major economic dislocations exceed available capacity.
Key Points
- Grant Amount: $1 million awarded to Washington State Department of Employment Security
- Disaster Impact: Atmospheric river brought 24+ inches of rain, causing record flooding beginning December 9, 2025
- Affected Areas: 16 counties and federally recognized tribal communities in western Washington
- Emergency Response: Over 1,200 rescues, thousands of evacuations, multiple levee failures
- Grant Purpose: Temporary disaster cleanup jobs and employment/training services for displaced workers
- FEMA Authorization: Emergency declaration FEMA-3629-EM issued December 12, 2025
- Legal Authority: Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) National Dislocated Worker Grant program
- River Levels: Skagit River reached historic 37.7 feet, breaking records set in 1990
Primary Source Author: U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration
Primary Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration
Primary Source Link: https://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/eta/eta20260123
Supplemental Links
- https://www.fema.gov/press-release/20251212/president-donald-j-trump-approves-emergency-declaration-state-washington
- https://www.fema.gov/disaster/3629
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_Pacific_Northwest_floods
- https://gpm.nasa.gov/applications/weather/news/nasa-tracks-tropical-moisture-flooding-washington
- https://mil.wa.gov/december-2025-atmospheric-river-flooding
- https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/dislocated-workers
- https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-20/chapter-V/part-687
- https://governor.wa.gov/news/2025/governor-ferguson-amends-emergency-proclamation-directs-35m-support-flood-impacted-washingtonians
