On July 23, Gov. Mike Parson’s request for a major disaster declaration was granted by President Joe Biden, allowing Missourians in Howell, Shannon and Texas counties whose employment was lost or interrupted due to severe storms, straight-line winds, tornados and flooding between May 19 and 27 to apply for up to 35 weeks of Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA).
The benefits are also made available to residents of Barry, Butler, Carter, New Madrid, Ripley, Scott and Stoddard counties impacted by severe weather during the same time period. The assistance is only available to those survivors who are not eligible for regular state unemployment insurance, said State Department of Labor officials.
“A critical part of recovering from disasters such as these is the ability to continue to provide for our families and take care of their needs,” said department Director Anna Hui. “That’s why disaster unemployment assistance benefits are so important as our families and communities recover.”
The Missouri Department of Labor’s Division of Employment Security is accepting applications for DUA through Sept. 23 from affected individuals in the named counties. Eligibility for DUA will be determined on a week-to-week basis and an individual can only receive benefits for as long as his or her unemployment continues as a direct result of the disaster.
To be eligible for DUA benefits under Presidential Disaster Declaration FEMA-DR-4803-DR, individuals must be an unemployed or self-employed worker whose unemployment was caused as a direct result of the major disaster declared by the president. Eligible applicants also must be a U.S. national or a qualified alien; must not qualify for regular unemployment insurance benefits from any state; must have worked or were self-employed in, or were scheduled to begin work or self-employment in, one of the counties named; and must establish that the work or self-employment they can no longer perform was their primary source of income.
Also eligible to apply for DUA are those who 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, cannot perform work or self-employment because of an injury caused as a direct result of the disaster, became the breadwinner or major support of a household because of the death of the head of the household, or cannot work or perform self-employment due to closure of a facility by the federal government.
Applicants are required to provide proof that they were employed or self-employed at the time the disaster occurred or were scheduled to begin work when the disaster occurred. This proof of employment must be filed with the initial claim or within 21 days of filling their DUA claim. To claim, individuals will need their Social Security number and the name and address of their last employer or prospective employer. A copy of the most recent federal income tax forms or check stubs may also be required (self-employed individuals should also provide Schedules SE and Schedule C or Schedule F).
To file a DUA claim online 24/7 visit uinteract.labor.mo.gov. For assistance with filing a claim, call 800-320-2519 to reach a Regional Claims Center between 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. Missourians impacted by the severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding in all the declared counties can register for additional assistance by calling the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) at 800-621-3362, TTY 800-462-7585, or register with FEMA online at DisasterAssistance.gov.
To find additional resources across the state, visit the Missouri Recovery Portal at recovery.mo.gov.
