Floridians Receiving Disaster Unemployment Assistance

~Citizens in 10 counties eligible to receive more than $7.5 million~

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 Florida recover from Tropical Storm Fay.

Floridians in the following 10 counties are now eligible to receive more than $7.5 million in Disaster Unemployment Assistance: Brevard, Duval, Hendry, Lee, Leon, Okeechobee, Seminole, St. Lucie, Volusia and Wakulla counties. Funding may be requested for additional counties as further damage assessments are made.

“Last week, I met dozens of residents and business owners around the state who are working hard to recover from Tropical Storm Fay,” said Monesia T. Brown, Director of the Agency for Workforce Innovation. “Disaster Unemployment Assistance will provide a bridge for people who have lost their jobs or businesses, and help them to recover as quickly as possible.”

Many workers will be eligible for the state’s regular unemployment compensation program. Those not eligible may apply for DUA. DUA is a federally funded program that assists individuals who become unemployed as a direct result of a declared disaster and who do not qualify for regular unemployment benefits. The program also covers self-employed individuals, 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:

(1)      Become unemployed as a direct result of a declared disaster; or
(2)      Are unable to reach their place of employment as a direct result of the disaster; or
(3)      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
(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)      Cannot work because of an injury caused directly by the disaster; AND
(6)      Have exhausted entitlement to state unemployment compensation; AND
(7)      Have been working or residing in a county for which the disaster has been officially declared.

HOW TO APPLY

Individuals may file:

Online: www.floridajobs.org or www.fluidnow.com
By telephone at 800-204-2418, M-F 8 AM to 5 PM EDT
Individuals may also obtain information about applying for DUA at any Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) in the state. Follow this link for locations of Disaster Recovery Centers.

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:

1. State or federal tax returns

2. Financial statements

3. Bank records of accounts or 1099 Forms

4. 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

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 Tropical Storm Fay ends February 21, 2009.
For DUA claims in Brevard, Hendry, Okeechobee, St. Lucie and Volusia counties, applications must be filed no later than September 29, 2008.
For DUA claims in Duval, Lee, Leon, Seminole and Wakulla counties, applications must be filed no later than October 2, 2008.

National Emergency Grant - The Agency also recently announced receipt of a National Emergency Grant, providing up to $20 million to help create jobs and provide local humanitarian assistance in the wake of Tropical Storm Fay. Follow this link for more information.

The Agency for Workforce Innovation works closely with Workforce Florida, Inc., and its Regional Workforce Board partners, the Florida Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise Florida, Inc., to develop world-class talent and sustain personal and economic growth for Florida’s employers and job seekers. In addition, the Employ Florida Marketplace, www.EmployFlorida.com, is a powerful online labor market exchange tool specifically designed for employers, job seekers, students, training providers, workforce customer service representatives and professionals, and others seeking benefits and services. For more information on these and other Agency for Workforce Innovation programs, go to www.FloridaJobs.org.

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