Volusia County Approved for Disaster Unemployment Assistance

~New law infuses estimated $418 million in recovery funds into Florida’s economy~

Tallahassee, FL – Pursuant to Governor Charlie Crist’s requests for federal individual assistance, the Agency for Workforce Innovation has worked closely with the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) to receive Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) to help the people of Volusia County recover from recent severe storms and flooding.

Disaster Unemployment Assistance helps people who have become unemployed as a direct result of a declared disaster and who do not qualify for regular unemployment benefits. Effective immediately, the federal government has approved DUA for people who were affected by the Volusia County storms.

“We are committed to ensuring that the people affected by the flooding in Volusia County receive the help they need to recover,” said Cynthia Lorenzo, Interim Director of the Agency for Workforce Innovation. “Disaster Unemployment Assistance will provide financial support to citizens whose lives and livelihoods were impacted by these storms.”

Many workers will be eligible for the state’s regular unemployment compensation program; those who are not may be eligible for DUA. The DUA program also covers people who are self-employed and owners and workers of farms and ranches as well as fishers and others who are not normally covered by state unemployment compensation.

WHO CAN APPLY:

Individuals who:

Have exhausted entitlement to state unemployment compensation; and
Have been working or residing in a county for which the disaster has been officially declared; and either:
Become unemployed as a direct result of a declared disaster; or
Are unable to reach their place of employment as a direct result of the disaster; or
Were scheduled to begin work and do not have a job or are unable to reach the job as a direct result of the disaster; or
Have become the major support for a household because the head of the household has died as a direct result of the disaster; or
Cannot work because of an injury caused directly by the disaster.

HOW TO APPLY:

Individuals may:

File online: www.floridajobs.org or www.fluidnow.com
File by telephone at 800-204-2418, M-F 7:30 AM to 7 PM and SAT 8 AM to 4 PM
Obtain information about applying for DUA at any Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) in the state.

Information required when filing:

Social Security number (SSN)
Alien registration number and expiration date (if a non-U.S. citizen)
Name and address of most recent employer(s)
Name and address of employer and date work was to begin (for those scheduled to begin work but could not, due to the disaster)
If self-employed, you must have proof of self-employment, to include:
- State or federal tax returns
- Financial statements
- Bank records of accounts or 1099 Forms
- Documentation necessary to support a claim may be faxed to 850-921-3938 after filing (applicant’s SSN should appear on all documents)

WHEN TO APPLY:

No later than Monday, June 29, 2009 for DUA claims in Volusia County.

NOTE: DUA benefits are available to unemployed individuals for up to 26 weeks from the date of the disaster declaration. The 26-week assistance period for this weather event ends November 21, 2009.

Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-FEMA (3362). For TTY call 800-462-7585.

# # #

Main Menu

Volusia County Approved for Disaster Unemployment Assistance