Application and requirements of the Disaster Unemployment Assistance Program

Application and requirements of the Disaster Unemployment Assistance Program

The Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) program provides financial assistance to people who have lost their jobs as a result of a major disaster declared by the President that has resulted in unemployment. Once an application has been completed, submitted and processed, the DUA benefits are paid out weekly to applicants. All recipients will receive the same weekly benefits that they are entitled to as they qualified for the UI in the state where they were employed.

Basic admission requirements for DUA

Basically, the most important requirements for a person’s qualification for the disaster relief program are:

  1. The individual must therefore be unemployed
  2. Individuals are not eligible for regular unemployment insurance (UI) from any state.

SEE ALSO: Florida Disaster SNAP benefits from the program application

General program requirements

As a direct result of a major disaster declared by the President, payments are made to the unemployed if:

  • Cannot work because of damage to the workplace.
  • Unable to work due to an injury caused by a disaster.
  • Becomes the head of the household and is currently looking for work because the previous head of the household died as a result of the disaster.

How long do a person’s DUA benefits last?

The maximum duration of the DUA benefits is 26 weeks. Benefits cannot go beyond the period in which the disaster officially ends, that is, six months from the date the disaster was reported to the federal government. In addition, the DUA benefits cannot go beyond the recipient’s return to work or self-employment. However, it cannot go beyond the period in which the individual’s unemployment is no longer directly related to the disaster.

Application process for the Disaster Unemployment Assistance Program

The individual must file a Disaster Relief Application (DUA) within 30 days of the state’s availability of DUA being announced. In addition, they must follow all instructions in the announcement and file for DUA based on the filing methods used by the state (i.e., in person, by mail, phone, or internet).

However, to make a claim, people who are unemployed as a direct result of the disaster should contact their state unemployment insurance agency.