Rapid Response Program: Apply for Unemployment Insurance Re: COVID-19

Rapid Response is a pre-layoff program designed to help companies and their employees experiencing a layoff or closing.  The Louisiana Workforce Commission Rapid Response Unit is available for assistance concerning temporary or permanent layoffs due to COVID-19. Workers who are impacted by closures or reduced hours may be eligible for Unemployment Insurance benefits. 

Information for Workers in Louisiana
If your employment has been impacted for reasons related to COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease), please review the following information about assistance available. The Louisiana Workforce Commission (LWC) will do all that we can to ensure impacted workers receive the benefits for which they are eligible.
Do any of these situations apply to you?

1. Your work hours have been reduced because of lack of work due to Coronavirus.
2. Your workplace closes temporarily, and you are not being compensated.
3. You have been instructed not to go to work, and you are not being paid while at home.
   
   

• You MAY be eligible for unemployment insurance. You can file a claim at www.louisianaworks.net/hire or by calling our Claim Center at 866-783-5567.
• Be sure to answer “yes” to the question, “Are you filing for Unemployment Insurance benefits for reasons related to COVID-19 (Coronavirus)?” This will provide needed information to the LWC to help process your claim.
• If your work hours have been reduced, partial benefits could be available to you up to a maximum of $247 a week. You must report any earnings for the week that you work, even if you’ve not yet been paid. Include all income, commissions, tips and gratuities. Report the gross amount before deductions. These earnings would be factored into the amount of unemployment benefits paid to you for that week.
• A number of factors determine eligibility for benefits. The LWC reviews each case separately.
• At the present time, all normal processes used to determine unemployment eligibility are in place. It normally takes up to 21 days to receive needed documentation from both the claimant and employer and to make a determination of eligibility.
• The maximum number of weeks that unemployment benefits can be paid per claim is 26 weeks in a 12-month period.
  
  

IMPORTANT NOTE: You may have sick leave and/or annual leave available to you through your employer.  You should check with your employer and exhaust any paid leave options first before filing for unemployment benefits.

Information for Employers in Louisiana
If you are temporarily closing or reducing your hours of operations due to COVID-19, please contact the LWC to discuss how we can provide assistance and answer your questions about unemployment insurance and other programs and resources available.

• Contact us at EmployerServices@lwc.la.gov with your unemployment insurance questions. Be sure to provide your company’s name, a point of contact, telephone number and email address, as well as specifics on the assistance you are requesting. The Employer Call Center, 225-326-6999, is also available.
• For other programs and assistance, contact the Business Services unit at the American Job Center in your area. To find the closest American Job Center, go to http://www.laworks.net/Downloads/WFD/AJC_Contacts.pdf