RI says 4,000 temporarily out of work from floods

Associated Press

Rhode Island officials say as many as 4,000 people are temporarily out of work because of this week's flooding.

 The state already had nearly 13 percent of residents unemployed, and the record flooding closed many small businesses along with shopping malls and mills. The state Department of Labor and Training said it has received more than 400 unemployment claims from this week's flooding and more than 250 from flooding earlier in March.

Employers forced to lay off workers temporarily because of flooding can ask the state to waive its usual one-week waiting period for unemployment insurance.