Lost work is often not the first thing a hurricane survivor thinks about after a hurricane disaster; however, after the storm passes and clean up has begun, a radical loss of income will be a pressing concern for many. Lost work is rarely covered by hurricane insurance. Rather, the U.S. Department of Labor and other government agencies play a role in helping hurricane survivors survive periods of lost work.
After Hurricane Dolly struck southern Texas in 2008, the U.S. Department of Labor awarded a $7.35 million National Emergency Grant to aid hurricane survivors. The funds went toward providing 400 temporary jobs to people who were rendered unemployed by the hurricane. Additionally, during the aftermath of Hurricane Dolly, self-employed workers such as carpenters, contractors, and agricultural workers were able to apply for federal Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) benefits. These benefits help to cover a percentage of lost wages due to the hurricane disaster. DUA benefits are available to applicants who meet particular criteria.
- Applicants must be currently ineligible for regular unemployment insurance benefits.
- Applicants may be small business owners whose income was disrupted by the storm.
- Applicants may be individuals who are unable to reach their place of employment as a direct result of disaster.
- Applicants must have been employed, self-employed, or scheduled to begin employment before the disaster occurred.
- Applicants must be rendered unable to work or perform services due to physical damage or destruction to their place of employment as a direct result of the disaster.
- Applicants must establish that work or self-employment that they are unable to perform would have been their primary source of income.
- Failing destruction of their place of employment, applicants must be rendered unable to perform work or self-employment due to injury as a direct result of the disaster.
- Applicants must meet the above criteria and have been rendered the primary source of income for their household due to the death of the previous head of household.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) can assist perspective applicants for DUA. Also, state agencies such as the WorkForce Commission can aid hurricane survivors in coping with and overcoming lost work and the associated loss of income.
