Benefits For Ivan's Unemployed
Release Date: September 29, 2004
Release Number: 1539-156
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ORLANDO, Fla. -- Floridians who have lost their source of income due to the ravages of Hurricane Ivan may be able to claim federal unemployment benefits even if they would not normally be eligible for state unemployment compensation.
Federal disaster assistance extends income compensation to self-employed people, farm workers and others who have lost income as a result of a presidentially declared disaster.
“Replacing income will help begin to restore the lives of those affected by major disasters like Hurricane Ivan,” said Gov. Jeb Bush. “The state is committed to working in concert with our federal partners to provide Floridians with the means necessary to begin to recover.”
Craig Fugate, director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, said applicants must document their pre-disaster employment and earnings. Applications can be made at state unemployment offices, by phone at 1-800-204-2418, or online at www.floridajobs.org. The deadline to apply is October 19, 2004.
The program is administered by the state of Florida through its Agency for Workforce Innovation. Compensation may be paid up to 26 weeks using the same procedures as the state unemployment program. While most applicants will be residents of declared disaster counties, the benefit is available to residents of any county as long as they lost income as a direct result of the disaster.
“The self-employed are often the first to feel such losses,” said Bill Carwile, federal coordinating officer, “yet they are not eligible for the normal state unemployment compensation. This program can help them recover some of their economic loss.”
The State Emergency Response Team (SERT) is a collaboration of Florida’s emergency management agencies led by the state coordinating officer. SERT’s mission is to ensure that Florida is prepared to respond to emergencies, recover from them, and mitigate their impact. Visit http://www.floridadisaster.org for the latest information on the hurricane relief effort.
On 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: Thursday, 30-Sep-2004 08:31:21