Unemployment Insurance

Unemployment Insurance is a program designed to provide temporary financial assistance to workers who are unemployed through no fault of their own and who meet the requirements of the individual state’s employment laws. Unemployment insurance benefits are paid on the basis of past employment and legal entitlement, and not on the basis of need. To receive information on how to apply, contact your state by phone or online.

Louisiana
Register online with the Louisiana Department of Labor or call, outside of Louisiana, 1-866-783-5567 (from within Louisiana call 1-800-818-7811.)

Alabama
Call 1-866- 234-5382

Mississippi
Call 1-888-844-3577

Also, the NJ State Department of Labor has three call centers for Katrina evacuees who plan to stay in NJ and want to apply for Unemployment Insurance benefits or Disaster Unemployment Insurance.

• Hudson (northeast NJ): 201-601-4100
  
• Freehold (northwest NJ and central NJ): 732-761-2020
  
• Cumberland (southern NJ): 856-507-2340.

Job search assistance services are offered by New Jersey's One-Stop Career Center.

For the location of the nearest One-Stop Career Center, call 2-1-1 or search online.