CLINTON, Miss. -- Mississippians who live or work in 40 counties and became unemployed because of the floods, storms or tornadoes may qualify for disaster unemployment assistance. And now, the time for seeking this help is expanded to 8 a.m. ? 8 p.m. seven days a week. This program helps people who don't qualify for regular Unemployment Insurance, such as the self-employed, farmers and seasonal workers.
Disaster Unemployment Assistance may extend income compensation to self-employed civilians, farm workers, individuals who have worked for only a few weeks, and others who have lost earned income or whose income has been interrupted as a result of a major disaster declared by the President of the United States.? Those who have lost the sole breadwinner in their household may be eligible for unemployment benefits.? The benefits cover those usually not entitled to Unemployment Insurance.
The following counties have a June 1, 2011, deadline for filing for DUA because of the damages from the storms, tornadoes and related flooding that occurred April 15-28: Chickasaw, Choctaw, Clarke, Greene, Hinds, Jasper, Kemper, Lafayette, Monroe, Neshoba, and Webster.
The following counties have a June 10, 2011, deadline for filing for DUA because of the damages from the storms, tornadoes and related flooding that occurred April 15-28: Alcorn, Attala, Clay, Coahoma, Desoto, Grenada and Holmes, Leflore, Marshall, Montgomery, Newton, Panola, Quitman, Smith, Sunflower, Tishomingo, Tunica and Winston.
Workers in the following counties may be eligible for Disaster Unemployment Assistance: Adams, Bolivar, Claiborne, Coahoma, DeSoto, Jefferson, Humphreys, Issaquena, Sharkey, Tunica, Warren, Washington, Wilkinson and Yazoo. Workers whose jobs have been affected by floods in these counties have until June 11, 2011 to apply for Disaster Unemployment Assistance.
Disaster Unemployment Assistance is also available to those affected by the flooding Mississippi River and its tributaries.? The Mississippi Department of Employment Security estimates as many as 15,000 workers have been left temporarily jobless by the flooding.
Applicants can apply by phoning 888-844-3577 to apply for DUA.? Hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week.? Applicants can also apply online at the Mississippi Department of Employment Security www.mdes.ms.gov.
FEMA's mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.