The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) along with state, local and federal partners, continues to assist San Diego County individuals, families and business owners to recover from the late January 2024 storms.
The Employment Development Department (EDD) announced that San Diego County workers whose employment or self-employment was impacted by the late January 2024 storms and flooding between January 21-23, 2024 are now able to apply for federal Disaster Unemployment Assistance benefits.
HOW DOES DISASTER UNEMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE WORK?
The Disaster Unemployment Assistance benefits apply to losses beginning the week of January 28, 2024, for people impacted by the storms and flooding. Eligible full-time workers can receive between $183 and $450 per week in benefits for a maximum period of 30 weeks, provided they continue to meet all requirements for DUA eligibility. Part-time workers may also be eligible for benefits. Eligible individuals who were unemployed as of January 28 can have their benefits backdated to cover the entire period they were unemployed as a direct result of the disaster. The last payable week of this emergency benefit ends August 24, 2024.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
Disaster Unemployment Assistance benefits are offered to victims of a federally-declared disaster and are available to individuals who are not eligible for regular unemployment benefits and meet any of the following criteria:
- Worked, or were a business owner or self-employed, or were scheduled to begin work or self-employment, in the disaster area. This includes, and is not limited to, those in the agricultural and fishing industries.
- Cannot reach work because of the disaster or 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.
- Cannot perform work or self-employment because of an injury as a direct result of the disaster.
- Became the head of their household because of a death caused by the disaster.
HOW TO APPLY
- Online at EDD’s UI Online application and available in 5 different languages
- Local Job Centers
- Or in person at a Disaster Recovery Centers
PREPARING TO APPLY
Before applying, individuals should make sure they have the correct documents or information on hand:
- Most recent federal income tax form or check stubs
- Any additional documents to support that the individual was working or self-employed* when the disaster occurred
*Self-employed documents can be obtained from banks, government entities, or affidavits from other individuals having knowledge of their business.
Disaster Unemployment Assistance benefit claims for individuals from San Diego County must be filed by April 2, 2024.
EDD’s Disaster-Related Services webpage includes more information for individuals and businesses impacted by disasters, including tax filing extensions for affected employers.