Hurricane Irma: Reemployment Assistance Available For Victims

TALLAHASSEE, FL – The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity announced Thursday that Disaster Unemployment Assistance is now available to Florida businesses and residents whose employment or self-employment was lost or interrupted as a result of Hurricane Irma.

Disaster Unemployment Assistance is available to people 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 or destruction to their place of employment as a direct result of Hurricane Irma
• 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 Hurricane Irma
• Became the breadwinner or major supporter of a household because of the death of the head of household as a direct result of the disaster

The announcement came after President Donald Trump officially granted a major disaster declaration request from the State of Florida. The FDEO is currently accepting applications for disaster assistance from residents and businesses in the following counties:

• Brevard
• Broward
• Charlotte
• Citrus
• Clay
• Collier
• DeSoto
• Duval
• Flagler
• Glades
• Hardee
• Hendry
• Hernando
• Highlands
• Hillsborough
• Indian River
• Lake
• Lee
• Manatee
• Marion
• Martin
• Miami-Dade
• Monroe
• Orange
• Okeechobee
• Osceola
• Palm Beach
• Pasco
• Pinellas
• Polk
• Putnam
• Sarasota
• Seminole
• St. Johns
• St. Lucie
• Sumter
• Volusia

Watch: Hurricane Irma's Destructive Journey By The Numbers

Affected people in the designated disaster areas must file DUA applications by Monday, Oct. 16. Applications filed after the deadline may be denied unless the individual applying 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 Hurricane Irma occurred. In some cases, additional documentation may be required. All required documentation must be submitted within 21 days from the date the DUA application was filed.

DUA is available from weeks of unemployment beginning Sunday, Sept. 10 until Sunday, March 17, 2018, as long as the person’s unemployment continues to be a result of the disaster.

To file a DUA claim, visit www.floridajobs.org or call (800) 385-3920. Customer service representatives will be available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern.

For DUA claims information, call (800) 204-2418 and choose Option 2 to speak to a customer service representative.

Image via City of Jacksonville, Florida – Government Facebook page