Unemployment Benefits For Disaster Survivors 

Release Date: March 13, 2008
Release Number: 1746-023

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LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Did you lose wages as a result of the severe storms and tornadoes that wreaked havoc in the commonwealth of Kentucky on Feb 5-6? If so, you may be eligible for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) benefits.

The unemployment benefits are funded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and administered by the state.

DUA is available for up to 26 weeks for unemployed workers who suffered loss of jobs or businesses. DUA is also available if you were to start a new job in the disaster area when the major disaster occurred.

Farmers and self-employed people, who are normally not eligible for unemployment insurance benefits, may also qualify for disaster unemployment assistance, according to the Kentucky Office of Employment and Training (OET), an agency of the Kentucky Education Cabinet.

Those affected by the disaster have 30 days to apply for disaster assistance from the date that an official public notice went out from OET. The original nine counties designated eligible for disaster assistance: Allen, Christian, Fayette, Hardin, Hart, Meade, Mercer, Monroe and Muhlenberg deadline for people to apply for DUA is March 26.

The six additional counties designated eligible: Bath, Harrison, Hopkins, Nicholas, Shelby and Spencer deadline to apply for DUA is April 10 for people in those counties.

Unemployed people seeking to register for disaster assistance benefits may go online to www.educationcabinet.ky.gov or www.workforce.ky.gov, or call 502-564-6606 for additional information. You may call 1-866-487-2365 for referral information.

FEMA coordinates the federal government's role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.

Last Modified: Thursday, 13-Mar-2008 15:51:48