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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.
- 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:
- 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.
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 FEMAs toll free registration line at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362); for
the hearing impaired TTY 800-462-7585.
View all news releases
from this season's hurricanes.
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