Disaster Unemployment Assistance deadline approaching for workers affected by Hurricane Laura

Oct. 20--The Louisiana Workforce Commission reminds individuals impacted by Hurricane Laura in the Louisiana parishes listed below that the deadline to apply for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) is approaching.

Deadline: Friday, October 30, 2020

A uniform deadline of 11:59 p.m. CST Friday, October 30, 2020, is in effect for the following parishes: Acadia, Allen, Beauregard, Caddo, Calcasieu, Cameron, Grant, Jackson, Jefferson Davis, La Salle, Lincoln, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Ouachita, Rapides, Sabine, St. Landry, Union, Vermillion, Vernon, and Winn parishes.

DUA, which is an unemployment insurance benefit made available especially for victims of disaster, is available to individuals who:

--Worked or were self-employed or were scheduled to begin work or self-employment;

--Can no longer work or perform services because of physical damage or destruction to the place of employment as a direct result of the disaster;

--Can establish that the work or self-employment they no longer can perform was their principal source of income;

--Do not qualify for regular unemployment benefits from any state;

--Cannot perform work or self-employment because of an injury as a direct result of the disaster; or

--Became the breadwinner or major support of a household because of the death of the head of household.

Applications filed after the deadline, will be considered untimely and DUA benefits may be denied, unless the individual provides good cause for filing after that date.

In order to process your Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) claim as quickly as possible, we need documentation of your employment/self-employment as well as proof of wages/income.

Proof of employment/self-employment should be submitted no later than 21 days after filing your claim. The following documents are acceptable as proof of employment: -- Payroll voucher closest in date to the last work week -- Employment and earnings statement from employer with name, address and contact information -- Written statement from employer -- Notarized affidavit from person with name, address and contact information who can verify claimant's employment and unemployment (this is for those workers who are unable to reach their employer) -- Business records (bank statements, business receipts, licenses, advertisements, invoices, appointment books, financial statements) -- Notarized statement from person with name, address, and contact information who can verify your self-employment and unemployment

If you are self-employed, your 2019 federal income tax return and schedules can serve as proof of prior wages, but does not substantiate your proof of employment at the time of the disaster. Please refer to the list above of acceptable forms of proof of employment.

Disaster unemployment assistance is available from weeks of unemployment beginning August 23, 2020, up to February 27, 2021, as long as the individual's unemployment continues to be a direct result of the disaster.

To file for disaster unemployment assistance, applicants should apply online at www.laworks.net or call the Benefits Analysis Team at 1-866-783-5567 Monday -- Friday 8:00 a.m. -- 7:00 p.m. and Sunday 8:00 a.m. -- 5 p.m.

CDT. Additional information is available at www.laworks.net.

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