Ohio, West Virginia Collaborate to Aid RG Steel Workers
YOUNGSTOWN – The Democratic governor of West Virginia and the Republican governor of Ohio announced a collaborative agreement Thursday with the U.S. Department of Labor to provide assistance with health insurance premium payments to dislocated RG Steel workers in Ohio.
The Labor Department awarded WorkForce West Virginia a $1.2 million grant in November to assist 500 dislocated Ohio RG Steel workers with health insurance premium payments. RG Steel operated a mill in Warren before it filed for bankruptcy in late May.
"With workers in both West Virginia and Ohio being affected by recent layoffs at RG Steel, I know we have families in both states struggling to make ends meet," Tomblin said. "I'm truly grateful we have programs available to help our families afford their insurance premiums. And I'm honored West Virginia has this opportunity to help our neighbors, the state of Ohio, in assisting displaced workers there."
WorkForce West Virginia previously has received NEG grants and HCTC Gap Filler funds to assist dislocated West Virginia RG Steel workers with health insurance premium payments and has a history of administering NEG HCTC funds. For those reasons, it was in the best interest of the dislocated Ohio workers to have West Virginia administer the program.
"Working together, our two states can provide this needed help to RG Steel families as quickly and efficiently as possible," Kasich said. "It's just common sense and I applaud Gov.Tomblin and his administration for working with our team to get this moving."
The program provides funding for 72.5% of individuals' monthly health insurance premium payments during the three-month IRS-HCTC application approval process, thereby eliminating any gap or lapse in insurance coverage.
U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, D-17 Ohio, and U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, applauded the federal $1.2 million grant for the laid-off RG Steel workers in a joint statement.
“Access to affordable health care is imperative as these laid-off employees deal with the consequences of a situation they did nothing to create. I’m pleased we were able to work with successfully with state and federal officials to ensure these laid-off workers were given the assistance they needed. And we need to make sure that these programs are in place for families who may need this assistance in the future,” Ryan said.
“The loss of a job can be a devastating experience. The Health Coverage Tax Credit will ensure that displaced RG Steel workers continue to purchase affordable health insurance,” Brown said. “Ohioans who work hard and play by the rules should not be left to struggle when they lose their job through no fault of their own. These new resources will help ensure that displaced workers from RG Steel can access the vital benefits they have earned and are now entitled to.”
WorkForce West Virginia is notifying RG Steel workers in West Virginia and Ohio who are eligible for these benefits. Individuals in either West Virginia or Ohio can contact WorkForce West Virginia at 1-877-967-5498 for additional information.
Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
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