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Federal and State aid is available for counties in Missouri which have been hit by natural disasters, such as tornadoes, hurricanes and severe storms. In the last weeks five counties have been declared the site of a major disaster. When the President declares a county as the site of a major disaster a battery of programs and services become available to it.
Programs available to counties hit by natural disasters include unemployment assistance, funds and support to rebuild damaged communities and insurance for injuries sustained while rebuilding. Let’s take a closer look at the benefits available to workers who lose their jobs due to a natural disaster.
EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE
If you lose your employment as a direct result of a natural disaster, you may qualify for Disaster Unemployment Assistance, a program similar to the state unemployment insurance benefits but with a broader base of eligible recipients and six extra weeks of benefits. The DUA program is also available for self-employed workers who can no longer arry out their line of work because of the damage caused by the disaster. As of today the counties of Butler, Mississippi, New Madrid, St. Louis and Taney are eligible for DUA benefits and claims will be accepted up until June 16
What to Do?
If you think you qualify for unemployment assistance visit the claim Division of Missouri’s Employment Security by clicking here. You must first file a regular unemployment benefits claim to get your name registered in the system and be eligible for further assistance. Once the President declares a major disaster in your county you have up to 30 days to file your claim. The standard benefit package for workers without unemployment due to a major disaster is 26 weeks of unemployment benefits.
Notice that these benefits are only available if you are not eligible for state unemployment insurance. You cannot claim for both UI benefits and DUA benefits. Workers whose employers do not report their income for unemployment purposes may also claim this assistance by providing alternative evidence of their employment, such as check stubs and W-2 forms.
Self-Employed Requirements
Self-employed workers who are affected by a natural disaster may also qualify for benefits if they can provide the following evidence: a 1040 Tax Return, a Schedule C Profit and loss from their business, or if they are farmers, a Schedule F profit and loss form. Notice IRS forms 4797 and 4835 will not be acceptable as evidence of self-employment.
For more information on the filing process and updates on the major disaster status of your county call 800-788-4002.
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