Disaster Unemployment Assistance Available
Release Date: November 14, 2006
Release Number: 1668-008
» More Information on Louisiana Severe Storms and Flooding
ALEXANDRIA, La. -- Residents who are unemployed as a result of the recent severe storms and flooding may be eligible for federal disaster unemployment assistance (DUA) benefits, state and federal officials said today.
“The DUA program, which is administered by the state, extends coverage to self-employed people, farm workers and others who have lost employment as a direct result of the disaster,” said Tom Kirkpatrick, state coordinating officer. “The program is specifically designed to assist those who are otherwise ineligible for Louisiana state unemployment benefits.”
Those interested should first call the FEMA toll-free hotline at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 1-800-462-7585 then apply through the Louisiana Department of Labor (LDOL) by calling 1-866-783-5567. LDOL is accepting claims now through December 6, 2006.
The availability of this program was triggered by President Bush’s November 2, 2006 disaster declaration for parts of Louisiana and extends to those living or working in any of the 11 parishes eligible for individual assistance. These parishes are Caldwell, Franklin, Grant, LaSalle, Madison, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Richland, Sabine, Vernon and Winn. The program is 100-percent funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
“The program is designed to help those whose employment was interrupted by the disaster,” said Lee Champagne, FEMA’s federal coordinating officer. “It helps victims make ends meet until they can get back to work.”
DUA is available to individuals for weeks of unemployment beginning October 28, 2006 and through May 5, 2007. The program is available to unemployed U.S. nationals and qualified aliens who worked or were self-employed if they:
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Worked or were self-employed in or were scheduled to begin work or self-employment in an area declared as a federal disaster area;
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Can no longer work or perform services because of physical damage or destruction to the place of employment as a direct result of a disaster;
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Establish that the work or self-employment that they can no longer perform was their primary source of income;
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Do not qualify for regular unemployment insurance benefits from any state;
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Cannot perform work or self-employment because of an injury or incapacity that is a direct result of the disaster;
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Became the breadwinner or major support of a household because of the death of the head of the household;
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Cannot work or perform self-employment due to closure of a facility by the federal government;
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Lost a majority of income or revenue because the employer or self-employed business was damaged, destroyed, or closed by the federal government.
For more information, residents of Louisiana may contact the Unemployment Insurance Call Center at 1-866-783-5567 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Applicants should have their Social Security numbers as well as their proof of wages and proof of employment, including the name and address of the last employer.
 
