Disaster Unemployment Assistance Available in 48 Counties
Release Date: June 25, 2008
Release Number: 1763-043
» More Information on Iowa Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding
DES MOINES, Iowa -- Disaster unemployment assistance is available for those who lost jobs because of severe storms, tornadoes and floods in 48 Iowa counties designated as federal major disaster areas. The program is funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
The benefits cover self-employed workers not usually entitled to unemployment insurance, including Iowa farmers and farm workers, according to Elisabeth Buck, director of Iowa Workforce Development, the state agency that administers the benefits.
Claims need to be filed by June 30, 2008, for residents of Butler County. In Black Hawk and Buchanan counties, the deadline for filing is July 7.
For another 21 counties, the deadline for filing is July 17. Those counties are Adams, Benton, Bremer, Cedar, Cerro Gordo, Delaware, Fayette, Floyd, Hardin, Johnson, Jones, Linn, Louisa, Marion, Muscatine, Page, Polk, Story, Tama, Taylor and Winneshiek.
In the counties of Allamakee, Chickasaw, Clayton, Crawford, Des Moines, Fremont, Hancock, Harrison, Jasper, Kossuth, Lee, Madison, Mahaska, Marshall, Mills, Monona, Wapello and Warren, the deadline for filing is July 21.
Residents in the latest six counties to qualify for disaster unemployment assistance - Boone, Franklin, Hamilton, Scott, Webster and Wright - have until July 24 to file a claim.
Individuals filing a claim must provide proof of past earnings, such as business records or bank statements, and their most recent income tax filing. Claims can be filed at any Iowa Workforce Development Center, or online at www.iowaworkforce.org by following the link to "file an unemployment claim."
The benefit is not just for those who lost work as a direct result of the storms and flooding. Also eligible are those who could not reach their job or self-employment location because of the disaster. Those who were to start work or self-employment but could not do so because of the conditions are also eligible.
Self-employed workers who were injured as a direct result of the disaster are eligible. And someone who became the breadwinner or major support for a household because the head of household died as a direct result of the disaster is also eligible.
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, 26-Jun-2008 14:48:07