PROVIDENCE – Gov. Lincoln D. Chafee announced this month that the R.I. Department of Labor and Training is working with the RI Temps placement agency of Warwick to recruit unemployed veterans for nearly 40 short-term, disaster-relief worker positions at beaches and parks managed by the R.I. Department of Environmental Management.

According to a news release, the full-time jobs are financed through a Disaster National Emergency Grant awarded to Rhode Island in the aftermath of the effects of Hurricane Sandy. Work assignments are anticipated to run from early March to mid-April. The job duties include moving beach sand, removing debris, performing trash pickup, installing snow fencing and raking campground sites.

While all unemployed for 15 weeks or more are eligible to apply for these positions, priority is given to veterans, as well as to job seekers whose unemployment can be attributed to the October storm. •