The $880,000 grant will provide partial premium payments for about 800 Maine workers who have lost their jobs due to foreign competition.

Maine is getting an $880,000 federal emergency grant to help jobless workers pay for health insurance. The funds, released by the U.S. Department of Labor, will provide partial premium payments for about 800 workers, say members of Maine's congressional delegation.

The funds cover workers who are eligible for so-called Trade Adjustment Assistance, a program intended to help workers who have lost their jobs due to foreign competition.

"This is welcome news for Mainers that are struggling to find work in this tough economy," says Maine's 1st District Congressman Mike Michaud. "While nothing can replace a job, these important health care benefits will help ease the burden on many Maine families."

Michaud's 1st District counterpart, Chellie Pingree, says the money will provide workers with "some security" while they seek other jobs.

The grant will allow the Maine Department of Labor to provide workers with up to three months of insurance benefits as the IRS reviews their applications for the Health Coverage Tax Credit, a program that provides up to 80 percent of premium costs for eligible workers.