WETHERSFIELD, Conn. — As the nation turns its eyes down south to the damage caused by Hurricanes Helene and Milton, the residents of southern Connecticut continue to recuperate from the heavy flooding that swept through their own region on Aug. 18-19.
Fortunately, the federal government has not forgotten about the Nutmeg State, as FEMA maintains its presence in Fairfield, Litchfield and New Haven counties. Previously, President Joe Biden authorized Connecticut’s major disaster declaration for those counties, and Gov. Ned Lamont announced the opening of business recovery centers to help employers apply for federal aid.
On Wednesday, Commissioner Danté Bartolomeo of the Connecticut Department of Labor announced that FEMA has approved the launch of the federal Disaster Unemployment Assistance program for residents who have experienced job interruption or loss due to the flooding.
According to a release from the Department of Labor, DUA is a federal program supporting workers whose employment was lost or interrupted by a major disaster and who are not eligible for regular state unemployment insurance benefits. DUA covers workers, some residents who are self-employed and the surviving spouses of heads of households who died during the severe weather.
Bartolomeo said that the August flooding caused more than 100 Connecticut businesses to shut down during the storm and recovery and that his department urges workers who were impacted to carefully read the eligibility guidelines and file for unemployment benefits immediately.
“Some residents may recall Disaster Unemployment Assistance from Hurricane Ida in 2021,” Bartolomeo said. “This program requires that workers file for and be denied state unemployment benefits in order to be eligible for federal benefits. It’s one more step for approval, but disaster benefits cover a broader cohort of workers who aren’t ordinarily eligible for regular unemployment benefits.”
On behalf of his department, Bartolomeo thanked Lamont, Biden and the state and federal partners who made sure that the relief was available to the residents of Connecticut.
According to the Department of Labor, eligibility for DUA includes:
-Residents who live, work or travel through impacted areas – Fairfield County, Litchfield County or New Haven County
-Individuals who were to start work or self-employment but were prevented from doing so because of the flooding
-Workers who experienced unemployment or reduced hours because of:
-Flooding to their place of business
-Road or other closures
-Lack of work because the business depends on a non-operational entity within the affected area
-Experienced injury caused directly by the storm
-Workers who have proof of employment, documentation of wages and earnings for the 2023 tax year
-Workers who have documentation of wages or lost earnings directly related to the flooding
-Individuals who became the major source of financial support for a household due to the death of the head of the household
RELATED: Business Recovery Centers in Monroe and Oxford provide help applying for federal disaster aid
The Department of Labor noted that claimants must first file for regular state unemployment benefits at www.FileCTUI.com. When a claimant is found ineligible for state benefits, they must then file for DUA by calling the Consumer Contact Center.
In accordance with federal law, the filing deadline for Connecticut DUA is Dec. 9.
The Department of Labor Consumer Contact Center is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Residents can call 203-941-6868, 860-967-0493, 800-842-9710 or TTY – 711.
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Dalton Zbierski is a digital content producer and writer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at dzbierski@FOX61.com.
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