2. News Room

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, October 23, 2018
CONTACT: DWD Communications, 608-266-2722
On the Web: http://dwd.wisconsin.gov/news/
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On Twitter: @WIWorkforce

Governor Walker Obtains Disaster Unemployment Assistance for Eight Wisconsin Counties

DUA assistance available for workers impacted by severe storms in August and September

MADISON – Governor Walker announced that Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) is available to eligible individuals due to a major disaster declared by the President on October 18, 2018. The Department of Workforce Development is accepting applications for DUA from individuals in Crawford, Dane, Juneau, La Crosse, Monroe, Richland, Sauk, and Vernon Counties whose employment or self-employment was lost or interrupted due to severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds, flooding and landslides between August 17, 2018 and September 14, 2018.

Applications for DUA must be filed by November 23, 2018.

To be eligible for DUA individuals:

• Must be an unemployed or self-unemployed worker whose unemployment was caused as a direct result of the major disaster declared by the President
• 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 self-employment in, one of the counties listed above; and
• Must establish that the work or self-employment they can no longer perform was their primary source of income.

Also, eligible to apply for DUA are individuals who:

• 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 breadwinner or 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.

All DUA applicants must file for regular unemployment benefits first before receiving consideration for DUA benefits. DUA benefits are not payable if an individual is eligible for regular unemployment insurance benefits. Suffering a monetary loss due to damage to property or crops does not automatically entitle an individual to Disaster Unemployment Assistance.

Benefits are based on a person’s earnings for the most recent tax year. As a result, applicants may be asked to furnish earnings data from their most recent federal tax returns when filing a claim. The first potential week payable for DUA benefits is the week ending August 25, 2018.

Workers in the eight counties declared disaster areas, including those who are self-employed in farming or other businesses, must apply for benefits by November 23, 2018. Applications filed after this date will be considered untimely, unless the individual provides good cause for filing after this date.

Individuals who may be eligible for assistance must file a claim online. For help using online services or if you are unable to go online, call the DUA hotline at 608-318-7100 during business hours.