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Temporary Extended Unemployment Benefits Available For Eligible Unemployed Airlines And Related Workers

May 5, 2003
No. 03-15

Juneau: Unemployed airline and related workers in Alaska may be eligible for Temporary Extended Unemployment Benefits (TEUC), Greg O'Claray, Commissioner of the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development (DLWD) announced today. Eligibility was recently extended to airline and related workers under the TEUC program, making numerous jobless Alaskans potentially eligible to collect additional unemployment insurance benefits.

Under the TEUC-A program, the new benefits are available to airline and related workers who are unemployed and believe they lost their job with a qualified employer at least partially as result of terrorist actions of September 11, 2001, or security responses to these attacks, or the closing of an airport, or as a result of the military conflict in Iraq.

"Since 9/11 our air transportation industry has suffered and people have lost jobs," said Commissioner O'Claray. "The benefits available for qualified unemployed airline and related workers under the TEUC-A program will provide much needed assistance to people who have been negatively impacted by terrorist actions."

The new benefits are available to airline and related workers who are unemployed and do not qualify for a new claim or regular Extended Benefits against Alaska or any other state, and who meet the program eligibility requirements.

Eligible industries include: air carriers, businesses operating at an airport, businesses that perform additional, value-added production processes for air carriers or businesses providing products, supplies and services are received or utilized by an airline.

The Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development is sending letters of instruction to people identified as potentially eligible to receive benefits under the TEUC-A program. Claims can be established until December 27, 2003, and benefits under this program are payable until eligible individuals exhaust their entitlement or January 1, 2005, whichever comes first.

For information about Alaska's Unemployment Insurance program and the Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation provision, contact Bill Kramer, Program Manager, Unemployment Insurance, at (907) 465-5927.

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