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The information provided on this post does not, and is not intended to, represent legal advice. All information available on this site is for general informational purposes only. If you need legal help, you should contact a lawyer. You may be eligible for our free legal services and can apply by calling our Covid Legal Hotline at 1-844-244-7871 or applying online here.

Updated September 18, 2020

The Louisiana Workforce Commission (LWC) has made some old requirements enforceable again. One of these requirements includes the work search requirement which began on August 9, 2020.

What is a work search?

A work search is when you contact an employer about a job.

How can I contact an employer about a job for my work search requirement?

Different places of employment use different ways for people to apply for a job. You may contact an employer by;

• Emailing an employer or place of employment;
• By faxing an employer or place of employment;
• By using a place of employment’s online website or form;
• By calling an employer or place of employment, and/or
• By attending a job fair in person or virtually.

How many work searches must I do in order to continue receiving my unemployment benefits/ pandemic unemployment assistance?

Each week you are required to complete three work searches. This means you will have to contact 3 different employers or apply for 3 different jobs each week.

How do I tell the Louisiana Workforce Commission (LWC) about my work searches?

You will need to report your work searches when you are filing your weekly claim certification. When you are done answering questions for your weekly claim certification, it will direct you to different new pages.

The first page will be titled, “Employer Information.” It is important that you give as much information about the job you applied to as best as you can. The information you will need to provide is the following:

• The employer’s name or name of the job you applied for;
• The trade name (which means type of job/occupation); AND
• The address of the place you applied to. This will include the zip code, city, and state of the employer you contacted.

Other information you can give to complete your work search if you have it:

• The way you contacted an employer or how you applied for the job;
• The first and last name of the person you contacted about the job;
• The phone number you may have used to contact the employer;
• The email address you emailed to contact the employer (if you emailed the employer);
• The website you used to contact the employer (if you used a website to apply for a job); and/or
• The fax number you used to reach an employer, (if you faxed a job application).

The next page will be titled, “Job Title.” You will need to provide the following:

• The name of the job title you applied for. Example: Cashier, Secretary, Nurse, etc.
• The kind of job occupation you applied. Example: Healthcare, Hospitality, Transportation, etc.

The next page will be titled, “Application Information.” You will need to provide the following:

• The date you contacted the employer or place of employment.
• The status of your application for the job.
• The day of your first interview (if a date for an interview was set).
• The day you went to your first interview (if you attended an interview).
• The day you were told you did not get hired or refused the job (if this applies to you).
• The last day that you worked at the new place of employment (if this applies to you).

Providing this information is important and it is important that you answer as accurate as you can to prevent any future problems. The Louisiana Workforce commission will keep a record of your weekly required 3 job searches, but it is important that you keep a personal record of these searches for your protection against any future problems with the agency. Keeping a personal record of these searches is even more important if you are filing your weekly claim certifications through the phone.

You can go to www.louisianaworks.net. There your will find different job openings available for your apply and complete your work search requirement.

Other information:

• If you answered “No” to the weekly claim certification question, “Were you able and available to work?” and it is due to any of the following COVID-19 related issues:
  • You have been diagnosed with COVID-19 or are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 and are seeking medical diagnosis;
  • A member of your household has been diagnosed with COVID-19;
  • You are providing care for a family member or a member of your household who has COVID-19;
  • A child or other person in the household for which you are responsible for is unable to attend school or another facility that is closed as a direct result of the COVID-19 public health emergency and such school or facility care is required for the individual to work;
  • You are unable to reach your job because of a quarantine imposed as a direct result of COVID-19;
  • You cannot reach your job because you have been advised by a health care provider to self-quarantine due to COVID-19;
  • You were scheduled to commence employment and do not have a job or are unable to reach the job as a direct result of the COVID-19;
  • You have become the breadwinner or major support for a household because the head of the household has died as a direct result of COVID-19, and/or
  • Your place of employment is closed as a direct result of the COVID-19 public health emergency.

Then you may enter in each work search, “COVID-1, COVID-2, and COVID-3” as your three employer contacts. The rest of the spaces asking for additional information can be left blank.

Some claimants are exempt from the Work Search requirement. The agency will not ask them to complete the Work Search requirement. The Louisiana Workforce Commission has stated that there is no need to contact the agency if you are not asked to complete a work search.

If you have any concerns or are having problems with your unemployment benefits you can apply for our services at our webpage or click here for more information.