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ETA News Release: [09/09/2005]
Contact Name: David James or Stephanie Cathcart
Phone Number: 202-693-4676 or x3984
Release Number: 05-1700-NAT

U.S. Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao Visits Hurricane-Ravaged Gulf Coast Region With President’s Economic Team

Chao Encourages All Displaced Workers to Call 1-866-4-USA-DOL

WASHINGTON — U.S. Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao, U.S. Treasury Secretary John W. Snow, U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez, and Social Security Commissioner Jo Anne B. Barnhart today joined together on a three-stop tour of the Gulf Coast region devastated by Hurricane Katrina. President Bush's economic team assessed near- and long-term regional economic needs and discussed assistance available to individuals and small businesses in the region.

“We are focused on getting income assistance to displaced workers as quickly as possible and the urgency of that is reflected in every devastated community we are visiting today,” said Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao. “To help workers get back on their feet and aid their communities in the process, I have already issued more than $191 million in National Emergency Grants to fund temporary jobs doing humanitarian assistance, cleanup and rebuilding.”

The Labor 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 help evacuees file unemployment insurance claims and access temporary and permanent job information. “We are also reaching out to displaced workers to help them apply for Unemployment Insurance or Disaster Unemployment Assistance. They need to know that they do not have to return home to file a claim. Calling our toll-free number will direct them to a nearby location where they can sign up for unemployment and look for job opportunities,” Chao stated.

The Labor Department's National Emergency Grants also will be used to create temporary jobs for demolition, renovation and reconstruction of destroyed public structures, facilities and lands in coordination with other agencies providing services to affected communities. Funding will support jobs that provide food, clothing, shelter and other humanitarian assistance for individuals struck by the disaster. These temporary workers will also perform work on the homes of economically disadvantaged individuals who are eligible for the federally-funded weatherization program, with priority given to services for the elderly and individuals with disabilities.

National Emergency Grants are part of the Secretary's discretionary fund and are awarded based on a state's ability to meet specific guidelines. For more information on the Department of Labor's disaster relief efforts please visit www.dol.gov. Dislocated workers from the affected areas seeking assistance with Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) or Unemployment Insurance (UI) can contact 1-866-4-USA-DOL to speak with U.S. Department of Labor personnel.