When Blackjewel announced its bankruptcy earlier this summer, it put nearly 600 people from two mines in Campbell County out of work. Those workers lost their health insurance on August 31.
While negotiations for the mines' ownership continues, the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services is teaming up with non-profit, Enroll Wyoming, to help workers affected by recent mine closures get health insurance.
Enroll Wyoming is a program that helps residents access health insurance options.
Andrea Hixon, project team manager with the Department of Workforce Services, said the goal of the partnership is to connect job-seekers with resources to make an informed decision about health insurance coverage.
"When you have that one-stop shopping at the Workforce Center and they can also come up with solutions so that they can worry on their ultimate goal of employment and resolve some of those underlying issues," Hixon said.
The Gillette Workforce Center will be hosting an informational session with Enroll Wyoming on September 12 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. so those affected can learn more.
Hixon said the sessions are an opportunity to make a face-to-face contact while navigating the insurance marketplace.
"They will have the resources to answer the questions on health care, the navigators to help them navigate the Affordable Care Act, just a lot of assistance with the marketplace plans, and just really having that connection one-on-one," she said.
In addition to the new partnership, the department is continuing to host job fairs, Ty Stockton, communications manager for Workforce Services, said. He said the center is also helping workers with resumes and job training opportunities.
