GUAYNABO, Puerto Rico – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that employees or self-employed individuals who live in Aguada, Hormigueros, Mayagüez or Rincón and became unemployed as a direct consequence of Tropical Storm Isaías may be eligible to receive Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA).
Survivors that live in the four affected municipalities can file a claim until Dec. 30, 2020. To be eligible for Disaster Unemployment Assistance, the applicant must:
- File a regular unemployment insurance claim and be determined ineligible for benefits;
- Be unemployed or partially unemployed as a direct result of the disaster;
- Be able and available for work, unless injured as a direct result of the disaster;
- File an application for DUA within 30 days of the date of this announcement; and
- Have not refused an offer of employment in a suitable position.
Survivors can find the DUA application at trabajo.pr.gov. Applications can be can placed in the mail box located at the nearest Puerto Rico Department of Labor office, from Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., or uploaded at trabajo.pr.gov/DocUploader.
To receive DUA benefits, all required documentation must be submitted to the Puerto Rico Department of Labor within 21 days from the day the DUA application is filed. Required documentation may include Social Security number, a copy of the most recent federal income tax return, check stubs or documentation to support that applicants were working or self-employed when the disaster occurred.
To verify eligibility and additional information on DUA, survivors must visit their local unemployment office or visit trabajo.pr.gov. DUA is managed by the Puerto Rico Department of Labor and funded by FEMA. Survivors may also search for employment and training opportunities through the American Job Center or by visiting CareerOneStop.org/LocalHelp.
For more information on Puerto Rico’s recovery from Tropical Storm Isaías, visit fema.gov/disaster/4560. Follow us at Facebook.com/FEMAPuertoRico.