Disaster Unemployment Assistance is now available in California, due to major damage caused by wildfires.
President Bush recently declared the California counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and Santa Barbara as disaster areas because of the wildfires.
Subsequently, employees and self-employed individuals who’ve lost their jobs or income as a direct result of the wildfires in the declared counties might be eligible to collect Disaster Unemployment Assistance benefits, if not eligible to collect standard state unemployment benefits.
Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) benefits typically last 26 weeks and are similar to those of standard state unemployment benefits. The weekly DUA benefit amount is determined by each state, according to each state’s unemployment regulations. Unlike standard state benefits, DUA covers self-employed individuals in addition to employees.
To file a claim for wildfire Disaster Unemployment Assistance, contact the nearest branch of the California Employment Development Department, commonly referred to as the EDD or California unemployment office. Comprehensive One-Stop Career Centers in California also take claims for DUA.
The window for filing a DUA claim is typically open for only 30 days after it becomes available. You’ll have at least 21 days after you file, to provide any supporting documents required; in other words, you may file first, prove later. You may file your DUA claim with the California unemployment office online or by phone, fax, or postal mail.
For more information about wildfire Disaster Unemployment Assistance benefits and claims, see Federal Disaster Declared due to Wildfires from the California unemployment office.
For information about other types of wildfire disaster assistance, see Federal Aid Programs for California Disaster Recovery from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Beware of scams! Con artists often try to exploit disaster victims, by charging bogus fees for filing Disaster Unemployment Assistance claims. Never pay a fee, no matter how “governmentally official” or unsuspecting the so-called “offer” appears to be. In fact, it’s a good idea to proceed with caution when seeking any disaster assistance, through sources other than official government agencies.
If you need legal assistance as a victim of the wildfire disaster or a related scam, some local lawyers volunteer to help victims by charging no fees or only small fees. A free lawyer referral service might be able to help you find such a lawyer, as might a non-profit California legal-aid organization.
