Guam DOL Seeks Federal Support for Unemployment Benefits

The Guam Department of Labor (DOL) is working to submit an application for the Disaster Dislocated Worker grant in an effort to maximize Guam’s eligibility for federal assistance to receive COVID-19 related unemployment benefits. The federally funded grant, if awarded, could potentially provide eligible participants with both disaster-relief employment and employment and training activities. These participants can include dislocated workers, workers who were laid-off as a result of the COVID-19 disaster, self-employed individuals who are unemployed or underemployed as a result of the disaster, and long-term unemployed individuals. 

The DOL is asking the community to provide any information about individuals and business owners in the community that have been impacted, by emailing rapidresponse@dol.guam.gov. 

For individual employees:

1. Name of employer that issued the furlough or layoff

For business owners or managers:

1. Employer name and location

2. Number of employees laid off or are anticipated to be laid off

3. Anticipated date and length of layoffs (e.g. 1 to 2 weeks, 3 to 4 weeks, or unknown at this time)

4. Number of employees with reduced work hours or anticipated number of employees with reduced work hours

5. When hours were reduced or anticipated date to implement reduced hours

6. Specifics on reduced work week imposed (e.g. reduce to 32 hours per week, 20 hours per week, 10 hours per week, or unknown at this time)

7. Duration of reduced hours (e.g. 1 to 2 weeks, 3 to 4 weeks, or unknown at this time)

It is important to note that the situation can change quickly. Calvo Fisher & Jacob’s experienced lawyers are closely monitoring the global threat of COVID-19 in order to provide up-to-date information on this rapidly developing topic.