The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has developed unbiased financial advice for dislocated workers in a brochure that tells them how to protect themselves from investment fraud, avoid job scams and keep their finances on track during a period of unemployment.

Through an affiliation and partnership with NASWA, FINRA is printing up 300,000 copies of their brochure “Job Dislocation Making Smart Financial Choices after a Job Loss,” [NOTE: large pdf] and will ship between 2,000 to 8,000 copies of this brochure to every state free of charge to give out to the States’ unemployed citizens.

FINRA is the largest non-governmental regulator for all securities firms doing business in the US and oversees 4,700 brokerage firms covering 635,000 registered securities representatives. FINRA was created in 2007 through the consolidation of a number of organizations including components of the New York Stock Exchange.

The brochure includes specific advice for unemployed individuals on how to check the background of investment professionals and find information about potential job scams from FINRA, and the state and federal regulators as well as other consumer protection agencies. The brochure also outlines how to prepare financially for a period of unemployment, how to make decisions to preserve retirement funds and what steps to take to start the search for a new position once your company announces a planned layoff.

In addition NASWA recently asked FINRA to add and highlight in the brochure some key pieces of information and advice to UI claimants. Two specific items were added to page 3 of the brochure. One points out to UI Claimants that they are required to register with the state’s employment office to begin the job search process immediately upon filing their claim. The second item highlights that it is important to let their state Unemployment Insurance agency know as soon as they return to work to eliminate the potential of a possible overpayment on their UI Claim.