The agency is offering counseling, unemployment benefits and job placement to affected workers while it contacts the employer to coordinate assistance
The Puerto Rico Department of Labor and Human Resources (DTRH) is offering counseling and assistance to workers laid off after the announced closure of KFC and Taco Bell restaurants in Puerto Rico, to help them return to the job market.
Labor Secretary María del Pilar Vélez Casanova said the agency has the resources and programs needed to support workers in their transition to new jobs while they access unemployment insurance benefits.
As part of those efforts, the Assistant Secretariat for Worker Benefits has begun contacting the employer to coordinate counseling and assistance for employees affected by the closure.
“For Gov. Jenniffer González Colón, the working class holds a priority place in her administration’s agenda. That is why, when situations affect the job stability of our workers, it is important for them to know they have a government available to guide them and help them identify alternatives. The Labor Department is prepared to help them apply for unemployment benefits, connect them with job opportunities and give them access to programs that allow them to keep developing professionally. We know a job transition can create uncertainty, and we want each of these workers to know the resources available to them,” Vélez Casanova said.
Benefits and job services
Workers who have been laid off can apply for unemployment insurance benefits through the Digital Unemployment platform, following these steps:
• Visit desempleo.trabajo.pr.gov.
• Create an account or sign in to an existing account.
• Complete and submit an initial unemployment benefits claim.
• Have personal and employment information on hand, including work dates and separation dates.
• Check the account regularly for the status of the claim and respond to any additional requests.
For questions or assistance, workers can call the unemployment insurance call center at 787-754-7300.
In addition to applying for unemployment benefits, workers must register as job seekers to access support services. They can visit any Employment Service office at the Labor Connection (Conexión Laboral) offices in Arecibo, Barceloneta, Bayamón, Carolina, Coamo, Fajardo, Guaynabo, Humacao, Isabela, Mayagüez, Ponce, San Germán and San Juan. They can also visit the Integrated Municipal Services Alliance (AMSI) centers in Caguas and Guayama.
Through these centers, workers can receive help with job searches, occupational counseling, job referrals and information about training and education programs. They will also have access to other support services under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), subject to the corresponding eligibility requirements.
