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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."
Archived News Release Caution: Information may be out of date.
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