Disaster Unemployment Assistance

Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) is a federal program that provides the equivalent of unemployment benefits for many workers who lost their jobs as a result of disaster and do not qualify for regular unemployment benefits.

To qualify for the program, a worker must have been employed (or scheduled to be employed) in a federally-declared disaster area, such as the disaster areas declared after the September 11th attacks, or more common disaster area declared after a storm, flood, earthquake or other natural disaster.  Second, the individual must be out of work as a result of the disaster, not for reasons unrelated to the disaster.  Third, the worker may not qualify for regular unemployment benefits, thus including self-employed individuals.  There are also some special groups who qualify for DUA, including those who have become the major breadwinner of the family due to the death of the head of the household for reasons related to a disaster.

Like regular unemployment benefits, DUA checks are paid weekly, and the recipient qualifies for the same weekly sum as they would have been entitled to had they qualify for regular unemployment benefits (although a minimum is set, which is not less than half of the state’s average weekly unemployment benefits).  As with regular unemployment benefits, DUA recipients must also regularly look for work.  To qualify for DUA the individual must also apply within 30 days of the date of when the disaster was officially declared. 

Like regular unemployment benefits, applications for DUA are processed by the state unemployment agencies.  For more information to access DUA, click here for the unemployment agency in your state.  For the lastest listing of the states and counties declared "major disaster" areas, click here.