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COVID-19 Disaster Recovery DWG – Georgia Full Application Worksheet
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COVID-19
DISASTER RECOVERY NATIONAL DISLOCATED WORKER GRANT (DWG)
GEORGIA FULL APPLICATION WORKSHEET
Grant Recipient Name:
Project Name: GA COVID-19 Public Health Emergency
Grant Number: DW-34654-20-60-A-13 Are all quarterly reports up to date? Yes No
Check applicable requests made in this modification request:
Full Application Budget Realignment
Statement of Work Change Response to Outstanding Terms and Conditions
Incorporate Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement
(NICRA) or Cost Allocation Plan (CAP)
Period of Performance Change
Requesting an extension to: ( )
Change of Address or Authorized Representative
Information Equipment Purchase
Other: Request for Additional Funding
Enrollment Summary – Update for Disaster-Relief Employment
For Modifications
Initial
Projection
Enrolled to
Date
Projected
New
Enrollments
Number of Participants in Disaster-Relief Employment Only 3,410 0 1,070
Number of Participants in Career and Training Services Only 1,401 0 1,120
Number of Participants in Both Disaster-Relief Employment and Career
and Training Services 0 0 0
Participant Totals 4,811 0 2,190
Eligible Participants – Individuals receiving services through a Disaster Recovery DWG must meet one of the
following criteria. Select all that apply:
Temporarily or permanently laid off as a consequence of the disaster
A dislocated worker
A long-term unemployed worker
A self-employed individual who became unemployed or significantly under-employed as a result of the disaster or
emergency
Geographic Area to Be Served: List the counties/parishes to be served by this project. Also indicate
additions/deletions since the submittal of the initial application, and why the change was made.
All 159 counties of the state of Georgia will be served under this project. These counties include: Appling, Atkinson,
Bacon, Baker, Baldwin, Banks, Barrow, Bartow, Ben Hill, Berrien, Bibb, Bleckley, Brantley, Brooks, Bryan, Bulloch,
Burke, Butts, Calhoun, Camden, Candler, Carroll, Catoosa, Charlton, Chatham, Chattooga, Chattahoochee, Cherokee,
Clarke, Clay, Clayton, Clinch, Cobb, Coffee, Colquitt, Columbia, Cook, Coweta, Crawford, Crisp, Dade, Dawson,
Decatur, DeKalb, Dodge, Dooly, Dougherty, Douglas, Early, Echols, Effingham, Elbert, Emanuel, Evans, Fannin,
Fayette, Floyd, Forsyth, Franklin, Fulton, Gilmer, Glascock, Glynn, Gordon, Grady, Greene, Gwinnett, Habersham, Hall,
Hancock, Haralson, Harris, Hart, Heard, Henry, Houston, Irwin, Jackson, Jasper, Jeff Davis, Jefferson, Jenkins, Johnson,
Jones, Lamar, Lanier, Laurens, Lee, Liberty, Lincoln, Long, Lowndes, Lumpkin, Macon, Madison, Marion, McDuffie,
McIntosh, Meriwether, Miller, Mitchell, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Murray, Muscogee, Newton, Oconee,
Oglethorpe, Paulding, Peach, Pickens, Pierce, Pike, Polk, Pulaski, Putnam, Quitman, Rabun, Randolph, Richmond,
COVID-19 Disaster Recovery DWG – Georgia Full Application Worksheet
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Rockdale, Schley, Screven, Seminole, Spalding, Stephens, Stewart, Sumter, Talbot, Taliaferro, Tattnall, Taylor, Telfair,
Terrell, Thomas, Tift, Toombs, Towns, Treutlen, Troup, Turner, Twiggs, Union, Upson, Walker, Walton, Ware, Warren,
Washington, Wayne, Webster, Wheeler, White, Whitfield, Wilcox, Wilkes, Wilkinson, Worth
COVID-19 Disaster Recovery DWG – Georgia Full Application Worksheet
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Community Needs Assessment:
Summarize the impact of COVID-19 in the proposed service area. Identify new information determined since submission of the emergency application.
Identify the specific needs to be addressed in the proposed service area.
Describe how these needs were identified and how they will be monitored throughout the grant period.
Explain how the disaster-relief employment will address the specific needs stated above.
Due to the COVID-19 public health emergency, as of March 30, 2020, the state was determined a major disaster by the
President of the United States. As of August 24th, 253,949 Georgians have tested positive for COVID-19 and 5,132
Georgians have died according to the Georgia Department of Public Health. At the time of Georgia’s initial
application, 2,809 Georgians had tested positive and 87 had died. This significant increase has subsequently increased
the grave impact on the state and its constituents in a significant way. From an economic perspective, the key issue is
not just the number of cases of COVID-19, but the level of disruption to the state’s and local economies from
containment measures. These measures have directly impacted individuals across the state to maintain employment.
Since the initial application, Governor Bryan Kemp issued a shelter in place order in an attempt to slow the spread of
the virus and protect the citizens of Georgia. The order caused many businesses to close their doors temporarily and
dislocated thousands of workers across the state. This order initially went into effect on April 3rd and was set to end on
April 13th. However, with numbers of confirmed cases steadily increasing while the health community increased
capacity to treat those affected, the shelter in place order was extended to April 30th.
The shelter in place ordered that the following businesses and professionals were required to cease in-person
operations:
Bars Theaters Hair designers Barbering schools
Nightclubs Live
performance
venues
Body art studios Esthetics schools
Gyms Operators of
amusement
parks
Beauty shops and
salons
Nail care schools
Fitness
centers
Dine in-
services
Cosmetology
schools
Licensed massage
therapists
Bowling
alleys
Estheticians Hair design schools
Businesses who were permitted to operate were required to abide by restrictions based on their status as a critical or
non-critical infrastructure. Critical Infrastructure, as labeled by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, was able to
continue in-person operations and encouraged to implement sixteen recommendations. These recommendations
included screening and evaluating workers for symptoms of the virus, enhancing sanitation of the workplace,
implementing teleworking, and more. Non-critical infrastructure that continued to operate were required to follow
social distancing rules and only engage in minimum basic operations. These organizations were asked to implement
twenty recommendations, which closely reflect those of critical infrastructure. The recommendations for continued
operations under the shelter in place order are detailed in Governor Kemp’s Guidance and FAQs for the shelter in
place executive order.
The shelter in place order also required residents to remain in their residences and take every possible precaution to
limit social interaction in order to prevent the spread or infection of COVID-19. Residents were only permitted to
leave their place of residence if they were:
1) Engaging in essential services; or
2) Working in Critical Infrastructure; or
3) Engage in Minimum Basic Operations; or
4) Performing Necessary Travel.
Economic devastation stretches from our state’s economic center in Atlanta to the rural areas across the state. The
COVID-19 Disaster Recovery DWG – Georgia Full Application Worksheet
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specific needs resulting from COVID-19 are to provide immediate and urgent disaster employment to Georgians.
Job Loss In Georgia
COVID-19 has had an immediate impact on the day-to-day lives of Georgians as well as significantly impacted Georgia’s
business community. Jobless claims have totaled 2,605,453 since the week of March 7th. You can see the totals for each
individual week below. While the weekly claims have decreased since the height of the crisis, they are still significantly
higher than prior to the pandemic.
Week Of # of Jobless Claims
03/07/2020 4,568
03/14/2020 5,447
03/21/2020 12,140
03/28/2020 133,819
04/04/2020 390,130
04/11/2020 319,581
04/18/2020 247,003
04/25/2020 266,565
05/02/2020 228,352
05/09/2020 242,772
05/16/2020 177,731
05/23/2020 165,499
05/30/2020 149,163
6/06/2020 135,254
6/13/2020 131,997
While UI claims were at their greatest during the shelter in place order, the weekly claimant data remains high as
companies adjust their responses to COVID-19. An analysis of Initial UI Claims by industry shows that the following
industries have experienced the greatest impact: Manufacturing, Retail, Administrative and Support, Health Care and
Social Assistance, and Accommodation and Food Services. On May 21, 2020, the Georgia Department of Labor
announced that the preliminary unemployment rate for the state of Georgia is 11.9 percent, which is the highest total
unemployment in Georgia’s history. Georgia's April 2020 number of unemployed is more than 80,000 higher than the
height of the Great Recession of 2009-2010.
When analyzing the number of individuals actually receiving UI benefits, the number has consistently decreased over the
past few weeks (indicating that individuals are starting to transition back to employment). However, the number of overall
recipients statewide remains high at 728,728 for the week that ended on May 16th. These numbers, in combination with
the continued business interruptions discussed in greater detail below, lead the State to believe that assistance for
unemployed or underemployed individuals will be needed for the near future.
Business Interruption and Layoffs in Georgia
Small Businesses: More than 1 million small businesses operate in Georgia. These businesses make up 99.6% of all
businesses within the Peach State and employ 1.6 million of its residents, more than 43% of all Georgia employees.
Many small businesses have been forced or chosen to reduce hours, shift business models, or even close their doors
as a result to COVID-19. This has had a direct impact on these companies’ ability to maintain their workforce and
resulted in the staggering UI claims described above. As many local governments have asked residents to shelter in
place, patronage of small businesses has significantly decreased. The hospitality industry and tourism industries
have been hit the hardest as their normal patrons have chosen to or been forced to practice social distancing measures
that do not allow them to be out and about.
COVID-19 Disaster Recovery DWG – Georgia Full Application Worksheet
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Fortune 500 Companies: More than 450 Fortune 500 companies have a presence in the state, with 18 of them
having their global headquarters in Georgia. These include Delta Airlines, Home Depot, Coca-Cola, UPS, and
SunTrust to only name a few.
A very brief snapshot of only a few examples of Georgia businesses that were impacted by COVID-19 include:
DELTA AIRLINES: Delta headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia expects its second-quarter revenue to fall
80% or by $10 billion. The airline has cut 85% of its flights and more than 41,000 of the company’s
90,000 employees volunteered for temporary unpaid leave. But air travel is still down about 88% due to
the impact of the coronavirus. Delta CEO Ed Bastian told employees in a memo on May 27th: “It will
likely be two to three years before we see demand recovery on a large scale.” Delta has offered early
retirement or voluntary separation options to all of its employees in an attempt to avoid large-furloughs.
However, the results of those offers will determine the need or scale of the furloughs, which are intended
to go into effect in August. Delta has severed ties with many contractors.
KIA MOTORS MANUFACTURING: In the initial application, the State discussed the plans of Kia
Motors Manufacturing Georgia (KMMG) to temporarily close their plant because of coronavirus. The
plant normally operates 24 hours a day producing over 340,000 vehicles per years. The plant re-opened
at 33% capacity in early May. However, the plant has had to close once again due to supply chain issues.
The plant’s closure is having impacts on the surrounding community. Roughly 14,000 families are
impacted by KMMG when suppliers and contractors are factored in. Currently, there is not anticipated
date for when operations will return to full capacity.
BRIDGESTONE: Suspended manufacturing due to COVID-19
TEXTRON: Temporary shutdown due to COVID-19. Both Textron and Bridgestone are two of metro
Augusta’s largest manufacturing operations.
PERDUE: Perdue is the fourth-largest producer of chicken in the United States. Perry, Georgia plant has
had employees walk out due to Coronavirus health concerns.
ATLANTA HARTSFIELD AIRPORT: The busiest airport in the world is in Atlanta, Georgia, which
sees 107 million passengers a year and employs 63,000 people is feeling a tremendous economic impact
with airlines grounding fleets. Traffic through the airport has decreased catastrophically, which has had a
devastating impact on airport vendors and contractors.
GEORGIA PORTS AUTHORITY: The third busiest port in the nation has been impacted. Both
imports and exports were down significantly in March and April 2020
Local Governments: Georgia is divided into 159 counties and contains 535 incorporated municipalities. Cities,
towns, and county governments have begun to put sanitation protocols to combat the spread of COVID-19 in
communities. This has required local governments to hire individuals who are tasked with ensuring safety measures
are adhered to.
Hospitals and Healthcare Industry: While hospitals and healthcare facilities across the state were heavily impacted
during the height of the crisis by increases in demand in the acute care areas of their facilities, all of the areas related to
elective procedures or non-acute care were temporarily suspended during the lockdown. Unfortunately, these are the
areas of hospitals and medical facilities that generate the most operating revenue. COVID-19 is taking sizable chunks
out of the budgets of hospital systems and government health programs in Georgia. Hospitals have lost surgical,
diagnostic and outpatient revenue during the pandemic, and industry leaders say recent federal grant funding has not
been enough to offset those losses.
Consequently, several of the state’s largest healthcare employers have announced significant furloughs or layoffs:
WellStar Health Systems has furloughed 1,070 employees and reduce the hours of another 1,800 workers; Emory
Healthcare will furlough up to 1,500 of its employees; Piedmont Healthcare is “reducing operating expenses and flexing
staff to match patient volumes.”
Hospitality Industry: Coronavirus-related losses of jobs supported by the hotel industry in Georgia numbered
104,381 out of a total of 255,767 hotel-supported jobs, according to a hotel industry estimate. Three of Atlanta's
largest hotels (The Hilton Atlanta Airport, The Ritz-Carlton Atlanta and the Sheraton Atlanta Hotel) have laid off
COVID-19 Disaster Recovery DWG – Georgia Full Application Worksheet
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560 workers for more than 6 months. Many other hotels have announced large layoffs as well. The downturn in
tourism and travel across the state has dramatically impacted all of the businesses and industries supported by the
state’s tourism industry.
School Systems:
Governor Kemp closed all public schools when a statewide shelter-in-place order was issued on March 26th. Educational
institutions were closed in an attempt to contain the dangerous spread of this global pandemic.
Schools would later move to a distance-learning model to finish out the school year. The COVID-19 pandemic has
affected educational systems statewide, which led to the total closures of schools, universities and colleges throughout
Georgia.
During school closures, many hourly workers were temporarily laid off, asked to take administrative leave, or
asked to shift duties.
Children who normally received free meals at school no longer had access to a guaranteed meal in an effort to
shelter children in place to prevent the spread of the deadly disease.
Once the distance-learning model was put into place to protect the health of children, families, and school staff,
many disadvantaged children were pushed into a learning model without learning devices, educational materials,
transportation to and from the school to receive essentials.
As classes began to resume in August, a critical need to prepare for continued distance learning in high impacted COVID-
19 areas, as well as serving medically fragile and homebound children with compromised immune systems or at-risk who
will not be returning to typical school environment became a critical need.
Schools are overwhelmed during this unprecedented time to serve students homebound and woefully understaffed
to manage severe outbreaks for when children do return to the physical classrooms.
As of June 11, more than 2,780 children have been diagnosed with COVID-19 in Georgia and are being monitored for
Kawaski disease symptoms. This new phenomenon brings new concerns to parents and could lead to more children being in
distant-learning situations to protect their health and safety.
URGENCY TO PROTECT THE HEALTH OF CHILDREN IN GEORGIA HAS RISEN SUBSTAINLLY AS A
RESULT OF THE FOLLOWING EXAMPLES:
Georgia’s rate of COVID-19 cases among children is greater than the national average, according to a new report
published by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children’s Hospital Association.1
The jump in child cases in late July has heightened concern over schools reopening across the state and nation.
Georgia’s rate of infections per 100,000 kids is 571, higher than the national percentage of 447.
Several recent developments have focused attention on COVID-19 cases among Georgia children:
o A 7-year-old Chatham County boy became the youngest person in the state to die of the disease.
o A CDC report last month detailed COVID-19 infections among more than 200 children at a North
Georgia overnight camp.
o A North Paulding High student made national news after snapping a photo of a school hallway with most
students not wearing masks. The Paulding school decided to go to digital classes only, after revealing that
six students and three staff members were diagnosed with COVID-19.
o As of August 11, there have been 59 positive COVID-19 tests confirmed among students and staff in the
Cherokee district after only have the school open for 5 days, which has led them to mandate two-week
quarantines for 925 students and staff.
Schools across the state in the 159 counties will be opening in some form over the course of the next few weeks. This
1 https://downloads.aap.org/AAP/PDF/AAP%20and%20CHA%20-%20Children%20and%20COVID-19%20State%20Data%20Report%207.30.20%20FINAL.pdf
COVID-19 Disaster Recovery DWG – Georgia Full Application Worksheet
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includes 181 school districts spanning 2,200 schools. The state employs over 114,800 school teachers who educate
approximately 1.6 million school-aged children in the state. Disaster-relief jobs through this program will help provide
critically needed assistance to protect the health of these children.
WARN Notices: The estimated total number of individuals affected as of June 4th was 25,201. As the public
crisis continues to negatively impact business operations, it is anticipated that there will be a continued
number of mass layoffs and closures.
The Business Layoff and Closure listing maintained by the Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL), as required by
the Federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN), will be monitored constantly by
OWD’s Business Services Team to track additional layoffs.
The COVID-19 public health emergency has affected all 159 counties of Georgia. It has caused the business community
to either stretch its resources, shift business models, or, unfortunately close their doors or reduce their resources. There is
a need to get Georgians back to work as soon as possible so they may return to their livelihoods and support their families.
The Georgia business community has clear and expressed needs for support, which the state is working diligently to
provide. This public health crisis has created the undoubtable need to put Georgians to work to assist in humanitarian and
clean-up activities as well as create the opportunity for those laid off to receive much needed training services to support
Georgia’s industries with the highest needs for skilled labor.
IDENTIFIED HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE AND CLEAN-UP NEEDS
Due to the significant job loss in Georgia, humanitarian needs have grown exponentially. Needs across the state were
identified through implications of data related to COVID-19 cases, UI claims, and active WARN notifications. This
revealed to TCSG OWD that needs to address immediate impacts of and those affected by the disaster were great.
LWDAs have worked with GDOL, community leaders, including elected officials, state agency leaders, and non-profit
leaders, to identify humanitarian needs that presented opportunities to save lives, alleviate suffering, and maintain human
dignity in the immediate aftermath of the disaster.
Organizations such as community foodbanks and community shelters are seeing high demands for their services due to
the mass displacement of workers. Their staff have been stretched to meet the demands of their constituents. In addition to
increased demands, foodbanks and shelters have established increased sanitation protocols to prevent the further spread of
COVID-19. In foodbanks, proper sanitation is vital in preparing and packing food as individuals work physically closely
together to provide services. They must ensure the facilities are properly sanitized for individuals coming to receive
services, and, for individuals who are homebound due to underlying conditions, foodbanks and other organizations
working to combat food insecurity have been met with a significant increased need for food delivery services.
Shelters have been challenged by social distancing needs in densely populated shelters. They are experiencing an
increased need for staff to assist with sanitation, health screening of individuals entering the shelter to prevent the further
spread of COVID-19, logistical support for establishing new shelter spaces to allow for proper social distancing, and
more. Individuals who have been displaced from work due to COVID-19 are no longer able to provide for their families
and are seeking opportunities for support from these key humanitarian support organizations. Need from the public has
grown exponentially and organizations are working diligently to serve amidst the obstacles of a global pandemic.
Public facilities such as schools, local government buildings, and non-profits that provide humanitarian services are
beginning to reopen their doors to the public following government mandated shut-downs to slow the spread of COVID-
19. As they reopen their doors, it is imperative that they are thoroughly sanitized prior to their reopening and develop a
regular sanitizing routine once they are open. There is also a need for the cleaning and sanitation to be monitored for
public use so that organizations may ensure a clean and safe environment for all visitors. Coordination is a key function in
the logistics of these operations. These organization have requested support to sanitize their facilities prior to reopening
their doors as well as maintain sanitizing procedures as recommended by the CDC.
In addition to the sanitation of facilities, communities have identified the need for health screenings for individuals prior
to their entrance to public facilities. Health screenings include temperature checks and questionnaires, which will mitigate
potential spread of the virus. Health screenings are needed for students as they enter busses and schools. They are needed
COVID-19 Disaster Recovery DWG – Georgia Full Application Worksheet
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at court houses and other public facilities where communities gather. Furthermore, at health screening checkpoints,
individuals can be encouraged to utilize masks and other protective face coverings to protect themselves and the
community.
Public health needs have skyrocketed amidst the global pandemic. This has created a great need for individuals to be
connected to resources that may assist them in overcoming challenges that have surfaced due to COVID-19. Communities
in Georgia have developed rural community hotlines to help make this connection for individuals. These hotlines guide
community members to resources that will assistant them in finding humanitarian assistance organizations that further
mitigate the spread of COVID-19 as well as organizations that provide essential services to overcome public health
challenges. Additional there may be a need for temporary employees to engage in contact tracing efforts as a component
of their job activities in order to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Community needs will monitored continuously to
determine the need of full time contact tracers.
Educational systems have been disrupted statewide by the pandemic, which led to the total closures of schools,
universities and colleges throughout Georgia to slow the spread of this dangerous virus. COVID-19 created enormous
burdens on the system to educate while also protecting the safety and health of the students, staff, and families as in-
person re-openings began this Fall. Providing distance learning in high impacted COVID-19 areas, serving medically
fragile and homebound children with compromised immune systems or at-risk who will not be returning to typical school
environment became a critical need. As a result, there is a dire need to serve homebound students through a courier
service for public schools. To protect the health and safety of students, families, and school staff due to the COVID-19
pandemic, temporary workers are needed to deliver essential supports and supplies to homes with school-aged children
who are connected to schools but are in a distance-learning instructional environment due to the health risks and dangers
of COVID-19. These couriers will be engaged in the logistics and distribution of food nutrition and meals, essential
supplies, learning materials, technical equipment, learning devices, assistive technology equipment, and peripheral
support gear to be delivered to school-aged children who are homebound due to COVID-19 pandemic.
Finally, a key component to stop the further spread of COVID-19 is to contact trace individuals who test positive with the
virus. It is necessary to understand where individuals who have contracted the virus to report where they have been so that
those space may be sanitized and so that individuals who have been in contact with identified persons may be notified so
that they can take proper precautions.
Needs will be assessed continuously throughout the period of the grant. The TCSG Office of Workforce Development
(OWD) Business Services and Data and Performance teams will work collaboratively to address any needs that may
impact the project. They will do so by speaking weekly with the State Rapid Response team to monitor WARN activities.
Additionally, there will be a Bi-Weekly Statewide Status Call with the LWDAs to complete ongoing community needs
assessment. These collaborative efforts will allow project operators to express needs and for adjustments to be made as
necessary to ensure best use of funds and the completion of necessary project activities.
IDENTIFIED TEMPORARY EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN GEORGIA
The significant impact of COVD-19 to the workforce in Georgia has created monumental need for support to dislocated
workers in the state. The business interruption above only touches on the amount of loss and displacement workers in
Georgia have face in the last few months and will continue to face in the future. Due to this reality, the workforce system
of Georgia has identified temporary disaster employment opportunities as well as employment and training opportunities
for those who have been dislocated due to the COVID-19 crisis.
The Local Workforce Development Areas and the Georgia Department of Labor have identified 1,070 disaster
employment worksites to put hardworking Georgians back to work. These worksites address the needs of workers who
have been displaced as well as entities who have experienced increased demand for services due to COVID-19. They will
do so by providing humanitarian assistance and disaster clean-up to identified organizations.
Local Workforce Development Areas have identified 920 temporary employment opportunities that represent
humanitarian assistance and disaster clean-up opportunities that address the needs detailed above. These temporary
employment opportunities meet the needs of overwhelmed and understaffed local governments and humanitarian
COVID-19 Disaster Recovery DWG – Georgia Full Application Worksheet
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organizations that do not have the funds to employ additional staff to meet new demands as a result of the pandemic. To
increase access and prevent further transmission and potential death, community partners identified the need for trained
workers to complete these activities. Job activities for temporary employees will include the sanitation of public buildings
prior to their reopening, health screenings, meeting the increased needs of community shelters and foodbanks, connecting
individuals to resources, and more.
The Georgia Department of Labor has identified 150 temporary employment opportunities with Southern Georgia’s
Regional Education Service Agencies. As school districts look to reopen, there is a critical need for assistance to protect
the health and safety of students, staff, and families through virtual learning. Their support will include courier work to
ensure students who are home-bound due to COVID-19 receive items such as meals, learning materials, technical
equipment, learning devices, assistive technology equipment, peripheral support gear assignments, and other support they
would otherwise receive in an in-person learning setting.
The identification of these worksites show a collaborative effort to meet the needs of dislocated workers with employment
as well as provide much needed support for public entities across the state. Over the course of the grant, TCSG OWD,
LWDAs, and GDOL will work collaboratively to monitor evolving needs for the project. A plan to address the timeline
for reviewing enrollment and the process for determining and responding to new needs or challenges is being finalized.
None of the temporary disaster employment opportunities are designed to exceed $20,000 per participant.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES IN GEORGIA
For individuals experiencing a permanent layoff, as a result of the COVID-19 crisis, Georgia’s 19 LWDAs intend
to support participants through employment and training opportunities. Georgia estimates that the LWDAs will
serve 1,120 workers laid-off as a result of the disaster, self-employed individuals affected by COVID-19, and
long-term unemployed individuals. The programs will be designed to assist those who are affected by major
economic dislocations of communities through an established set of services including individual training
accounts (ITA) and work-based learning opportunities. These opportunities will not exceed $20,000 per
participant.
PRIORITIES FOR GEORGIA AND COMPLETED ACTIVITIES
While the need is great in many areas, Georgia is currently prioritizing humanitarian assistance and clean-up
opportunities. This prioritization addresses two key issues – getting Georgians back to work and providing much needed
relief to communities across the State. Worksites across the state have begun to employ individuals who were dislocated
due to the pandemic. Many are participating in sanitation projects, which assist the reopening of public facilities and the
recovery of Georgia’s economy. In areas where worksites have not begun, LWDAs are identifying partners and
developing worksite agreements that meet the needs of their community. Employment and training activities are also
beginning as Fall semesters start. These opportunities are essential for individuals who will not be able to return to work
and require upskilling and/or retraining to earn respectable wages.
Due to the exponential growth of confirmed cases as well as COVID related layoffs, Georgia is making an additional ask
of approximately $13 million. While, the initial award of $12 million has been vital in our efforts to recover from the
disaster, increased impact described above requires increased resources. The State received a reduced award that does not
meet the existing demand for services that the local workforce development areas are reporting. After initial assessment,
TCSG OWD was able to gain a clearer picture of capacity and the costs of servicing participants. These additional dollars
will allow the state to provide significant support to communities in both their efforts to slow the spread of the virus and
to recover from the impacts of the pandemic. Individuals are also given the opportunity to earn wages while providing
much needed assistance to communities. This will decrease their dependence on unemployment insurance benefits. With
increased funding, LWDAs will have the capacity to serve 1,070 individuals through temporary disaster employment
opportunities. Lastly, the increased dollars will allow the state to serve a greater number of individuals through
employment and training opportunities – cultivating a highly trained and prepared workforce for Georgia businesses.
LWDAs indicate that with funding they have the capacity and are prepared to address the demand with career and training
services (virtual and classroom) for a total of 1,120 new participants during the period of performance.
COVID-19 Disaster Recovery DWG – Georgia Full Application Worksheet
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0
Proposed Disaster-Relief Jobs
(For grant recipient completion)
Statement of Need Project Activities Requirements to Carry Out
Disaster-Relief Positions Partners
Needs: Areas Where Disaster-Relief Jobs to Address Need: Training or Supplies Needed Partners Involved with
Identify each need Need Exists: Identify the general types of disaster- for Disaster-Relief Positions: Establishing the Disaster-
resulting from the Identify where this relief work to address the stated need. Identify the resources required to Relief Positions:
disaster that the project need exists within Disaster-relief positions may address carry out the disaster-relief Identify the entities involved
proposes to address. the project’s cleanup resulting from the impact of the positions. Include training with establishing the positions, proposed service disaster event, along with the needs, supplies, supportive such as project operators, area. humanitarian assistance needs created by services, etc. worksite employers, the disaster. establishments where disaster- relief employment will take place, etc.
Food assistance
organizations have
increased sanitation
requirements due to
COVID-19, individuals
who had existing food
insecurity and are
now homebound and requ
ire food delivery
(i.e. homebound seniors,
children on free and
reduced lunch who have
pre-existing conditions)
All Counties Food delivery drivers, stockers, service
assistants, food preparation, and/or order
fillers
Sanitation supplies, gloves, face
masks, disinfectants
local governments, community
foodbanks, community shelters,
non-profit foodbanks and shelters
that provide food assistance
Sanitation needs for
community
organizations
All Counties Sanitation in community organization
buildings (including schools and non-
profits)
Sanitation supplies, gloves, face
masks, disinfectants
schools, local governments, and
non-profits that serve humanitarian
needs
health screening and
logistics needs for
community organizations
opening back up after
COVID related closures
All Counties Temperature checks and health screenings
upon entry to public spaces,
general mitigation of possible health
concerns
Thermometers, sanitation supplies,
gloves, face mask, disinfectants
schools, local governments, and
non-profits that serve humanitarian
needs
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1
Increase in
homelessness and
homelessness
services due to COVID-
19
All Counties Logistical support for COVID-19 mitigation
in homeless shelters, ensuring proper social
distancing and screening, assisting
individuals experiencing homelessness to
find additional shelters
Basic case management and
humanitarian assistance training, as
well as training on the virtual
delivery system
local community service
organizations supporting
individuals experiencing
homelessness
Increase in demand for
humanitarian efforts in K-
12 educational institutions
All Counties Temporary workers serving as couriers to
deliver essential support and distribution of
food nutrition and meals, essential supplies,
learning materials, technical equipment,
learning devices, assistive technology
equipment and peripheral support gear
Personal vehicle (mileage
reimbursement)
K-12 educational institutions,
Regional Educational Service
Agencies (RESA)
Increased public health
needs due to COVID-19,
increased need for
community resources to
further mitigate the
spread of COVID-19
All Counties Health care services support rural
community hotlines, managing temporary
inbound call centers utilized to assist
citizens with community resources during
this crisis, contact tracing
Telephone, resource directory local governments, non-profit
organizations
Coordinate sanitation
efforts; track when and
where sanitation efforts
have been completed
All Counties Sanitation Coordinators, manage sanitation
efforts, schedule and track public use of
monitored facilities, coordinate with
necessary staff if public health incidents are
reported
Computer, telephone, PPE local governments, non-profit
organizations
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Worksite Management
Describe the plan for identifying, approving, establishing, and managing the disaster-relief worksites, as well as how worksite progress will be tracked.
All worksites have been identified by the State’s Local Workforce Development Areas (LWDAs) and other state and local partners, including the Georgia
Department of Labor. Existing staff from all entities are working together and with their established business and community partners to identify appropriate
sites in accordance with the needs assessment outlined above. As this crisis continues to evolve, the LWDAs will work within the parameters laid out in this
application to add or change worksites according to community needs. The LWDAs have been required to submit all of their proposed worksites to OWD for
approval, and all existing proposed jobs can be found in the table above. If the need arises for any new jobs, the LWDAs will work with OWD to receive
approval for those jobs to ensure they fall within the approved grant agreement and scope of work to ensure employment opportunities meet the defined goals
to provide humanitarian assistance and disaster clean-up.
The LWDAs will serve as the Project Operators for all of their respective worksites. The process will begin with execution of a worksite agreement between
the LWDAs and all participating employers. This worksite agreement will ensure compliance with all federal (including TEGL 12-19), state, and local policies
relevant to the disaster recovery grant. It will include pertinent details of the worksite, including job responsibilities, the required qualifications, any required
training, hours, and the policies and stipulations regarding the position. The LWDAs will then submit these worksite agreements to OWD for final approval.
These documents, and any other requisite documentation, will be maintained by the LWDAs for the required period of time and made available to USDOL as
needed. The LWDAs will work with their partners and contractors (such as the GDOL) to provide in-person and virtual recruitment. Because COVID-19 is
highly contagious, GDOL will purchase virtual job software to facilitate the recruitment efforts in a virtual capacity to fall within the scope of CDC guidelines.
This unique platform will require the purchase from a sole vendor, “Easy Virtual Job Fair”. (SEE ATTACHMENT) The LWDA will work with all
participating employers to address any new needs or challenges with the DWG regarding disaster-relief employment duration, wages, or anything directly
related to the actual worksite.
The LWDAs will work with their respective worksites to engage, enroll, and hire participants based on respective timelines. The LWDAs will manage
enrollment and the case management of all participants and enter participant data into TCSG’s WorkSource Portal to track performance. LWDAs will also
maintain all participant related documentation and data for the required period of time and will make it available to USDOL as needed.
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3
Proposed Employment and Training Services
(For grant recipient completion)
Statement of Need
Project Activities
Requirements to Carry Out
Employment and Training
Services
Partners/Service Providers
Needs: Area Where Need Employment and Training Services to Employment and Training Partners/WIOA Service
Identify career and Exists: Address Need: Resources and Supplies: Providers/Contracted
training needs resulting Identify where this Identify career and training services to Identify the resources required to Services:
from the disaster that need exists within address the stated need. Include carry out the career and training Identify community partners,
the project proposes to the project’s credentials and length of time needed to services, such as support WIOA service providers, and
address. proposed service complete training. Training must be technology, subscriptions, and other contracted services the area. completed within the grant period. internet access. recipient will use to implement required activities.
Unemployment Claims
increased significantly
due
to business closures.
All counties Dislocated workers will be trained in in-
demand positions currently available
including: logistics, IT, healthcare (where
applicable), and business management and
operations. LWDAs will utilize ITAs and
OJT contracts to accomplish these goals.
(opportunities will not exceed $20,000 per
participant)
That will vary by occupation.
However, access to high-speed
internet for on-line training will
likely remain a need for all
occupations as education
institutions remain on distant
learning for the near future.
22 TCSG colleges across the state,
employer partners (for OJT), and
other approved ETPL training
providers
Monitoring/Oversight Plan for Worksites
Describe internal controls in place for tracking and monitoring project activities, including worksites and worksite employers, to ensure compliance with federal
requirements and grant terms. To evaluate the activities under this grant, LWDAs will conduct on-site and/or desk review monitoring of worksites and worksite employers to determine
compliance with the grant terms. LWDAs will utilize their current processes for monitoring work-based learning activities under WIOA formula funds. These
oversight activities include, but are not limited to:
A pre-award review that evaluates the worksite employer’s history with work-based learning contracts, financial stability, layoffs, relocation and labor
disputes, as well as the occupational and industry outlook;
Evaluation of contract terms to include wage rates, performance outcome requirements, description of occupation(s) involved, skills and competencies
to be provided and learned, and an adequate training plan; and
Follow-up evaluations in which LWDAs shall ensure that the worksites adhere to the contract terms and maintain all records pertaining the activities
under the grant (i.e., application, time sheets, payroll records, invoices and other relevant financial records).
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Career, Training, and Supportive Services
Briefly explain why existing formula funds are not sufficient to fund proposed career, training and supportive services.
Career, Training, and Supportive Services
Briefly explain why existing formula funds are not sufficient to fund proposed career, training and supportive services.
Georgia was already facing a funding shortage prior to the crisis, with nine (9) of the 19 LWDAs already in a position of having to place participants on a waitlist
due to insufficient funding. For the past 3-5 years, Georgia (like most of the country) has been experiencing a period of economic growth. As the economy expanded
and unemployment continually dropped (to 3.1% prior to the COVID-19 crisis), Georgia’s formula WIOA funds have been consistently decreased during that time
period due to the established funding formulas that are based off of economic health indicators. Once the COVID-19 crisis hit the state, the situation was only made
worse. Now that there are large numbers of individuals who are likely to be out of work for a sustained period of time, the State does not have sufficient funds to
meet their needs simply with the use of formula WIOA funds.
DWG Performance
DWG performance accountability is outlined in Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) 14-18, Attachment 6. The DWG program applies
performance measures as described in Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Section 116. These include the following:
Planned Employment Rate (2nd Quarter after Exit): 72%
Planned Employment Rate (4th Quarter after Exit): 70%
Planned Median Earnings: $5,000
Planned Credential Rate: 55%
Planned Measurable Skill Gains Rate: 5%
Are the planned performance goals for this project the same as the applicable negotiated goals for the Dislocated Worker program? Yes or No?
No
If the above goals are lower than the negotiated goals, please explain why:
The state proposes goals that are lower than our negotiated rates for PY19 for a few reasons. The PY19 rates were negotiated under good economic conditions
that were projected to continue indefinitely. As this is being written, the USDOL just announced historic unemployment claims that dwarf those from the Great
Recession. While it is not anticipated that this downturn will last as long as previous periods of uncertainty, the initial numbers indicate this will not end
overnight and the impacts may be felt for some time. The greatest impacts from this emergency appear to be in industries where workers may not possess
advanced skills that are broadly applicable. Successfully placing dislocated individuals outside their critically-affected industries will be a challenge.
Additionally, the nature of these projects does not lend to long term placement in employment as they are organized around temporary situations (i.e. a short-term
uptick in sanitation needs due to more people being home). While the programs should provide useful work experiences that will be transferrable to other
positions, these initial positions may not be permanent and with an uncertain economic outlook it is unsure whether the employers will be able to maintain these
positions for six (6) months to a year or more.
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Enrollment and Expenditure
Worksheet for Disaster-Relief
Employment
COMPLETE BLUE COLUMNS ONLY IF REQUESTING
INCREMENTAL OR SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING
Actual Data as of
Modification Submission
Date
New Projections if
Supplemental/Incremental
Funds Awarded
Participant Breakdown by
Services
Initial
Planned
Enrollment
Numbers
Initial Planned
Expenditures
Actual
Enrollments
as of
Modification
Submission
Actual
Expenditures
as of
Modification
Submission
New
Projected
Enrollments
New Projected
Expenditures
Participant Disaster-Relief
Employment Wages 3410 $20,066,470 0 $0 1,070 $7,161,142
Participant Fringe Benefits 360 $6,815 0 $0 1,070 $1,213,215
Related Disaster-Relief
Training and Supportive
Services
410 $74,014 0 $0 915 $1,050,000
TOTALS: $20,147,299 0 $ 0 $9,424,357
Enrollment and Expenditure
Worksheet for Employment
and Training Services
COMPLETE BLUE COLUMNS ONLY IF REQUESTING
INCREMENTAL OR SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING
Actual Data as of
Modification Submission
Date
New Projections if
Supplemental/Incremental
Funds Awarded
Participant Breakdown by
Services
Initial Planned
Enrollment
Numbers
Initial Planned
Expenditures
Actual
Enrollments
as of
Modification
Submission
Actual
Expenditures
as of
Modification
Submission
New
Projected
Enrollments
New Projected
Expenditures
Career Services 0 $0 0 $0 210 $168,000
Training Services, excluding
On-the-Job Training (OJT) 1240 $7,100,000 0 $0 857 $5,218,136.93
OJT Only 161 $746,000 0 $0 263 $1,521,843.95
Supportive Services 1,401 $4,271,500 0 $0 1,105 $2,630,050
Needs-Related Payments 0 $0 0 $0 140 $158,200
TOTALS: $12,117,500 0 $ 0 $9,696,230.88
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PROJECT NARRATIVE: OVERALL PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Provide an explanation of the procedures you will use to identify funds not being utilized in accordance with the
project plan:
The State shall incorporate activities under the grant as a part of its annual comprehensive monitoring process and select
additional samples to ensure adherence to programmatic and financial requirements under the grant. The State conducts
program, data, and fiscal monitoring of LWDAs annually and will determine sample size and key objectives for onsite
and desk reviews through the annual risk assessment process. The risk assessment takes into consideration the size of
grant awards, administrative structure, past audit findings, and more. Annual monitoring may be conducted onsite with
additional oversight conducted by telephone and desk reviews of documents and reports to evaluate compliance with the
uniform administrative requirements and applicable cost principles, in addition to adherence to equal opportunity and
nondiscrimination requirements, data collection and reporting requirements, and other applicable laws and regulations.
Issues identified will be detailed in a Notice of Findings report and corrective actions shall be implemented.
OWD has existing policy that details how Supportive Service and Needs Related payments should be made in accordance
with WIOA law. LWDAs are also required to have individual policies that are monitored by OWD staff every year.
In addition, OWD has multiple processes in place that will enable the monitoring of grant fund usage by sub-recipients
across the state throughout the duration of the grant period. These processes include: bi-weekly grant funding drawdown
requests; monthly, quarterly, and annual Financial Status Reports (FSRs); and continual communication and technical
assistance between the sub-recipients and OWD’s Grants Management Team. All of these procedures will allow OWD to
closely monitor how each sub-recipient is utilizing their grant funds as the grant progresses. If OWD detects that certain
sub-recipients are underutilizing their funds, while others are experiencing greater need for the funds than expected, then
OWD can strategically redistribute or reallocate funds as appropriate to ensure the funds are utilized to address the
greatest areas of need. These efforts, if necessary, will include close communication with all sub-recipients involved.
Explain your plan for developing and implementing corrective action, where required, to ensure adherence to
the project goals:
Corrective actions may include policy changes, provision of additional documentation, training and more, up to and
including, disallowed costs. Should corrective actions be required to correct deficiencies, the State utilizes the following
process for monitoring of grant activities. Upon conclusion of monitoring, a report is developed and presented to LWDA
leadership that details the deficiencies, specific criteria violated, required corrective actions, and the timeline for
execution. LWDAs are required to submit Findings Resolution Responses in accordance with the timeline specified
(usually 30 days) to keep the State informed about the progress of corrective actions prior to full resolution. In the event
that the LWDA fails to take timely action to correct identified findings, OWD may implement sanctions as allowable per
federal and State law. If issues arise outside of the annual monitoring process, OWD may open a desk review into the
suspect activities. After identification of any violations, a report is developed and follows the same corrective action
process detailed above.
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