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Rained out May 20-24? Disaster $ may be available

Date Posted: July 23 2004

Michigan residents in 19 counties who were left temporarily or permanently unemployed because of damage from storms and tornadoes that swept through the counties in late May may be eligible for special federal unemployment aid.

According to the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency, Federal Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) will be available to workers “who worked in or were scheduled to begin work in any of the affected counties but were unable to work because of the effects of the weather.”

The state Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) will be taking applications for the federal DUA benefits.

“Workers, including the self-employed, in any of the 19 counties who either lost their jobs or had their employment interrupted due to the severe storms, tornadoes and flooding that struck from May 20-24 will have 30 days, until Wednesday, Aug. 11, 2004, to file DUA claims,” said Sharon Bommarito, director of the UIA.

The federal government has declared the following Michigan counties as disaster areas: Barry, Berrien, Cass, Genesee, Gladwin, Ingham, Ionia, Jackson, Kent, Livingston, Macomb, Mecosta, Oakland, Ottawa, Sanilac, Shiawassee, St. Clair, St. Joseph, and Wayne.

“Unemployed individuals may be eligible,” said a statement by the state UIA, “if their unemployment is a direct result of the disaster occurring from May 20, 2004 and through May 24, 2004. Disaster Unemployment Assistance will be available to individuals who worked in, or were scheduled to begin work in, the major disaster area at the time of the major disaster and whose principal source of income and livelihood is dependent upon the worker’s employment for wages.”

A worker’s unemployment, the statement said, will be considered caused by the major disaster if the worker:

  • no longer has a job as a direct result of the disaster, or
  • is (or according to a state UIA spokesman, “was” is also accurate) unable to reach the place of employment as a direct result of the major disaster, or
  • was to have started work and does not have the job or is (or was) unable to reach the job as a direct result of the disaster, or
  • has become the breadwinner or major support for a household because the head of the household died as a direct result of the major disaster, or
  • cannot work because of an injury caused as a direct result of the major disaster.

Only one of those criteria need to be met in order to be eligible for the benefit.

Necessary applications and instructions can be obtained by either visiting the UIA’s web site at www.michigan.gov/uia or calling toll-free, (866) 241-0152 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. weekdays.

The minimum weekly benefit amount for full-time workers is $146.00 to a maximum of $362.00 depending upon an individual’s earnings. Part-time workers may be entitled to a reduced amount depending upon earnings.

On many jobs, Hardhats would be sent home whether they’re rained on by a gentle shower or a monsoon. So – are construction workers who were unable to work for a day, or several days, because of those heavy rains be eligible for the federal disaster money? We posed that scenario to a UIA representative, who agreed that it sounds as if those affected construction workers would be eligible for disaster assistance. Your results may vary, but it may be worth a shot to apply if your job was affected by the weather.