HELP FOR KATRINA VICTIMS

[ray of light]

Texas Workforce Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Larry Jones
DATE: September 2, 2005
PHONE: [phone]
TWC Assisting Louisiana Workers Displaced by Disaster

AUSTIN - The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) is assisting the Louisiana
Department of Labor in processing Louisiana Disaster Unemployment
Assistance (DUA) claims due to the devastation caused by Hurricane
Katrina.

TWC is partnering with Louisiana to expedite the claims filing process.
Louisiana workers who lost their jobs due to the disaster and have
relocated to Texas can go to the nearest Texas Workforce Center and file a
claim via the Internet at www.laworks.net http://www.laworks.net/
Texas is working with the state of Louisiana to provide claims services
for Louisiana residents who have remained in their home state. This will
be done through a 1 800 number using Texas claims takers to file claims on
behalf of Louisiana workers who lost their job as a result of the
disaster. Details of these procedures will be disseminated as soon as
they are available.

Evacuees who have relocated to Texas either temporarily or permanently,
may file a claim via the Internet at www.laworks.net
http://www.laworks.net/ or through the Texas Telecenter Network by
calling one of the following numbers:

Austin 512-340-4300
Dallas 214-252-1200
El Paso 915-832-6400
Fort Worth 817-420-1600
Houston 281-983-1100
McAllen 956-984-4700
San Antonio 210-258-6600
All other areas in Texas 800-939-6631

Call centers will be open for extended hours to handle the additional
claims.

In addition, Texas workforce development boards across the state with
large numbers of Louisiana evacuees are establishing on site workforce
centers at evacuation shelters including the Houston Astrodome. Other on
site workforce centers are being established in San Antonio, Dallas,
Beaumont, Port Arthur and other cities in Texas with displaced Louisiana
workers. Many of these boards will sponsor on site job fairs to match
workers with local employers. Several workforce boards are contributing
the use of their mobile workforce centers to further assist with evacuees'
needs.

Because of the catastrophic nature of Hurricane Katrina, Louisiana is
working around the clock to restructure the way Unemployment Insurance
(UI) and Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) claims are accepted and
how payments are delivered.


Louisiana residents who lost employment as a result of Hurricane Katrina
may qualify for DUA benefits. In order to be eligible, a claimant must:

* Have worked or been scheduled to work in the disaster area, but
because of the disaster no longer have a job, a place to work in the area,
or you could not get to your place of work because of disaster damage;
* Have been prevented from working by an injury or illness as a direct
result of the disaster; or
* Have become the head of the household and need employment because
the head of the household died as a result of the disaster. Or,
Have been self-employed, but lost all or part of your livelihood as
a result of this disaster (you will need to provide proof of your
selfemployment).

Existing TWC staff is working overtime and TWC will be hiring a
combination of temporary workers and retired TWC employees to handle the
additional volume of UI claims. Services associated with assisting
Louisiana residents will be paid for through federal funds.

TWC is working in concert with Governor Rick Perry, Texas state and local
agencies, and other states to provide aid and support to the victims of
Hurricane Katrina.

The U.S. Department of Labor is supporting efforts in impacted areas in
Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida, and Alabama in coordination with the U.S.
Department of Homeland Security, the agency that is actively managing
federal assistance to these affected communities in an effort to expedite
response efforts and save lives.

The Texas Workforce Commission is a state agency dedicated to helping
Texas employers, workers and communities prosper economically. For details
on TWC and the programs it offers in unison with its network of local
workforce development boards, call [phone] or visit
www.texasworkforce.org.