For Immediate Release Thursday, May 28, 2020. Wilmington, DE The Delaware Department of Labor releases Fraud Prevention guidelines for employers and claimants to protect against identity theft and fraud involving unemployment benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic.   Over the past few weeks, several states have reported incidents of identity theft and payment fraud regarding […]

For Immediate Release Friday, May 29, 2020: Wilmington, DE: The Delaware Department of Labor, in its effort to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, reached another milestone this week by paying the first Pandemic Unemployment Assistance claims to eligible Delawareans. The Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program provides benefits for independent contractors and self-employed workers in the state […]

  For Immediate Release July 20, 2020 Contact: Kenneth Briscoe Director of Communications Kenneth.Briscoe@delaware.gov   (Wilmington, DE) – The Delaware Department of Labor announced today that Delaware has already begun offering the Federal-State Extended Benefits program for those who have exhausted their previous unemployment benefits.   Delaware’s most recent insured unemployment rate (IUR) exceeded the […]

For Immediate Release July 22, 2020 Contact: Kenneth Briscoe Director of Communications Kenneth.Briscoe@delaware.gov   (Wilmington, DE) –  PHASE 2 of Governor John Carney’s Economic Reopening plan began on June 15, 2020. During this rolling reopening of the state’s economy, the restrictions put in place by Governor Carney in March 2020 to reduce the spread of […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE- Thursday, July 30, 2020, Wilmington, Delaware. The Delaware Department of Labor releases public notification to inform all Delawareans currently receiving Unemployment Insurance Benefits, that the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) program ended on July 25, 2020.   Due to the rise in unemployment resulting from the COVID-19 global pandemic, Congress authorized a […]

  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday August 21, 2020 MEDIA CONTACT: Kenneth Briscoe kenneth.briscoe@delaware.gov   (Wilmington, DE) – Today, the Delaware Department of Labor (DEDOL) announced that Delaware will apply for the Lost Wages Assistance Program through the United States Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA).   As outlined by FEMA and the United States Department of Labor, […]

WILMINGTON (Sept. 8, 2020) — The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) approved Delaware’s application to receive Lost Wages Assistance funding from FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund. On August 8, 2020, President Trump made available up to $44 billion from FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund to provide financial assistance to Americans who have lost wages due to the […]

  For Immediate Release September 28, 2020 Contact: Kenneth Briscoe Director of Communications Kenneth.Briscoe@delaware.gov   (Wilmington, DE) – Monday, September 28, 2020 The Delaware Department of Labor announced today the extension of unemployment benefits, triggered by Delaware’s high jobless rate. Delaware’s three-month averaged, seasonally adjusted unemployment rate as of August 2020, is 10.6%.   Primarily […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2020   MEDIA CONTACT: Kenneth Briscoe Delaware Department of Labor Communications Coordinator kenneth.briscoe@delaware.gov   Thursday, October 1, 2020, The Delaware Department of Labor announced that the effective date of The Delaware Contractor Registration Act has been extended to July 1, 2021.    On September 28, 2020, Governor John Carney […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MEDIA CONTACT: Kenneth Briscoe Communications Coordinator Delaware Department of Labor   [Monday, October 12, 2020, Wilmington, DE] The Delaware Department of Labor has issued the Ninth Emergency Rule, which updates and revises the First and Seventh Emergency Rules, establishing deadlines to file appeals to the Lower Authority (Appeals Referees, the “Referees”) and […]

  FOR RELEASE: December 9, 2020 CONTACT: Kenneth Briscoe Kenneth.Briscoe@delaware.gov   Unemployment Benefits Scheduled to Expire on December 26, 2020 for Many Claimants in Delaware   WILMINGTON, DELAWARE – According to federal program guidelines, all unemployment compensation programs created by the CARES Act are currently scheduled to expire on or before December 26, 2020.   Many […]

December 28, 2020 For Immediate Release Kenneth Briscoe Email: kenneth.Briscoe@Delaware.gov   Wilmington, DE (Dec. 28, 2020) – On December 27, 2020, the President signed the latest COVID-19 Relief bill, which extends certain federal unemployment benefits available under the CARES Act. The bill provides the extension of the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program (PUA) and Pandemic Emergency […]

  January 7, 2021 For Immediate Release Kenneth Briscoe Expiration and Extension of CARES Act Unemployment Insurance Programs by Congress   [WILMINGTON, DE] – On December 27, the federal COVID-19 relief package that extends and provides additional federal unemployment benefits was signed into law. The Delaware Department of Labor has reviewed the legislation and the […]

Delaware Department of Labor receives $9,193,902 from the H1B One Workforce Grant to provide more economic growth opportunities in the IT Industry.   WILMINGTON, DE – The Delaware Department of Labor (DE DOL) works with partners in the Information Technology (IT) sector to build pathways through educational, training, and work-based learning opportunities for Delaware citizens […]

Wilmington, Delaware February 22, 2021 Delaware Department of Labor FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   WILMINGTON, DE – Delaware Department of Labor has added new functionality to the Delaware JobLink (joblink.delaware.gov), a website created to support employers looking for qualified candidates, and individuals seeking employment.   The current website offers individuals the ability to search for jobs, […]

THE NEW YEAR BRINGS LEADERSHIP CHANGES TO THE DELAWARE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR   WILMINGTON, DE (February 23, 2021) – The Delaware Department of Labor has announced leadership changes for the organization. Karryl Hubbard will now serve as the new Delaware Secretary of Labor, Rachel Turney will serve as the incoming Deputy Cabinet Secretary, and Richard […]

Getting Tax Credit for Your Employees Just Got Easier: Introducing the New Delaware CertLink Delaware Businesses can receive up to $9,600 in tax credits per employee for hiring members of target groups by visiting the newly updated Delaware CertLink, located at https://certlink.delaware.gov/ Many businesses have struggled as a result of the ongoing pandemic and finding ways […]

The U.S. Department of Justice has received reports that fraudsters are creating websites mimicking unemployment benefit websites, including state workforce agency (SWA) websites, and Facebook pages to unlawfully capture consumers’ personal information.   To lure consumers to these fake websites, fraudsters send spam text messages and emails purporting to be from an SWA and containing […]

WILMINGTON, DE – Delaware Department of Labor Secretary Karryl Hubbard appeared before the United States Congressional Future of Work Caucus this week to discuss how the State of Delaware is supporting residents seeking employment services. The 19-member Congressional Future of Work Caucus is co-chaired by the U.S. Representative Lisa Blunt-Rochester (D-DE) and U.S. Representative Bryan […]

Opportunities Delaware Libraries is seeking applicants for TWENTY (20) AmeriCorps Summer Associate VISTAs, Positions start June 14, 2021 for 10 weeks Essential Needs Summer Associates Join our Social Innovation team this summer as an Essential Needs Summer Associate. Libraries are actively involved in helping people every day and are often stretched to meet the needs, […]

WILMINGTON, DE – The Delaware Department of Labor (DOL) will require Unemployment Benefit recipients to look for work and register in Delaware JobLink (https://joblink.delaware.gov) in order to qualify for benefits or to continue to receive UI benefits, effective June 12, 2021. Starting on that date, claimants must register with JobLink, which includes creating or uploading […]

    Wilmington, DE – The Delaware Department of Labor (DE DOL) is sponsoring several job fairs in September and October in an effort to help job seekers and employers fill the thousands of job opportunities that are available across the state. DE DOL is hosting the next multi-employer Job Fair on Thursday, Sept. 30 […]

WILMINGTON, DE – The Delaware Department of Labor (DOL) has issued policy to address questions and concerns about a claimant’s eligibility to collect Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits after refusing to be vaccinated or tested as required by an employer. Delaware law states that claimants are not allowed to receive UI benefits if they have violated […]

The Division of Industrial Affairs (DIA) at the Department of Labor (DOL) is currently conducting its Annual Prevailing Wage Survey for state-funded construction projects – over 3,800 survey forms will be mailed out to contractors on December 27, 2021. The completed survey forms must be postmarked or returned to DIA for the data to be […]

  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   WILMINGTON, DE – The Delaware Department of Labor (DOL) is announcing the new Employer Unemployment Insurance and new Construction employer tax rates for 2022, effective January 1, 2022. New Employer and new Construction employer rates are maintained at 2020 levels Establish 2022 merit rate at lower of 2020, 2021, or […]

WILMINGTON, DE – The Delaware Department of Labor is teaming up with statewide partners to present a series of One-Stop Resource Expos in May to highlight the Delaware Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act (WIOA). Dozens of partner organizations will be on hand at booths to speak with people about employment, education and other support programs. […]

WILMINGTON, DE – Delaware Department of Labor (DOL) Secretary Karryl Hubbard has announced that Elisha Jenkins will serve as the new Director of the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR), replacing former Director Andrea Guest, who retired earlier this year. DVR is a partner in helping job seekers develop skill sets to find employment. The division […]

The Division of Industrial Affairs (DIA) at the Department of Labor (DOL) is currently conducting its Annual Prevailing Wage Survey for state-funded construction projects. On January 4, 2023, the Department mailed over 4000 survey forms to contractors. The completed survey forms must be postmarked or returned to DIA for the data to be used in […]

WILMINGTON, DE – The Delaware Department of Labor (DOL) announced the revised Taxable Wage Base, Assessment Rate Tables, Cap Earned Rate for Calendar Year 2023, and the New Employer Rates for 2023, effective January 1, 2023. The taxable wage base will be $10,500 in 2023. With the unanimous support of the Unemployment Insurance Advisory Council, […]

WILMINGTON, Del —The Office of Women’s Advancement & Advocacy, a Division of the Delaware Department of Human Resources, in partnership with the Delaware Departments of Labor and Education, released a new report titled- Delaware Women in the Construction Trades: A Path to Economic Security. The report examines the current state of women working in the […]

WILMINGTON, Delaware – The Delaware Department of Labor (DOL) has re-released Fraud Prevention guidelines for employers and claimants to protect against identity theft and fraud involving unemployment insurance benefits as incidence of new consumer scams increase across the country. In recent months, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has received multiple reports of scams where […]

The Department is currently conducting its Annual Prevailing Wage Survey for state-funded construction projects. On December 20, 2023, the Department mailed over 4500 survey forms to contractors and various interested parties. The completed survey forms must be postmarked or returned no later than February 8, 2024, to the Department of Labor for the data to […]

The Division of Unemployment Insurance (UI) recently mailed 2024 UI tax rate letters that contained incorrect information. We apologize for the error. We are working to correct the issue and will mail new letters with the correct rate as quickly as possible. All employers will receive updated letters even if their rate does not change. […]

The Division of Unemployment Insurance has corrected the issue related to the 2024 UI tax rate letters mailed in January. Corrected letters have been mailed to employers the week of February 5, 2024. The corrected letters have a date of February 1, 2024. The Division of Unemployment would like to thank all employers for their […]

In observance of Worker’s Memorial Day, the Delaware Department of Labor’s (DOL) Office of Safety and Health Consultation is proud to announce the launch of SafeDE (pronounced Safe-DEE-EEE). This groundbreaking initiative signifies our dedication to enhancing workplace safety throughout Delaware, honoring the memory of workers who have tragically lost their lives on the job. SafeDE […]

With the assistance of the Delaware Farmers’ Market Coalition, a group of market managers from across the state, the Delaware Department of Agriculture (DDA) is issuing protocols to help farmers’ markets safely begin opening starting May 15.

The Delaware Department of Agriculture (DDA) issued guidance today to help local U-Pick farms safely open to the public for the season. This guidance will help farm staff and visitors to U-Pick farm operations participate in a safe manner to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Effective June 1, outdoor gatherings of more than 25 people will be permitted at Delaware’s state forests, subject to compliance with the Division of Public Health's "Guidance on Outdoor Gatherings." While the state's ban on short-term rentals will be lifted on June 1, camping at Blackbird State Forest and Redden State Forest, as well as the Redden Lodge, will be closed to the public until further notice. Plans are underway to implement a new online, fee-based reservation system expected to be operational later this summer. There is no fixed date on the launch of the new system, which will include the addition of two new camp sites each at both Blackbird and Redden. The new system will also handle advance bookings for the popular and historic Redden Lodge. Users can make camping and lodge reservations for future dates, receive electronic confirmations, and make payments and receive refunds via credit card.

Delaware announces 24th consecutive round of easement selections for Aglands Program DOVER, Del.  — Delaware announced its 24th consecutive round of easement selections by the Delaware Agricultural Lands Preservation Foundation. With the preservation of another 5,500 acres, Delaware has permanently preserved more than 139,000 acres of farmland for future generations. In a recent report by […]

Through a virtual confirmation hearing, the Delaware Senate confirmed and appointed Mark Collins to lead the Delaware Agricultural Lands Preservation Foundation Board of Trustees.

The Delaware Forest Service’s Urban and Community Grant Program has awarded more than $31,000 to fund nine community tree projects in all three counties. The program offers up to $5,000 in annual competitive matching grants for projects on public land and community open space, and grants are available to all municipalities, homeowner associations, and nonprofit organizations in the First State. Since the grant program began, Delaware’s urban and community forestry program has given over 575 grants totaling more than $1.75 million and planted more than 13,000 trees.

Effective July 1, the Delaware Department of Agriculture (DDA) will quarantine New Castle County in its entirety due to established populations of spotted lanternfly found in Odessa.

The Delaware Forest Service’s Volunteer Fire Assistance Grant Program has awarded more than $18,000 to six volunteer fire departments to help boost their capability and readiness to respond to wildfires.

The Delaware Department of Agriculture (DDA) received reports over the weekend from several Delawareans who received unsolicited packages of seeds in shipments from China. Based on information provided by constituents, the packages were sent by mail and may have Chinese writing on them. Anyone who has received such a package is asked to report the shipment to the Smuggling Interdiction and Trade Compliance Program (SITC) by calling the Smuggling Hotline at 1-800-877-3835. Recipients are asked to leave everything inside the package to help investigators trace the origin. No one should ever plant seeds they did not order because they could be an invasive species.

The Delaware Forest Service is seeking public comment on its new 2020 "Forest Action Plan," comprised of an updated Delaware Forest Resource Assessment, Delaware Statewide Forest Strategy, and a new "Assessment of Need" for the U.S. Forest Legacy Program, which provides funding to conserve working forests.  The documents can be found at de.gov/forestactionplan and are available in both Flipbook versions and PDF format. The public is kindly asked to review and provide comments via email at delawareforests@gmail.com by Friday, September 4, 2020.

Over the past week, Delawareans continued to receive unsolicited packages of mysterious seeds appearing to originate in China. Due to the increased volume of people reporting the receipt of illegally shipped seeds, USDA has requested the assistance of the state departments of agriculture in collecting seeds from residents. The Delaware Department of Agriculture (DDA) has processed more than 40 packages of seeds to be tested by USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).

The Delaware Agricultural Lands Preservation Foundation voted to extend district enrollment until December 31, 2020 to any agricultural landowners who want to preserve their farms. These landowners will have the opportunity to apply for Round 25 in 2021. Farms must be enrolled in a preservation district before the landowner can submit a bid to sell an easement.

Delaware's urban forestry program director Kesha Braunskill has been named to the Stakeholder Council of the U.S. Chapter of 1t.org,  an international effort to plant one trillion trees launched at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The U.S. is home to the first regional chapter of 1t.org. The U.S. chapter is supported by the 1t.org U.S. Stakeholder Council, a bipartisan group of senior-level representatives from government, business, civil society and academia who are informing the strategic direction of the initiative.

The Delaware Forest Service is sending its wildfire crew to New Mexico as a steep increase in lightning-caused fires has pushed the National Preparedness Level to 5 on a 5-point scale, its highest level. Critical fire weather continues throughout the West. According to the National Interagency Fire Center, the majority of the fire activity remains in Arizona and California, where over 1.5 million acres have burned. So far this year, more than 38,767 fires have burned 3.7 million acres. Delaware has trained more than 600 firefighters since 1996 and battled wildfires in numerous states, including: Alaska, Arizona, Georgia, California, Colorado, Idaho, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Utah, Virginia, and Washington. http://de.gov/wildfire

Delaware's wildfire crew is returning to the First State after successfully battling blazes on a 14-day assignment in Arizona and California. Delaware's 21-person team mobilized at Blackbird State Forest in Smyrna on August 28. On August 30 they were assigned to the Griffin Fire, a 61,821-acre blaze in Arizona's Tonto National Forest in the U.S. Forest Service's Southwest Region. They subsequently took on the Rockhouse Fire, a 19,506-acre blaze on land managed by the San Carlos Agency of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, located 22 miles southeast of San Carlos, AZ. On September 9, they were transferred to the Southern California Geographic Area and assigned to the Valley Fire, which has consumed 17,665 acres in the Cleveland National Forest and located 19 miles northeast of Chula Vista, CA. The crew is expected to arrive back at Blackbird State Forest in Smyrna, Delaware by Friday afternoon, September 18.