U.S. Department of Labor

Hurricane Recovery Assistance

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"Pathways to Employment" Initiative Unemployment Insurance (UI) Hurricane Recovery Job Connection National Emergency Grants (NEGs) Employee Retirement, Health and Other Benefits Occupational Safety and Health Employment Standards Public Service Announcements Fact Sheets on Natural Disaster Recovery News Releases

The U.S. Department of Labor is assisting in the recovery efforts in Florida and the Gulf Coast communities affected by this season's hurricanes.

The Department of Labor support includes the following income and job assistance:

• DOL's National Contact Center
  1-866-4-USA-DOL (1-866-487-2365)

• "Pathways to Employment" Initiative
  This "Pathways to Employment" initiative helps evacuees and other survivors of the recent hurricanes find employment and training opportunities. "Pathways to Employment" provides targeted assistance to people based on individual needs through the nationwide network of 3,500 One-Stop Career Centers located across the country.
  • U.S. Department of Labor Launches Pathways to Construction Employment Initiative in Louisiana and Mississippi - 05-2160-NAT - [11/30/2005]
  • Fact Sheet: Disability Program Navigator
  • Fact Sheet: Reintegration Counselor
  • Fact Sheet: Job Corps Expedited Enrollment

• Unemployment Insurance (UI)
  The Federal-State Unemployment Insurance Program provides unemployment benefits to eligible workers who are unemployed through no fault of their own. To find your state's unemployment insurance information, visit http://workforcesecurity.doleta.gov/map.asp.
  • Hurricane Wilma:
    • Florida, over the Internet at www.floridajobs.org/unemployment/uc_emp_claims.html, or 1-800-204-2418.
  • Hurricanes Katrina and Rita:
    • Texas, 1-800-939-6631. For job placement information, visit the Texas Workforce Commission's Web site or call 1-800-735-2988 or TDD at 1-800-735-2989.
    • Louisiana, over the Internet at www.laworks.net or at the nearest Louisiana Job Service Center. Claimants who were previously receiving benefits, have questions, or need to change their address should call 1-866-783-5567.
    • Mississippi, 1-888-844-3577 or by visiting any office of the Mississippi Department of Employment Security. A list of sites that are currently open is available at http://mdes.ms.gov/wps/portal/.
    • Alabama, 1-866-234-5382 or TTY at 1-800-449-2035.

• Hurricane Recovery Job Connection
  This service connects workers impacted by the devastation caused by the Gulf Coast hurricanes with employers who want to hire them. It will also support the hiring associated with critical clean-up efforts in impacted areas.
  Go to http://www.jobsearch.org/katrinajobs.

• National Emergency Grants (NEGs)
  Impacted states can apply for NEG funds that can be used to temporarily employ dislocated workers. These funds can be used to employ workers on projects that provide food, clothing, shelter and other humanitarian assistance for disaster victims.
  Learn how to apply for a National Emergency Grant.

• Employee Retirement, Health, and Other Benefits
  The Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) protects more than 6.7 million retirement, health, and other benefit programs sponsored by private sector employers nationwide. The agency is helping workers and employers by providing relief through the following actions:

  • Find Updated Contact Information for Your Retirement or Health Plan • Press Release •
    Due to the disaster, many employers and their employees have lost communication with each other. Sponsors of employer provided retirement and health benefit plans that were located in the disaster area are encouraged to provide us with their new contact information. We will post the updated information on this site enabling employees/plan participants who lived or worked in the disaster area to find updated contact information for their employer or plan administrator. If you are the sponsor of a plan and want to provide corrected contact information for this site, or if you are a participant who cannot reach your plan administrator and have questions about your benefits, contact one of our Benefits Advisors for assistance toll-free at 1-866-444-EBSA (3272).

  • Improved Access to 401(k) Loans and Withdrawals • Hardship 401(k) Loans and Withdrawals • Guidance
    Provides guidance for employers and plan officials to help victims of Hurricane Katrina obtain distributions and loans through 401(k) and similar employer-sponsored plans.

  • COBRA, HIPAA and Health Claim Extensions • Press Release • FR Notice
    Extends a number of deadlines related to health plan coverage, giving workers and employers affected by Hurricane Katrina additional time to make critical decisions regarding health coverage.

  • Disaster Relief/Form 5500 Filing Extension Information
    Grants additional time for filing Form 5500 and Form 5500-EZ annual return/reports for employee benefit plans affected by disaster.

• Occupational Safety and Health
  The Department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is making available technical assistance and resources to help protect those participating in cleanup and recovery efforts.
  Learn how to keep workers safe during clean up and recovery operations following hurricanes.

• Employment Standards
  The Department's Employment Standards Administration (ESA) has instructions for claimants under the Federal Employees' Compensation Act (FECA) and information for the longshore community.

Hazards from weakened and damaged trees, downed power lines, high water, and other dangers remain from Hurricanes Wilma, Katrina, and Rita. We urge citizens to be mindful of instructions from state and local officials. Individuals in declared counties can register online for disaster assistance at www.fema.gov or call FEMA’s toll free registration line at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362); for the hearing impaired TTY 800-462-7585.

Fact Sheets on Natural Disaster Recovery from OSHA

• Cleanup Hazard: [HTML] / [PDF] / [En Español]
• Flood Cleanup: [HTML] / [PDF] / [En Español]
• Downed Electrical Wires: [PDF]
• Fungi: [HTML] / [PDF] / [En Español]
• Falls: [PDF] / [En Español]
• Electrical: [PDF] / [En Español]
• Chainsaws: [PDF] / [En Español]
• Tree Trimming: [PDF] / [En Español]

News Releases

• U.S. Labor Department Gives Filers Affected By Hurricane Katrina Additional Extension of Deadline to File Annual Reports on Benefit Plans -06-1796-ATL [10/12/2006]
• U.S. Labor Department Gives Filers Affected By Hurricane Katrina Additional Extension of Deadline to File Annual Reports - 06-1536-ATL - [08/30/2006]
• U.S. Labor Department Recovers $181,689 in Back Pay for 164 Workers Involved in Hurricane Debris Clean-up - 06-1218-ATL [07/17/2006]
• Gulf Coast Employers Agree to Pay Over $362,000 in Back Wages for 680 Workers Engaged In Hurricane Clean-Up and Rebuilding - 06-999-ATL [06/12/2006]
• U.S. Department of Labor Announces $298,500 in Grants to Train Hurricane-Impacted Workers in Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi - 06-766-ATL - [05/18/2006]
• U.S. Department of Labor Extends Filing Deadline for Annual Report Filers in Gulf Coast Region - 06-351-NAT - [02/27/2006]
• U.S. Department of Labor Recovers Over $141,000 in Back Wages For 106 Workers Involved in Hurricane Clean-up Work - 06-0001-ATL - [11/25/2006]
• U.S. Department of Labor Awards $99,000 Grant to Help Veterans Affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita Find Jobs - 06-0072-NAT - [1/17/2005]
• U.S. Department of Labor Launches Pathways to Construction Employment Initiative in Louisiana and Mississippi - 05-2160-NAT - [11/30/2005]
• U.S. Department Of Labor Announces $1.3 Million Grant to Assist Hurricane Katrina Evacuees in Oklahoma - 05-2226-DAL - [11/23/2005]
• U.S. Department of Labor Announces $500,000 Grant to Assist Hurricane Katrina Evacuees in Tennessee - 05-2227-ATL - [11/22/2005]
• U.S. Department Of Labor Announces $1.1 Million Grant To Assist Hurricane Katrina Evacuees in Kentucky - 05-2225-ATL - [11/18/2005]
• U.S. Labor Department Announces $4.3 Million National Emergency Grant for Hurricane Wilma Recovery and Cleanup Efforts in Florida - 05-2126-ATL - [11/03/2005]
• U.S. Labor Department Extends Annual Reports Deadline After Hurricane Wilma Hits Florida - 05-2087-ATL - [10/31/2005]

View all news releases from this season's hurricanes.

U.S. Department of Labor Frances Perkins Building 200 Constitution Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20210 1-866-4-USA-DOL TTY: 1-877-889-5627 Contact Us