Wis. Disaster Unemployment Application Deadline Approaches Following Storms

Wisconsin’s Department of Workforce Development (DWD) Secretary Roberta Gassman is reminding workers in Columbia, Dodge, Fond du Lac, Jefferson, Kenosha, Ozaukee and Winnebago counties who lost jobs or wages due to flooding and severe storms they must apply for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) no later than July 23.

DUA is a federal program that provides financial assistance to workers, including self-employed farm and non-farm workers, who lost work and wages as a direct result of the flooding. Individuals may be eligible for DUA benefits if, as a direct result of the flooding, they were unable to reach their place of employment; they lost work because of an injury; or they became the major support of a household because the head of the household died as a result of the storm.

DUA benefits are based on a person’s earnings for the most recent tax year. As a result, applicants will be asked to furnish earnings data from their 2003 federal tax return when filing a claim. The DUA benefit, depending upon yearly income and loss of wages, can range from $126 to $329 per week.

Applications must be filed by telephone by calling the state Unemployment Insurance Division in Madison at (608) 232-0678, in Milwaukee at (414) 438-7700 and toll free at (800) 822-5246. A special (TTY) number for the hearing impaired is also available at (888) 393-8914.

Flooding and severe storms occurred in Southern Wisconsin in May and June. The seven counties were declared federal disaster areas for individual assistance which makes the DUA benefits available to workers who qualify.