ROCUNITED
Restaurant Opportunities Centers United
We know many restaurant workers have been impacted by Hurricane Sandy – you might have lost your job, perhaps are not getting paid, cannot get to work due to transportation issues, or are unable to leave friends/family members and get to work due to child care or health issues.
Below is a LIST OF SUPPORT/RESOURCES for restaurant workers impacted by Hurricane Sandy.
Also, please take a few minutes & SHARE YOUR STORY of how you were impacted by Hurricane Sandy - these stories are important to collect to enable us to understand how low wage workers are being economically & personally affected by the storm and to determine the types of support low wage workers need to get back on their feet!
1. WE ARE PROVIDING CASH ASSISTANCE TO RESTAURANT WORKERS INELIGIBLE FOR DISASTER UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS: Beginning on November 8, 2012 and ending on December 21, 2012, the Restaurant Opportunities Center of New York (ROC-NY) will be providing cash assistance to restaurant workers who lost wages as a result of Hurricane Sandy. We are also offering other types of aid to restaurant workers during this time, which include but are not limited to direct food assistance, assistance navigating certain government benefits, and referrals for legal services. For more information on the emergency cash assistance fund and/or other types of aid available, please contact ROC-NY at 212-343-1771 or stop by our office located at 275 Seventh Avenue, Suite 1703, New York, NY 10001.
2. CONTACT OUR ROC OFFICES: We have ROC offices in NYC, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. – feel free to come by our office or give us ring if you have any questions & need support:
ROC-NY – PHONE: 212-343-1771; ADDRESS: 275 Seventh Avenue, Suite 1703, NY, NY 10003; www.rocny.org
ROC-Philly – PHONE: (215) 867-9747; ADDRESS: 1329 Buttonwood St. 3rd Fl. Philadelphia, PA 19123; http://rocunited.org/philly/
ROC-DC - PHONE: 202-559-7496; ADDRESS: 1326 9th St NW Washington, DC 20001; http://rocunited.org/dc
2. APPLY FOR FEDERAL DISASTER UNEMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE: Anyone unemployed due to Hurricane Sandy is immediately eligible and can submit a claim to the Department of Labor. The criterion for collecting disaster assistance is broader than for collecting regular unemployment benefits. Specifically, an individual can collect disaster assistance in any of the following cases:
- - Injured in the disaster and unable to work, whether the person is an employee or self-employed.
- - Workplace is damaged, or destroyed, or the person cannot work because of the disaster.
- - Transportation to work is not available because of the disaster.
- - Cannot get to work because must travel through the affected area, which is impossible due to disaster.
- - Planned to begin working, but cannot because of the disaster.
- - Derived most of income from areas affected by the disaster, and business is closed or inoperable because of the disaster.
To apply for unemployment benefits or disaster unemployment assistance, those affected by the storm and have lost their job or income should call the Telephone Claims Center (TCC) at 1-888-209-8124, or 1-877-358-5306 if they live out of state. Applicants should answer the questions to indicate they lost their job due to Hurricane Sandy. In order to receive benefits you must apply by December 3, 2012.
3. SHARE YOUR STORY of how you have been impacted by Hurricane Sandy as a restaurant worker – these stories are important to gather to learn how low wage workers are being economically & personally affected by the storm & the types of support low wage workers need to get back on their feet!