BATON ROUGE – The Louisiana Workforce Commission recognizes the challenges faced by workers furloughed by the partial government shutdown. Furloughed Federal employees who are impacted by the shutdown are subject to specific documentation requirements:
- Furlough Notice or documentation if available
- A copy of the SF8 or SF50
- Proof of wages (W-2 or check stubs)
To file a claim go to HiRE at www.laworks.net. LWC Secretary Ava Dejoie said, “I’ve worked throughout my career with workers faced with the loss of a pay check, it is never easy. As with all Unemployment Insurance Claims, wages offset benefits. Claims filing and required documentation are different for furloughed workers.
Another extremely important peculiarity exists: If Congress approves retroactive pay, which has been the norm after prior federal shutdowns, all workers who receive unemployment insurance benefits must repay all benefits received.
Important tips and information:
- Federal employers are contacted and have 12 days to provide wage and separation information.
- Furloughed workers should continue to file benefits weekly as long as on furlough. Claims processing may take up to three weeks. Continue to file every week.
- Unemployment Insurance claims based on furloughs may be approved for payment unless there is another disqualifying eligibility issue. In these cases, the claimant will be contacted for additional information.
All required information can be provided to the LWC by either of these methods:
- Electronically (best option): The furloughed employee can file their unemployment claim through HIRE (www.louisianaworks.net/hire.) Once logged in, go to Unemployment Services > Provide Specific Documents to upload the requested documentation.
- Fax: (225) 342-2856 (Attn: Special Claims Unit)
More information and Frequently Asked Questions can be found at http://www.laworks.net/UnemploymentInsurance/UI_MainMenu.asp.
