Disaster Aid Deadlines Approaching for Impacted Workers

AUSTIN – Individuals who lost work or earnings due to severe storms tornadoes and flooding beginning June 16 2007 and continuing are reminded they must meet application deadlines to qualify for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) under Presidential Disaster Declaration FEMA-1709-DR.

According to the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) individuals in Cooke Coryell Denton Grayson Lampasas and Tarrant counties have until Thursday August 2 2007 to apply while impacted workers in Archer Bell Burnet Eastland Hood Parker Starr Victoria Webb Wichita and Williamson counties have until Monday August 13 2007.

To be eligible for help under Presidential Disaster Declaration FEMA-1709-DR you must:

• Have worked or been scheduled to work in the disaster area but because of the disaster no longer have a job or a place to work in the area or you could not get to your place of work because of disaster damage;
• Have been prevented from working by an injury or illness as a direct result of the disaster; or
• Have become the head of the household and need employment because the head of the household died as a result of the disaster.

To claim DUA affected individuals’ unemployment must be a direct result of one of the following:

• The physical damage or destruction of the place of employment;
• The physical inaccessibility of the place of employment due to its closure by the federal state or local government in immediate response to the disaster; or
• Lack of work or loss of revenues if prior to the disaster the employer or self-employed business received at least a majority of its revenue or income from an entity in the major disaster area that was damaged or destroyed in the disaster or an entity in the major disaster area closed by the federal state or local government.

Often business owners who are self-employed are not aware of potential benefits to which they may be entitled. If you are self-employed but have lost all or part of your livelihood as a result of severe storms tornadoes and flooding you may well be eligible for benefits. You must provide federal income tax forms (Schedules SE and Schedule C or Schedule F) to receive disaster unemployment benefits.

To receive DUA benefits self-employed individuals and workers must provide documentation within 21 days from the day the claim was filed indicating an employment record at the time of the disaster or verification of the weeks the applicant was scheduled to work.

TWC officials understand that because of property losses some individuals may not have necessary information readily available. Each claim is considered individually therefore if you believe you may be eligible for assistance please call the TWC Tele-Center network at one of the numbers listed below Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Time to talk with a representative or file a claim.

Austin local: (512) 340-4300
Dallas local: (214) 252-1200
El Paso local: (915) 832-6400
Fort Worth local: (817) 420-1600
Houston local: (281) 983-1100
McAllen local: (956) 984-4700
San Antonio local: (210) 258-6600
Others call toll free: (800) 939-6631

When calling to apply for benefits you should have available when possible your:

• Social Security number and
• Name and address of your last employer or prospective employer.

Claims filed after the deadline will be considered untimely and benefits denied unless the individual provides good cause for filing after this date.

The first possible week of compensation for DUA purposes is the week ending June 23 2007 and last possible week of compensation is the week ending December 29 2007.

For local workforce services job seekers and employers should contact their local workforce centers in affected areas for revised office hours temporary closures or alternate service locations serving local or evacuated individuals. To locate the nearest workforce center call:

• Central Texas Workforce – (254) 939-3771
• Texas Workforce Solutions of the Golden Crescent – (361) 576-5872
• North Central Texas Workforce – (817) 695-9176
• Workforce Resource –  (940) 767-1432
• Rural Capital Area Workforce –  (512) 244-7966                    
• South Texas Workforce Development Board – (956) 722-3973
• The Workforce Center of West Central Texas – (325) 795-4200
• WorkFORCE Solutions – (956) 928-5000
• Workforce Texoma – (903) 957-7408
• Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County – (817) 413-4400

Job seekers may visit Texas Workforce centers for access to job-search resources job postings and training programs as well as assistance with exploring career options rsum and application preparation career development and more. Customers also may connect with potential employers through TWC’s online job-search engine www.WorkInTexas.com.

Workforce center services for employers include job posting and placement services up-to-date information on the labor market and emerging occupations and assistance with recruiting retention training tax and hiring incentives. Employers can recruit new staff through www.WorkInTexas.com. Workforce centers also can offer employers the use of center office equipment and space when they are opening a new building in their respective areas.