News Release

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ETA News Release: [09/06/2005]
Contact Name: Stephanie Cathcart or David James
Phone Number: 202-693-4676
Release Number: 05-1680-NAT

Statement of U.S. Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao On Jobs and Income Support for Hurricane Katrina Evacuees

WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao issued the following statement on the Department of Labor's efforts to assist the victims of Hurricane Katrina after briefing members of Congress today:

"Our hearts go out to the survivors of Hurricane Katrina. The Department of Labor has, and will continue, to reach out to workers dislocated by Hurricane Katrina with immediate income support through temporary jobs, unemployment insurance, and disaster unemployment assistance.

"Since last Wednesday, I have authorized more than $191 million in National Emergency Grants to Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, and Texas to help dislocated workers. These grants will help create more than 40,000 temporary jobs for dislocated workers so they can help with the clean-up and recovery efforts in their communities.

"Many evacuees are eligible for unemployment benefits and disaster unemployment assistance. The Department is cutting through red tape and working with the states to reach out to evacuees to help replace lost income as quickly as possible. Self-employed workers and others not ordinarily eligible for regular unemployment can apply for Disaster Unemployment Insurance. Both of these programs provide up to 26 weeks of benefits.

"The Department has a toll-free number (1-866-4-USA-DOL) and a Web site, www.dol.gov (click on Department of Labor's Hurricane Recovery Assistance Page), to direct evacuees to where to file a claim and access temporary job information. Workers do not have to return home to make a claim-they can call the toll free number and be directed to a site near them, which will take their claim.

"For those without access to a telephone or the Internet, teams are going neighborhood-by-neighborhood, canvassing parishes, churches, hospitals and shelters and other sites where evacuees are gathered to take claims. The Department of Labor is doing everything we can to address the practicalities of accessing these programs."