DETR's temporary message line to be discontinued

(AP) - A temporary phone line set up in Las Vegas to help Nevadans navigate jobless benefit claims will be discontinued next week.

The Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation says the temporary line was set up Aug. 20 because of a surge in calls after extended benefits were held up in Congress for two months.

As of Sept. 24, the temporary unemployment insurance information message line received 8,489 calls. That was in addition to 61,000 calls handled by the Southern Nevada Unemployment Insurance Call Center.

But officials say the agency has since caught up on restoring benefits to those eligible, and the volume of calls has declined significantly.

Because of that, the agency Thursday said the temporary message line will be disconnected effective 5 p.m. Oct. 8.

The numbers to the line are 702-486-2958 and 888-743-2958.