Out of work in Quad Cities due to COVID-19?
Unemployment insurance help is a click or a phone call away

If you’re out of work and need to find a new job in the Quad Cities because of circumstances tied to the COVID-19 pandemic, leaders from the Yavapai College Regional Economic Development Center (REDC), the Northern Arizona Council of Governments (NACOG) and Arizona@Work say that they are here to help.

During an hour-long webinar sponsored by REDC on April 14, REDC’s Karen Jones moderated a discussion regarding, among other topics, guidance for quad-city area residents seeking unemployment insurance.

Arizona’s Department of Economic Security (DES) operates a website, des.az.gov/services/employment/unemployment-individual, which guides you step-by-step on how to apply for unemployment insurance benefits. You may also visit azui.com for additional information.

NACOG’s Leah Cickavage also spoke about the basic career services offered online for “dislocated workers.”

For example, Arizona@Work’s azjobconnection.gov website allows you to register for a personal job seeker account. The free account offers you advanced job searches, as well as a way to post a digital résumé matched with employers; save individual job searches; and receive job alerts via email or text message.

You may also notate whether you are seeking temporary or permanent employment.

At azjobconnection.gov, there are links for employers, training and education, as well as resources and programs. Nacog.org, yavapaiatwork.com and Yavapai at Work’s Facebook page provide updated information about business services, job subsidies, work experiences and on-the-job training.

For more information about NACOG’s services, call 928-778-1422 or send an email to prescott@nacog.org.

Yavapai College programs specialist Katherine Anderson stated during her presentation on behalf of Arizona@Work that those calling about eligibility for unemployment insurance should dial DES at 877-600-2722. The call center is open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Another helpful tool is available online at des.az.gov/services/coronavirus.

If you are seeking unemployment insurance, it may take as many as 21 days to receive it because of a backlog in the system, Anderson added, so it is imperative to fill out the form correctly. One week after you file your paperwork, you should receive a certificate of understanding in the mail, which you would sign.

Although you are not required to look for work while collecting unemployment, experts say that you should.

Arizonaatwork.com has incorporated a Find Jobs tab along the top left-hand side of its homepage, one that is similar to azjobconnection.gov.

Anderson said online job fairs are available during the pandemic and that Arizona@Work and Yavapai College share job openings on each other’s websites, which are updated at least once a week. For a complete list of hiring events, visit yc.edu/v6/employment-services/hiring-events.html.

COVID-19 Yavapai County Business & Employee Assistance, visit: ycazbusinesses.org.

Helpful Resources:

• Katherine Anderson, Yavapai College Regional Economic Development Center (REDC)

Programs Specialist

Phone: 928-776-2008

Email: katherine.anderson@yc.edu

Web: yc.edu/redc

• Arizona Small Business Development Center (SBDC), Yavapai College Prescott Valley and Verde Valley.

Director:

Jeri Denniston

928-771-4801

Small Business Advisors:

Karen Eads

928-771-4580

Ruth Ellen Elinski

928-649-4580

Programs Specialist:

Katherine Anderson

928-776-2008

• Yavapai College Job Fair Website:

yc.edu/v6/regional-economic-development-center/fair.html

• Yavapai College REDC Facebook Page:

facebook.com/YCREDC/

Follow Doug Cook on Twitter at @dougout_dc. Email him at dcook@prescottaz.com or call 928-445-3333, ext. 2039.


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