Anyone unemployed due to a plant or company closing, a layoff, or an elimination of their career position is considered a displaced worker. Since the government is interested in returning displaced workers into the workforce, they offer a number of free educational grants for retraining.

The federal government considers anyone unemployed due to a plant or company closing, a layoff, or an elimination of their career position as a displaced worker. Affected workers need written verification from their state’s workforce agency stating that they are considered a displaced worker.  In 2008, the federal government, created a special web portal to assist displaced workers by providing career information, job search opportunities, and education-funding opportunities through a centralized government web portal called Opportunity.gov