Flooded Out Of A Job? Disaster Unemployment Assistance Available
Release Date: October 14, 1999
Release Number: 1298-12
» More Information on Pennsylvania Tropical Depression Dennis and Flash Flooding
HARRISBURG, Pa. -- If Labor Day flooding from Tropical Depression Dennis put you out of work, you may be eligible for disaster unemployment assistance.
Self-employed and unemployed workers in Dauphin, Lycoming, Northumberland, Synder and Union counties who are not covered by regular state unemployment insurance programs can apply for this federally funded assistance available under the major disaster declaration by President Clinton.
"Under this program, benefits may be paid to eligible individuals until they are able to return to work or resume their customary self-employment," said Jack Schuback, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) official who is the federal coordinating officer for the disaster recovery effort.
"Applicants for disaster unemployment assistance can apply in person at local Pennsylvania Job Centers or by phone," said Bob Churchman, who is state coordinating officer and acting director of the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency.
The toll-free number is 1-877-FILE DUA (1-877-345-3382). The number for speech- or hearing impaired applicants with TTY equipment is 1-888-334-4046. Phone lines are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday and 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.
Disaster unemployment assistance covers persons who:
- are unable to work because their place of employment was put out of operation or they were unable to travel to their work place due to the effects of the flood damage
- are self-employed but are prevented from working due to the effects of the flood damage
- have become the breadwinner or major support of a household because the head of the household died as a direct result of the disaster
- cannot work because of an injury caused as a direct result of the disaster.
"State Department of Labor and Industry staff at the Job Centers or the Unemployment Compensation Service Center teleregistration number can help applicants determine whether they are eligible for regular unemployment or disaster unemployment assistance," Churchman said.
The deadlines for applying for disaster unemployment assistance are Oct. 28 for residents of Lycoming, Northumberland, Snyder and Union counties and Nov. 7 for residents of Dauphin County, which was added later to the disaster declaration.
"When you call to register, have your Social Security number and, if possible, documentation of your calendar-year 1998 earnings," Churchman said.
For further information about disaster unemployment assistance, call the FEMA Helpline at 1-800-525-0321. The number for speech- or hearing-impaired applicants with TTY equipment is 1-800-462-7585.
NOTE TO EDITORS : Information on the Pennsylvania disaster is also available on FEMA's homepage on the Internet at www.fema.gov . The Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency Emergency Management website is: www.pema.state.pa.us . Information also is available through FEMA's 24-hour fax-on-demand service by calling (202) 646-FEMA.
RADIO NEWS DIRECTORS : For recorded actualities on response and recovery operations call the FEMA Radio Network at 1-800-323-5248.
Last Modified: Thursday, 04-Dec-2003 09:17:14