labor lawAdivision of labor law center

The US Department of Labor recently announced a one-stop internet tool for employers and employees affected by the Midwest Floods of 2008.

 

“We want to make information easily accessible and help quickly available to Americans affected by the devastating flooding in the Midwest,” said Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao. “In addition to our toll-free telephone number, we’ve set up a Midwest Flood Recovery Assistance Web page to guide affected residents on unemployment insurance, personal safety during cleanup operations and many other helpful resources for workers and employers.”

 

Some in the Midwest are calling the 2008 floods the “Hundred Year Floods.” In Lake Delton, the overflow nearly drained a lake, destroying the area’s popular Wisconsin Dells resort industry. Further downstream, many towns have virtually been wiped out by flooding – even those FEMA claimed were in no danger.

 

As reported earlier, the Department of Labor has released a number of grants to assist the victims of the recent floods. These include $17 million in assistance to flood victims in Iowa and, $2.9 in Indiana and $1.4 in Arkansas.

 

Displaced, evacuated and otherwise affected workers are encouraged to visit the department’s Midwest Flood Recovery Assistance Web page, at www.dol.gov/opa/flood-recovery.htm. Useful information and links assist victims with answers to questions about benefits, eligibility, and the latest information on locations of an operating One Stop Career Center or career service center. Links also connect employees to FEMA for updates on federally declared disaster counties by state, links to unemployment insurance information by state, paycheck and wage-related questions, technical assistance information from OSHA on personal safety issues involved in cleanup and recovery efforts, and helpful toll-free numbers.

 

Workers can call the department’s toll-free number at 866-4-USA-DOL (866- 487-2365) to get the latest information on where to file a claim and access temporary job information. Impacted workers can place their calls from anywhere and will be directed to sites near them that can take their claims. The Midwest Flood Recovery Assistance Web page will also post the latest Department of Labor news releases, compliance information for contractors and subcontractors working on federally funded clean up activities, along with valuable information for businesses and employers including important federal filing extensions for business in affected states.

 

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