Disaster Unemployment Deadline Nears For 12 Alabama Counties 

Release Date: October 8, 2004
Release Number: 1549-036

» More Information on Alabama Hurricane Ivan

MOBILE, Ala. -- The Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the state of Alabama remind residents of 12 Alabama counties who are out of work due to Hurricane Ivan that October 15 is the deadline to apply for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA). Residents may apply for DUA by calling the Alabama Department of Industrial Relations at 1-866-234-5382.

The October 15 deadline is for residents in the counties of Baldwin, Butler, Clarke, Coffee, Conecuh, Covington, Crenshaw, Escambia, Geneva, Mobile, Monroe and Washington. The DUA deadline is set at 30 days from the date that counties were officially designated as federal disaster areas. Deadlines for the remaining eligible Alabama counties will follow at a later date.

DUA extends coverage to people ineligible for unemployment compensation under the regular state unemployment insurance program. Those who may qualify include self-employed persons, farm workers, farm and ranch owners, agricultural producers, commission-paid employees and others not covered by regular programs who lost work as a result of the hurricane.

Persons applying for unemployment benefits should be able to provide proof of past earnings at the time they file a claim, such as business records or bank statements and their5 most recent income tax forms.

DUA services are FEMA-funded and administered through the Alabama Department of Industrial Relations’ statewide network of Unemployment Compensation Call Centers. More information on DUA is available at www.dir.alabama.gov.

March 1, 2003, FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. FEMA's continuing mission within the new department is to lead the effort to prepare the nation for all hazards and effectively manage federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates proactive mitigation activities, trains first responders, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration.

Last Modified: Monday, 11-Oct-2004 15:02:45