Disaster Victims Employment

Tiny Bernice Marcus, 64, and Rose Altmark, who admits only to being "over 60," looked out of place at the Canoga Park unemployment office Thursday. "Excuse me, we're here to apply for DUA. Which line is that?" Marcus asked a security guard, pulling herself up to her full height of maybe 5 feet. "I have no idea what DUA stands for," added Altmark, her equally diminutive friend of 30 years, "but it's because of the earthquake." Indeed, DUA stands for Disaster Unemployment Assistance, a U.S.

Tiny Bernice Marcus, 64, and Rose Altmark, who admits only to being "over 60," looked out of place at the Canoga Park unemployment office Thursday. "Excuse me, we're here to apply for DUA. Which line is that?" Marcus asked a security guard, pulling herself up to her full height of maybe 5 feet. "I have no idea what DUA stands for," added Altmark, her equally diminutive friend of 30 years, "but it's because of the earthquake." Indeed, DUA stands for Disaster Unemployment Assistance, a U.S.

More than 10,000 people lost their jobs or a portion of their wages because of earthquake-related damage to businesses, but the employment rate countywide could remain stable or even rise slightly because of a corresponding increase in construction jobs, officials and economists said Tuesday. Some 10,154 people--half of them in the San Fernando and Santa Clarita valleys--blamed quake damage when they filed for unemployment benefits in the past two weeks, state officials said.

More than 10,000 people lost their jobs or a portion of their wages because of earthquake-related damage to businesses, but the employment rate countywide could remain stable or even rise slightly because of a corresponding increase in construction jobs, officials and economists said Tuesday. Some 10,154 people--half of them in the San Fernando and Santa Clarita valleys--blamed quake damage when they filed for unemployment benefits in the past two weeks, state officials said.