U.S. District Court blocks Labor Department from closing Job Corps under Workforce Innovation Act

Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer announced May 29, 2025 that 99 of 123 contractor-operated Job Corps centers would close by June 30, 2025

U.S. District Judge Andrew Carter Jr. issued a temporary restraining order June 4, 2025 blocking the closures

Judge Carter converted the TRO to a preliminary injunction June 25, 2025, keeping centers open during the lawsuit

A second injunction covering additional centers was granted by D.C. District Judge Dabney Friedrich on July 25, 2025

Job Corps serves approximately 25,000-29,000 disadvantaged youth ages 16-24 annually across 123 total centers

Nearly 50% of Job Corps participants in 2024 were Black youth; the program also disproportionately serves homeless youth and foster care alumni

Program provides free education, job training, housing, meals, and healthcare

The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity ActWorkforce Innovation and Opportunity ActThe 2014 federal statute that codifies Job Corps, adult job training, and vocational rehabilitation under Department of Labor authority and requires congressional reauthorization to terminate.Key ConceptWorkforce Innovation and Opportunity ActThe 2014 federal statute that codifies Job Corps, adult job training, and vocational rehabilitation under Department of Labor authority and requires congressional reauthorization to terminate.Open conceptBookmark (WIOA), 29 U.S.C. § 3195 et seq., authorizes Job Corps and requires congressional action to terminate

Federal law requires public comment periods and congressional notification before closing individual centers

DOL documented 14,913 serious incident reports in program year 2023; transparency report released April 2025 cited a 32% graduation rate