CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — West Virginia is looking to dole out $1.8 million in grant money to help retrain laid-off coal miners and their family members for other kinds of work. WorkForce West Virginia is administering the U.S. Department of Labor grant. It was originally limited to workers affected by mass layoffs, but eligibility requirements have changed. Now any miner displaced by a layoff or shutdown since March 1, 2012, is eligible.
Miners, their spouses and other family members who still live at home can get up to $5,000 per person for training in high-demand fields such as healthcare, truck driving, welding, electrical engineering, HVAC repair, diesel technology and chemical processing. Some participants are also eligible for $20 per day allowances aimed at defraying the cost of gas, food and child care.