Disaster Unemployment Assistance Available
Release Date: October 1, 2002
Release Number: 1434-09
» More Information on Texas Tropical Storm Fay
San Antonio, TX -- State and federal officials announce that according to the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC), individuals in Brazoria, Frio, Galveston, La Salle, Live Oak, Matagorda, Nueces, San Patricio and Wharton counties who were affected by severe storms and flooding due to Tropical Storm Fay have until October 28, 2002, to apply for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) under Presidential Disaster Declaration FEMA-1434-DR.
This special DUA program is funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and administered by the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) and supplements other state unemployment benefit programs.
To be eligible for assistance as a result of the flooding from Tropical Storm Fay, applicants must:
- Have worked or been scheduled to work in the disaster area, but because of the disaster no longer have a job, a place to work in the area, or you could not get to your place of work because of disaster damage;
- Have been prevented from working by an injury or illness as a direct result of the disaster; or have become the head of the household and need employment because the head of the household died as a result of the disaster.
If you were self-employed but have lost all or part of your livelihood as a result of this disaster, you must provide income tax forms (Schedules SE and Schedule C or Schedule F) or other proof of your self-employment to receive disaster unemployment benefits.
Each claim is considered individually. Therefore, if you believe you may be eligible for help, please call the TWC Tele-Center network at 1-800-939-6631 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday to talk with a representative or file a claim. To receive DUA benefits, individuals must provide documentation indicating an employment record at the time of the disaster or verification of the weeks the applicant was scheduled to work.
When calling to apply for benefits you should have your social security number and the name and address of your last employer or prospective employer.
TWC officials understand that because of property losses, some individuals may not have necessary information readily available.
The first possible week of compensation for DUA purposes is the week ending September 14, 2002, and the last possible week of compensation is the week ending March 29, 2003.
Last Modified: Thursday, 31-Jul-2003 11:20:05