Disaster Unemployment Assistance available in Bay, Gladwin, Isabella and Midland counties

Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) is available to eligible people living or working in Bay, Gladwin, Isabella and Midland counties, and the Saginaw Chippewa Tribe within Isabella County whose employment was lost or interrupted due to the severe storms and flooding in those counties from June 22-27, 2017.  This is available as a result of a major disaster declaration from President Trump on August 2, 2017.

To be eligible for DUA benefits under Presidential Disaster Declaration FEMA-4326-DR, a person:  

• Must be a U.S. national or a qualified alien; and
• Must not qualify for regular unemployment insurance benefits from any state; and
• Must have worked or were self-employed in, or were scheduled to begin work or resume work in Bay, Gladwin, Isabella and Midland Counties or the Saginaw Chippewa Tribe within Isabella County at the time the disaster occurred; and

• 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; or.
• Cannot perform work or self-employment because of an injury caused as a direct result of the disaster; or
• Became the 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.

Before applying for the federal DUA benefits, individuals must first apply for regular state unemployment benefits online through the Michigan Web Account Manager at michigan.gov/uia. Under federal guidelines, eligibility for regular state unemployment benefits will be determined first before eligibility for DUA benefits will be considered.

Applications for DUA must be filed by Sept. 5, 2017. People who may be eligible for DUA should immediately contact the Unemployment Insurance customer service line at 1-866-500-0017 (TTY customers use 1-866-366-0004) or visit a local UI Problem Resolution Office for an application package. Visit michigan.gov/uia for a list of PRO locations around the state. A DUA application package is also available on the website.

To file for DUA, people will need to provide their Social Security Number and the name and address of their last employer or prospective employer. Applicants are also required to provide proof (within 21 days of filing their DUA claim) that they were employed or self-employed at the time the disaster occurred, or were scheduled to begin (or resume) a job when the disaster occurred. 

Eligible claimants can generally receive up to 32 weeks of DUA benefits if his or her unemployment continues to be a result of the disaster. Eligibility for DUA benefits will be determined on a week-to-week basis.