TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Today, Governor Rick Scott announced that the federal government has expanded Disaster Unemployment Assistance for residents of Manatee, Taylor and Wakulla counties who have lost jobs as a result of severe storms and flooding during Hurricane Hermine. On September 28, 2016, the federal government approved a limited part of Governor Scott’s request for a major disaster declaration for Citrus, Dixie, Hernando, Hillsborough, Leon, Levy, Pasco and Pinellas counties, allowing the use of Disaster Unemployment Assistance funds for individuals affected by the storm. The deadline for Disaster Unemployment applications in the initial counties has passed. Applicants in Manatee, Taylor and Wakulla counties must submit an application by December 5, 2016.


Federal Disaster Unemployment Assistance, administered by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, assists individuals who become unemployed as a direct result of a federally declared disaster and who do not qualify for regular reemployment assistance benefits. The program also covers self-employed individuals, owners of farms and ranches, farm and ranch workers, as well as fishers and others who are not normally covered by state reemployment assistance benefits.


Applicants must be legal U.S. residents and must have been working in or residing in the counties listed above. The individual must: (1) have become unemployed as a direct result of the disaster or (2) be unable to reach the place of employment as a direct result of the disaster or (3) have been scheduled to begin work and does not have a job or is unable to reach the job as a direct result of the disaster or (4) have become the major support for a household because the head of the household has died as a direct result of the disaster or (5) be unable to work because of an injury caused directly by the disaster.


To file a Disaster Unemployment claim, call 1-800-681-8102 or go to https://connect.myflorida.com/Claimant/Core/Login.ASPX.


About DEO


The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity combines the state’s economic, workforce and community development efforts. This new approach helps expedite economic development projects to fuel job creation in competitive communities. For more information, including valuable resources for employers and job seekers, please visit www.floridajobs.org.


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