Narrative: a. 2. C.

Natural disasters are covered under the Governor’s Executive Order which assigns emergency responsibilities to State agencies. Each agency has an Emergency Operations Plan that details their responsibilities and roles in coordinating with other state and federal agencies, as deemed necessary by the disaster event and declaration by the President to engage FEMA. The following is a high level description of the role DEED plays in a disaster response: a. Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) DUA helps unemployed workers and self-employed individuals who are unable to work as a direct result of a major disaster, and if the individual is not eligible for other unemployment insurance benefits. DUA is administered by the Unemployment Insurance Division. For DEED to initiate DUA, the President must issue a disaster declaration providing for individual assistance. Individuals can apply for unemployment insurance benefits at www.uimn.org or 1-877-898-9090.

b. National Emergency Grant (NEG) A NEG creates temporary employment to assist with clean-up on public land and infrastructure resulting from a natural disaster. Work under the NEG program is administered by the Workforce Development Division’s Dislocated Worker Unit. For DEED to initiate a NEG application, the President must declare a major disaster for public assistance. A NEG is issued by the U.S. Department of Labor, lasts six months, and can provide up to $12,000 to each eligible individual in wages. After a NEG is awarded to DEED, Job Seeker Services sub-grants the funding to a local level project operator to implement activity within counties that had been designated by FEMA for public assistance. Individuals interested in employment through the NEG would obtain information through their local Workforce Center.

c. Temporary Workforce Center (One If a disaster strikes a community and a DEED Workforce Center is not available within close proximity, a temporary center may be opened. Services provided at the location would be for answering questions related to Disaster Unemployment Insurance, Dislocated Worker Services and the National Emergency Grant temporary employment. The logistics of a temporary center being opened would be handled in conjunction with Administrative and Financial Services’ Facilities Coordinator. 2. Provide materials or representation at Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) and public meetings, as requested by the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, to furnish information relative to disaster unemployment, dislocated worker, job training and applicable programs.

To fulfill the tasks outlined in provision above, DEED units provide the following programs.

a. Program Awareness & Materials Preparation DEED’s Communications Analysis and Research Division (CARD) will assist in the development of materials and representing the department. The public information officer is the director of CARD who will work with graphic design and writing staff to develop materials and represent DEED. These individuals would work with personnel from DEED, including the Rapid Response Team to assist dislocated workers and other state/local agencies to collaboratively create and provide the necessary information. An additional responsibility of CARD is coordinating DEED information through the Minnesota Recovers Web site, www.MinnnesotaRecovers.org, which is the state’s clearinghouse for all information about federal, state and local government disaster-assistance efforts.

b. Representation at Disaster Recovery Centers (DRC’s) For a FEMA - Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) to be opened, a Presidential declaration for Individual Assistance within several counties is required for the activation of these centers. However, HSEM through a state disaster declaration, may elect to open these centers before or in the absence of a federally declared disaster.