1. I lost my job or am about to be laid-off from my job! What do I do?
Don't panic! This may be a difficult time for you and your family, but you can and will get through this. You may even wind up with a better job than your previous one. Your local Job Center has a multitude of services available, as well as referrals and access to many other community resources.
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2. What is a Job Center? How can the Job Center help me? Does it cost anything? Do I need an appointment to visit a Job Center?
A Job Center is "one-stop shopping" for job seekers and employers. Each Job Center houses a variety of partners, including but not limited to, the Alaska Employment Service, Division of Public Assistance, and Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. The goal is for job seekers and employers to be able to receive quick and easy access to a wide range of employment services under one roof. There are 24 Job Centers across the State of Alaska.
Here is a brief description of some services that may be of interest to you:
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Individualized Assistance - Talk to an Employment Consultant about your job search and get referrals to other resources.
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Workshops - Get assistance with job search skills such as resume writing, cover letters, completing job applications, interviewing skills, and State of Alaska applications. Learn job search "tips" from the experts.
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Resource Room - Job Center resource rooms offer free use of personal computers, photocopiers and printers to provide professional looking letters and resumes, and Internet access for searching current job openings.
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Job Referral and Matching - Get the latest information on: the best job openings for you and employers most likely to be hiring in your area of interest.
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Assessment and Career Planning - Consult with an Employment Counselor for a skills assessment that can reveal your untapped talents and abilities, explore potential new careers, and get information on schools and training programs.
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Upgrading Your Skills - On-the-job training, older worker training, youth employment and training, and a program for workers facing layoff are all designed to advance your marketable job skills.
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Referrals to Community Resources - Get referrals to special services you may need from other programs and organizations.
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Job Club - Swap ideas, tips, and lessons learned about finding work with other job seekers.
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Veteran's Services - One-on-one individualized job search services provided by professional Veteran's representatives.
All our services are provided at no cost to job seekers. No appointment is necessary to visit a Job Center, although specialized services may need to be scheduled in advance. Just stop in and see what's available.
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3. Where are the Job Centers?
| Anchorage Midtown |
3301 Eagle Street, Suite 101, PO Box 107024, Anchorage, AK 99510-7024
Phone: 269-4800 Fax: 269-4825
 anchorage_aes@labor.state.ak.us |
| Anchorage Gambell |
400 Gambell Street, Anchorage, AK 99501-2721
Phone: 269-6414 Fax: 269-6440 |
| Anchorage Muldoon |
1251 Muldoon Rd, Suite 111, Anchorage, AK 99504
Phone : 269-0000 Fax : 269-0004 |
| Anchorage Mountainview |
(Services for youth ages 14-21 only)
315 Price Street, Anchorage, AK 99508-1219
Phone : 297-5419 Fax : 297-5434 |
| Barrow |
1078 Kiogak Street, Barrow, AK 99723
Phone : 852-4111 Fax : 852-4122 Toll Free : 1-888-429-4111 |
| Bristol Bay (Dillingham) |
503 Wood River Rd., PO Box 1149, Dillingham, AK 99576-1149
Phone : 842-5579 Fax : 842-5679, Toll Free : 1-800-478-5579
dillingham_aes@labor.state.ak.us |
| Delta Junction |
Mile 269.1 Richardson Highway, PO Box 766, Delta Junction, AK 99737-0766
Phone : 895-3216 Fax : 895-3218
deltaj_aes@labor.state.ak.us |
| Eagle River |
11723 Old Glenn Hwy, Sp B-4, Eagle River, AK 99577-7749
Phone : 694-6904 Fax : 694-1490
er_aes@labor.state.ak.us |
| Fairbanks |
675 Seventh Avenue, Station D, Fairbanks, AK 99707-1010
Phone : 451-5967 Fax : 451-2919, TDD (907) 451-5901
fairbanks_aes@labor.state.ak.us |
| Glennallen |
Mile 186.5 Glenn Highway, PO Box 109, Glennallen, AK 99588-0109
Phone : 822-3350 Fax : 822-5526, Toll Free : 1-800-478-3304
glennallen_aes@labor.state.ak.us |
| Homer |
270 W Pioneer Avenue, Suite C, Homer, AK 99603-7528
Phone : 235-7791 Fax : 235-6143
homer_aes@labor.state.ak.us |
| Juneau |
10002 Glacier Hwy, Suite 200, Juneau, AK 99801-8569
Phone : 465-4562 Fax : 465-2984
juneau_aes@labor.state.ak.us |
| Ketchikan |
2030 Sea Level Drive, Suite 220, Ketchikan, AK 99901-6073
Phone : 225-3181 Fax : 247-0557
ketchikan_aes@labor.state.ak.us |
| Kodiak |
309 Center Street, Kodiak, AK 99615-6315
Phone : 486-3105 Fax : 486-4716, Toll Free : 1-800-478-3105
Maureen_Butler@labor.state.ak.us |
| Kotzebue |
333 Shore Ave., PO Box 1209, Kotzebue, AK 99752-1209
Phone : 442-3280, Fax : 442-3920, Toll Free : 1-800-478-3280, Employers call : 1-800-478-2626
kotzebue_aes@labor.state.ak.us |
| Mat-Su |
877 Commercial Drive, Wasilla, AK 99654-6937
Phone : 352-2500 Fax : 352-2522
matsu_aes@labor.state.ak.us |
| Nome |
179 E. Front Street, Ste 130, PO Box 161, Nome, AK 99762-0161
Phone : 443-2626/2460, Fax : 443-2810, Toll Free : 1-800-478-2626
nome_aes@labor.state.ak.us |
| Peninsula (Kenai) |
11312 Kenai Spur Hwy, Suite 2, Kenai AK 99611
Phone : 283-2900 Fax : 283-3544
Valerie_Ischi@labor.state.ak.us |
| Petersburg |
102 Haugen Drive, PO Box 389, Petersburg, AK 99833-0389
Phone : 772-3791 Fax : 772-3697
petersburg_aes@labor.state.ak.us |
| Seward |
809 2nd Avenue, PO Box 1009, Seward, AK 99664-1009
Phone : 224-5276 Fax : 224-5277
seward_aes@labor.state.ak.us |
| Sitka |
304 Lake Street - Room 101, Sitka, AK 99835-7563
Phone : 747-3423 Fax : 747-7579
Bonnie_Richards@labor.state.ak.us |
| Tok |
State Office Building, PO Box 440, Tok, AK 99780-0440
Phone : 883-5629 Fax : 883-5628, Toll Free : 1-800-478-5629
tok_aes@labor.state.ak.us |
| Valdez |
State Office Bldg, Rm 22, PO Box 590, Valdez, AK 99686-0590
Phone : 835-4910 Fax : 835-3879
valdez_aes@labor.state.ak.us |
| YK Delta (Bethel) |
460 Ridgecrest Dr, Suite 112, PO Box 1607, Bethel, AK 99559-1607
Phone : 543-2210 Fax : 543-2099, Toll Free : 1-800-478-2210
bethel_aes@labor.state.ak.us |
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4. How do I file for Unemployment Insurance?
You can file on-line for Unemployment Insurance benefits at:
https://dol-tax-web.labor.state.ak.us/bif/pages/introduction.aspx
or
You may call 451-2871 or toll free 1-888-252-2557 to file by telephone.
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5. What about medical insurance?
Contact your present employer or employer of layoff to see if you can elect to keep your current insurance under COBRA-Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act ( http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/faqs/faq_consumer_cobra.html ) or contact your current insurance provider directly to see if there are other options.
You may also apply for Denali Kid Care, a State of Alaska program designed to ensure that children and teens of both working and non-working families and pregnant women that meet income guidelines get the health insurance they need. Get more information at http://www.hss.state.ak.us/dhcs/DenaliKidCare/default.htm or call toll free at 1-888-318-8890 (Outside Anchorage) or 269-6529 (In Anchorage), for more information.
The State of Alaska, Division of Public Assistance, administers the Medicaid program, a program providing medical coverage for low-income children, pregnant women, families, the elderly, blind, and permanently disabled. Visit them on-line at http://health.hss.state.ak.us/dpa/programs/medicaid/ or call toll free at 1-800-478-2850 (Outside Fairbanks) or 451-2850 (In Fairbanks), for more information.
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6. Is there other financial assistance available?
The Department of Public Assistance has several programs that may be able to assist you, including Food Stamps (to purchase food), Energy Assistance (assistance with heating and utility bills), and Temporary Assistance (cash benefits and work services). Visit them on-line at http://health.hss.state.ak.us/dpa/ or call toll free at 1-800-478-2850 (Outside Fairbanks) or 451-2850 (In Fairbanks), for more information.
You may be eligible to get food assistance from your local Food Bank. Call Food Bank of Alaska at (907) 272-3663 for the location of the Food Bank nearest you or visit them on-line at: http://www.foodbankofalaska.org/
In addition, you may qualify for your children to receive free or reduced-price meals (lunch at all schools; breakfast at selected schools) from the Fairbanks School District. Contact your child's school or go on-line to: http://www.northstar.k12.ak.us/business/foodservice.html for more information.
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7. I have a child in college. How can I get financial aid for him or her?
Go to: http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/ to fill out a free application for federal financial aid, including grants, student loans, and work-study.
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8. What if I can't pay my student loan payments?
Don't just default on your payments. That will make matters worse. The Alaska Commission on Post-Secondary Education (ACPE) can help. Contact a Repayment Counselor at (800) 441-2967 to explore your options and arrange your payment strategy. You can get further information on-line at: http://alaskaadvantage.state.ak.us/page/96 .
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9. How will I manage when my income is reduced? How can I budget for this? How do I pay my bills? What about my creditors? Is there help available?
Contact Consumer Credit Counseling of Alaska ( http://www.cccsofak.com/ or call them Toll Free at 1-800-478-6501 or in Fairbanks at (907) 451-8303).
They can assist with confidential and personal debt management plans to help pay existing debt and avoid future problems. In addition, they provide educational programs on such topics as budgeting, money management, and the wise use of credit.
Your local Job Center has free copies of a handbook called "Out Of Hock", which is a resource guide to managing your debt. Visit your local Job Center for a copy.
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10. How can I find other, more specialized community resources?
Visit http://ak.org/ - a website maintained by United Way, For Alaskans seeking services, AKInfo can help you locate services that you need in your community or throughout the state.
Or, contact your local Job Center for a community resource list or a referral.
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11. I can't afford childcare for my children while I am job searching. Is there any help available?
Contact the North Star Borough Child Care Assistance Program. The Child Care Assistance Program assists low and moderate- income parents who are working, training, or job seeking, with the cost of childcare. Visit them on-line at: http://www.co.fairbanks.ak.us/ChildCareAssistance or call 459-1474 for more information.
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