Applications are open March 25 through April 22 to assist business owners, regular workers, seasonal or migrant workers, and self-employed individuals who lost their job, job offer, or had their work hours reduced or interrupted due to the January 9 and 13 storms in Cumberland, Hancock, Knox, Lincoln, Sagadahoc, Waldo, Washington, and York Counties.
Processing of initial Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) claims can take up to 14 days.
December 18, 2023 Storm: An individual in Androscoggin, Kennebec, Oxford, Somerset, or Franklin counties might be eligible for DUA benefits if they are a business owner, a self-employed person, a regular worker, or a seasonal or migrant worker who lost their job, job offer, or had their work hours reduced due to the storm on December 18, 2023.
January 9 / 13 Storms: An individual in Cumberland, Hancock, Knox, Lincoln, Sagadahoc, Waldo, Washington, and York Countiesmight be eligible for DUA benefits if they are a business owner, a self-employed person, a regular worker, or a seasonal or migrant worker who lost their job, job offer, or had their work hours reduced due to the storms on January 9 and/or 13, 2024.
To be eligible for DUA, a person can’t be eligible for regular unemployment benefits in any state. When they apply, they must be able to work, ready and willing to accept work, and have the time and means to work, unless they suffered injuries directly linked to the disaster. Additionally, they must meet at least one of the following criteria:
They can’t work or they are working reduced hours because the disaster damaged or destroyed their workplace
They can’t return, resume, or start their employment or self-employment because of the disaster
They can’t work due to injuries caused as a direct result of the disaster
They can't get to their job due to the impact of the disaster in one of the affected areas. This also applies if they reside in a major disaster area but are unable to reach their place of employment or self-employment outside the disaster area
They became the primary support of their family because of the death of the head of the household as a result of the disaster
December 18, 2023 Storm: To be considered, you need to submit your application by March 4, 2024. You will first have to complete the regular state unemployment form to determine eligibility for UI benefits or DUA benefits.
January 9 and/or 13, 2024 Storms: To be considered, you need to submit your application by April 22, 2024. You will first have to complete the regular state unemployment form to determine eligibility for UI benefits or DUA benefits.
To complete your application, you will need to provide your Social Security Number (SSN), and the name, address, and dates of employment of all your employers for the past two years, including out-of-state employers.
You will need to provide all supporting evidence no more than 21 days after the application has been filed. The documents you need to provide might vary depending on your circumstances and previous employers but could include proof of identity, your most recent federal income tax form, and other documents proving that you were working or self-employed when the disaster occurred. If you need to submit proof of income for the past year, you can submit those documents after the 21 days deadline but no later than the end of the disaster assistance period. Delays in submitting your documents can impact your benefits and overall processing times.