|
|
Texas RioGrande Legal Aid
The severe flooding that swept through El Paso recently has left many local
residents in dire need of the basic necessities. Initial recovery efforts focused
on safe and adequate housing, food, furniture and clothing. Survivors of natural
disasters often encounter difficulty with securing their FEMA benefits, resolving
issues with landlords, or shabby repairs made to their homes by providers eager
to take advantage of desperate times. Texas RioGrande Legal Aid is prepared
to help eligible flood survivors with these and other disaster related legal
problems.
Legal Aid is providing free legal services for eligible low-income victims
of the recent floods. A hotline has been created for disaster victims, 1-866-757-1570
(toll-free), to call to apply for legal assistance.
State Bar of Texas Activates Free Legal Hotline to Assist El Paso Flooding Victims
The State Bar of Texas has established a Disaster Hotline – 800.504.7030 – to assist people with basic legal questions as they begin to rebuild their lives following recent devastating flooding. As basic needs are met and clean-up efforts continue, attention is likely to shift to issues such as replacing lost documents, housing, landlord-tenant disputes, consumer rights and insurance questions. Lawyers from Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, a non-profit provider of free civil legal services to indigent people, are available to answer the hotline and help with basic legal questions – in
English and Spanish.
Additional disaster relief resources are available at:
www.texasbar.com/elpaso
www.texaslawhelp.org
To apply for assistance with housing, home repairs and uninsured property losses, residents should contact the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) at www.fema.gov or the FEMA Disaster Aid Hotline: 800.621.3362.
The State Bar also reminds the public that it is unlawful for lawyers or anyone acting on their behalf to solicit clients within 30 days of a disaster. The Texas Penal Code makes it a third-degree felony to contact, in person or by phone, a victim for purposes of legal representation if the victim has not first requested the contact. People believing they have been inappropriately contacted about solicitation of a case should contact the State Bar Grievance Hotline at 800.932.1900. Those who may be considering retaining a lawyer are advised to request referrals from people they know, or call a certified lawyer referral service. Contact the State Bar of Texas Lawyer Referral and Information Service (LRIS) at 877-9TEXBAR (877.983.9227) or the El Paso Bar Association LRIS at 915.532.7052.
The State Bar of Texas is an administrative agency of the Supreme Court of Texas. The Bar provides educational programs for the legal profession and the public, administers the minimum continuing legal education program for attorneys, and manages the attorney discipline system.
IRS Information: El Paso Flooding-Presidential Declared Disaster Area
Residents that have received damage due to the recent floods may receieve assistance from the Internal Revenue Service in the form of possible deductions on their federal income tax return. Please click on the link below to view this information in its entirety.
 IRS Disaster Flyer - El Paso
Texas Department of Insurance
The Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) has dispatched staff members to work at the local FEMA Disaster Recovery Center to assist the relief operation. The TDI has also established an El Paso Flood Resource page on their Texas Department of Insurance website.
You may view the website at www.tdi.state.tx.us/consumer/elpasodisaster.html
El Paso Association of REALTORS® Fund
The El Paso Association of REALTORS® put together a Disaster Relief Task force, which has worked to raise money for the community affected by the recent weather disaster.
Of the money raised, every single dollar will be given back to the city, with no fees of any type taken out. People in need of financial aid will be asked to fill out a short application. Once applicants have the recommendation from a REALTOR®, they can receive up to $2500 depending on the destruction. Applicants may be asked to submit photos and details of damages as well. This is available for any member of the public who may be victims of the devastation.
To download an application, click here.
Disaster Aid Available to Workers In El Paso County
Self-employed workers also may qualify for Disaster Unemployment Assistance
According to the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC), workers in El Paso County who were affected by flooding have until September 15, 2006, to apply for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) under Presidential Disaster Declaration FEMA-1658-DR. To be eligible for help under Presidential Disaster Declaration FEMA-1658-DR, you must:
- Have worked or been scheduled to work in the disaster area, but because of the disaster no longer have a job, a place to work in the area, or you could not get to your place of work because of disaster
- Have been prevented from working by an injury or illness as a direct result of the disaster; or
- Have become the head of the household and need employment because the head of the household died as a result of the disaster.
Often, business owners who are self-employed are not aware of potential benefits to which they may be entitled. If you are self-employed, but have lost all or part of your livelihood as a result of this disaster, you may be eligible for benefits. You must provide federal income tax forms (Schedules SE and Schedule C or Schedule F) to receive disaster unemployment benefits. If in doubt, please call one of the toll-free numbers listed below.
To receive DUA benefits, workers must provide documentation indicating an employment record at the time of the disaster or verification of the weeks the applicant was scheduled to work. TWC officials understand that because of property losses, some individuals may not have necessary information readily available. However, that information must be provided within 21 days of filing a DUA claim. Each claim is considered individually, therefore if you believe you may be eligible for assistance, please call the TWC Tele-Center network at one of the numbers listed below Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mountain Standard Time, to talk with a representative or file a claim.
El Paso local: (915) 832-6400
Others call toll free: (800) 939-6631
When calling to apply for benefits you should have available, when possible, your:
- Social Security number and
- Name and address of your last employer or prospective employer.
The first possible week of compensation for DUA purposes is the week ending August 12, 2006, and the last possible week of compensation is the week ending February 3, 2007. For local workforce services, job seekers and employers should contact their local workforce centers in affected areas for revised office hours, temporary closures, or alternate service locations serving local or evacuated individuals. To locate the nearest Upper Rio Grande @ Work Texas Workforce Center, call:
- Lomaland: 1359 Lomaland Drive, El Paso; (915) 887-2500
- Dyer: 9740 Dyer St., El Paso; (915) 887-2800
- Brook Hollow: 5919 Brook Hollow, El Paso; (915) 887-2000
- Project Endeavor, Army Community Center: 2494 Ricker Road, Fort Bliss; (915) 566-8649
- Doniphan: 5500 Doniphan Drive, Suite H, El Paso; (915) 887-2730
Job seekers may visit Texas Workforce centers for access to job-search resources, job postings and training programs, as well as assistance with exploring career options, résumé and application preparation, career development and more. Customers also may connect with potential employers through TWC's online job-search engine, www.WorkInTexas.com. Workforce center services for employers include job posting and placement services, up-to-date information on the labor market and emerging occupations, and assistance with recruiting, retention, training, tax and hiring incentives. Employers can recruit new staff through www.WorkInTexas.com. Workforce centers also can offer employers the use of center office equipment and space when they are opening a new building in their respective areas. The Texas Workforce Commission is a state agency dedicated to helping Texas employers, workers and communities prosper economically. For details on TWC and the programs it offers in unison with its network of local workforce development boards, call (512) 463-8556 or visit www.texasworkforce.org.
|
|
print-version