Deadline Nears for Disaster Unemployment Assistance
Release Date: October 22, 2008
Release Number: 1798-028
» More Information on Puerto Rico Severe Storms and Flooding
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- Residents living or working in one of the 19 municipalities designated for individual federal disaster assistance may be eligible for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) if they lost income as a direct result of the severe storms and flooding September 21 - October 3.
The deadline for DUA is November 6 for residents living in these municipalities: Guayama, Humacao, Maunabo, Patillas, Ponce, Salinas, Santa Isabel, and Yabucoa.
The deadline for DUA is November 17 for residents living in these municipalities: Arroyo, Cabo Rojo, Guánica, Guayanilla, Gurabo, Juncos, Lajas, Peñuelas, San Lorenzo, Villalba, and Yauco.
DUA is designed to help individuals who live in or work in a declared municipality who may have lost income as a result of the disaster, including those who are normally ineligible for unemployment benefits.
It applies to those who:
- Can't work because their jobs were lost or interrupted by the disaster, or
- Can't travel to their workplace because of debris-clogged or flooded roads;
- Are self-employed but prevented from working due to the effects of flooding;
- Provide the major support for a household because of injury or death to the usual head of household; and can't work because of injury caused as a direct result of the disaster.
The 26-week program is funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and administered by the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico through the Department of Labor and Human Resources and its Bureau of Employment Security. Applicants must document their pre-disaster employment and earnings at the Puerto Rico Department of Labor and Human Resources office to determine if they are eligible. The benefits are administered by the same procedures as the regular state unemployment program.
To apply for other types of disaster assistance, residents should register using FEMA's toll-free telephone number, 1-800-621-3362, TTY 1-800-462-7585, or online at www.fema.gov/spanish.
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: Wednesday, 22-Oct-2008 08:45:07