IDL helping furloughed federal workers |
| October 16, 2013 |
|
The Idaho Department of Labor is prepared to
help all federal workers in Idaho furloughed as
a result of the government shutdown. Federal and contract employees laid off due to the government shutdown are eligible to file for unemployment benefits under the same conditions as all other workers. But should Congress approve back pay for federal employees, those receiving back pay will need to repay any benefits they received. Furloughed workers must file their benefit claims online at http://labor.idaho.gov/iw. After an initial waiting week, furloughed employees should begin receiving benefits in the second week following the week they filed their initial claim. All benefit claimants must look for work, contact two employers each week and report those job contacts at the end of the week to be eligible for benefits. A link to frequently asked questions about federal employment and unemployment insurance can be found at the top of the department’s website at labor.idaho.gov. Over 13,000 federal workers are employed in Idaho with the majority concentrated in the Boise and Idaho Falls areas. All of the department’s 25 local Labor offices are operating, and unemployment benefits are being issued during the federal government shutdown. All but two local offices are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 9 a.m. to noon on Friday. The Wood River office in Bellevue is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Wednesday and closed Thursday and Friday. The Soda Springs office is open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday and closed Friday. The location and telephone numbers of the local offices are online at http://labor.idaho.gov/directory. In addition to Department of Labor offices, local libraries provide access to computers and Internet. |