Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) is available to Florida businesses and residents whose employment/self-employment was lost or interrupted as a result of Hurricane Irma.
The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity is currently accepting applications for DUA from residents and businesses in Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, Columbia, DeSoto, Duval, Flagler, Gilchrist, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lake, Lee, Levy, Manatee, Marion, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Nassau, Orange, Okeechobee, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, St. Lucie, Sumter, Suwannee, Union and Volusia counties.
Disaster Unemployment Assistance is available to those who:
- Worked or were self-employed or were scheduled to begin work or self-employment;
- Are not able to work or perform services because of physical damage of destruction to the place of employment as a direct result of the disaster;
- Can establish that the work or self-employment they can no longer perform was their principal source of income;
- Do not qualify for regular unemployment benefits from any state;
- Cannot perform work or self-employment because of an injury as a direct result of the disaster; or
- Became the breadwinner or major supporter of a household because of the death of the head of household
According to the state, applications filed after the deadline will be considered untimely and DUA benefits may be denied unless the individual provides good cause. Applicants must submit their Social Security number, check stubs and documentation to support the claim that they were working or self-employed when the disaster occurred. In some cases, additional documentation may be required. To receive DUA benefits, all required documentation must be submitted within 21 days from the date the DUA application is filed.
DUA is available from weeks of unemployment from Sept. 10, 2017-March 17, 2018. To file a DUA claim, click here or call 1-800-385-3920.
For more information on disaster unemployment assistance, click here.
