Workers and self-employed impacted financially by Hurricane Irma may be entitled to federal Disaster Unemployment Assistance, according to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity.
Residents of Alachua, Baker, Bradford Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, Columbia, DeSoto, Dixie, Duval, Flagler, Gilchrist, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lafayette, Lake, Lee, Levy, Manatee, Marion, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Nassau, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, St. Johns, St. Lucie, Sarasota, Seminole, Sumter, Suwannee, Union and Volusia may qualify for Disaster Unemployment Assistance for the weeks of September 10th through March 17, 2018, provided that an applicant’s unemployment continued as a result of Hurricane Irma.
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.
“Programs like this are meant to help people get back on their feet,” Coach Rick Andreassen with Saints of Florida in Fort Lauderdale, told the South Florida Reporter. “While they may not qualify for regular unemployment, every little bit helps at restoring some sort of semblance to everyday life.”
To file a claim for Disaster Unemployment Assistance online, please visit http://www.FloridaJobs.org. For assistance in filing a claim, you may call (800) 385-3920 from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. For claims information call (800) 204-2418 and select option 2.
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