AUGUSTA — Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) benefits are available to people who lost their job or business due to the Dec. 18 storm.

Applications are open through Monday, March 4, to assist business owners, regular workers, seasonal or migrant workers, and self-employed individuals who lost their job, job offer, or had their work hours reduced or interrupted due to the storm in Androscoggin, Kennebec, Oxford, Somerset, and Franklin counties.

Although this is for the Dec. 18 storm only, not the subsequent storms in January, anyone out of work due to the effects of any storm, even temporarily, is encouraged to apply for regular state unemployment insurance. Unemployment claims can be filed at reemployme.maine.gov.

Funding will be available for eligible applicants who apply within 30 days of the declaration of a major disaster, until March 4, to assist eligible workers, business owners, and self-employed individuals who lost their jobs, job offers, or businesses, or had their work hours reduced or interrupted due to impacts brought about by the storm.

Individuals may be eligible if they do not qualify for regular Unemployment Insurance (UI) and they live in, work in, were scheduled to work in, or were scheduled to travel through an area affected by the storm and lost their employment or self-employment directly due to the disaster.

Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) applies to losses for eligible people impacted by the storm with the first payable week of Disaster Unemployment Assistance for the week of Dec. 24-30. Unemployment benefits start the first full week after the disaster. Claims can be filed for the weeks beginning Dec. 24.

Full-time workers, part-time workers, and self-employed part-time individuals can be eligible for benefits. The last payable week of this emergency benefit ends Aug. 3, 2024 as long as unemployment or self-employment continues as a result of the disaster. Eligibility for DUA benefits will be determined on a week-to-week basis for each week they file their claim.

Individuals can apply for DUA benefits at assist.reemployme.maine.gov or by phone at 1-800-593-7660. The call center is available Monday-Friday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Visit maine.gov for more information about Disaster Unemployment Assistance and how to apply.

Reemployment services are available at mainecareercenter.gov.

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