ST. PAUL -- The state said it received permission Friday to use a previously-awarded federal grant to assist people laid off by Fingerhut Inc.
The state received $8 million from the U.S. Labor Department last fall to help airline workers and others hurt by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
After Federated Department Stores Inc. in January said it would close or sell Fingerhut, a catalog retailer, Gov. Jesse Ventura asked Labor Secretary Elaine Chao to make Fingerhut workers eligible for benefits.
About 2,400 Fingerhut workers in Minnesota were laid off Friday as the Federated continues negotiating a sale of the firm.
